• Published 17th Nov 2013
  • 4,288 Views, 148 Comments

My Little Pony: Friendship is Shining - Hopeful_Ink_Hoof



What if Shining Armor had been Celestia's Student

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So Long Sweet Apples

"Ah'm goin' too."

"No, ya ain't."

"Applejack, Ah'm goin' and there ain't nothin' you-"

"Ah dare you to finish that sentence!"

Big Macintosh opened his mouth, paused as he looked at his sister, then closed it. Applejack glared at her brother before looking away and letting out a small sigh.

"I know you're concerned for me," the mare said, "and I appreciate it, Mac." Turning she looked at the portion of her family that was collected and talking. "But we don't know if this is going to work. If things go wrong, the farm's gonna need ya."

"F'r what?" Big Macintosh asked. "Apple trees need sunlight A.J. If we have eternal night, can't make anything grow." He took a step closer. "And what about Apple Bloom? How's she gonna react if she loses her sister?"

"Probably better than if she lost both her sister and her brother." Applejack looked at her brother again as she said it. "As for the farm... worse comes, Bloom and Granny are gonna need ya to help move somewhere safer. Now I gotta get some things before we head out." With that, she headed for the stairs.

In the kitchen and dining room, Twilight Sparkle, Apple Bloom, and Spike sat at the table. Granny Smith stood at the stove, spatula in hoof as she made apple pancakes. When Applejack had arrived with Shining Armor, Spike, and Twilight Sparkle in tow, the elderly matriarch had insisted on giving the "young'uns" some breakfast. Nothing Shining Armor could say or do seemed to dissuade the elderly Apple. Instead, Shining Armor found himself standing nearby, waiting for the last of the batch to be put on a plate so he could carry it to the table and the waiting mouths.

"Now don't you worry about them two," Granny Smith said, waving her spatula at Shining Armor. "We'll take right good care of 'em like they were our own kin. Make sure they're taken care of 'til you return or they get back to yer folks." She flipped the pancake. "You look out for yourself and them girls while you're out there. Lotta dangers in the Everfree, and I'm sure yer and their families'll want you and them back as much as we do Applejack..." the old mare smirked "...Who's single, by the way."

"What?" Shining said, feeling his face start to heat up. "Why would you say something like that?" He shifted his hooves, turning his head to look around the room.

"My sight might not be what it used to," Granny Smith responded, "but I ain't blind." She let out a chuckle. "I'm just giving you a little tease. Don't worry yourself. Though I reckon she could do worse." Reaching down with her spatula, she easily slipped the pancake from the pan and onto the plate. "There you go. Take that over to the young'uns and I'll start another set f'r you'n Applejack."

"That's really not necessary, ma'am," Shining said as he levitated the plate.

"Nonsense," the elderly mare said with a wave. "Wouldn't be right to send you out on a dangerous situation on an empty stomach."

Shining Armor opened his mouth, then closed it again. Instead he did as he was supposed to and took the plate to set it down on the table. As soon as it was, the two fillies and the young dragon all started digging into the fresh pile of fluffy breakfast food.

"Now while you're here," he said, "I want you on your best behavior. Got it?"

"Alright," Twilight said as she reached for the syrup.

"If it means they keep feeding me like this," Spike said after taking a bite, "I'll do whatever they want." He took another forkful and shoved it into his mouth.

"'Scuse me," Big Macintosh said from the doorway, "Can I speak with ya f'r a minute?"

"Sure?" Shining Armor responded, blinking. "Spike, Twilight, I'll be right back." With that he followed after the large red stallion.

"So, what do you wanna do after this?" Apple Bloom asked around a mouthful of pancake.

Twilight shifted in her seat, looking around for a second. Only the four of them were in the dining room. Spike was distracted by his breakfast and Granny Smith was working at the stove. Leaning close to Apple Bloom, Twilight brought her ear close to the farm filly's ear.

"Can you keep a secret?" she asked.

Apple Bloom glanced over at her grandmother, then gave Twilight a quick nod, moving a hoof across her mouth in zipping motion.

"I'm not staying," Twilight whispered. "First chance I get, I'm sneaking out of here and going with Shiny and the others."

"How?" Apple Bloom asked.

"What're you two fillies schemin' 'bout?" Granny Smith suddenly asked, turning to look over her shoulder at the two.

"Nothing," both responded at the same time.

"I was just askin' Twilight what she wanted to do after breakfast," Apple Bloom added. Both put on their best innocent faces as Granny Smith narrowed her eyes at them. The pair let out a sigh when she finally looked away, and returned their attention to their food.