Shining Armor hurried down the empty streets of Canterlot. His school saddlebags thumped against his sides and sweat began to bead under his forelock. He had to get home first. His hooves clacked loudly on the stone streets as he galloped at full speed. Heart thumping wildly, he reluctantly slowed down to fix a dangling buckle on his school bag.
Spilled homework would mean he would be delayed and if he was delayed that means disaster would strike.
His little sister would get all the cookies.
Not only would they be scrumptious chocolate chip cookies, but they would be fresh, and that meant gooey moist chips and just the right amount of softness and chewy-ness for the cookie part as well. Aside from that tempting factor, Shining couldn't let himself be bested by an an eight year old.
After turning a few streets he came to a medium sized two-floor house. It wasn't a super extravagant abode like some of the mansions in other sections of Canterlot, but it was home, with its purple curtains, toy filled backyard, and the occasional bookfort. He rummaged through his bag, magically pulled out his copy of the house key, and turned it in the lock.
Once Shining Armor stepped inside he snuck into the kitchen and found the mutilated white remains of an 'Advanced Equestrian Cultures' test scattered about the floor's surface. On the counter was a plate of cookies that remained untouched. Under the plate was a note from their mom, explaining how she and Night Light, Shining Armor and Twilight Sparkle's father, would be home late so she made them extra chocolaty cookies. As long as they were in bed by 9:00pm.
But none of this was important to Shining. Who cares about chocolaty cookies? His sister had gotten home first and was no where to be seen.
His socially awkward, super smart sister. Even more mysterious was: why was there an exam that could only be Twily's laying ripped up on the floor?
Twilight wouldn't rip up a school paper, would she?
He decided to go check upstairs to see what was wrong, but not before he shoved some cookies in his mouth.
...
When he climbed up the stairs Shining found a trail of papers, books, pencils and even a filly sized school bag flung all around the stairwell.
The trail led up to Twily's room, with the door ajar.
"Twily? Are you alright?"
No response.
What if something had-
No, Shining Armor thought. Maybe she is just napping. Or she slipped. I'm going to go in there and see what is wrong. I'm a responsible thirteen year old colt. I know CPR and I can find some of the Princess' guards if something bad really did happen.
He stepped into her room. Everything looked normal. Her bed was made. Her toy chest was open, and her book shelf was empty.
The bookfort reinforced with blankets in the middle of the room, however was...sobbing.
"Twily?"
Silence then a faint:
"B.B.B.F.F?"
Her voice sounded meek and scared and was at the whiny, pitiable stage in the crying process where you just want to burst into tears as well from hearing it and give the sobber more hugs than there are rays on the Princess' sun.
"Twily, are you hurt?"
More sobs.
"...only my pride..."
"Can I come in the fort?"
"...Okay."
Something was definitely wrong, he thought, she didn't even ask for the password which she normally harasses me for.
Shining Armor crawled inside wiggling around the ballistae, built out of books before magically lifting a blanket fraction of the roof off so he could sit up. This allowed more light to enter the bookfort, revealing a small Twilight with a mussed mane, tear stained face buried in her hooves, and Smarty Pants clutched in her foreleg.
She didn't look up.
Shining gulped. He'd never seen his sister act quite like this before.
"Come on Twily," he prompted, "tell me what's wrong."
"I'm getting sent to a public academy, to magic kindergarten and I can't be Princess Celestia's student anymore!"
"What?! Who told you this?"
More sobs.
"You know...magic kindergarten isn't so bad...the teachers are really nice and they never have bad juice boxes. Plus, I'm sure you'll still get to eat a ton of graham crackers during snack time."
Even though she couldn't see him, Shining Armor forced an awkward it-will-be-okay smile.
"Twily, come on you love graham crackers. L-o-v-e them. Remember that story we wrote? Where you married a graham cracker monster? I still have it somewhere in my room. I'll read it to you until you die of laughter."
Twilight buried her head further into her hooves. "If magic kindergarten is so great why are you in military school?" she huffed cynically.
"You know that answer: I want to be a soldier. Now if you tell me what is really wrong I'll...umm..."
"I'll let you dress me up like a princess again and we can play attack on the book fort. I learned more about architecture today so we can give your bookfort buttresses. Won't that be nice?"
"No."
"Oh, come on! Don't be a party-pooper. I'm sure it wasn't that bad. If you help me clean up the stairwell and kitchen we can have a sleep over in my room, I'll let you have the top bunk and you can eat as many cookies as you want even if you become sick, I'll take the blame. I promise. Just please tell me what's wrong."
She muttered something into Smarty Pants.
"Twily, could you speak a little louder?"
"I SAID I GOT A BAD GRADE ON MY SUPER-DUPER HARD TROTTISH LANGUAGE & HISTORY EXAM!!!!"
"...Twily, I bet it was only a 'C' okay? They aren't too bad I got them when I was your age. It just means you need to study better for next time. One letter won't determine your life."
"It wasn't a 'C'."
She didn't lift her head.
"Is this fuss all over a 'B'? You've gotten plenty of 'B's' before."
"...It was an 'F'. I won't be able to do a make up project, either."
"Now I see why you are so sad. What did Princess Celestia say?"
"She said she'll help me make a study sheet and then we'll make some flash cards just for the basic history stuff."
"Well that isn't too bad," said Shining Armor, laughing lightly, "Although I doubt you'll ever have to go to Trotland."
Twilight Sparkle lifted her head, sat up and clutched Smarty Pants close. Tears were dried on her face.
"Shiny?"
"Yes?"
"Can I have a cookie?"
"Yeah, let me bring the plate up."
He got up and went to the door.
"Shiny?"
Shining Armor paused in the door way and turned around. "What is it?"
"Do I still get to dress you up like a princess?"
He sighed.
"I don't see why not. I did promise you after all."
Twilight stuck her tongue out and smiled.
