“I don’t wanna go!” I whined.
“Twilight, honey,” Mom crooned, “you get to go live with the Princess! Aren’t you happy about that?”
I fell quiet for several moments.
I didn’t know how to phrase exactly what I was feeling. It was a whole bunch of complicated emotions, but one stood out to me.
I was scared.
I was terrified.
“Y-yes…” I responded, my body involuntarily shaking. “But I don’t want to move away from home. It’s… scary!”
My gaze met the floor as I admitted my thoughts. I was scared. I wasn’t going to have Mom gently wake me up every morning. I wouldn’t get Dad’s forehead kiss before I ran off to school. I wouldn’t get to walk home with Shining Armor anymore.
Things were all going to change, and it scared me. It scared me on a level I couldn’t comprehend or explain yet.
I curled my entire body around Mom’s sitting form, and a moment later she was hugging me.
I fought back a wet sniffle.
I was the personal student of the Princess now. I was an important, smart pony.
But the thought of leaving home was too much to bear. I didn’t like change! Change was scary and I didn’t like facing scary without my mommy or big brother.
Yes, I was going under the mentorship of the Princess, but still…
I wiped a couple tears on Mom’s leg. If I was to be a big tough magical mare, I couldn’t cry. That wasn’t tough.
“And in five months, you’ll have another surprise!” Dad chirped as he entered the room, flanked by Shining Armor.
“Twily!” Shining smiled as he saw me. “Guess who- oh no, are you okay?”
His smile instantly disappeared as he saw my tear-struck face.
Personal student to the princess, I needed to be a big brave pony. C’mon Twilight, remember what Cadance taught you.
I took several deep breaths and willed my heartbeat to slow as I separated from Mom’s leg and padded over to my brother.
“I’m sorry,” I apologized. “What were you saying?”
Shining’s grin returned. “Finally got word from my recruiter. I ship out to boot camp in two months!”
My brain shut down at that.
Nonononononononono
NO!
“Bu- you can’t!” I squeaked, my heart pounding in my chest. “No!”
“Don’t even worry about it, Twily.” Shining gently tousled my mane. “It’s gonna take more than those Drill Sergeants have to take me down. Don’t worry about that.”
He gently placed a hoof on my withers.
I pushed his hoof off, pulling away from him as tears now streaked down my face.
“You can’t join the guard!” I wailed. “Soldiers die!”
“I…” Shining’s smile disappeared completely. “Twily, we’re in peace time. That’s not something you have to worry about.”
My whole body shivered as I backed up. “Y-you can’t! I’ll… I-I’ll tell Princess Celestia to not let you in! You can’t die!”
My gaze flickered to my parents, each wearing matching concerned expressions.
“I-I’m sorry, Twilight.” Dad apologized. “I didn’t think you’d react this way, but why do you think-”
“I read it in a book!” I yelled. “An-and read that lots of military ponies die! So it’s true! Shiny can’t go!”
“Twily…” Shining Armor started, reaching out with a hoof. I ducked under it and ran underneath him, running all the way to my room, sobbing wildly.
For the rest of the night and most of the next day, I refused to come out of my room. I pushed my nightstand in front of the door so nopony could push their way in, and jumped into my bed, throwing the covers over me, trying my best to hide from the world.
It was all too much.
I kept ignoring Mom, Dad, and Shining all knocking on my door, trying to talk to me, and heard quiet conversation outside my door three different times.
This cycle persisted until shortly after lunch, when somepony knocked on my door and I heard a different voice.
“Twilight, it’s Cadance. Can I come in?”
My heart instantly leapt in my chest. Maybe Cadance could convince Shining not to join and he wouldn’t have to die! Or maybe she was here to tell me she had fast-tracked him in and he was going to die.
I pushed the nightstand away from the door and slowly opened it, greeted by the kind gaze of the best foal-sitter in the entire galaxy.
Cadance was the nicest, sweetest, kindest, best-est pony in the entire world and I knew if anypony could make this situation better, it was her.
My body shook violently as she strode into my room, and a moment later I was throwing myself into her embrace, loudly sobbing into her chest.
For several minutes we sat like that, me crying and her just hugging me and running a hoof through my mane, occasionally shushing me when the sobs got stronger.
“Hey, Twilight.” Cadance whispered to me, lifting my head so my gaze met her gentle, light purple eyes.
“Mhm?” I sniffled.
“I know you’re upset about Shiny, but I’m here to tell you there’s no chance of going into battle. We’re not in a war right now, and do you know what?”
I shook my head.
“If we ever do go to war, and he tries to go out and fight, I’m gonna kick his butt.”
I gave off a slight chuckle as I wiped my nose off on a foreleg.
“In fact,” Cadance smiled, “I will use all my powers to make sure he doesn’t. He has a little sister to go home to. And in fact…” Cadance winked slyly at me. “If he tries to argue, I’ll make him do something like maid duty. I’ll make him wear the dresses and everything! Feather dusters, apron with a big pink heart on it, just make it as cute as possible. And I’ll take pictures so we can both laugh at him together!”
I chuckled again and smiled as I pushed myself harder into Cadance’s embrace, slightly nuzzling her chest.
“But I know you’ll be scared.” Cadance resumed running her hoof through my mane. “Shiny knows too, so he’s been working on making something for you so you can remain brave while he’s off at basic training. Do you remember that little dance I taught you after Shining scared you with his dumb ol’ ladybug stories?”
I gasped happily as I quickly met Cadance’s gaze. “The Sunshine, Sunshine dance!”
“You are correct.” Cadance grinned as she gently booped my nose. “And what did I tell you when I taught you that?”
"T-to um... whenever Shining was being…” I quickly looked around the room, making sure nopony else was in earshot. “A… big ol’ butt to me, or I feel scared by the little buggies to think back on the dance and know that they can't ever hurt me or do anything to me because you'll always help me."
“Exactly!” Cadance beamed. “So can Shining come in and show you what he made for you?”
I fell quiet for a few moments.
“...Uh-huh.”
“Shiny!” Cadance called out into the hallway. “You can come in now!”
Shining slowly stepped into my room, dropping his saddlebags and sitting down.
“I’m really sorry I scared you, Twily.” Shining Armor apologized as he opened up his saddlebags, looking appropriately sad. “But since I won’t be around to help you with your homework, or to be your protector, I got you somepony that will.”
He pulled a gray pony doll out. It was wearing blue and white polka-dotted pants, had a raggedy dark blue mane and tail with little white rings, and its eyes were two differently colored buttons.
“This is Smartypants.” Shining smiled as he levitated the doll over to me. I shifted in Cadance’s embrace so I was facing Shining, but still had Cadance's hooves wrapped around me, and pulled the doll in close to my chest. “I put a piece of my soul into her, so she’s magically bound to protect you for as long as she’s standing. And she loves reading too! So she’d love to read with you! I’m uh… sorry about the eyes, I only had differently colored buttons…”
I squeezed Smartypants tighter and wiped my eyes off on her mane.
“I… I love her.” My lower lip trembled. “But I’m still scared! Please don’t die!”
Shining chuckled and lifted my chin so our gazes met. “I promise you I won’t, kiddo. You’re always gonna have your BBBFF around, Twily.”
“My… my what?”
Shining Armor winked. “Your Big Brother Best Friend Forever, of course, you silly goose.”
My body shook again as I let out a wet sniffle, leaping into Shining’s embrace. I stayed there quietly for a few moments, soaking in his warmth and love.
“I love you, BBBFF,” I whispered through silent tears.
“Love you too, Twily,” he whispered back.
