Twilight Sparkle the Dragon

by PlutoMilo

Sibling Talk

“I’ll let Celestia pass judgment on you,” Twilight decided as she flew back toward the throne room, unintentionally parroting her brother as he shackled her.

Chrysalis hadn’t been very responsive ever since the last of her former hive had retreated. Not even the threat of banishment or the Crystal Caves garnered a reaction. For a split second, Twilight wondered if she broke the former changeling queen, but after some thought, she brushed that off to the side.

By the time Twilight arrived back in the Hall, Cadence, her brother, and Celestia were gathered there along with her friends. Chrysalis was left as a heap on the royal carpet when Twilight dropped her to hug Spike.

“The hive retreated and is under new leadership,” Twilight told Celestia, “They won’t be coming back any time soon. They didn’t want Chrysalis back either,”

“Very well, thank you, my student,” Celestia inclined her head and turned her attention back to Cadence, whose horn was pulsating with magic. By the alicorn’s expression, she’d been doing this for at least five minutes.

Her brother’s glazed eyes were slowly regaining life. Twilight made herself comfortable and clutched Spike closer to her as she sat. The entire entourage of ponies waited with bated breath when Shining Armor finally blinked and the last of the hazy look disappeared from his eyes.

It was like watching some being wake from a heavy sleep. At first, Shining shifted his limbs and groaned. Then slowly, he raised his head to take note of his surroundings. When he jumped to his hooves, he swayed where he stood until Cadence gently stabilized him.

“I- is the wedding over?” Was his mumbled question.

Twilight had to bite her tongue to prevent her laughter from bursting out of her.

Celestia took the time to explain to her former Captain of the Guard what exactly transpired in the last few hours.

“Welcome back, Shiny,” Twilight said softly when there was a lull in the conversation.

“Twilight, I- Uh-” Shining floundered for something to say, bringing a smile to Twilight’s face.

“Sibling Talk? I think it’s high time we had one, don’t you think?” Shining’s breathing hitched at that.

That simple two-word question brought many memories from her filly hood to the forefront of her mind. Any time they had fought, they’d always ask for a Sibling Talk. It was like waving a surrender flag and then meeting on neutral ground. Sibling Talks stopped when Twilight came home and was subsequently nearly attacked by Shining.

Wordlessly, Shining Armor nodded and the two gently excused themselves and went into an antechamber off to the side that was further down the hallway. The moment the door shut, Twilight raised a silencing ward. Shining twitched a little at the pulse of magic.

“I’m not really mad at you,” Twilight began, startling her brother, “I’m more disappointed and sad than mad. I know you were under Chrysalis’ magic, but it still hurt. I wonder if you already had those thoughts in your head and her magic just voiced them. You’re my big brother, Shining Armor. When will you finally act like you are?”

Shining’s mouth opened and closed, then his ears folded back in distress. His slightly frail unicorn build seemed to shrink in on itself and he appeared much smaller than usual. Shining was strong and bulky for a unicorn, but the way he looked right now made him look like a newborn colt.

“I- What’s the point?’ Shining finally mumbled to the floor, “I failed already,”

Twilight tilted her head carefully at her brother, “How?”

“I just did,” he snapped back, turning away and sitting.

Sighing, Twilight whacked her brother over his head with a wing, “Sibling Talk means we actually talk. So get started, I already said my bit,”

“There’s no point,” Shining repeated himself, “I can’t ever make up to you what happened. I already failed,”

“Failed what?” Twilight sneered, “Can you stop being so melodramatic?”

“I failed you, ok?!” Shining roared into her face, “I failed to protect you! I can’t even protect you from myself! What is the point if I can’t protect you?!”

“‘What is the point if you can’t protect me’?” Twilight parroted back incredulously, “I’m a dragon, Shining Armor, there isn’t a point to protect me. Honestly, it should be the way around anyhow. And you’re going to let an incident from years ago prevent you from being a big brother? That’s the most pathetic reason I’ve ever heard! I’ve forgiven you for that a long time ago,”

Years of hurt and bitterness resurfaced as Twilight stared at her brother. Years of wondering why being a dragon made her brother hate her. Years of disappointment and confusion, wondering what she did wrong. Years of bitterness from how he treated Spike. It was enough to make smoke puff out of her ears, literally.

“Being a big brother doesn’t just mean protection! It means unconditional love and support. It means being there when no other being is! It means so many other things than just protection! You’re nearly thirty summers old, start acting like it!” Twilight snarled the last part so lowly, more smoke issued from her nose.

“I don’t know how! There’s no point!” Shining screamed shrilly back at her.

“You were an amazing big brother before the incident! Yes, you do!” Twilight roared back loudly, uncaring of how it shook the room.

Shining’s hooves gave out and he collapsed into a heap on the rug. His voice was quiet and wavering when he spoke again, “You grew up too fast for me to continue doing that. One day you were bigger than me, stronger than me, better than me. You went from my little sister into a full-time student and mother. What was there left for me to do?”

“So you were jealous,” Twilight sat back down, “And then decided to take your anger out on the only innocent one, which was Spike,”

Shining huffed out a sarcastic laugh, “Sure, make me sound worse than I am,”

“This isn’t funny!” Twilight’s anger exploded once more, “Do you know how it felt to explain to a little colt of six summers why his Uncle didn’t like him? Do you know how it felt when I had to tell him exactly what happened when he was born? Do you?!”

Shining’s own lips peeled back into his own snarl, “See? This is why there’s no point. You’ve grown too much for me to be a big brother to you at all,”

“This isn’t about you!” Twilight jumped to her paws and her wings flared aggressively, “Can you stop being so narcissistic for once in your life and just say, ‘Oh Twilight, I’m sorry, I’ll do better’? And then actually follow through with it? That’s all I want to hear,”

Shining Armor, former Captain of the Royal Guard and fiance to Princess Cadence, deflated on the rug as his tears began to flow. Twilight sighed and once again sat down. She let her brother cry for a while and when his sobs developed into gasps for air and sniffling, she spoke again.

“You’re such a dirtbag, yaknow?” but the bite wasn’t there and elicited a watery wheeze from him, “One Sibling Talk and you end up a blubbering mess,”

“I’m sorry Twily,” Shining whispered, “I’ll work on it,”

“Thanks. But I forgave you a long time ago. Someone else needs the apology,” Twilight smiled lopsidedly, “Come on, I think you have a wedding to plan and attend. I’ll hold you to that promise. Do better.”

Shining dried the last of his tears and bounced to the door. The silence ward was dismissed and he bowed low while opening the door. His voice was gravelly and dry-sounding from his crying, and completely ruined the effect, but he croaked, “Ladies first,”

Twilight whacked him lightly with her tail as she passed him in an overly haughty manner, mimicking the higher class nobles, “Oh shut up,”

Author's Note:

Edited 11/10/21
Oof, the angst here. Took me forever to figure out how to write this. Shining Armor's redemption has begun!

Comments

[SpikeSmolder fan]

Heck yeah, about damn time this was let out into the open, now maybe Shining can stop acting like a jerk & more like a big brother (especially to a certain young colt)

[The A I]

Perhaps he may apologize to spike. Maybe. I hope so

[Snowkitsune]

Moar please