Friendship is Shining: Cutie Mark Rising

by Hopeful_Ink_Hoof

Shining Filthy

"And that's what happened," Twilight said, finishing up.

Shining Armor and Spike stared at the Twilight a moment, processing what they had just been told. As intended, the filly had run straight to the library and told her version of what happened at Sugarcube Corner. Now she sat and looked up at Shining, waiting to see what was going to happen.

Spike burst into laughter, falling onto his back and holding his sides.

"SPIKE!" Shining Armor snapped. He let out a sigh and looked to Twilight.

"Go upstairs," the older pony said calmly. "I'll be there in a minute to talk about this." He turned back toward Spike. "After I deal with a certain hysterical dragon."

"Okay," Twilight agreed and started for the stairs. She let out a small sigh of relief. Shining Armor seemed pretty calm, so she was not going to be in too much trouble. Hopefully it would just be a scolding or something. After all, she could not afford to get grounded, she had to help her friends get their cutie marks by the end of the week.

"Okay," Shining said once Twilight had gotten upstair. "That's enough."

"Come on," Spike chuckled. "You can't tell me that if what Twiley said was true, that filly didn't deserve something to happen to her?"

"Maybe," Shining admitted. "But, this is about Twiley. Now what happened was an accident and she's not used to her magic, so it's not something we should punish her for," he placed a hoof on Spike's shoulder, "but at the same time, she shouldn't be using her power against other ponies like that. As such, we shouldn't encourage her to do so, such as laughing our flank off at it. Understand?"

"Alright, alright," Spike conceded. "So, what are you going to do?"

"Really the only thing to do is start planning on having her learn about her magic and how to use it," Shining answered. "In the mean time, she will have to keep from using it unsupervised." He sighed and rubbed his head. "I was hoping to have more money put away in the magic accident fund."

"'Magic accident fund?'" Spike repeated, looking at Shining curiously.

"It's something my parents did with me before I became Celestia's student and also did for Twiley. Our family's been doing it for quite a while actually. When a unicorn is born, we start setting bits aside. That way, when the foal starts being able to use magic, we have something to pay for any damage they cause in case insurance or Equestria won't cover it."

"Why would you do something like that?"

"Do you remember how many fires you accidentally started when you started breathing it?" Shining Armor retaliated, raising an eyebrow.

"It wasn't that bad," Spike huffed, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Only because most of the castle was fire-proof," Shining said with a chuckle. "But imagine how expensive it would have been if we had to pay for all the repairs or to replace things."

Spike rubbed his chin, then gave a nod.

"I guess I can see your point," he conceded.

There was a knock at the library door. Very firm knocks in fact, as though the pony on the other side was not happy about something.

"Why is somepony knocking?" Shining asked, receiving a shrug. "I'll get it." He quickly walked over to the door and pulled it open.

There, standing at the door was a brown earth pony with a black mane and tail that had hints of gray at the edges. The stallion wore a suit collar and tie. Head held high, his lips were pursed tightly, and his eyes glared with displeasure.

"Are you the father of one Twilight Sparkle?" the brown earth pony asked.

"I'm her big brother, actually. My nam-"

"So I do have the right place." He pushed his way past Shining Armor and stepped into the library, looking around.

"Can I help you, mister...?"

"I'm sure I need no introduction, but my name is Filthy Rich." He ran a hoof through his mane, slicking it back. "I am here because it seems your daughter assaulted and humiliated mine at Sugarcube Corner just moments ago."

"Oh," Shining said as the realization hit him. "Sorry about that. Twi-"

"As for how you can help me," Filthy cut in, "you could make her apologize to my princess in front of everypony at Sugarcube Corner. Then you should make sure that that hooligan never bothers my dear Diamond again."

"Uh-oh," Spike mumbled under his breath.

Shining Armor tensed, his ears twitching. Shades of red flared around the edges of his vision as he felt his face heat up.

"Excuse me?" he asked through clenched teeth.

"Well it's clear to me that a filly that is willing to stick another pony's head in a toilet is no good," Filthy Rich stated. "If I ever catch her bothering my daughter again, why I'll-"

"You'll what?" Shining cut in, moving to press himself face to face with the earth stallion. "Because I really want to hear what a full grown adult stallion would do to an innocent young filly that is still in elementary school."

"Well I..." Filthy started.

"Now I get," Shining continued, "that what happened to your daughter was embarrassing, but it was an accident caused by a stressed out overly sensitive filly that is just getting old enough to start needing to learn to control her magic. I assure you my sister..." he stared a moment, letting the words sink in.

"...feels bad about it and would be more than willing to apologize for it."

"That's wond-"

"HOWEVER," Shining cut in. "From what I understand, your daughter was actually pestering and taunting my sister and her friends who were minding their own business before she showed up. That being said, it would seem to me that your daughter owes an apology not only to Twilight, but three other fillies as well. Since I don't think that's going to happen, perhaps it would be best if both sides dropped the subject and moved on."

"Now see here!" Filthy Rich yelled. "I'll have you know that I am one of the most important ponies in Ponyville. Why, there wouldn't even be a Ponyville without me. I will not let some unknown stallion talk to me like that, nor shall I allow an uncouth filly to abuse and humiliate my daughter. I will take this all the way up with Princess Celestia herself if I need to."

"You do that," Shining Armor snarled. "I'm sure the princess has nothing better to do than deal with the wounded ego of a business pony and the accidental embarrassment of his daughter at the hooves of a filly who isn't old enough to learn to control her magic yet. It's not like she has a kingdom to rule... or a sister that she hasn't seen in a millenia she would like to catch up with."

Shining Armor took a step back from Filthy Rich. The unicorn took a deep breath, and slowly let it out.

"Now," Shining said in a calmer voice, "unless you have some official business here at the library, I would appreciate it if you would leave."

Filthy Rich stood there, staring at Shining a moment. The stallion then cleared his throat and adjusted his tie.

"Very well," he stated as he turned toward the door. "I shall go for now." He stopped and turned back to Shining. "But do not think that this is the last you have heard on the matter." He straightened up and stormed out.

"I'll get some horseshoes so I can shake in them," Shining called after him before slamming the door shut. He leaned against it and started panting.

"Shiny?" Twilight called out from the top of the stairs. "I heard yelling. Is everything okay?"

Shining Armor took one more deep breath and slowly let it out. He turned to look up at his sister.

"Nothing you need to worry about," he responded. "I'm going to go out for a while though. I want you and Spike to stay here and watch the library for me."

"Okay," Twilight said with a nod.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Spike asked, his voice just above a whisper.

"I hope so. I just need to talk to some other ponies and think. I'll be back shortly."

"You can count on us," Spike stated, putting an arm around Twilight's neck.

"I know." Shining gave them one more smile before going out himself.

Rarity seemed like a good pony to find out how influential Filthy Rich actually was. Granny Smith lived in Ponyville her whole life, she probably knew some thing about him as well. That would also give him the opportunity to talk to Big Macintosh and Applejack, as well as hear the story from Apple Bloom. Then there was Rainbow Dash. She seemed like a good choice on getting advice on what to do after making an impulsive mistake, especially since she was willing to admit she had done such things before.

Shining Armor suddenly felt very glad he had friends who could talk to about this.

Comments

[TheVirginianist]

Good, GOOD, Keep it up, Hopeful!

[SuperPinkBrony12]

Atta boy Shining Armor, you tell off Filthy Rich for not stopping his daughter's poor behavior.

[Lighting Flicker]

Filthy Rich is not really that like that, but some parents you think their children are little angels who can do not wrong. Even though Rich would have punished Diamond, it makes for a better story to have defend Diamond. Get series by the have been reading the stories all day.

[keaton-furman-prower]

Mr. Rich is so Filthy.

And Shining is so awesome.

[SWEETOLEBOB18]

"Well it's clear to me that a filly that is willing to stick another pony's head in a toilet is no good," Filthy Rich stated. "If I ever catch her bother my daughter again, why I'll-"

probably should be "bothering"

"Now I get," Shining continued, "that what happened to your daughter was embarrassing, but it was an accident caused by a stressed out overly sensitive filly that is just getting old enough to start needed to learn............. her magic. I assure you my sister ..." he stared a moment, letting the words sink in.

"needing"
"to use" or "about"