"Are you sure you have everything dear? All your bags? No boxes left in your room?" Shining Armor and Twilight Sparkle's mother fussed about the jam-packed trunk.
"Yes, mother," Shining Armor chuckled good-naturedly at his mother's frantic worrying. He had one hand placed lovingly on his little sister's dark hair as she clung to his leg, holding him in a death grip. "Dad said he was going inside for one last thing before I left."
At the mention of his departure, the small girl let out a horrific wail.
"Twilight Sparkle! That is no way to for a young lady to behave!" their mother scolded. Twilight ignored her and continued to cry and clutch her older brother's leg. Shining Armor leaned down, picked up the small purple haired girl, and hugged her close.
"Twily, come on. We've talked about this. I'm not going to be that far away. It's only a couple of hours. I'll be home to visit all the time." He smiled at her, but she only sniffled. Shining Armor bumped his little sister's chin with his knuckles, and laughed. "Besides, you'll be having so much fun with Princess Cadence; you'll barely even miss me."
"Nuh uh!" Twilight pouted and clung to Shining Armor's neck. He shook his head as his father walked down the paved driveway, an ornately wrapped package in his hands. Shining Armor placed Twilight back on the ground, where she promptly resumed her chokehold on her brother's leg.
"Here, son. Your mother and I thought you might like to have this at school," He presented the rectangular box with an uncomfortable cough and then shoved his hands in his jacket pockets.
Shining armor plucked off the wrapping paper neatly and opened the plain white box. He pulled out a dark blue blazer with purple and white trim and a crest of stars on the left breast pocket. He shrugged it on and grinned at his parents. "It's fantastic, thank you."
After embracing his parents, prying his sister away, and slamming the trunk closed with a flick of his hand, he climbed into his car and sped off. Twilight clung to her father's hand as she watched her brother leave, tears still wet on her face and whimpering quietly. As soon as Shining Armor's car was out of sight, Twilight ran into the house and up to her bedroom, slamming the door behind her. She flopped on her bed, hugging the stuffed purple and green dragon, Spot, that Shining Armor had given her for her last birthday. She stayed there for what felt like hours, until her father came and coerced her down to the kitchen for a late lunch, but only on the condition she could bring her stuffed dragon.
After he had laid out her food, her father joined her mother in the study down the hall. After just a few bites of her sandwich, Twilight could hear hushed voices arguing. She crept down the hallway, as closely as she dared, and listened in to what her parents were saying.
"I'm telling you, she hasn't taken it well so far, it's not going to get any better from here. Even with Cadence to keep her company, she's going to miss Shining Armor no matter what. She needs more of a distraction than-," her mother cut off her father, her voice harsh.
"I really don't think we can handle what you're proposing, I mean, honestly-"
Uh oh, thought Twilight. Her mother was using her 'You're in trouble, young lady' voice.
"Sweetie, you know this house is going to feel empty in a few weeks, maybe even in a few days-"
"But do you really think replacing Shining Armor in Twilight Sparkle's life is going to make anything remotely better? She won't accept anyone but him-"
"Why do we have to replace him?" Her father sounded tired. "She could well enough accept another person into the family, another brother or sister-"
Another brother or sister? Twilight was having a terrible time understanding what her parents were talking about.
"You know Twilight, she barely talks to anyone at school or on the playground. She'd rather study or read or-"
"That doesn't mean she can't try. We should at least suggest it to her…"
"I really don't know about this, dear. Don't we have enough on our plate to deal with?"
"You've always said you'd love to open up our home to-"
Suddenly, the doorbell rang. Twilight jumped and scuttled back to the kitchen, climbing back up on her stool and chomping down on her lunch. Her parents hurried out of the study, her mother rushing to the door and her father coming back into the kitchen. He smiled weakly at his young daughter and started to clean up the lunch dishes.
"You're going to be alright with Cadence for the afternoon, aren't you?"
Twilight nodded at her father, gathering her dishes together and handing them up to her father to place into the sink. "How about you both go to the park or something today? Get out of the house?" Twilight shook her head and pointed to the library. He sighed and crouched down next to his youngest child. "Sweetheart, you can't hide in that room for forever."
"Why not?" Twilight pouted, crossing her tiny arms.
Her father chuckled. "Because, there's a whole world out there of people just waiting to be friends with you. You should go explore it."
"Daddy… I'd rather just read about that world…" Twilight Sparkle whined.
Her father laughed. "I know honey." He straightened up as his wife came into the kitchen, closely followed by a teenaged girl with a multicolored, pastel pony tail.
"Cadence!" Twilight dashed over to the older girl and embraced her.
"Hey, girly, wanna go outside today?" Twilight shook her head 'no' vigorously. "C'mon, just once?"
Twilight grimaced. "I don't wannnnaaaaa."
"Pleeeaaassseeeeeeee?" Cadence poked Twilight in the belly, her bottom lip jutting out into a pout.
The younger girl glared and tried to stare her babysitter down. Realizing it was hopeless at winning the staring contest, Twilight huffed. "Fiiiinnneeee. But only if we can spend some time in the library later."
Cadence giggled, "Okay. It's a deal."
"Cadence, if we could talk to you for a moment?" Her mother asked, her eyes flicking to Twilight and back.
"Okay." Cadence crouched down next to Twilight Sparkle. "How about you meet me out back on the swings? Get them warmed up a bit? I'll be right out."
Twilight nodded, grabbing Spot the dragon, hugging her mother and father goodbye, and hurrying out the back door. She scurried across the sweeping lawn and clambered up worn wooden seat, clutching the ropes in her hands, and watched through the large glass doors leading out onto the stone patio as her mother and father sat down at the kitchen table with Cadence. She saw their mouths moving, but couldn't figure out what they were saying, and didn't dare try to eavesdrop this time. Instead, she watched their faces and tried to decide if maybe she was in trouble from the way they looked.
Both her parents looked a bit solemn and serious, but that wasn't always a bad thing… Cadence started off looking confused, and then a little sad, and finally, she burst out into a huge grin and let out a giggling squeal as she clapped her hands. Twilight's father grinned widely, and even the corners of her mother's mouth quirked up into a smile. The three grown-ups talked for a few minutes more and after her parents waved goodbye through the window, Cadence skipped out to the backyard to join Twilight.
"What's going on?" Twilight asked as she pointed into the now vacant kitchen.
Cadence covered her mouth as she giggled, "Your parents just wanted to talk to me for a bit, that's all."
"Did they say if we could get ice cream?" Twilight asked hopefully.
"Yes, Twi. We can get ice cream."
"Yesssss!" Twilight pumped her feet a little harder as she swung and jumped off the swing.
Cadence laughed and jumped up to chase her, gently tackling her and tickling her sides. Twilight gave in quickly. Once she was released, she sat up and faced Cadence, crossing her legs and holding her hands out straight ahead, palms facing away from her.
Cadence grinned and mirrored the smaller girl's stance, and then they began to singsong, "Sunshine, sunshine, ladybugs awake! Clap your hands and do a little shake!" Twilight and Cadence chased each other and giggled around the large backyard as the late summer sun burned above them. Twilight sprawled out in the grass, and Cadence came to stand above the smaller girl, hands resting on her hips.
"Hey, wanna hear an awesome idea?"
Twilight giggled and sat up. "Okay?"
"Well…" Cadence crouched down, so she was closer to eye level. "I was thinking we could go grab that ice cream cone you wanted earlier."
"Yes!" Twilight bounced to her feet.
"Maybe we could stop at the playground afterwards?" Cadence added on, smiling.
Twilight huffed. "Do we really have to?"
The older girl shook her head slightly, "I'd really like to. I like the slides." The corner of her mouth quirked. "And after the playground, we can come home and you can read me a story."
Twilight sighed. "Ooookaaay. But only if I get to pick the story."
The babysitter laughed. "Alright. I'm fine with that," Cadence replied, stretching her arm down to grasp Twilight's tiny fingers. "Let's go!" Twilight's face split into a grin as she ran forward, dragging Cadence behind her, around the side of the house and down the street, towards the center of town.