//------------------------------// // Shield and Stars // Story: It'll Be Okay // by Leviathan Eclipse //------------------------------// "Hey Twilie, did I ever tell you how I got my cutie mark?" Shining asked his sister as they walked their usual path through their favorite park. She had to practically canter to keep up with his slow trot but keep up she did. "Uh, nuh uh. How did ya get it Shiny?" Twilight asked, tilting her head up and to the side. Not looking where she was going, Twilight tripped over some rocks in the path, but before her face could hit the ground, she felt her body being wrapped in a familiar magenta magic field. Not wanting to give the ground another chance to hurt his little sister, Shining Armor carried Twilight on his back to a nearby park bench before letting her down and taking a seat next to her. "Well, it's a pretty great story, especially since you're the whole reason I got my cutie mark in the first place," said Shining. Looking down at his sister, he saw her eyes widen in wonder at his words. "Wow! Really? But then, why don't I remember you getting your cutie mark?" Twilight's look of wonder was replaced with one of confusion. "Well, because you were barely a month old at the time," he explained. "But you were there, and it's because of you that I realized who I'm supposed to be. So, you wanna hear the story or what?" Shining asked, a knowing smirk plastered on his face. "Yeah! Tell me tell me tell me!" Twilight squeaked out as her excitement overwhelmed her earlier confusion. She was bouncing back and forth on her hooves before Shining put one of his forehooves up to get her to calm down. "Alright Twilie, gimme a sec. Gotta get into my storyteller mode," Shining grinned down as his sister sat patiently, but still visibly excited. "It all started on a day like today. Nothing special, or at least that's what I first thought..." --- Shining was awoken to the sound of his baby sister crying. Looking over to his alarm clock he groaned at seeing it was still an hour before he usually got up. Outside his room he could hear his parents mumbling and dragging their hooves a bit as they tended to their daughter's needs. It had only been a few weeks, but it seemed his new sister was only getting more annoying. After a few more minutes of contemplation, he came to the conclusion he likely wouldn't get any more sleep, so he opted to just get up for the day. After groggily brushing his teeth and mane, he headed downstairs to see an empty kitchen. Knowing they would likely take a while between their own morning routines and taking care of Twilight, Shining decided to just make some toast and cereal. As he sat down with a bowl of Wheaties and his buttered toast, he couldn't help but notice how the Wonderbolt's mascot looked more interesting than usual. Did their uniforms always look that sleek and form fitting? he wondered to himself before his mother made her way downstairs, baby Twilight floating in her purple magic aura. "Shining, can you feed her while I make breakfast for your father?" Velvet asked absent minded as she placed Twilight in her highchair. Shining rolled his eyes, but complied as he started making a bottle of formula, being sure to heat it up under warm water, not cooking it in a kettle or anything faster. He learned that the hard way after getting chewed out by his parents. It's not like he was trying to hurt her, he would never dream of it... even if he wished she didn't stink up the house so much. "Here ya go Twilie, drink up," he mumbled before levitating the bottle up to her mouth. Satisfied with doing his job, Shining went back to his cereal and toast... just for his sister to spit out her bottle and bang her little hooves on her chair. With an annoyed grunt, Shining picked up the quarter empty bottle before putting the nipple back in his sister's mouth. With another warning glance over to an innocent looking foal enjoying her breakfast, he finally went back to his own. However, he barely finished his first piece of toast before hearing the familiar *clank* of bottle on floor. With an exasperated sigh, Shining levitated the bottle once again to his sister, but this time he kept his magic grasp on it while she suckled. When she tried throwing it again a few moments later, he managed to shove it right back to her with a triumphant grin. Meanwhile, she just looked annoyed, but regardless kept suckling as she seemed to have learned her lesson... for today. As soon as she was finished, Shining floated the bottle over to the sink before returning his attention to... his now soggy cereal. Shrugging with resignation, he just grabbed the bowl in his hooves and drank the rest directly from the bowl before inhaling his other piece of toast. --- "Shiny! You're just talking about breakfast! When are you gonna get to the part about your cutie mark?" Twilight whined at her older brother. "Hey, I'm just setting the scene. Gotta emphasize how normal the day was before I get to the exciting part" A smug smirk was plastered on Shining's face. "Just be patient, okay? I'm getting there, now where was I?" --- After his parents finished breakfast, his father left for work in his guard uniform. Night Light once told Shining what rank he was, but he couldn't remember, he just knew it was kinda long and started with an 'L'. Now having finished breakfast, Shining started to make his way back to his room before his mother called to him. "Shining, I was thinking we could visit the park today, it would be good to let little Twilight get some of her energy out," said Velvet as she picked up Twilight in her magic. "Besides, it would be a waste to spend such a beautiful day stuck in your room." Shining stopped as his front hooves made contact with the stairs before he bobbed his head in contemplation. It had been a while since he got to play in the park, plus he hadn't been to the park with Twilight before. The more he thought about it, the more he liked the idea. "You're right mom, that sounds great! I can show Twilie all my favorite spots and teach her how to climb trees, and-" Shining was cut off by his mother's hoof on his shoulder. "That all sounds good Shining, but just remember Twilight is still a foal, so she can't always keep up with a big colt like you," Velvet reminded him. Shining wasn't deterred though. He still sported a toothy smile as he imagined all the fun he could have at the park. By the time they arrived, Celestia's sun was well on its way to its zenith. As soon as Velvet got set up on one of the park benches with a book, she took Twilight out of her foal carrier and gave her son the go ahead to play within her line of sight. Shining immediately grabbed his sister in his magic and bolted for the nearest pine tree. Although she could walk on her own, she was way slower than Shining and he was impatient to show her around. "Here it is Twilie," he said as he reached the tree, "this is where I first learned how to climb a tree." He then pointed to a nearby dirt path, "over there is my favorite trail to race. I've only ever raced dad and I’ve always lost, but I'm getting faster all the time, and sometimes I just like running." At that, he set Twilight down and started clumsily climbing the tree with his hooves. Not wanting to be left alone, Twilight walked up to the base of the tree and scraped her forehooves against the bark of the tree trunk. Seeing his sister's enthusiasm, Shining decided to help her out, levitating her up to the branch he was currently sitting on. "Pretty cool huh? My record is climbing about halfway up the tree. That branch there," Shining said, pointing to a branch just higher than halfway up the tree. "After that, I kinda get scared and climb down... but one of these days, I'm gonna climb all the way to the top!" Shining declared, puffing out his chest. Twilight was clearly entertained, even if she couldn't understand what her brother was saying. Shining noticed her hooves were slipping from the branch, so he decided to bring her back to the ground before climbing down himself. "C'mon! Let's go race now!" he exclaimed before taking off slightly faster than he figured she could gallop. Sure enough, she started bounding after him as fast as her little legs could carry her, but she looked absolutely ecstatic just to be at the park with him. A bit past noon, everypony's stomachs were starting to growl, so at Velvet's insistence, they headed back home. Once they walked through the door, Shining and Twilight seemed a bit more sedated. "Shining, why don't you take Twilight up for a nap while I make lunch?" Velvet suggested while she made her way into the kitchen. Nodding in compliance, Shining took a nearly unconscious Twilight up to his room where he snuggled up with her. About a half hour later, Velvet called up announcing lunch was ready. Meanwhile, Shining Armor was greeted to the smell of urine. "Ugh! Twilie! Gross!" he recoiled off his bed as she began to cry from the surprise and discomfort of her wet diaper. "Mom! Twilie needs changing!" he called down as he held Twilight at hoof's length in his magic. "One moment dear, I'll be right up!" his mother responded as she made her way up the stairs. Shining was halfway to his parents' room where the changing table was when his mother took over with her own magic hold on Twilight. "Why don't you help out sweetie? It would be useful to know how to do, this don't you think?" Velvet asked her son while he reluctantly nodded, following her. He tried to keep his distance at first, but he soon realized it wasn't as bad as he thought it would be. He mostly just helped by holding Twilight down or lifting up her flanks to help his mom get the new diaper on. "Just remember, even if you think this is gross, I had to change your diapers when you were her age, and yours were way worse! At least little Twilight here doesn't pee on me while I change her," Velvet said as she smirked down at her wildly blushing son. "S-sorry mom..." he mumbled out before finding something super interesting in the carpet beneath his hooves. --- "Shiny! That's so embarrassing and gross! What does this have to do with you getting your cutie mark?!?" Twilight puffed out her blushing cheeks indignantly. "Oh, this has nothing to do with that. I just wanted to tease ya," Shining admitted as he gave his sister a noogie. "But anyway, my story is almost done, for real this time. And trust me, it's worth the wait little sis." "It better be," Twilight grumbled. --- After she got on a fresh diaper, Twilight was much less fussy, and they all settled down for lunch. Shining and his mother were having quesadillas while Velvet patiently fed Twilight another bottle of formula. By the time they were done eating, Shining and Twilight seemed to find their second wind. Noticing their antsy behavior, Velvet suggested that Shining play in the back yard with Twilight. Being more than happy to comply, Shining made his way outside with Twilight close on his heels. Opening the sliding glass door, Shining was greeted with the familiar sight of his back yard. About an eighth of an acre, half of it taken up by his mother's flower garden and shaded by a single chestnut, all of which was surrounded by an unpainted picket fence. There was also some miscellaneous lumber and tools for one of his dad's home improvement projects. It wasn't a particularly large backyard, but it was enough for entertaining two little ponies. Shining decided to start with a game of tag. Twilight already followed him around like a lost puppy, so he figured she'd be 'it' first. Shining booped her on the snoot before announcing "Tag, you're it!" Twilight just giggled and squealed in delight before chasing after her big brother. Shining didn't have to run very fast to keep ahead of her, but he found it highly entertaining to see her tiny legs go so fast just to barely keep up with his casual pace. She chased him around the yard until he got a bit bored, so he let her catch up and glomp onto one of his hooves. "Okay, I'm it now! Time to run away Twilie! I'm gonna get ya!" Shining growled a faux warning. Twilight once again squealed, but she seemed to get the message as she slowly waddled away, giggling the whole time. What neither of them noticed though, was how close they were to their dad's tools. After making it a few feet looking back at her pursuer, Twilight stumbled into a precariously stacked pile of lumber. Shining Armor's eyes went wide as he witnessed the crushing mass of lumber begin to fall on his baby sister. His mind went blank and his limbs moved on their own accord. His next conscious thought was that he wouldn't be able to stop the lumber with his magic. Even so, he refused to let any harm befall Twilight. He might be crushed, or at the very least injured, but he would make sure little Twilie got out safe. As he bolted faster than he ever had in his life, the world around him slowed to a crawl. The vision before him was seared into his mind. Twilight's face contorting in fear at the falling debris, his father's Celestia-damned 'home improvement' projects about to snap Twilight's tiny frame like a twig. As he processed all this, his mind had only one thought, a single imperative blaring in his head; PROTECT. His body had no choice but to obey as he crouched down around Twilight, his back arched up and his head next to hers. Gently cradling his sister as a makeshift shelter, he froze in place preparing to take on as much weight as he physically could. For a split second, his eyes shown pure white before they closed tight and he waited for the inevitable. After what felt like an eternity, Shining cautiously opened one eye a sliver before both shot open in stunned amazement and confusion. The world around him was tinged in a magenta hue, the same color as his magic aura. Shining temporarily went cross-eyed looking up at his brilliantly blazing horn as it shot out the occasional spark. Now that he was aware of it, he began to feel his magic coursing through his horn. It didn't feel tiring like when he tried to lift something heavy. It felt as easy and natural as breathing. As the shock of this new discovery wore off he was reminded of the filly underneath him as he felt her trembling. Looking underneath him he saw his baby sister clutching his right fore-hoof like her life depended on it. Her muzzle was scrunched up and her eyes were sealed as shut as her facial muscles could make them. Glancing around once more to ensure their immediate safety, he leaned his head down next to her to nuzzle and reassure her. "Shhh, shush, it's okay Twilie, you're safe," he cooed in her ear to try to calm her down. After about a minute of gently nuzzling and coaxing her to open her eyes, she did so. She slowly relaxed her grip on his leg, and slowly relaxed to stop her trembling. After a moment she gave him a tentative smile. Having taken care of his most immediate concern, Shining decided to take stock of his situation. Looking at the ground, he noticed it wasn't pink like the rest of the world. On top of that there were various wooden planks and tools scattered around him in a circular pattern, some of them singed and one of them still slightly smoking. A moment later his mother bolted out of the house towards him, also tinged the same color as his magic. When she tried getting close, she stopped at a barrier marked by the wooden planks, and she cautiously raised a hoof to what shining now realized was a magic bubble... his magic bubble. Velvet flinched away as if she was shocked by the air before speaking, "Shining! what happened? I heard a crash and came out as soon as I could! Where's Twilight? Is she okay?" Just hearing his mother's voice caused him to let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. As he began to relax, Shining returned his full focus to his magic, ruminating on exactly how it felt. Oddly, it felt natural, despite never knowing how to conjure a magic shield before. With his newly acquired innate knowledge, he knew exactly how to dispel it, which he promptly did. "Twilie's okay mom. A bit shaken up, but I made sure to keep her safe. I don't know how I did it, but I just knew I couldn't let her get hurt..." Shining trailed off as he sat on his haunches, thinking about what just happened, however seeing Twilight snapped him out of his contemplation. She was pressed up to Shining as much as she could get, hiding her face in his chest fur. He was both amazed and heartbroken to see his sister so terrified, yet seemingly so secure in his ability to keep her safe. Shining just scooped Twilight up in his hooves for a gentle hug. At the same time, Velvet visibly relaxed seeing both her children safe. Not wanting to disturb her already distressed daughter, she levitated both of them in her magic to the living room couch. Once settled down, Shining and Twilight cuddled together, Shining protectively wrapped around his sister before he looked up to see his mother beaming with pride. "Shining, what you just did was incredible. Not only did you summon a powerful magic shield for the first time, but you also protected your sister. I'll have to have a talk with your father about leaving his projects out like that," her smile faltered for a moment before returning full force, "but what's important right now is that you're both safe." "Thanks mom, but I just did what I needed to do. I just couldn't let Twilie get hurt... I don't know how I did the shield thing, but now I think I can do it whenever I want." At that, shining made a small bubble surrounding a mug on the nearby coffee table before dispelling it. "Well, that makes sense, considering..." Velvet trailed off with a knowing smirk. "What? What are you talking about?" Shining asked, more confused than ever. "Why don't you take a look at your flank and see for yourself." Velvet's grin only widened when her son's eyes did their best imitation of dinner plates at seeing his no longer blank flank. Right there, plain as day was a dark blue shield with a large star the same color as his magic, along with three light blue stars above. "What do you think it means sweetie?" It took a moment for the shock to wear off, but he soon responded, "I don't know for sure... but I think it means I'm supposed to protect ponies, just like dad!" he exclaimed. "Well, that sounds like a wonderful idea sweetie. Tell you what, how about when dad gets home, we all go out to dinner to celebrate?" "Celebrate what?" Night Light asked as he came through the front door. "Dad! Come look! I got my cutie mark!" Shining shouted from the couch, waking Twilight from her short nap. She seemed upset and confused, until she saw the alabaster coat of her big brother, at which point she babbled happily and snuggled up to him with greater fervor. That evening, they paid a visit to Shining's favorite restaurant Kentucky Fried Griffon, wherein Shining regaled his father with his story of how he got his cutie mark. Following this, Night Light got a gentl hoof upside the head from his wife and a mild chewing out about leaving the back yard the way he did. --- "So that's how I got my cutie mark, what did ya think? Pretty awesome right?" Shining beamed at his little sister expectantly. "Wow... wait, when you told dad about it, did you include all that stuff about breakfast and the park?" Twilight asked bemused. "Nah, I wasn't as good at telling stories back then as I am today." "Why couldn't you just give me the short version too? I mean, maybe next time just say, 'I was playing with my little sister in the back yard and saved her from getting smooshed by my dad's dumb yard project', it would have saved so much time!" Twilight explained her critique to an ever more nonplussed Shining Armor. "Gee Twilie, I don't know. Maybe because of a little something called storytelling, build up, intrigue, suspense?" Shining deadpanned. "Well, I guess it was a nice story," Twilight admitted with a contemplative look and a hoof on her chin. "Thinking back on it, I guess it was nice hearing about how you used to play with me even when I was a foal... sorry I peed in your bed..." Twilight blushed, examining a pebble on the ground. "Hey, no biggie. It wasn't the last time, and I got better at changing you. Although I am glad you're potty trained now," Shining chuckled as Twilight's blush intensified. Sensing the awkward silence, Shining came up with an idea. "Hey, wanna race? You might be able to beat me this time," he challenged his sister which made her blush disappear. "Okay! One-two-three go!" Twilight shouted before bolting off down the trail. "Hey! That's cheating," Shining yelled after her before following her example. Being much larger and faster, Shining easily caught up with her and just barely beat her to the bend in the path that marked their usual finish line. "You're getting faster Twilie, maybe one of these days." "Yeah right," Twilight panted, "have you even beat dad in a race yet?" she asked between pants. "Not yet, but I get closer every year," Shining said, puffing out his chest. "Maybe once your magic comes in, you'll figure something out," he offered. "That can't happen soon enough. I'm already older than you were when you got your magic! All I can do is make useless sparks," she said before scrunching up her face in concentration, just for a few tiny specks of magic fell out of her horn. "Don't worry sis, I was an early bloomer. You've still got plenty of time to figure it out." Twilight slumped in defeat at Shining's words. "Uh, but hey! If you're really worried about it, you can always talk to dad. He's pretty good at magic. You'd have to be make it to captain of the royal guard! Why don't you talk to him tonight when he gets home?" Twilight perked up in excitement. "Oh! That's a great idea! Thanks, Shiny!" Twilight jumped up to hug her brother, who caught her in his hooves before being knocked back to his haunches. "I'm just glad I could help Twilie, C'mon, let's head home before it gets dark." With that, they began their walk home, happy to have spent another day together.