The Life of a Young Colt

by Rakoon1

Star Shield's Story

The next day, Saturday, Shining only had one goal in mind: go to his grandmother'S so she could tell him what had happened to his grandfather. As he prepared to leave, Twilight came and asked him:

"Where are you going, Shining?"

"I'm going to grandma's house" he replied.

"Oh, can I go with you?" she asked.

Shining hesitated when she asked that. He really didn't want to go with Twilight, because she was too young to know Shining's true intent to visit his grandmother, but he knew she would be angry with him if he refused to take her.

"Of course you can" Shining replied.

"Great!" Twilight exclaimed, excitedly.

The two then left the house, walked to the other side of Canterlot and arrived at their grandmother's house. When they arrived, Shining knocked on the door and then it opened up, revealing Starlight.

"Oh, if it's not my dear grandchildren" she said, hugging them.

"Hi, granny" Twilight greeted.

"It's also good to see you" Shining said, as they stopped to hug.

"Come in" she invited.

They entered and then Starlight turned to Shining, watching him, and said:

"You look good, Shining. A little thin. I know the Academy food is not very good."

"I'm fine, grandma" Shining said, half laughing. "The food is good. The problem is that I do too much exercise to get fat."

"Well, then, I suggest you and Twilight go to the living room and grandma will get you some cookies and orange juice."

"I love cookies and juice!" Twilight exclaimed excitedly.

The two siblings then went to the living room, where they sat on the couch, while Starlight went to the kitchen. While they waited, Shining noticed some ready suitcases there. He recognized them as his grandmother's. She returned from the kitchen transporting with her magic a tray with a plate of biscuits, two glasses and a pitcher with fresh orange juice.

"Here you go" she said, using her magic to serve the her grandchildren's grasses.

"Thank you, grandma" Twilight said, grabbing a cookie to eat it.

"Grandma, are you going to somewhere?" Shining asked as he took a cookie, motioning to the suitcases.

"I'll be visiting a friend in Vanhoover" she said. "We like to go hiking through the woods."

"Are you going to leave before telling me?" Shining asked.

That made Starlight a little uncomfortable.

"Of course not, my dear" she replied. "My departure is only scheduled for Monday and I knew you would come this weekend, so I knew you would end up coming here today or tomorrow.

"What are you talking about?" Twilight asked, confused. "I'm not understand anything."

"Nothing, my little one" replied Starlight. "Twilight, you know, I have something very special for you in the attic."

"Really?" she asked with wide eyes.

"Yes, do you want to go search for it?"

Twilight then ate another cookie and drank the juice in her glass and then got up and started running up the stairs.

"Well, now Twily is not here, you can start telling me everything, can't you?" Shining asked.

"If that's what you want, of course I'll tell you, Shining" Starlight said.

His grandmother took a deep breath and then said:

"First, let me just tell you that your parents and I just hide this from you and your sister, but especially from you, in fear that the same would happen to you, if you wanted to be a Royal Guard like him. Anyway. Everything happened twenty-seven years ago. your uncle Shooting Star were a few months old. Your grandfather, as you know, at that time, he was the Captain of the Canterlot Royal Guard. He was perhaps the best of all royal guards. But, like all the best royal guards, he had duties which were impossible to avoid: the fulfillment of dangerous missions for which they supplied only the best. I, unlike the other mares who wept at their husbands leaving, wasn't too worried because I knew Star Shield always did his duty, no matter how difficult the mission was, and returned safely. But there was a day he had been given a mission, a mission that, unlike the others, made ​​me very worried."

Twenty-seven years ago...

At the Canterlot train station, several elite royal guards boarded the train after they parted from their families. Their captain, Captain Star Shield, who had his armor already dressed, also was saying goodbye to his family: his wife, Starlight, and their children, Night Light and Shooting Star. Little Shooting Star was in a baby carrier on his mother's flanks, while Night Light, a nine-years-old colt, was close to his mother. With them, was the young White Light, Star Shield's protégé.

"Are you really sure you have to go?" Starlight asked to Star Shield. "Is there no other pony who can go?

"Princess Celestia asked me to go, dear" Star Shield answered, gently resting his hoof on her cheek. "I'm the only one qualified enough to handle such a task. But why are you so worried? Don't you know the pony you married to."

"It's not that" Starlight said. "You know I know you keep coming back safe and sound... but, this time is different. You'll go to the Desolate Zone, the changeling's home. I have reasons to be worried."

"Starlight, I understand your concern and you know that if it were any other mission, I would suggest one of my lieutenants to go in my place" Star Shield said, stroking her mane. "But this mission is too important. The Changelings are planning to attack Equestria in full force and we must prevent them from doing so."

After that, she waved and then the two exchanged a passionate kiss. He then turned to Shooting Star and said:

"Try to grow up as much as you can before my arrival, my little colt."

"Ba!" the baby unicorn said.

Star Shield laughed and then kissed his forehead. Then he turned to Night Light, which was immensely sad for his father be leaving. When he saw his son about to cry, he said, lifting his chin:

"Come on, Nighty, don't be like that. Look at daddy. Now you are the stallion of the home. I need you to take care of mommy and Shooting while I'm gone. Are you able to do this for me?"

Night Light nodded and then the two hugged each other.

"I love you, daddy" he said.

"I love you too, champ" Star Shield replied.

When they stopped the hug, Star Shield got up and then approached White Light and told him:

"Take care of them, okay?"

"Yes, sir" he replied, doing a salute.

"And about what we talked before" Star Shield said. "Did you understand everything?"

"Yes, sir" White Light replied. "Don't worry about that."

Star Light waved.

"Goodbye, kid" he said. "Continue with your good work."

"Yes, sir" he answered. "And good luck. I hope you return safely."

"Me too, my dear student" Star Shield answered. "Me too."

Then he used his magic to grab his bag and headed to the train. But before entering, he blew a kiss to his family and Starlight returned his kiss on her behalf and their children. After making the gesture to catch the kiss and then take it to the chest, he got on the train and, shortly after that, it take off.

Some days later, Starlight was cleaning the house, while Shooting Star was sleeping and Night Light in school. Then somepony knocked on the door. She went there to attend it. She opened the door and was faced with White Light.

"White Light, but what bring you here?" asked Starlight.

"I'm affraid... I have terrible news for you, Mrs. Starlight" he replied.

She noticed by the look on his face that some disgrace had happened.

"What happened?" she asked, already fearing that her worst fear had happened.

White Light didn't react immediately, as if he was trying to find the courage and then he used his magic to make a box he had brought levitate towards Starlight. Trembling, she took the box with her own magic and opened it with her hooves. When she saw its contents, she felt as if she had been stabbed in the back. Inside was Star Shield's armor.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Starlight" White Light said.

Tears filled Starlight's eyes.

In the present...

"Apparently, they had managed to prevent the Changelings from proceeding with their plan to attack Equestria and were preparing to return" Starlight told to Shining. "However, while they were camping, a Changeling army attacked them as a revenge for what they had done. Your grandfather could only do one thing: put his comrades in safety. Of course this had it price: his... sacrifice."

She ended the story whimpering and she wiped her tears with the hoof. Shining was speechless. His grandfather sacrificed himself for his entire team. Then he turned to his grandmother, who was wiping her eyes, took her hooves and said:

"Grandma, don't be like that. You should be happy for grandpa had fallen fighting. He did what he had to do for the good of everypony. And believe me, grandma, I could not be more proud to be his grandson."

That made his grandmother smile as she wiped her eyes. They then began to hear hooves approaching. It should be Twilight. Starlight hastened to wipe the tears and compose herself. Twilight soon appeared trotting, happy, with a small box on the back.

"Granny, I found it!" she exclaimed excitedly. "I found the special thing! This is it, isn't it?"

"Yes, dear, it is" Starlight nodded, managing to conceal the very fact that she was crying.

"Can I open it?" the filly asked.

"Of course!"

Twilight then opened the box and let out a sigh of exclamation and pulled out a doll with buttons serving as eyes and that seemed to wear pants.

"A doll!" Twilight exclaimed happily.

"Her name is Smarty Pants" said Starlight. "I gave it to my niece, but when she grew up, I ended up staying with it again. Now it's yours."

"Oh, thank you, grandma" she said, hugging her grandmother who returned the hug.

"You welcome, my dear" Starlight said.

Twilight turned to Shining and asked him, showing him the doll:

"Isn't she pretty, Shining?"

He did not answer immediately. In his most sincere opinion, that doll was a bit ugly, but, not wanting to spoil her little sister's happiness, he smiled and replied:

"Yes, she is very pretty Twilight."

She then hugged him and Shining smiled even more. Seeing his little sister happy was already in itself a great happiness for him.

"I'm eager to show her to Cadance" Twilight said. "She'll love her."

"Are you enjoying your new foalsitter?" Starlight asked.

"She's fantastic, grandma!" Twilight exclaimed. "She plays with me and teaches me new games, makes me beautiful hairstyles... She's perfect."

"I'm glad to hear it" Starlight said.

"And Shining likes her too" Twilight said in a mischievous tone.

"Twilight, I don't like her!" Shining exclaimed, blushing. "I mean, she's nice, but I don't like her in that way!"

"Shining, I think Twilight means you like her as a special friend" Starlight said.

"Yes" Twilight said. "Sure. But it seems that you reeeeally like her."

That made Shining blush even more.

"Oh, Twilight, stop it" Starlight said, kindly. "You are embarassing your brother. Why don't you go play with your new doll in the backyard?"

"Okay" she said, going there.

When she left, Starlight turned to Shining and said:

"So... Princess Cadance, huh?"

"Is it that obvious that I like her?" he asked.

"Honey, you blush when you hear her name" Starlight said. "If you really like her, then you have to declare yourself."

No, no, not that" Shining said.

"But, Shining..." Starlight began.

"Grandma, she's a princess. I don't think she'll want to date with an aspiring royal guard like me."

"Honey, I think you're undervaluing yourself. I'm sure she might like you as much as you for her."

Despite that incentive, Shining Armor was not quite sure about that.

Comments

[Cari28ch3]

[Gliding Heights]

Shining, shining, shining.

[Sunlight Blaze]

So we come to the half-way point for the story, and we're now addressing the main issue currently at hand.

In the next day, Saturday, Shining only had one goal in mind: go to his grandmother so she could tell him what had happened to his grandfather. As he prepared to leave, Twilight came and asked him:
"Where are you going, Shining?"
"I'm going to grandma's house" he replied.
"Oh, can I go with you?" she asked.
Shining hesitated when she asked that. He really didn't want to go with Twilight, because she was too young to know Shining's true intent to visit his grandmother, but he knew she would be angry with him if he refused to take her.

Addressing the first line: considering you stated previously that the previous day is Friday, simply saying "the next day" implies that it's Saturday, so there's no need to say "the next day, Saturday." It gets redundant.

So Shining decides to take Twilight with him.

The two then left the house, walked to the other side of Canterlot and arrived at their grandmother's house. When they arrived, Shining knocked on the door and then it opened up, revealing Starlight.

Wow...she lives on the other side of the city? That's quite a walk; no wonder they decided to give Starlight a break.

They entered and then Starlight turned to Shining, watching him, and said:
"You look good, Shining. A little thin. I know the Academy food is not very good."
"I'm fine, grandma" Shining said, half laughing. "The food is good. The problem is that I do too much exercise to get fat."
"Well, so I suggest you and Twilight go to the living room, and grandma will get you some cookies and an orange juice."
"I love cookies and juice!" Twilight exclaimed excitedly.

Yeah, especially after that "End of Week Gauntlet" they have to go through.

While they waited, Shining noticed in some ready suitcases there. He recognized them as his grandmother's.
"Here you go" she said, using her magic to serve the her grandchildren's glasses.
"Thank you, grandma" Twilight said, grabbing a cookie to eat it.
"Grandma, are you going somewhere?" Shining asked as he took a cookie, motioning to the suitcases.
"I'll be visiting a friend in Vanhoover" she said. "We like to go hiking through the woods."
"Are you going to leave before telling me?" Shining asked.
That made Starlight a little uncomfortable.
"Of course not, my dear" she replied. "My departure is only scheduled for Monday and I knew you would come this weekend, so I knew you would end up coming here today or tomorrow.

Twilight is, of course, clueless, so Starlight sends her on a wild goose chase up in the attic to get rid of her for the time being.

"Well, now Twily is not here, you can start telling me everything, can't you?" Shining asked.
"If that's what you want, of course I'll tell you, Shining" said Starlight.

Alright. Let's hear it, Starlight.

"First, let me just tell you that your parents and I just hid this from you and your sister, but especially from you, in fear that the same will happen to you, if you wanted to be a Royal Guard like him. Anyway, ahead. Everything happened twenty-seven years ago. your uncle Shooting Star had a few months. Your grandfather, as you know, at that time, he was the Captain of the Canterlot Royal Guard. He was perhaps the best of all the Royal Guard. But, like all the best royal guards, he had duties which were impossible to avoid: the fulfillment of dangerous missions for which they supplied only the best royal guards. I, unlike the other mares who wept at their husbands leaving, wasn't too worried because I knew Star Shield always did his duty, no matter how difficult the mission, and return safely. But there was a day he had been given a mission that, unlike the others, made ​​me very worried."

(To the red) "Your Uncle Shooting Star had a few months" to what? There's no details elaborating the relevance of this sentence. A few months to be born? A few months for what?
(to the orange) These get really repetitive.

Author's notes: What follows next is a flashback which tells Starlight children and their bid farewell to Star Shield.

*sarcastically* Yeah, because the entire next scene being in italics isn't enough of an indicator.

*reads the flashback*

.......................Oh man................................Star Shield was K.I.A.......

Well....he died a warrior's death. R.I.P., Star Shield. *salutes*

Twilight comes back from the attic with a box, and inside the box is Smarty Pants. Then the conversation turns to Cadence.

"And Shining likes her" Twilight said in a mischievous tone.

Ugh! What is it with siblings and constantly embarrassing us with our crushes!?

"Oh, Twilight, stop it" said Starlight, kindly. "You are embarrassing me. Why don't you go play with your new doll in the backyard?"

Well, that's one way to get rid of an annoying little sister.

When she left, Starlight turned to Shining and said:
"So Princess Cadance, huh?"
"Is it that obvious that I like her?" he asked.

It's about as obvious as Pinkie Pie in a sea of blue ponies. And not just because of her color (dat bouncing).

And, just like Night Light, Starlight suggests that Shining just up and admit his feelings for Cadence, and once again he believes that she'll reject him because he's just an upstart Royal Guard.

And once again, the audience is thinking "Oh, the irony."

[Kitsune_Kenshi]

I love the flashback, though it's sad.