Seven Years Ago
"Yeesh, can you believe that Kilnan King, Shining Armor?" Sergeant Night Light asked his eighteen-year-old son as they made their rounds around the parameters of the fields.
"I know, Dad!” Shining Armor replied. “I knew that Halon was a pain in the butt, but to tank years of negotiations in about three minutes? Then to suddenly declare war on Equestria?”
“I don’t think it was legitimate; For all his egotism and sociopathy, he knows better than to attack us, especially since we’re from a huge nation and under Celestia’s power. He only has about ten square miles of land for his people.”
“Let’s just be thankful we got off his territory before anything bad happened,” Shining finished as they finished up their job and entered the camp of the small party of twenty soldiers and eighteen diplomats, where the last of the tents were just finished being set up.
“Yes, let’s be thankful, son.” Night Light said, quickly ruffling his son’s blue-and-creulean-striped hair.
“Dad!!” Shining complained, but his face showed that he was grateful for the sign of affection.
They approached one of the bigger tents, where inside, Twilight Velvet, Night Light’s wife, was trying to clean her daughter’s purple chocolate-covered face.
“Hold still, Twilight Sparkle, if you want your face clean!” Velvet scolded her young daughter.
“But why can’t I lick it off?” Twilight whined.
“Because your tounge’s not long enough.”
“Why isn’t it long enough?”
“Because human tongues aren’t made that way.” The question made Twilight stop squirming underneath the washcloth.
“Is there a spell to make tongues lounger?” She asked. “Do you think they teach that in Celestia’s School for Gifted Magi?”
Velvet chuckled. Even at a young age, Twilight inspired to be great at magic, ever since she saw Celestia raise the sun at the Summer Sun Celebration when she was five years old.
“Probably. I’m willing to bet so.”
“Do you think I can really make it in?”
“Of course I do, sweetie!” Velvet finished cleaning off the last of the chocolate pudding off her face. “You passed the application and the written portion of the entrance exam, and you skipped three grades in school already!"
“But I still need to do physical exam to get in, and that’s exactly two weeks away! What if I can’t get in, Mom?” Twilight worriedly asked as her mother unbuttoned her shirt, also covered in chocolate.
“Then we’ll apply for it the next year.” Velvet assured as she began soaking the shirt in cold water. Twilight pulled on her striped pajamas when another question entered her mind.
“But what if I never get in? What if I apply over and over again and I never pass the test?”
“Twilight,” Velvet turned to her girl, pulled her into her lap, and gave her a big hug. “I want you to listen closely, okay? You will make it in. You’re one of the smartest and most determined people I know. But no matter what happens, know that your daddy and your brother and I will always be proud of you.”
Twilight looked up at her mother. “Promise?”
“Are you doubting me?” Velvet asked mischievously, beginning to tickle her daughter.
Twilight shrieked and squirmed under her mother's attack, but no relief came until two familiar people entered the tent.
“Daddy! Shiny! You’re back!” Twilight cheered. Velvet released her daughter so she could run towards them and throw her tiny arms around their legs.
Shining Armor bent down and scooped up Twilight. "Hey Twily, guess what?"
"What?"
“I want to show you something.” Shining Armor sat down on his cot, his little sister snuggled up in his lap. "Close your eyes!"
Twilight obeyed. She felt something settle into her hands, then she was given the command to open them. The young mage gasped at her present.
A metal pendant, two inches in diameter, rested in her palms. The charm rested on a violet cord with two slip knots so the length of the necklace could be adjusted. In the center a sparkling six-pointed magenta star, the same color as Twilight's magical aura, overlaid a white one. Five smaller stars orbited around them. On the other side, a famous and well-known quote was engraved;
Without passion, curiosity, and love, life is meaningless.
Star-Swirl the Bearded.
Underneath that, a small message from Shining Armor was written;
From your B.B.B.F.F.
"It's a good luck charm for your test in two weeks. I hope you like it."
Twilight answered that with a squeal and a hug to her B.B.B.F.F. He returned the hug, which he held before an idea popped in his head.
"Here, let's see how it looks on you."
As Shining Armor took out a mirror and Twilight pulled the necklace on and adjusted it, Night Light and Velvet slid outside the small tent to give their much-loved children to their bonding time while they had their own conversation.
Nobody saw the armed mercenaries moving in towards the camp until it was too late.
One Day Later
The doors of the Canterlot Hospital burst open as Princess Celestia entered, stressed and worked-up. Her niece, Cadence, followed closely behind, shock and tears highlighting her face.
"Where's the survivor of Halon's attack?" the Princess asked the receptionist breathlessly. The nurse gave the room number and led the two princesses to it. Captain Golden Shield of the Royal Guard and an Earthborn Guard stood at attention outside the room.
"Princess Celestia, Princess Cadence," Captain Golden Shield quickly bowed before continuing. "The kid's stable and able to take visitors, but I should warn you, she's unconscious and.... well.... her injuries..." He sighed. "It's not a pretty sight."
"Let me see her," The Princess of the Sun commanded. Celestia was known for her kindness, her skill at diplomacy, and her tendency for lighthearted pranks, but she was scary when furious, especially if an enemy hurt any of her subjects.
"Of course."
Princess Celestia and Cadence entered the hospital room and stared in horror at the sight before them.
A purple-skinned girl (a Mage, judging by the black symbol on her forehead) laid unconscious on the bed, her breathing ragged, her right arm taped to a heart monitor, blood bag, and IV, and was so wrapped up in bandages, she might've been mistaken for a sleeping mummy in a horror movie had she been somewhere else. The only things not covered by bandages was her mouth and her shut eyes. Her left leg was bound in a plaster cast, propped up and badly broken. A pendant, somehow not stolen in the attack, laid on her nightstand.
“How could they do this?” Cadence whispered.
Celestia swallowed back her rage, sadness, and anger as she gave her niece a sideways hug. “I don’t know, Cadence. I don’t know.”
Both princesses stood there, watching over the still form over the now-orphaned girl, each wondering what they were going tell her when she woke up. She had no kin left in the world to take care of her.