The day flew by in a flash for Shining Armor. It started out like any other, waking up, groggily eating his soggy Boop-O-Roops in peace, when his mom started screaming while his dad ran around the house and swiftly grabbing all kinds of stuff in his magic. The next thing he knew, they were sitting in a carriage speeding off to the hospital where his mom and dad were taken down a hall to a room while he had to wait with some older ponies watched him.

He tried to sneak off to see what was happening, but the guard ponies watching him just kept blocking his way. On his fifth try, the stoic face of the left guardspony finally cracked with an amused smirk as he once again moved to obstruct the entryway. "C'mon little colt, I can't let you go in there. Military personnel and patients only." Giving a patient yet bemused smile, he tilts his head. "What's your name?"

“I'm Shining Armor. What's your name?”

Relaxing a bit the pegasus guard answered. “Name's Kicker, Thunder Kicker, but you can just call me Thunder. Don't want to confuse me with somepony else from my clan after all.”

“Clan?” Shining asked, cocking his head and wiggling his ears in curiosity.

“Yeah, it's like a really big family. We have a long and proud history as one of the original pegasus clans who were loyal to Princess Celestia during the lunar rebellion. Thanks to our loyalty we weren't forced to disband," said Thunder, pride welling up in his voice. "Now-a-days if you see a pegasus guard, they're most likely a Kicker. Hay we even have a few non pegasi in our clan.” Thunder Kicker puffed out his chest a bit as he finished his explanation.

“Oi, Thunder! Don't bore the kid any more, can you not go five minutes without gushing about your extended relatives?” The unicorn guard asked in an annoyed tone, before softening his gaze on to the young colt. “By the way kid, as long as we're doing introductions, you can call me Flash Break. No famous clan name, just a humble guard. So you're Night Light's kid, right?” He asked, not wanting to hear any more of his partner's ramblings.

“Yeah, but I dunno why we had to come here but a few weeks ago why my mom started walking funny and her tummy got really big,” Shining said with a twinge of concern in his voice. His ears drooped back on his head as he looked up to the guards. “Is my mom gonna be okay?”

Thunder kicker perked up and gave his best reassuring smile. “Hey there colt, it'll be okay. Your mom is gonna be just fine, and soon, you're gonna have a little brother or sister,” he said with an excited grin.

Shining Armor's ears flipped back up at attention. “Oh yeah, I think mom said something about that last month. I think she said I was getting a little sister...” He trailed off, a look of contemplation on his face.

Flash Break showed some visible interest at that. “Really? I have a little sister too! Let me offer you a bit of advice,” he said looking directly into Shining's eyes. “Now listen up because this is important,” Flash continued. “Your gonna be her big brother, which means you have to be there for her no matter what. You will also be her shield against anything that would dare hurt her. It's a big responsibility, but it's your job now. Failure is not an option. You hear me soldier?!” The unicorn reverted to his usual commanding guard voice.

“Sir yes sir!” Shining blurted out in his squeaky coltish tone. Suddenly he stood at rigid attention and gave an enthusiastic salute, with the wrong hoof.

Thunder Kicker rolled his eyes. “Really? You get on my case about my clan but you go on a monologue like that over your sister?” He asked before returning his attention to the colt. “Kid, it's great you're so excited to be a big brother, but you don't have to go overboard. Be there for your sister, but don't be overbearing or anything. I've seen how that goes,” Thunder said with a sigh. “Just make sure she knows you're her best friend, and it'll be fine...” He paused a moment in thought before speaking again. “Although, if you ever want to go the extra mile and learn how to protect her and other ponies better, you can always join the guard.” Thunder offered a gentle smile to the colt.

“Really? That sounds great! I wanna protect ponies! Especially my sister!” Shining was practically bouncing in excitement thinking of all the great memories he would make with his new little sibling.

The next few hours went by much faster as the two stallions regaled the young colt with tales about the guard and answering his occasional questions about being a good big brother. Eventually though, Shining Armor's father came trotting down the hall slightly limping and looking frazzled, yet happier than Shining had ever seen him.

“Shining, come with me, there's somepony I want you to meet.” Night Light looked at the guards before speaking again. “Thanks for watching him Thunder, Flash. I hope he didn't bother you too much.” Shining trotted up to his father happy to finally see him.

“Ah, he wasn't any trouble. You've got a great kid there lieutenant Light,” Flash said, a gentle smile on his face.

“Do I get to see her now? My little sister? I wanna see her so bad!” Shining's voice was squeaking on every other word.

“Of course, follow me and try to stay calm and quiet. There's lots of others here and we don't want to disturb them, okay?” Night light turned around and started limping back down the hall of the military hospital. After a minute of slowly walking they made it to their room. Night Light opened the door with his magic as gently as he could to make as little noise as possible. As he did so, he wrapped his son in his telekinesis, lifting him up to sit on the bed where Twilight Velvet was laying down. Her purple and silver mane was disheveled and plastered to her neck and face with drying sweat, but she had that same look in her eyes as Shining's father.

As the little colt got situated on the bed he noticed his mom was holding a small bundle of blankets. His heart skipped a beat and he froze in place as if afraid any movement would disturb the scene in front of him. With a gentle nudging from his father and his mother giving him a serene smile, Shining slowly made his way closer to the other end of the bed. His eyes never left the small bundle of blankets, locked on like it could just disappear at any moment.

Night Light walked around to one side of the bed to face his wife and two children. “Shining Armor, meet your new little sister, Twilight Sparkle.” At that Twilight Velvet gingerly lifted her daughter up to face Shining.

Shining for his part, was utterly speechless. Seeing his baby sister for the first time, this scene would be forever ingrained in his memory. She was the cutest thing he's ever seen with her lavender coat of fur to her messy dark indigo mane with magenta and purple stripes in it.

Just when he was getting used to seeing his new sister, she opened her big violet eyes and stared right back at him before smiling and cooing at her big brother. Suddenly, everything he talked about with those hospital guards clicked in the deepest depths of his soul. It was one thing to talk about being there for your sister, but Shining suddenly felt brand new instincts kicking in he never knew about. He was utterly determined to make sure no harm ever came to his baby sister.

“Can... can I hold her?” Shining whispered as gently as he could, afraid of raising his voice and disturbing his sister.

“Of course, just be very gentle,” Velvet said a little louder than her son's whisper. She then slowly held Twilight out to Shining while Night Light looked on, pride in his eyes. Shining held out his hooves expectantly. He tried to reach out to his sister with his magic and managed to wrap her in his dark pink magic field. Velvet gently deposited Twilight to Shining's grasp. Even after she was safely in his hooves Shining kept his magic flowing, not willing to take the slightest chance of letting her go.

For what felt like forever, he just sat there dumbfounded, eyes and ears locked on his sister. He couldn't tell how long he held her there. A minute, an hour, five seconds, it felt like time lost all meaning until Twilight scrunched up her face, and started crying. Snapping out of his daze he instantly panicked, then calmed down as his mother took Twilight back and his father put a reassuring hoof on his shoulder. “D-did I do something wrong?” Shining asked as his ears fell back against his head.

“Not at all. She's just hungry and tired, so is your mother,” Night Light said before letting out a barely stifled yawn. “Let's leave them be for now. You look pretty tired yourself son. How about we get some rest back in the waiting room,” Night Light finished, as he prompted Shining to follow.

“Okay dad,” Shining replied. Glancing over his shoulder he caught one last look at his baby sister being held by their mother. Noticing his son was wavering on his hooves, Night Light picked up the young colt in his magic to drape him over his back. Despite his insistence on staying up longer, Shining Armor's biological clock won out and he fell asleep on his father.

The next thing he remembered was waking up in his bed at home, to the sound of a foal crying. Any annoyance at the disturbance was overridden by the joy Shining felt in his soul. “I have a sister!” he said to himself, squealing in excitement. In that moment, he knew that from now on, he'd never be alone. He'd always have Twilight and Twilight would always have him.

Author's Note

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