Friendship is Shining: Family Matters

by Hopeful_Ink_Hoof

Shocked

The six stood there in silence, the initial shock passing as the words actually sank in. Twilight Velvet and Night Light wanted Twilight Sparkle to move back to Canterlot.

"But Pumpkin!" Pinkie blurted out. "And Pound! And... and... what about Trixie?" She was shifting her hooves, moving back and forth in place.

"Pinkie," Shining Armor said softly. "Why don't you go back to work. We'll discuss this and let you know if anything happens."

Pinkie looked at Shining Armor, then at Twilight, and then over at the parents. Her normal excitement and enthusiasm were gone, and she was looking around with an extremely serious look on her face (one that was especially surprising given who it was on). With a huff, she gave a nod.

"Okay." She then looked back to Shining Armor. "But keep me informed. The twins are either going to get to say good-bye, or celebrate that their best friend is staying."

"Twins?" Night Light asked.

"Best friend?" Twilight Sparkle said, eyes wide.

"Yeah," Pinkie said as her full attention turned to the filly. "You're like, their best friend now." She looks at the parents again. "They just love hanging out with her." Her eyes narrowed as she smirked. "Not to mention that Pound Cake is Twiley's co--"

With a yelp, Twilight lunged forward and grabbed Pinkie's mouth, holding it shut. The filly's face had turned so bright, it was almost as red as Big Macintosh's coat. She was staring at her parents, eyes wide and ears pulled back. A small, nervous chuckle suddenly burst from her.

"Ha ha ha," she squeaked. "That's Pinkie Pie for you. So silly some times. How 'bout we forget whatever it was she was talking about?" She grinned, a small "squee" noise accompanying it.

Velvet's horn lit up with magic, again engulfing the filly in the aura. Gently, she pulled the small limbs away from the pink mare's muzzle, letting Twilight float in the air. Velvet pulled Twilight closer as she looked at Pinkie. Tilting her head, she raised an eyebrow curiously.

"Now, Miss Pie, what where you saying?"

"Nothinggottagobye!"

And Pinkie Pie was gone. None of the remaining ponies or the dragon had seen her leave. It was just one second she was there, and the next, vanished. Did not even seem like she had ran for the door, just... gone.

"How... how did she..." Night Light sputtered, staring at where the mare had been.

"That's just Pinkie Pie," Shining Armor said. "She does all sorts of things. Nopony can figure out how or why." Wincing he rubbed at the back of his head. "Believe me. I've tried. And it did not work out well for me." He gave a shake of his head. "Anyway, can we get back to the subject of Twiley. You want her to go back to Canterlot?"

"Shining," Twilight Velvet said softly, "Twiley staying here was on a trial basis. To see if this was best for all of you."

"But this is the best," Spike said, jumping up. "Shining and I are taking good care of her, she's doing well in school, and she has friends here."

"Maybe," Velvet responded, "but there's also the matter that Ponyville seems to be more dangerous than we thought."

"What do you mean?" Twilight asked.

"Discord," Night Light replied. "When he got free, he came here to and started causing trouble."

"And you were in the middle of it all," Velvet pointed out. She turned to her oldest. "Shining, you're an adult and supposed to be a hero now. As much as I don't like it that you could get hurt, I can't do anything about it. This is your life, and your choice." She then turned to her daughter. "You, however, are still a filly. You don't even have your cutie mark yet, to say nothing of being an adult."

"But... but I helped stop him," Twilight whined out, ears pulling back.

"And Discord started off in Canterlot anyways," Spike pointed out.

"But she wouldn't have been in the middle of it," Velvet pointed out. "She wouldn't have been more at risk of being attacked or anything than any other pony."

"As for you helping," Night Light added, "we are proud of you for that. However, as your mother pointed out, you're still very young. This isn't something you should be doing. Maybe when you're older, you can join the guard or something."

"Oh, Celestia," Velvet mumbled. "I certainly hoped not."

"But--" Twilight started.

"Twilight," Shining Armor cut in, "Spike, stop. That's enough for now."

The two turned to him.

"You can't be okay with this!" Spike said, staring at him.

"No," Shining answered. "I'm not." Moving closer, he pressed up against the two. "I want Twiley to stay too." He sighed. "But right now, we're all just getting worked up and not making any changes." He then turned to his parents. "So, how about we pause this discussion for now? We all calm down, and take some time. Maybe try and convince you to let her stay with us. You wouldn't mind staying a while, right?"

"Of course not," Velvet said. "We still have everything set up for our extended honeymoon. Do you have a particular length in mind?"

"No," Shining admitted. "At least until tomorrow evening. That way, we can spend the rest of the weekend showing you around town, and maybe show you it's not as dangerous as you're thinking. Plus you can meet with Twiley's teacher and see how she's doing. Give us some time to try and change your mind." He then looked at Twiley and Spike. "If you don't, then we'll see about making this as easy as possible for everypony."

Twilight Velvet and Night Light looked at each other. No words actually passed between the pair, but it did seem like they were having an intensive conversation. None of the others spoke either, not wanting to interrupt the "conversation." Instead they stood there, watching quietly at the little shifts in mouth, ears, and eyes that moved between the married couple.

"Okay," Night Light said. "We'll wait until Monday before deciding anything."

"Great," Shining said with a soft smile. Now he just had to try and get things to go as well as possible and hope that nothing majorly bad would happen while their parents were here. If something like the parasprites, or Sunset Shimmer, happened while they were here, there would be absolutely nothing that would get the pair to change their mind.

If it was a story like Spike imagined, this would absolutely be the time that something horrible would happen. Something that in itself would normally guarantee that Night Light and Twilight Velvet would take their daughter and get her away from Ponyville. However, in those same stories, something would also happen that would convince the couple to let Twilight Sparkle stay, feeling that she will be safe despite the dangers of it all.

A knock from the front got Shining's attention.

"Twiley, why don't you show Mom and Dad your Running of The Leaves ribbon while I go see who that is?"

"Okay," Twilight replied. "Come on." She then started for the stairs, her parents following her close behind.

After the three of them were gone, Shining Armor made his way toward the door, Spike following along.

"You really think they're going to make her go back?" the dragon asked, still looking back toward the stairway.

"You heard what they said," Shining answered. "Mom and Dad want to keep her safe. You can't be mad at them about that."

With a sigh, Spike sagged, his fins drooping a little.

"No," he admitted. "Doesn't mean I have to like it though."

"No one is saying you do." The stallion gave the young dragon a shoulder bump. "I don't like it either, but you have to understand where they're coming from. So, while they're here, we'll try to show them that Twiley is safe, happy, and healthy. If we can, then they might reconsider and let her stay." He then lifted out a hoof and stopped Spike, looking at him directly. "If not, then we accept it and try to make this as easy on Twiley as we possibly can. Okay?"

"...Fine..." Spike huffed, crossing his arms.

Shining gave Spike a smile and a hug. He then let go and continued to the door, pulling it open.

Standing at the doorway was the tall, lean form of Crystal Heart. Tilting her head slightly, the earth pony mare raised an eyebrow.

"Is everything okay?" she asked. "I'm sensing some tension." Her head tilted the other way. "I can come back later."

"No, that's okay," Shining said as he stepped back to let her in. "Just some personal issues. How can we help you?"

Crystal stepped into the library, her white coat shifting with each movement of her toned muscles. Her green eyes then turned to Spike, the young dragon staring up at her with brow furrowed. With a gentle smile, she leaned forward, looking at him eye to eye.

"And who is this handsome fellow?" she asked. "Don't think I've met him before."

"I'm Spike." Straightening up, he puffed his chest out. "Sidekick, assistant, and little brother."

"Well it is lovely to meet you Spike," Crystal purred out, holding out a hoof, which Spike shook. "Anyway, I'm here to return the book I checked out, and maybe pick out another."

"Sure," Shining Armor replied. "I even talked to a friend of ours, and got some recommendations based on what you told me last time."

"Wonderful," Crystal said with a smile as she followed the stallion into the library and toward the romance section.

Shutting the door, Spike watched them from where he was. His eyes narrowed as he observed the mare, taking in the way she walked and talked. His mouth tensed, lips pursing together as he did. It was hard to say what, but something about Crystal Heart did not seem right to the young dragon.

Comments

[HB_DS2013]

Now, what's this about Sunset Shimmer?

[Hopeful_Ink_Hoof]

7609427 With the decision to have Trixie be a filly at Twilight's age, a variation of Sunset took her place in this universe's version of Boast Busters.

[SuperPinkBrony12]

Oh really, the parents are worried because of Discord and a few isolated incidents that Twily wasn't involved in at all? Sounds like they're overprotective and not in a good way, especially since they're going to have another child soon. I mean really, they gave Shining Armor permission to look after his little sister, and by all accounts he hasn't slipped up yet.

[Comickook]

Hello there. Thanks greatly for getting the next chapter up. I really appreciate you going to the effort. Once again, great job on the exchanges, emotional content and future chapter set-up in all the right places. I particularly liked Twiley shutting Pinkie up before she could spill the beans concerning her crush on Pound AND the scene with "Crystal Heart".

And, yeah, I hope we DO get some more clues as to Sunset's big scheme in later stories.

At any rate, I will definitely be looking forward to more of this as soon as time and inspiration will allow.

[CrowMagnon]

"No," Shining admitted. "At least until tomorrow evening. That way, we can spend the rest of the weekend showing you around town, and maybe show you it's not as dangerous as you're thinking."

If Shining keeps tempting Fate like that, his pseudo-villainess harem is going to get jealous.

[SWEETOLEBOB18]

"You heard what they said," Shining answered. "Mom and Dad want to keep her safe. You can't be mad at them about that."

But they're OK with Spike being there? "Hey boys and girls can you say 'Double Standard'? I knew you could." Still, Spike is older (?) + a dragon.