Shining’s Log-Entry: Panic!
My sister is Twilight Sparkle! [Unintelligible Scribbles]! Why didn’t I see it before, Mom, the gray unicorn mare, with purple and white mane, and three star cutie mark. And Dad, the blue unicorn stallion, with that double crescent moon cutie mark. Oh, sure, they were only shown that once, in the episode which showed how each of the main characters got their cutie marks, but that’s no excuse for not realizing that Twilight Sparkle is my little sister!Ok, deep breaths. I need to stop panicking. I mean my little sister is only Twilight Sparkle, one of the most talented unicorns ever. And the personal student of Princess Celestia. And the bearer of the Element of Magic. And the leader of the other Elements of Harmony. And the future savior of Equestria. At least twice! And probably more. Deep breaths. I’m breathing deeply.
I will not panic. I will not panic. I will not think about what will happen if I mess up. I will not think of what might happen if something I do might cause things to go off the rails. I mean it’s not like the fate of ALL EQUESTRIA is at stake. I mean, I don’t really fancy the idea of living in an eternal night. And I really, really don’t want to picture what would happen if Discord wins.
What do I do? I mean, Twilight never mentions having a brother in the series, does that mean that she doesn’t have one, or does it mean they weren’t close? Will anything I do cause very bad things to happen? How will my actions affect her? What if my interference causes her to do something her cannon self would never do? What if she doesn’t become Celestia’s student! What if she doesn’t go to Ponyville?
There are way too many what ifs! If I only knew what to do. I mean, I was looking forward to having a younger sister. Someone who I could grow close to, and share funny little secrets with. Someone who I could be an example for, I would help her when she needed help, teach her everything I know, and make sure no future suitors would ever dare take advantage of my little sister. But now, my sister is Twilight ‘freakin’ Sparkle, the future savior of Equestria. And I have no clue if doing any of those things with her will doom the planet.
Gah! I just have no idea what I should do! Should I even try to get close to her? Or will that possibly doom us all. I’m not meant to make this sort of a choice. I guess the best I can do is think about it, and decide later.
Shining Armor, Signing Off
It was another sunny day in Canterlot. Once again many ponies were out and about, cheerfully going about their daily business. But in the home of Shining Armor, his parents worried about how he seemed depressed and moody ever since he woke up from his faint at the hospital a week before, but neither of them have had time to talk to him about it because their newborn foal Twilight needed a lot of care.
At the moment, only Shining, his mother, Sparkle Velvet and his little sister Twilight Sparkle were present. All three of them were in the kitchen. Velvet was preparing food for her children, while whistling a merry tune. Twilight was cooing quietly in a high chair, and Shining was sulking in a corner.
The pleasant whistling is cut off, as Velvet checked the refrigerator, before bringing a hoof up to lie on her forehead. “I can’t believe I forgot to get the dandelions for my dandelion salad!” she berated herself, “I can’t exactly make it without them.” She put her hoof down, then turned and took in the state of the kitchen and her children with one quick glance.
Velvet seemed contemplative for a moment, before she came to a decision. “Shining, can you watch Twilight for a couple of minutes?” she asked.
Shining brought up booth forehooves up in a warding motion. “Me? But I’m too young!” he protested, “I’m not the right one for this.”
“I need you to be a big stallion and watch her,” his mother explained patiently, “I’ll only be gone for five minutes, ten on the outside. I’m only going to the corner store to pick up some dandelions, and I’ll be right back.”
“But,” Shining said, “But-”
“But nothing,” she cut him off, “It’s only ten minutes. And you’ve always been responsible for your age. I’d hate to see you shirk your responsibilities for the first time.”
“Fine,” he hung his head, “I’ll do it.”
“Great, I’ll be right back, sweetie,” with that she stepped out of the kitchen, and Shining heard her open and close the front door shortly after.
“Not cool,” Shining Armor mumbled to himself. He turned to his little sister, and walked over to her highchair.
“I can’t believe that you’re going to save Equestria one day,” he muttered to her, his blue eyes shimmering. “Can I really be your big brother?” he asked aloud, “You deserve a far better pony than me.”
Shining took in his tiny little sister, her wide lavender eyes, and her cute little horn. Noticing Shining watching her, Twilight cooed at her brother. He didn't respond, deep in thought. “I wonder, if I wasn’t here,” her stated, “would you still have a big brother? Would he treat you like a little sister? Should I?”
Shining continued to stare into Twilight’s eyes. “Is it the right thing for me to be an aloof big brother, who deliberately avoids his little sister? Would you be happy with that?” he paused, thinking over his last statement, before hanging his head, breaking eye contact with his sister and staring at the floor, “You wouldn’t, would you. You’d feel rejected, and wronged if I did that. But if it meant that you and everypony would be safe…”
“I hate this,” he choked out, his eyes brimming with tears, “I don’t want to have to choose between your happiness and your safety. It’s not right. No pony should have to make that sort of choice. And knowing, that if I choose wrong, the world is on the line,” he started to pace around the kitchen, “I’m only six. I didn’t ask for this. I don’t want the knowledge I have,” tears began to stream down his face, “I wanted you to be a normal filly, who I could love, protect and make happy. I can’t protect you and make you happy, nor can I make you happy and ensure your protection. I don’t want two out of three, I want all three,” he gasped for breath, “You deserve all three,” he mumbled looking at the floor.
He stopped pacing and was stared at the floor, occasionally lifting one hoof to glance at it, only to stomp it back down. After a minute of silence, he looked back at Twilight, who was watching him, cooing occasionally, but not doing anything else. “I really, really want to take a third option,” Shining said, “Soo,” he drew out the last word, he stopped crying, and a strong glint entered his eyes, “screw it!” he stomped one of his hooves down on the floor, laughed and grinned widely, “I’ll be the best big brother I can be. And if that causes things to mess up, I’ll be there right by your side, protecting you! I won’t let fear dictate what I will and will not do, I will protect you. If by making you happy, I accidentally doom the world, I’ll fight with everything I have in order set things right, and ensure everypony wins. I’ll be the best big brother you could ask for Twily. Just you wait and see!”
“Well, I guess you’ve cheered up,” said a voice in the kitchen doorway.
Shining Armor stumbled while turning around, and caught sight of his mother in the doorway, who had an amused grin on her face. “I ask you to watch over Twilight,” she said, with pride in her voice, “and here you are giving a motivational speech.”
Shining blushed, and his ears flattened, “Uh, how much did you hear?” he asked softly.
“Enough,” she replied, “to hear that you will be the best big brother ever!” she finished with a giggle.
She quickly stopped giggling, “Wait a moment,” she gasped, gesturing with her right forehoof, “Is that…” she trailed off, pointing at Shining’s flank.
Shining quickly twisted around, looking for what had his mother so startled. “Is that-” he questioned, staring at the blue three point shield with a six pointed star on it and three stars above it now decorating his hind, “-my cutie mark?”
Shining’s Log-Entry: The Decision Is Made
I don’t even know why I was even debating the whole issue in the first place. Twilight is my little sis, and I will do anything I can to make her happy. And trying to keep her at hooves length in some fool attempt to ‘protect’ her won’t do that. It would only make her miserable, and I won’t do that to my sister! I will be the best big brother that there ever was!But that still brings up the question; ‘if I change things, what if I accidentally invalidate her saving Equestria.’ The answer is simple, I will protect her, and everypony else myself! If I accidentally make things worse, I will be there, with all hooves in, trying my best to protect Twilight and everypony in Equestria. After all, I know, here in this world, Friendship is Magic. So what does that make love?
Shining Armor, Signing Off