The Sparkle family gathered in the living room, preparing to soon send off their son Shining Armor to boot camp. It had always been a dream of the young colt to be able to join the Royal Guard.
He had recently reached the required age of 18, making him qualified to train in boot camp.
His family had watched him grow from a little colt to a stallion. His parents were proud that they could call him their son.
This was the happiest day of Shining's life, and quite possibly, the saddest.
"Are you sure you have everything?" Twilight Velvet asked her son in earnest.
"Mom, for the hundredth time, yes! I have everything. I checked at least three times," Shining Armor gave a small smile. He kind of wished he didn't have everything so he could spend more time here.
"That's our son. Bright and responsible. You'll do great out there." Nightlight put a hoof on Shining's shoulder.
"Thanks, Dad. I hope I will. I can't believe it's today. Hopefully, all my years of studying the military will pay off." Shining looked over to the right and noticed his little sister was awfully quiet. Her head was down and her ears were pressed against her head.
He walked over to her. "Twily? You okay?"
Twilight Sparkle looked up at her brother with tear-filled eyes.
Shining felt his heart ache. He hated seeing his little sister so sad. He bent down and wrapped his hooves around her.
"Oh, Twilight, please don't cry. You know I don't like to see you cry."
Twilight cried into his chest, "Oh, BBBFF, I don't want you to go. Who's going to read me bedtime stories? Who's going to keep all the monsters out of my room? You're my best friend in the whole world, and I won't be able to see you anymore. You can't leave me! I-I d-don't want you to go!" She sobbed deeply into his chest.
Shining Armor cradled his little sister in his hooves. "I know, Twily. I know. But, this is something I have to do. I believe this is my destiny. You don't want to keep me from my destiny do you?"
"N-no, b-but..." She continued to cry.
Twilight Velvet walked over and nuzzled her wailing daughter. "Oh, sweetie, he's not going to be gone forever. We'll see him again. But, I know how you feel. I don't want to see him leave either." Her own eyes began to fill up with tears.
Shining noticed and gave a sad smile, "Oh, Mom." He wrapped his hooves around her as well.
Nightlight didn't want to be left out. He trotted over to his family and embraced them all in a big long hug.
An hour later, there was a knock on the door. Nightlight walked over to the door and opened it. Two Royal Guards stood clad in their armor on the other side. Shining knew that it was time.
"Is the young stallion ready?" One of the guards asked in a gruff but kind voice.
Shining Armor trotted over and stood straight. "I am." He saluted.
The other stallion nodded, "Then, we must leave posthaste. You may say your final farewells to your loved ones. Then, we will make our departure."
Shining Armor swallowed hard and gave a shaky nod. He turned back to his family.
Twilight and his mother were already in tears. Nightlight was calm but one could easily tell he was sad.
Shining Armor walked up to them and embraced them all one final time.
He pulled away and took a deep breath, "Well, this is it. Mom, Dad, take care of yourselves."
"We will, son. Only if you promise to take care of yourself," Nightlight reached out a hoof to shake.
"Will do, sir."
Velvet nuzzled her son's head, "Don't forget to write, honey. We want to hear all about it. My little colt has grown up. I'm so proud of you."
Shining smiled, "Thanks, Mom. I'll write as often as I can." He looked down at his sister.
He embraced her one last time, "I'm gonna miss you, kid. You be good. Keep working on your magic. I want to see you teleporting by the time I get back, 'kay?"
Twilight sniffed, "I-I'll try. I'm going to miss you, BBBFF. How long will you be gone?"
"Seven months."
Twilight's eyes filled with more tears, "Th-that's a long time! Do you really have to go?"
Shining ruffled her mane, "Yes, I do. But, don't worry. I'll be back before you know it. Take care of Cadence for me while I'm gone. I love you."
Twilight nuzzled her brother, "I will. I love you, too."
Shining stood up and faced his entire family, "I love you all. Take care."
"We love you, too son. Now, get going. Don't want to keep those guards waiting," Nightlight pointed towards the door.
Shining nodded. He turned around and with one final look, he headed out the door.
~~Seven Months Later~~
Twilight came home from school just like any other day.
"Mom, Dad! I'm home!" She called out.
Velvet trotted out of the kitchen, "Hi, Sweetheart. How was your lesson with the Princess?"
"Great! I think I've got levitation down! Watch!" Twilight turned to a nearby flower vase and lit up her horn. Both her horn and the vase were surrounded by a faint purple aura. The vase was levitated in the air by Twilight's magic and brought over to her mother.
Velvet gave her daughter a proud smile, "Excellent, honey! Your magic is coming along very nicely."
Just then, the front door opened. Nightlight trotted through the doorway, levitating a few letters in his magic.
"Hi, Daddy!"
"Hi, honey. Velvet, we've got mail."
Twilight Velvet walked over to her husband and took the letters in her own magic. "Let's see." She looked at each letter.
"Nothing of interest." She skimmed over each letter until she came across the last one in the pile.
"Oh! A letter from Shining! Twilight, come here. Your brother sent a letter."
Twilight's face lit up, and she rushed over to her parents as they read the letter.
Dear, Mom, Dad, and Twily,
How have you been doing? I hope you all are well. Me? Well, I'm just fine. Why? I've finally completed my training. After seven long months, I'm finally finished. Which means, I can return home. I'll be arriving home on the twentieth of spring. I can't wait to see you all.
With love, Shining Armor
The entire family's faces lit up with joy. "Shiny's coming home!" Twilight yelled excitedly.
"The twentieth of spring? Why, that's tomorrow. He must've sent this several days ago," Nightlight reread the letter with a pleased expression on his face.
"Oh, I can't believe my little colt's coming home. I can't wait to see the stallion he has become.
Twilight was bouncing around the room repeatedly shouting "YES." Her parents smiled. This was truly a happy moment.
The next day, the whole Sparkle family eagerly anticipated the arrival of Shining Armor. Twilight kept looking out the window, hoping to see him coming. She wanted to be the first to greet him and give him a big hug.
Velvet and Nightlight were also looking forward to seeing their son. He had written to them about many of his experiences. But, they couldn't wait to hear it from him in personally.
It was precisely three o'clock. Velvet was preparing dinner, and Twilight and Nightlight were in the living room playing cards. But, that was all interrupted when they heard a knock on the door. Twilight jumped up and ran over to the door, about to open it.
"Twilight, wait!" Nightlight tried to stop her, but she already opened it.
Twilight squealed loudly. Velvet ran into the living room to see what the commotion was.
"Shiny!!!!" Twilight pounced straight into her brother, sending him tumbling to the ground. Velvet and Nightlight rushed to the door.
They saw Twilight giving their son the biggest hugs a filly of her age could muster. Shining laughed and hugged his sister with all that he had.
"It's good to see you too, Twily." He glanced up at his parents.
"Well, look who decided to come home," Nightlight smiled.
Shining got up with Twilight on his back. "Yah, it's great to be back. Now, where are my hugs?"
His parents smiled and wrapped their hooves around him in a long-awaited hug. After seven months, Shining Armor was finally home.