Shining Armor was jolted awake by his alarm clock. He glanced at it and saw it was 7AM. He grumbled, and after stopping the alarm quickly drifted back off to sleep.
It was short lived though as about 15 minutes later he was jolted awake again by the sound of small hooves pounding on his door.
"Wake up BBBFF it's time for breakfast!" a filly shouted as she continued to pound on it.
"Twiley it's Saturday can't I just sleep?" he replied.
"That's why you can't it's Saturday!" she replied.
"He grumbled again, then remembered why he was still sleepy. He had stayed up until midnight to finish his home work so he could have the entire weekend off to hang out with Gaffer and the others. Armor finally forced himself out of bed, and downstairs to the kitchen where Twilight and their parents were waiting.
"I figured you would sleep in til' at least 10," Twilight Velvet said to him.
"I might have if it hadn't been for this woodpecker here," he replied as he rubbed Twilight's head.
"Well now you can watch cartoons with me," she replied.
"So what's your plans for today?" Night Light asked.
"Probably hang out with Gaffer and the others for an undetermined length of time," armor replied while enjoying his orange juice.
"It'll be a little funner with those extra bits won't it?" Night Light asked. Both him and Twilight got all A's and B's on their report cards, so they got rewards. Armor took the bits, while Twilight would take it in toys later on in the day.
After breakfast, Armor and Twilight went into the living room to watch cartoons until 11, when they switched to Equestrian Bandstand. Quarterhorse performed their hit from their latest album .
"Oh that's right. That album came out yesterday," commented Armor.
"Are you going to get it? I love that song," Twiley asked.
"Yeah. I'll get it when I go to the mall," he replied.
Shortly after 11:30 there was a phone call.
"It's Gaffer Shining," Twilight Velvet announced. And he got up and went over to the phone.
"What's up Gaffer?"
"How's it going? Got any plans for today?" he asked.
"Not really other than going to the mall. Got something planned?"
"What do you know? That's what we were going to do," replied Gaffer.
"OK. Meetup at the comic shop?" Armor asked.
"Yep. We'll see what's new there and decide what to do next," he replied.
"Alright catch you in a bit," and he hung up the phone.
"Going to hang out with them?" Velvet asked.
"Yep. I don't know how long I'll be out," replied Armor.
"We'll don't stay out too late, and have fun!" she replied. He went to his room to get his saddle bag, and started to head out.
"Have fun big brother. Maybe you'll run into Cadance while you're there," she said which made him blush a little.
23 minutes later he was at the mall. He entered and made his way to the comic shop. Music playing over the mall's sound system. He entered the shop to find the others looking through comics while waiting for him.
"There he is," Poindexter said.
"Check out this new comic," 8 Bit said as he handed him the first issue of the new series Ghost Trotter. Armor breezed through it for a few seconds.
"OK this is going to be good," he said as he put it down.
"So how was your report card?" Gaffer asked.
"All A's and B's" replied Armor.
"Same here, except for one C plus," replied Poindexter.
"Mine had everything but an F, thankfully," added 8 Bit while looking at a mare who had.just entered the store.
"Guess we all did pretty good then," Gaffer said as they started walking to the checkout.
"Thanks to mine I've got some more spending change, so I think the arcade should be our next stop," Armor said as he paid for his comics.
"Let's do it!" replied Gaffer as they paid for their comics. After putting them in their saddlebags they headed for the arcade.
Meanwhile back at home Twilight and their parents were getting ready to head for the mall also.
"Ready to go Twilight?" Velvet asked.
"Yeah let's go let's go!" Twilight replied, jumping up and down.
"Think you'll ever have enough of those My Little Puppies?" Night Light asked.
"Only when they stop making them ," she replied as Velvet locked the door to their house. Velvet laughed and they headed for the mall.
By the time Armor's family got there, the group was already well into spending their bits on playing video games. Armor had already gotten his second free game on High Speed pinball, and 8 Bit was well on his way to beating the top score on Galaga.
"You're only twenty thousand away. Keep at it!" Poindexter said.
"Just a little more," he said. And with a few more levels he got it.
"Oh yeah! Now to keep it going!" He cleared the old high score by 18,000 points before finally losing.
"Gonna' be hard for somepony to top that," Poindexter said. Soon Armor and Gaffer went over to them.
"Well what's next on the agenda?" 8 Bit asked Armor.
"I still need to pick up the new Quarterhorse album, then we can get something to eat," he replied. So they left for Canterlot Music, which was one store down from the arcade.
At the same time Armor's family was eating at the food court. Velvet brought up the subject of him and Cadance.
"So is it true your brother is developing a crush on Cadance?" Velvet asked Twilight.
"I'm pretty sure he is," she replied. "Whenever he sees her he just stares, and if she says something to him you should hear him try to speak. I think he's trying to come up with a new language." Her comment got laughs from both of them.
"I think she'd be a nice match for him," Night Light said.
What was supposed to be a quick album pickup turned into an extended stay as the group chatted with the clerk, whom they knew. Another of the current hit songs playing over the speakers in the store.
"So are you ready to dive back into hoofball?" he asked Armor.
"I guess Quarterback. Too bad this is your last season," he replied.
"It's fine. I'll definitely be picking it up again in college," he replied. "Oh I forgot to tell you. Twisted Stallion will have a new album out before the end of the year."
"Sweet!" Armor replied. The others also approved.
Just next door to them Twilight was trying to decide which puppies she wanted to get as Velvet watched, and Night Light browsed through the US-1 Trucking slot car sets.
"Almost got it figured out?" Velvet asked.
"I'm trying to. It's so hard to pick," she replied.
"Well take your time. We're in no hurry," she said.
The others were leaving Canterlot Music when they paused in front of JC Pony.
"Have you picked out a suit for the fall formal yet?" Gaffer asked Armor.
"I've got an idea. Haven't settled on it though," he replied. "No point in going if Cadance doesn't go out with me."
"Here we go," 8 Bit whispered to Poindexter, who glanced to his left, and saw something.
"Speaking of Cadance", he said, and the others looked also to see her and her friends Lemony Gems and Diamond Rose coming down the escalator.
"Quick hide!" Armor said as he jumped behind a short wall.
"Seriously?" Poindexter said as they joined him. They watched the three walk over to and stop at a jewelry kiosk. Armor just stared.
"Earth to Shining Armor. Do you read?" Poindexter said.
"Forget it we've lost him," replied 8 Bit as he watched a nearby pony doing the latest dance craze to the song that started it.
"Come on Armor. Go talk to her or snap out of it," Poindexter said, which brought him out of his stupor a bit.
"I can't talk to her in the middle of this place!" he replied.
"And why not?" asked 8 Bit.
At the same time Twilight and her parents walked out of the toy store, and she noticed Armor almost immediately.
"There's big brother!" she said, pointing to him.
"What is he looking at?" Night Light asked.
"No doubt Cadance over there," she replied. Gaffer looked to the right and saw them.
"Hey Armor it's your family."
He looked. "Uh oh," he replied. They were already approaching so he took his attention off of the pink alicorn.
"How are you all doing?" Velvet asked.
"Just fine," replied Poindexter.
"Uh... Good," stuttered Armor.
"Find something interesting Big Brother?" Twilight said with a grin, causing his face to turn red a bit.
"Oh. Well I've got the Quarterhorse album," he replied weakly.
And then it got even worse for him.
"Hi everyone!" While they were talking, Cadance had seen them and went over to say hi.
"How's it going Cadance?" Velvet asked.
"Pretty good. What did you get Twiley?"
"Some more puppies thanks to my report card," she replied.
"Well I know what we'll be doing the next time I foalsit," she said. She then turned to Shining Armor.
"How are you doing?" It was impossible to not notice the amount of blushing on his face.
"Erp," he said.
"Are you OK?" she asked.
"Derp."
"I'll take that as a yes," she said, turning loose a giggle.
"Werp?"
"How did you do on your report card?" Twilight asked her.
"I did good. Well except for one." she replied.
"Uh oh which one?"
"Sorry I'm not incriminating myself." Which got laughs from everypony, except Armor who was still in a stupor.
"We better get going," Lemony Gem said to her.
"Catch all of you later! See you Shining Armor." And the three walked off.
"Buh bye," Armor said. His face still red from knowing he just dropped a vat of spaghetti in front of his family, friends, and Cadance.
"Gonna' be home in time for supper?" Night Light asked him, which finally snapped him out of it.
"Oh. Yeah. I'll be home for long enough," he replied.
"OK. We'll see you later," replied Velvet. And they left.
"So that's what you were talking about Twilight?" Velvet asked.
"Yep. Perfect example," she replied.
"That was so cute," Velvet said as they exited the mall.
"Being my colt, I figured he would handle it a bit smoother," Night Light said.
"Come on. You were a bit like that when we first met," replied Velvet, which made Twilight giggle.
At the same time Diamond Rose turned to Cadance and said: "Typical encounter with him."
"I don't think he could get any cuter," she replied.
"You're really starting to like him aren't you?" Lemony asked. Cadance just smiled.
"It's hard not to like him."
"Well how does it feel to know you just embarrassed yourself in front of your family and Cadance?" Poindexter asked as they ate at the food court.
"Well.... It's not the first time I've done it," he replied.
"They obviously know you've got a crush on her now," Gaffer said.
"Twiley probably won't let you live it down," added 8 Bit.
"Oh well. I've got ammo in reserve for her," he replied.
After eating, they left the mall.
"So do we disband until after dinner?" Gaffer asked.
"Yeah," replied Armor. "Meet at your house this time?"
"Yep. I'll even have the refreshments ready," he replied.
"Catch you in a bit then," Armor said. And they split off for their homes.
