Twilight slowly and quietly approached her brother, putting her hooves on his back for leverage. "H-How are we gonna get down?" she asked, noticing the rather long drop.

He smiled down at his sister before pointing at his horn with his hoof. "Magic, what else?" He explained before levitating and lowering himself to the ground

Twilight leaned over the windowsill, trying to us her magic to levitate down. Suddenly she heard a noise in the hallway. "What are those kids doing?" She heard sliding furniture and panicked. "Brother! H-Help!"

"Shit!" shining cursed before grabbing his sister with his magic. He hastily picked her up and lowered her to the ground with his magic. "Come on twilight, we have to go. now!" He said as he looked down the dark, cobblestone streets of Canterlot. Before taking off in a slow gallop to get away from the the house.

Twilight wobbled after him, unable to move very quickly. "B-Brother... wait for me...."

Shining armor looked back at his sister, then up to the window they had left from to see his mother poke her head out and look around. He turned around scooped up twilight. He turned around again but this time, sprinted away from the house.

Twilight's weight on top of her saddlebags, as well as his own, slowed his pace, but he knew his conditioning from sports would help him now. Even as all the muscles in his legs burned he continued his run at the highest speed his body would allow. He ran for blocks, more than he could count. He hadn't looked back, but could tell he had lost his parents. there is no way they could have kept up with him.

As his legs were finally on the verge of giving out on him, Shining Armor slowed down to a walk, he was breathing heavily, huffing and puffing trying to regain his breath. He sat Twilight down. and observed his surroundings. As luck would have it, he had wandered into a train station.

"T-T-Twlight..." he huffed. "Th-this is perfect... we-we can get a train... out of here."

Twilight climbed off of her brother, then placed a hoof on his back. "A-Are you going to be okay?" She asked, leaning up against him. "Do we have any money for the train?"

Shining slumped over in exhaustion. Still breathing heavily. "Y-yeah, check my right saddlebag... I should have some bits in there. Will you go buy us a two tickets for The next train? It doesn't matter where it goes."

She dug into her brother's saddle bag, grabbing a few coins and running over to the counter, buying two tickets for the train that would be leaving soon. "Look brother! I got them... come on, now just get on the train... you can do it..."

Shining struggled to stand up. He slowly walked over to the train. He gave the pony standing at the door his ticket stub and the stallion ushered them aboard. Shining armor led Twilight to some seats on the dead train. He fell into his seat with a loud thump.

"Wake me, when we get to... where ever we are going." He yawned and quickly fell asleep.

Twilight lay on her brother, feeling his slow, rhythmic breaths, yawning as well. Though her head was a storm of anxiety and worry, she found that she fell asleep rather quickly as well.

Shining's rest was troubled with dreams of his mother and father, distorted into hideous monsters, clawing and biting at his limbs.

He awoke with a start to find twilight laying upon his chest; still asleep. there was the orange light of sunrise coming in through the train window as they approached the town that was the train's destination. He stroked twilight's mane as he watched the silhouetted buildings slowly come closer.

Twilight's sleeping face was contorted, and her back legs twitched. "N-No... daddy... daddy! DADDY PLEASE NO! BROTHER?! WHERE ARE YOU?! NO DON'T GO! DON'T LEAVE ME! BROTHERRRR!!" Her eyes flew open and rested on her brother, She began to hug him tightly.

"Shhh... Calm down Twilight, you okay. Big brother is here with you." Shining held her close and whispered into her ear. Trying to comfort his baby sister.

Twilight smiled, for the first time since her mother had walked in on them, and she looked up at her brother. "I know... because you're here with me. It will all be okay." She nuzzles him as the train began to slow and approach its destination.

"Let's go and see where we are, huh?" Shining asked Twilight as the train stopped. He led Twilight off the train and got a good look at the foreign train station. He noticed the sign over the ticket salesman that read 'Ponyville Train Station'.

"Ponyville, huh?" he looked back at the tracks from the direction they had came, and could still make out the outline of Canterlot in the far distance. "We didn't get as far as i thought..." He muttered to himself. "Twlight, are you hungry?"

It was only them that Twilight noticed the rumbling in her belly and looked up, smiling. "Uh, yes big brother, I guess I am..."

"Alright, well I still have some bits, let's see if we can't find something to eat. What would you like?" Shining smiled at his little sister.

Twilight thought for a moment, about all the wonderful food and sweets she used to eat at home. Then she realized they were on their own, and didn't have much money. "Uh, j-just hay is fine."

Shining looked at his sister with surprise. "If you say so." Shining went up to the older gray pony sitting behind a plate of glass selling tickets.

"Hello, We just got here from Canterlot, and I was wondering if there was somewhere we could grab breakfast." The white colt asked.

"Hmm? Oh, yeah. The feedbag is pretty good, if you walk out of the station and take a left, about a block down on your right." He told Shining.

"Thanks." Shining Armor said as he turned towards the exit. He walked out of the train station, observing his surroundings in the morning light. and headed to his left, as instructed and began to walk down the dirt path.

Twilight followed her brother closely, shifting her eyes at the unfamiliar buildings and ponies. "Um, big brother, where will we stay? Where will we sleep?"

Shining thought about it for a moment. "Well, a hotel of course, like when we go on vacation." He told his little sister. He thought about the coin purse in his saddlebag that was already lighter than when they had left. He knew he would not be able to buy more than a night at a hotel. He furrowed his eyebrows trying to think up ways to make more money to keep life as normal as possible for Twilight.

'A job?' The stallion thought to himself. As he walked down the road, looking at the dirt under his hooves.

He shook off his depressing thoughts, at least until they had something to eat. He looked up and saw 'The Feedbag' in gold lettering on a black wooden sign. hanging above a thick wooden door.

"This must be the place. You ready to eat, Twilight?" Shining asked, looking back at her.

Twilight nodded, though she seems apprehensive to enter. She wasn't sure what it would be like, or whether they'd be welcome. Still, she trusted her brother, who looked like he knew what he was doing. "Yes big brother, I'm so hungry..."

"Alright, lets fill that tummy, then." He said as he opened the door to the building. he walked in and looked around. It seemed like a rather plain and regular restaurant. A young female pony, a tad older than Shining was the hostess.

"Hi here, and welcome to the feedbag. just two today?" She asked with a smile.

"Yes, we are it." He told her back in a low tone.

She led them to a table before saying. "Your server will be with you shortly." and laid the menus on the table in front of them.

Shining picked up the menu and flipped through it. "What are you gonna get Twilight, still want just hay?" he asked her, looking over his menu at her.

Twilight sighed, fanning herself with the menu. "Yeah, probably.... Big brother, how can you be so calm? What's going to happen to us? What if Mommy and Daddy eventually find us? How will we eat? Where will we live? I'm... I'm scared brother..."

"Well...I'm not sure Twilight..." He said, putting his menu down and looking down at the table. "For now, i can afford to put us up in a hotel, and feed us...."

He looked at his little sister, seeing the worry in her eyes. "But don't worry! I'll ALWAYS protect you, I won't let you go hungry, I will do anything I have to do to keep you safe! I'll.... I'll get a job, we will be fine."

Twilight, frowned, then looked up at her brother, placing her hoof on his. "...Thank you. For everything. I don't know where I would be without you... I won't ever leave your side." Tears formed in her eyes as she reached across the table and hugged her brother tightly.

"Of course Twilight." he said, a worried look on his face as he thought about their situation.

Their breakfast was over quick, and drained Shining's bit supply slightly. By the time they left the restaurant; the sun had rose over the buildings, bathing the streets in light.

He walked around the town square bit, looking at the buildings. He found the town hall along with a sweets shop called "Sugar Cube Corner." By the town hall was a guard pony standing near the entrance.

"Excuse me, could you tell me where the nearest hotel is? Preferably a cheap one?" Shining asked the pony.

The guard was a black Pegasus in gold armor with a blue star on this chest. His muscles rippled under his skin as his chest heaved with his heavy breath. He looked down at Shining and his tiny purple sister. He lifted an eyebrow.

"Were are your parents? Children shouldn't be allowed to wander the streets alone."

Shining's eyes squinted at the guard's questions. Although, his quick wit helped him in this situation.

"They are over there, getting some food..." He pointed to a couple of ponies next to a vendor 50 feet away from them. "They asked us to ask..." He explained.

The guard rubbed his chin with his hoof, still looking at the duo suspiciously. He finally pointed a hoof to his right.

"Take Chestnut Street down three blocks, on your left will be the 'Ponyville Inn'." He told the children.

"Come on, Twiley." Shining said as he started to head in the direction the guard had pointed.

Twlight followed her brother down the street, keeping close to him. She remembered how her brother would always want her to have fun, but she had never been in a position where she depended on her brother for survival. She looked at the serious expression on his face and remembered the sweetness, kindness, and gentleness, which were now masked by the scars of the previous night. She wondered if she would ever see his true self again. Slightly, she trotted a little further from him. "Are we there yet big brother?"

"Yea, this is the place." he said seeing a large wooden building with a sign once again above the door that read 'Ponyville Inn.'

Shining Armor entered and walked up the main desk, a green mare was the attendant at the time.

"Hi, umm. I was wondering how much a room is for the night." Shining asked the mare.

"20 bits a night." Came her reply. Shining pulled out his coin purse and looked inside, he had maybe 25 bits left. 'It would buy us food and a bed for today, but after that we will be broke...' He thought to himself.

"Okay." The white colt said as he pulled the correct amount from his purse. He traded the mare money in place for a room key.

"Well, alright Twilight. Let's see where we will be sleeping tonight." He told her with a forced smile. "Why don't you go try to find it? It's room number twenty eight"

Twilight levitated the key with her magic and trotted off down the hall checking the doors and numbers. She didn't like this one bit... but she didn't exactly feel comfortable in this town, and she was worried about what would happen in the future. Slowly, she turned the key in the lock walked into the rather small hotel room, threw herself on the bed, and cried.

Shining followed his baby sister, he heard her throw herself on the bed, before hearing her muffled sobs. He came into the doorway and flipped on the light. He sat down next to Twilight. He reached out to her and laid a hoof on her shoulder.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

Twilight sobbed, looking up at her brother. "What's wrong?! What's WRONG?! Everything's wrong! We're homeless! We're alone! I miss my books! I miss my bed! I c-can't believe... why did this happen?! Why did you have to do this to me?! Y-You... you ruined everything Shining Armor!" She hopped up from the bed and stormed into the bathroom, slamming the door.

"Wha..." Shining muttered watching his sister storm off. He felt a pit in his stomach for making his sister angry; but, the more he thought about it, he started to get irritated. His brow furrowed and he got up. He walked to the restroom door.

"If it wasn't for me, you'd still be with 'them'. I saved you, Twilight, and I'm trying my best!" He said through the door in heated voice.

His tone softened considerably. as he continued to talk. "I know it's different, and you are uncomfortable, maybe even scared... But you need to know I'm here for you. I won't let anything bad happen to you, Twiley."

She sobbed quietly through the door, not wanting to say anything. Yes, they were in a rough situation, but there was nothing more they could do. Shining Armor was helping her as best as he could, and she needed him. Slowly, she approached the bathroom door and opened it, then hugged her brother. "S-Sorry..." she said, wiping her tears.

"It's okay..." He reassured her. "But, we are almost out of money, so I'm going to go into town to look for somewhere to work. Is that okay?" Shining asked his little sister.

Twilight looked up at him and nodded. "Yes, of course big brother, and thank you... you're the best." She smiled, telling herself to be patient. That one day, they will both be able to return to their innocence.

"Well... on our ride into the town, I saw a large apple orchard, I was thinking about trying to get work there. And if not, I'm sure I can find some work somewhere... will you be okay while I'm away for today? I'm apprehensive about letting you wander around alone, but I can't expect you to stay in the room all day. Just be careful, okay?" Shining explained to his baby sister.

Twilight frowned, but nodded. "Oh, okay big brother, I promise I'll be careful. And you be careful too, okay?" She smiled, placing a reassuring hoof on his.

"Of course." He reassured her. Shining got ready to go try to find a job. He washed up and made sure he looked good before he set out. He bid Twilight farewell and walked into the street of the town. After breakfast and checking into the hotel, it was already mid-morning.

He made the long trek to the outskirts of the town, going to the apple orchard. He walked up the dirt path and could see a large red barn in the distance. Both sides of the path were surrounded by apple trees. As he walked along the path, he found it led to a farmhouse close to the barn.

Shining Armor tentatively walked up to the door and knocked. He waited, and finally a red colt about the same age as Shining answered the door. Shining was surprised at first. But proceeded to ask his question.

"Umm, might your parents be home?"

The red colt chewed a piece of wheat between his teeth, he looked shining over, sizing him up. He was slow to respond. When he spoke, he had a thick southern draw; audible despite him speaking only a few words.

"Eyup, round back." He jerked his neck the right, indicating the barn.

Shining knew he would get nothing more from the rather dense red colt and thanked him. The red colt dipped his head and turned back into the house.

Shining walked around back, despite the feeling in his gut that he was trespassing. He came around the back of the house and heard the quiet click of metal on metal coming from behind the barn. He went to investigate.

Shining found a stallion with a coat of deep crimson working on the metal harness of a cart.

~

Twilight sighed, laying down on the bed. She never had this kind of freedom before. She could go anywhere, do anything. Despite her unease about leaving and exploring the town on her own, the hotel room was unnervingly silent. After several minutes, she hopped out of bed and left, walking down the hall and out of the double glass doors.

The sun was high and shining, and there were several ponies in the streets busying themselves. Some where pushing karts, some were just talking, and some had huge bags full of odd things the filly had never seen before. Her sense of curiosity overpowering her fear, she quickly turned down the road, eager to see what she could find.

As she turned down a street, she ran into a tall green mare, who gasped. "Are you alright?" she said.

"I-I'm fine." said Twilight, rubbing her head. To her surprise though, the mare was scowling down at her.

"A new student? You know you should be in class by now, right?"

Twilight squinted her eyes. "Huh? What do you mean? I don't go to school here!"

The mare rolled her eyes. "All fillies and colts in this town are required to attend school, you're probably playing hookey. Don't worry, I'll contact your parents, come on."

Before Twilight knew what was happening, the mare was dragging her down the street until she was walking on her own. She considered running away, but she knew she'd just be caught anyway. Sighing, she followed the green pony to a red schoolhouse. "Get on in then, hurry up!" said the mare. Twilight nodded, and trotted through the doors of the school.

~

"E-excuse me..." Shining said, getting the stallion's attention.

The crimson stallion looked over at shining with surprise. "Howdy." He greeted shining before adding, "How can I help ya?"

"Are...are you owner of this farm?" He asked.

"I am, so what brings ya 'round these parts?"

Shining went on to explain how him and his sister were new to the town, he fabricated a story as to why they were alone and their parents weren't there with them. He ended his story trying to play on the stallion's sympathy, telling him how they were running out of money and without a job they would soon be on the streets.

After his story, the stallion rubbed his chin and pawed the ground...

"Well, I'm sorry to hear that, son. But the fact of the matter is that this is a family-run farm, and we don't need anymore help around here. Even if we did, I couldn't afford to hire you."

Disappointed, Shining left the farm after thanking the farmer for his time. He went back into town and went around the various businesses around the town and got similar stories.

As the sun was starting to go down, making the sky a violet red. Shining was forced to go back to the hotel with no money, and no job to show for the day.

~

Twilight had spent the day at school, and was surprised by how easy and simple the lessons were. Her advanced studies in Canterlot put her well ahead of her classmates, which left both the students and the teacher, shocked and surprised. She was given a test on the basics of arithmetic, which she aced, stirring up jealousy amongst her fellow classmates. Still, she never said a word and kept quiet during class, not wanting to make friends with the unfamiliar ponies around her.

When school ended, Twilight returned to her stroll about town, this time being careful not to bump into any more ponies. She found she contradicted herself often; when ponies asked her to buy something, she said she had no money, and when ponies asked where her parents were, she said that they had sent her out to buy food. As the sun began to set, she returned to the hotel room, finding her brother looking despondent.

Shining was laying on the queen-sized bed, thinking about their situation when The hotel door creaked open. He raised his head to see Twilight enter the room. He was relieved to see his little sister after a long day of disappointment.

"Hey." He said with a smile. "How was your day?"

Twilight sighed. "I was dragged to school, didn't learn anything, had to avoid ponies all day, not very fun. Yours? Did you find a job big brother?"

"Uhh... no. but im going to look again tomorrow." He told her. "But, it's getting late... And I'm wanting to hit the sack. There is only one bed, so i guess you'll be bunking up with me tonight. Is that okay, Twiley?"

Twilight bit her lip and nodded. "Yes, sure brother." She slowly climbed into bed, though she was visibly shaking, and made sure to stay as far away from her brother in the bed as possible.

Shining noticed Twilight was shaking and staying on the edge of the bed.

"Twiley? Are you okay?" He asked as he began to reach hoof out to his little sister, trying to comfort her. He gently touched her shoulder with the tip of his hoof under the covers.

Twilight nodded, but she didn't turn around. "Yeah... I'm fine, I just... it feels weird, last time we were in bed together, and mommy came i-in..." she gasped, pulling the covers tightly around her. "S-Sorry big brother... I just want to sleep over here."

"I-I understand, Twilight... It's okay, just try to get some rest, we will probably have a big day tomorrow..." He told her, retracting his hoof. He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep with ease after an eventful day.

Twilight yawned, unsure of that tomorrow would bring, but hopeful that this nightmare would soon be over. "Goodnight... BBBFF." she said gently, and drifted off to sleep.

Author's Note

As you can see from the content, we are taking this is a totally different direction. there is no sex in this chapter, we are really trying to make this an emotionally engaging story.

Not just mindless clop, however, that doesn't mean we have forsaken sex in our story. But i mean, come on... they were both just raped...don't think they will be screwing again so soon.