//------------------------------// // Morning // Story: When Magic and Mainia Meet at a Mare // by frayboy15 //------------------------------// Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. The sound of small hooves, occasionally muffled by a rug, filled the cosy bedroom. A young unicorn galloped back and forth, pulling books from shelves and digging through small piles as she referenced a scroll that floated beside her head. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. A final tome was added to the gently swaying stack by her door as the scroll snapped shut. The filly looked towards the desk by her bed and carefully examined the nearly silent device that rested on it. A smile danced across her muzzle as she pranced over. Tick. Tock. Tick. BRIIIIIIIII-click. The clock fell silent almost before it had a chance to ring. "Ha ha!" Declared Twilight Sparkle, lifting her hoof, "I told you I could do it, Smarty Pants." She turned, facing towards a gently worn soft toy that sat upon her bed. She gave the doll a wounded look as it stared back at her with its mismatched button eyes. "I can't believe you would doubt my abilities, and after all we've been through: the Broccoli Rebelion, the Final Stand of Dictionopolis, that One Time I Hid in the Bath 'cause I Didn't Want to Take One. Compared to those great battles, the Quest for the Pre-Exam Study Materials is almost too easy." Smarty Pants' expression remained unchanged. Twilight giggled to herself. "That's what I like most about you, Smarty Pants. You're calm and collected, even in high-stakes situations. I know you just wanted me to challenge myself." Before Twilight could continue the, admittedly one-sided, conversation, a series of knocks slowly sounded at her door. Twilight rushed over and called out to the knocker. "Come in." The door opened slowly, exposing a white colt wearing the expression of one freshly woken. Twilight's smile grew even wider. "Good morning, BBBFF." The colt, whose name was Shining Armor, not BBBFF(Really, what kind of name would that be? There's no vowels or anything.), yawned before he replied. "Morning, Twiley. What are you doing up so early?" "I was completing the Quest for the Pre-Exam Study Materials," Twilight declared in a matter-of-fact tone. Shining's face furrowed in confusion. "The what?" "The Quest for the Pre-Exam Study Materials." Twilight pointed towards the stack of collected books; it was almost taller than Shining Armor. The colt sighed, resigned to his fate... again. "Mom really shouldn't have let Twilight read that manuscript. She's gotten more elaborate." He thought sleepily, before opening his mouth. "Twilight, how long have you been up?" "I got up just a little after sunrise. The Quest would not be denied!" Twilight beamed at her brother. "You need your sleep LSBFF, especially before a test." Twilight's expression fell to a slight frown. "But, I need to study more! What if I'm not prepared?" Shining smiled gently at his excitable, bibliophilic sister. "Twiley, you've been studying for this for the past three weeks. You're probably going to be the most well-read pony there. You'll pass, I'm sure of it." Shining Armor worked to think of something to do that would keep his baby sister distracted from her upcoming exam. "Well, Mom and Dad are busy making breakfast, so why don't you help me keep track of my morning workout?" Twilight's face lit up at the idea. "Can I use my checklist? I promise it won't be like last time." Shining Armor remembered last time: he had let his little sister keep count while he did his evening routine and wound up exhausted and sore. She had tripled the numbers without telling him, certain that it would make him three times stronger than the other cadets. A book on exercise was quickly added to her library. He was about to deny the request when Twilight's eyes suddenly grew large and watery. The colt was determined to hold out against the emotional assault when a plaintive "Please?" was added to the battle. The final line of his heart's defense collapsed before the legions assembled against it. There were no survivors. A sigh escaped the defeated colt. "Alright. If you let me look it over first and it passes muster, we can use your list." Twilight started chanting as she tore through her room, looking for the right scroll. "Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes…" "And we're not double checking the list, right?" The chanting stopped. "Not for something like this. Short Neigher's Get to the Workout was very clear: 'Do not overdo your exercise. You will cause more harm to your body than good.'" "That's a relief," thought the colt, "she sure is serious when it comes to learning." "So, Twiley, what's so special about this workout you've concocted?" "Hold on, I'll show you once I've gotten it." She stopped suddenly in front of one of her shorter book cases. "Found it!" Her face scrunched up in concentration only to relax as her horn flashed into activity. A scroll shot out from between two bound tomes, friction pulling them forwards and off the shelf. Twilight caught them in her spell and looked them over. The thinner one, which Shining identified as the book on exercise his sister had quoted, was placed back in its place while the other bobbed obediently to Twilight's side along with the scroll. Finished with the shelf, she pranced over to, and then out of, the door, passing her brother with a cheery, "come on, BBBFF." Shining chuckled and followed his sister to the stairs. "What's that one, Twilight?" "It's Short Neigher's workout reference guide: I'll Tone Your Quads, Your Pecs, and your Abdominals. It has step-by-step instructions for every stretch, exercise, and cool down you can think of. This way I'll know we're doing it correctly." "And what exactly are you going to be doing, aside from being my trainer?" "I'm gonna do the warmups. Just like I do every morning." "Well then, we'd better get started LSBFF." "Right behind you BBBFF."