My Little Pony: Friendship is Shining

by Hopeful_Ink_Hoof

The Quest Begins

As they reached the library, Spike had recovered enough to regain consciousness. As soon as they entered, Twilight headed to one of the shelves to start pulling books off them, looking at the titles, and tossing them aside.

"Twilight," Shining Armor called out as he ducked to avoid a book. "You're making a mess."

"But Nightmare Moon is real," Twilight replied, "and how can we stop her without The Elements of Harmony?" She continued to search through the books, looking for the right one.

"And just what are The Elements of Harmony?" Rainbow Dash asked as she seemed to appear out of nowhere and look at the two unicorns and the dragon. "And how did you know about, Nightmare Moon, huh?" She let out a yipe as Applejack gave her tail a yank.

"Slow down, Sally," the orange farm mare said once she had the pegasus's attention.

"But they know something about this."

"It seems they do," Applejack said, "and I'm sure Shining Armor will tell us about it if we just ask." She turned her attention to the unicorn stallion. "Won't ya?" Behind her also stood Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie.

Shining Armor looked at the five mares, all their attention on him. His mind worked quickly, not to try and figure out whether or not to tell him -- there was no question in him about that -- but the best way to explain it to them. Taking a deep breath, he moved back them and headed toward one of the shelves.

"Not too long ago," he explained, "I read the story to Nightmare Moon as a bed time story to Twiley. According the the legend, the only thing that can stop her are The Elements of Harmony." His horn glowed as he reached onto a shelf and pulled out a book titled The Elements of Harmony: A Reference Guide.

"How did you find it?" Twilight asked, looking at the book and her brother in awe.

"Reference books," he said, pointing at the shelf, "letter E. It's kind of easy if you keep things organized and try to use that system to search instead of just grabbing random books and tossing them aside."

The comment got his sister to look at the small mess she had made with the books, then back at him and give a small, embarrassed smile. Shining Armor smiled back, then turned his attention to the book. Opening it, he started to read.

"There are six Elements of Harmony, but only five are known: kindness, laughter, generosity, honesty and loyalty. The sixth is a complete mystery. It is said that the last known location of the five elements was in the ancient castle of The Royal Pony Sisters. It is located in what is now The Everfree Forest."

"The Everfree Forest?" The five mares repeated, a note of shock and disbelief in their voices.

"That place is dangerous," Fluttershy said, her voice barely audible.

"And weird," Rainbow Dash added.

"It doesn't matter," Twilight said loudly, puffing out her chest. "We'll go into the forest, get the elements, and kick Nightmare Moon's flank all the way back to the moon. We will help save the princess an all of Equestria. We-"

"You're not going."

"What?"

"I said 'you're not going,'" Shining Armor repeated, looking down at his sister. "It's too dangerous, and you can't even use your magic yet. I can't have you go with me and risk you being hurt." He gave her a smirk. "Besides, someone will have to lead the freedom fighters if this doesn't work."

When Shining Armor had first told her she was not going, Twilight had plopped onto her flank and stared at him with her jaw dropped open. As continued to talk, she wanted to argue, but could find no good one. Instead she looked down, ears pulled back and tears starting to fill her eyes. At the statement of leading the rebellion, she took straightened her back and puffed out her chest, giving him a salute.

"You can count on me."

Shining smiled and saluted back.

"Applejack? Could you take Twilight and Spike to your farm? If I'm not back in..." he looked out at the dark night sky (did he just see a part of it move?) "about two days at best guess, make sure they get back to my parents in Canterlot?"

"Well, Ah could take 'em to the farm," Applejack responded, "but somepony else'll have to make sure they get to yer folks since I'm coming with ya."

"What?" Shining Armor asked, blinking in surprise.

"I said 'I'm coming with you.'"

"Me too."

"As am I."

"Ooh. Ooh. Me too. Me too."

"I'll come too... uhm.... if you don't mind too much..."

"Look," Shining Armor said, "I appreciate the offer, but I can't ask any of you to go with me."

"You ain't asking, Sugarcube," the orange mare responded, "and we ain't simply offering either. I'll admit I'm a mite scared, but we ain't letting a friend go in them woods alone."

"You might need help darling," Rarity spoke up, "and you are not the only one with family."

"Besides," Rainbow Dash added, "Ponyville is our home, and Celestia is our Princess too. If there is any chance to protect it and save her, we need to take it."

"I don't think any of us could possibly ask you to do something for us we wouldn't do ourselves," Fluttershy said.

Pinkie Pie moved over to Shining Armor and put an arm around his neck.

"We're with you all the way, Shiney-hiney."

Shining Armor was tempted to again ask her not to call him that. Instead, he looked at her, and the others. Here before him stood five mares that were putting their trust in him. They were willing to go with him into a dangerous forest in search of a mythical artifact to face a creature that is powerful and quite angry after being trapped for a thousand years. And why? Because they were his friends. After less than a day, he was their friend and they were willing to trust him so much, they would put their lines on the lines.

Everypony in this town is crazy! he thought.

Still...

Shining Armor had never had friends before. Not really at least. He either spent time with his family, especially his little sister, or was busy being Princess Celestia's student. Now he suddenly had five friends, and in what was Equestria's darkest day, they were willing to have faith in and trust him. It was... kind of touching...

"Shiney?" Twilight asked. "Are you crying?"

"No," Shining said quickly. Reaching up with a hoof, he wiped at his face and found he actually was. "It's... It's liquid pride. I just can't hold it all in. That's all." He turned to look away from everypony, taking a deep breath and wiping again.

Twilight rolled her eyes, but did not argue. No one else said anything.

"Okay," Shining said after collecting himself. "Here's the plan. Applejack and I will take Twilight and Spike to Sweet Apple Acres. Everypony else go get what you think you might need and say your good-byes. We'll all meet back together at the edge of The Everfree Forest and then go in together."

After a quick round of acknowledgement, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash all left the library and headed for their homes.

"Are you sure about this?" Spike asked Shining as he moved to stand next to the stallion. "You're talking about leading a bunch of ponies into a big scary forest. Wouldn't it be better to wait for guardponies or something?"

"I don't know if we have time to wait, Spike," Shining responded. "Nightmare Moon is out there doing something, and we don't know what happened to Celestia."

He shifted, looking from the dragon to the book. Shining Armor felt something in the back of his mind. There was something that was bothering him. Something that Nightmare Moon said. What was it?

"You ready to go, Twi?" Applejack asked, causing Shining Armor to come back to the moment.

"Just let me grab Miss Smarty Pants," Twilight answered before turning to head up the stairs. Shining watched her go and hoped this was not the last time he would see his sister.

Sister! My sister!

Comments

[Electuroo]

This is a good story, I'd be following this one for sure.

[PrincessFlameFlare]

I have a strange feeling Twilights going to sneak out after them!

[SuperPinkBrony12]

"Besides, someone will have to lead the freedom fighters if this doesn't work."

Is that a reference to Sonic Satam and the Sonic comics of the same story?

[Hopeful_Ink_Hoof]

3592200
No. Or at least not intentionally. I can understand the comparison since it was a popular cartoon and they used the name. Thinking about it when I was writing, I figured Shining Armor would use "freedom fighters" instead of "rebels" or "the rebellion" because it sounded nobler and more heroic, which would make Twilight more likely to listen.
3591138
She could try, but that would mean having to sneak past every member of the Apple Family there.

[Captain-Brony]

Great chapter ☆

[khatre]

I know I am late to this story but ...

At the statement of leading the rebellion, she took straightened her back and puffed out her chest, giving him a salute.

"You can count on me."

This is beautiful!

[Kage no Brony]

3592536

She could try, but that would mean having to sneak past every member of the Apple Family there.

Twilight Sparkle: superninja.

[Evil Paladin]

Because they were his friends. After less than a day, he was their friend and they were willing to trust him so much, they would put their lines on the lines.

Should be "their lives on the line"

[Evil Paladin]

In the show, Twilight just kinda accepted that the 5 Ponyville locals were imposing themselves on her.
She only realized their friendship status at the castle.

[Evil Paladin]

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