+++
title = "Shining Armor's First Day"
names = ["DCFTEF"]
date = "2014-02-23 02:14:32"
tags = ["M/f", "leather strap", "over chair", "non-consensual"]
spankers = ["Shining"]
spankees = ["Twilight"]
posts = [""]
+++
 
8:45am, Canterlot Standard time.
The young stallion proudly trotted through the gates of Canterlot Castle. He kept a brisk military pace, head high, tail & mane perfectly groomed, armor polished to a mirror shine. Newly commissioned Lieutenant Shining Armor was early for his first day at his first assignment.

Some of his friends from the Military Academy had gotten more exciting orders; patrolling the San Palomino Desert with the Hoof-Cavalry...watching over the border with the Badlands...diplomatic duty inside the Griffon Kingdom. It had been a bit of a surprise to the young Lieutenant when he opened his orders to find he was going home to Canterlot, the very city where he'd grown up.
Still, a posting with the Canterlot Royal Guard was nothing to scoff at. It was a great honor; he would be in charge of a platoon of the best troopers in the entire Equestrian Army...Shining Armor only hoped he would live up to the responsibility.

As he entered the Royal Guard headquarters two guard ponies saluted, a gesture he returned swiftly & crisply. Part of him swelled up with pride; it was the first salute he'd received, but he kept it contained, maintaining professional military bearing as he had been trained.
There before him was the Captain of the Guard, dressed in the signature purple armor signifying service to Royalty. This was after all, Princess Celestia's personal guard. He took a deep breath, stepped forward and introduced himself.
>"Captain; Junior Lieutenant Shining Armor reporting for duty. Here are my orders."
He offered the scroll instructing him where to report for duty, but the senior officer did not accept it.
>"Oh great. A new Lieutenant, today? That's all I need" he groaned.

It was an inauspicious beginning to Shining Armor's military career.

>"Um...sir. I was assigned here from..."
The Captain cut him off.
>"Yes, yes, they told me I'd be getting a new officer...but what I really need right now are four more experienced Sergeants. I'm sure you'll be a fine asset to the Company, but right now I just don't have time to give you the Grand Tour."
>"I beg your pardon, sir?"
The Captain took a deep breath and explained;
>"Princess Celestia has announced a last minute change to her schedule. She's going on a short-notice diplomatic visit to Saddle Arabia...and we've got to provide protection. Half my company had to leave last night to inspect security arrangements, meet with the Saddle Arabian defense forces, inspect Her Majesty’s private quarters...you get the idea. The rest of us have to prepare an escort for Her...in less than half the time we need, with half the staff."
The young Lieutenant puffed up his chest proudly.
>"I'm here to help, sir. What would you like me to do?"
>"Come back tomorrow" muttered his Captain.
Shining's lofty hopes were deflated. His first day on the job, and he was being sent away?
>"Look, Lieutenant, I'm sure you're a great young officer...I've seen your file, I look forward to working with you. But there's a lot we need to do before you start working, and right now I'm just too busy. I can't assign another officer to do it either, I need them working on the diplomatic trip. Everything is completely FUBAR."
>"Fubar, sir?"
The Captain rolled his eyes.
>"Don't they teach you Cadets anything about the real military? Fucked Up Beyond All Recognition." 
Shining blushed a bit...he had known that one but didn't expect to hear it from his new commander.
>"I'm sure there's something I can do..."
>"Yes, there is" said the Captain, "take the day off."

That was not a satisfactory answer for Shining Armor. He'd been looking forward to this day since he was a blank-flank colt, he did not want to be blown off. But the Captain was becoming increasingly annoyed;
>"Kid, you'll be helping us out the most if you just stay out of the way. Tomorrow I'll have time to assign you your platoon, get you an office, do your paperwork. Maybe if you come back later I can get you some quarters...so you at least have a place to sleep tonight."
Sheepishly, Shining Armor admitted;
>"I grew up in Canterlot, sir. My parents' house is not far from here."
>"Good!" announced the Captain, "Go visit them...I'm sure they'd love to see you!"
Shining had actually spent the last three days there, on leave after finishing the Academy. Mom & Dad had both brought him to the University, to show him off to their co-workers...he'd appeared to speak at his little sister's school...he'd gotten good and drunk with his old school friends. Now he was eager to get to work.
>"Captain, are you sure there's nothing I can help with?"
Rather than get angry, the Captain of the Guard looked on his new Lieutenant with sympathy. He was just an eager young officer who showed up on the worst day possible...it wasn't his fault.
>"I'm serious, kid. I'm sorry, but I have nothing for you to do today. Go out on the town...hell, go get laid! You're a good looking young stallion, and with that uniform you can get any filly you want."
Shining Armor objected;
>"It just doesn't seem appropriate, sir. Taking a day off on my first day?"
The Captain finally gave up. He wasn't getting rid of this Lieutenant.
>"Look, if you insist on staying just have a seat on that bench" he sighed "maybe some errand will come up that I can use you for." 
It wasn't exciting, but it was better than nothing.

Hours passed.
Long, boring hours.
Every few minutes a trooper rushed in with some new crisis. Shining's ears perked up, hoping eagerly that this would be his chance, but the Captain just shook his head and assigned the task to a more experienced pony. The unit commander knew every one of his soldiers personally, he knew their talents and shortcomings, he knew exactly what pony to trust with each job. That left Shining Armor, the new guy, with no job at all.

Around noon he ate in the Officer's Mess, but the table was empty. All the other officers were busy with rush jobs...at best they had time to gallop in, grab a sandwich and get back to work. Shining did not get to meet any of his new colleagues.

After lunch it was back to the bench, back to waiting. The young stallion groaned...it was afternoon already and he'd done absolutely nothing. His first day in the Royal Guard was turning into a boring waste of time.

Around 2:30pm another Royal courtier galloped in, delivering a letter to the Captain.
>"Damn it, what now?" he cursed, unrolling the scroll. "Personal request?"
He looked over at his new Lieutenant, who by this time was slumped against the wall, bored out of his mind, no longer looking as sharp & professional as he had upon arriving this morning.
>"Hey, kid! Looks like I've got a job for you after all!"
Shining Armor jumped to his hooves, eager for any assignment.
>"Princess Celestia needs a personal favor. Report directly to her in the East observation room. I'll draw you a map..."
>"Not necessary sir!" replied Shining, "I have the palace floor plans memorized!"
Again the Captain rolled his eyes.
>"How impressive" he muttered, his voice heavy with sarcasm. "Now get moving. We don't keep the Princess waiting." 
But before he left the Captain added one last thing;
>"And when you're done, please, PLEASE just go home and come back tomorrow."

This disaster of a day had turned around! The long boring wait had been worth it...Shining Armor was going to do a personal favor for the ruler of all Equestria! He had seen the Princess from afar before, at public functions, and events at his little sister's school, but he'd never met her face to face.

Keen to make a good impression Shining paused in front of a highly polished decorative urn, checking his appearance in its reflection.
Mane, check.
Crest, check.
Armor...a few smudges from lunch, easily polished out.
Tail, check.
He was caught in the embarrassing act of picking his teeth just as a chambermaid rounded the corner. The young mare giggled a little when he blushed, but said nothing.

>"Okay, this is it," Shining gave himself an internal pep talk, "don't screw this up!"
He entered the East observation chamber, a circular room filled with telescopes and astronomy equipment. It was chaotic...courtiers, Ministers, Ladies in Waiting, maids & troopers rushed around frantically getting things ready. The Princess herself was crowded by high ranking government ponies, who all seemed to be talking at the same time. Shining Armor didn't know what to do next.

Luckily an aide to Celestia noticed him.
>"Are you the Royal Guard pony the Princess sent for?"
>"Um...yes ma'am."
>"You don't call me 'ma'am', Lieutenant, I'm just a clerk...you're an Officer of the Royal Guard, you outrank me."
Shining's ears flopped back at his flubbed protocol.
>"Sorry...I'm new here."
The clerk smiled and answered;
>"Her Majesty may be very informal at times, but that doesn't mean we are. Court Etiquette is very important around here. Hold on, I'll introduce you."
The low ranking clerk cut through Princess Celestia's cloud of high ranking Ministers with surprising ease, whispering a message in the Monarch's ear.
>"He's here? Wonderful. I'll just need two minutes alone please."

All the important government Ministers looked dismayed, but only one spoke up;
>"My Lady...there is so much to do. We can not afford any delay."
But the Princess brushed him aside with genteel grace.
>"Thank you, Kibitz, it's kind of you to remind me, but I'm sure the world can wait two minutes while I attend to some personal business. May we have a little privacy, please?"
What Princess Celestia had phrased as a polite request was obviously a Royal Command, not to be defied. With courtly bows all her important Ministers, advisers & aides filed out, leaving a very nervous Lieutenant Shining Armor wondering what could be so important that all of them must leave yet he should stay.

>"I appreciate your speed...Lieutenant. My my, Captain Iron Shield didn't have to send an officer for this task...a trooper would have been okay. I'm sure you're all very busy."
Observing official Royal protocol, Shining bowed his head and replied;
>"We are ever at your service, your Majesty."
Facing a two minute time limit, the Princess got straight to the point;
>"Lieutenant, I know this is not part of your duties, but I've summoned you to provide a personal favor. As you may know my School for Gifted Unicorns is an important pursuit of mine. On occasion I select a Unicorn with great potential to be my private protégé, to receive personal lessons."
Shining Armor knew all about that; his younger sister was her personal student, a fact he was very proud of.
>"But unfortunately, my personal student is just as vulnerable to temptation as any young filly or colt, and sometimes she does things she knows are forbidden."
At this moment Shining looked down and noticed somepony peeking out from behind the Princesses' flowing tail. She had a miserable look on her face, but it was a face Shining knew well.
>"Hi Shiny" she muttered.
>"Twily!?"
>"You two know each other?"

Shining Armor was lost for words, but his little sister answered for him;
>"He's my big brother...the one I told you about."
>"Oh...my gracious, what a coincidence. Well, I suppose we don't need introductions then. Young Twilight Sparkle has told me so much about you I feel as if we're old friends."
Despite the Princesses' kind, personable manner, Shining did not drop his formal military bearing. He was there on official assignment...not a social visit.
>"Twilight, tell your brother what I caught you doing" commanded Celestia. 

Blushing beet red, the awkward adolescent filly explained her crime;
>"I was...practicing teleportation spells."
>"After I expressly forbid it!" Celestia added in a menacing voice.
At this moment Shining dropped his proper military composure and switched into concerned big brother mode.
>"Twily, what were you thinking!? Teleportation is one of the most dangerous skills a Unicorn can learn! I don't do it...even Mom & Dad can't teleport!"
The Princess was next to scold her student;
>"I explained the risks to her; she could re-materialize inside a stone wall, she could teleport herself outside the castle and fall hundreds of yards to the rocks below...at her age she could get a magic surge and teleport herself a thousand miles into deep space! Teleportation is dangerous...it is no skill for a developing young filly to be practicing!"
>"I'm sorry" whimpered the purple filly.
Her mentor scowled, looking very stern and disappointed with Twilight.
>"That's a good start, but you are going to learn your lesson the hard way. Normally I would spank your bottom myself for disobeying and putting yourself in danger...but this last minute diplomatic trip has left me with no time. Therefore the Lieutenant will administer your punishment in my place."

Both brother & sister's jaws dropped open at the same time.
>"WHAT!?" they exclaimed in perfect unison.

The siblings may have been shocked but Princess Celestia did not show the slightest sign of consternation. She casually levitated a beautiful polished rosewood box to the center of the room.
>"Lieutenant, you will use this."
The box opened to reveal a leather strap, about 12 inches long and 2 inches wide. Next to it sat a device that looked like a clock, but with only one hand on its dial.
>"These objects are magically linked. The dial will count the strokes...do not attempt to cheat in any way or the device will not count. Do not attempt to tamper with the device or I will know about it and you'll both have some explaining to do."

Before she could go any further Shining Armor stepped forward to voice his objections;
>"Your Majesty...I...that is...this is a very awkward position you're putting me in!"
She nodded sympathetically.
>"I understand, but I consider the fact that you two are brother and sister a stroke of unexpected good luck. At least you're not a stranger."
Shining could not believe this was happening. His first official task as an officer of the Equestrian Army was to spank his own sister? This had to be some kind of crazy nightmare...maybe he was still asleep.

>"I'm setting the device for 35 strokes...I expect to see the dial read that number when I return from Saddle Arabia."
Twilight's face turned to horrified dismay.
>"Thirty-five!?" she cried out, "Princess, please, I'm sorry! I promise I'll never try teleporting again, I swear!"
This time Celestia actually raised her voice and sharpened her tone a bit;
>"Don't you dare try to talk yourself out of this, my naughty student. I gave you a direct order to wait until I decided you were ready for that magic and you disobeyed! You are VERY lucky to only be getting 35 lashes from a pony who knows and loves you. If any adult pony had disobeyed me like this they would be publicly whipped in the Castle Courtyard, am I understood?"

The student shrank from her teacher's fierce rebuke, but Celestia was not done yet;
>"You are also lucky I do not have the time to do this myself, or I guarantee your little fanny would be getting a lot more than 35 measly spanks. If you give your brother any trouble I'll hear about it when I get back...so you'd better do exactly as he says."
This time Twilight Sparkle just whimpered;
>"Yes ma'am."

The Princess turned to Shining Armor and instructed;
>"Lieutenant, I'm sorry to put you in such an uncomfortable position...no pony enjoys having to punish a sibling. I have some personal experience with that so I feel for you, but it's much better that you do it than some stranger. It's really a rather surprising stroke of luck that you were sent for this duty...perhaps it was fate. Please temper your blows with mercy, but remember that a serious error has been made and your sister must be punished soundly for it. I know you will do the right thing."
Standing there dumbfounded, all Shining Armor could do was reply;
>"Yes, your Majesty."

Turning her stern face into a more familiar smile, the Princess tried to make a joke;
>"Well, I think we passed our two minute mark a long time ago. I should get back to work before the Royal Scheduling Advisor decides I need a spanking myself."
Twilight Sparkle did not think it was funny, and Shining Armor was too dumbstruck to laugh.

Celestia left her two subjects to their unhappy task, glancing back with a sigh of remorse. She hated being so strict with her personal student. Twilight was such an eager learner, polite, respectful and incredibly talented. She could be adorably nerdy at times, something that endeared her even further to the Monarch. If only she would get her nose out of those dusty books once in a while and make some friends she would be a perfect candidate for greater responsibility.

But forgiving Twilight every time she broke the rules was not a wise option. Though she rarely spoke of it Celestia's heart still stung from the loss of her previous student. She had loved Sunset Shimmer as much as she loved Twilight now, but the talented Unicorn had fallen victim to obsession and desire for greater power. Celestia blamed herself...if she'd had the heart to be more strict with Sunset maybe things could have been different. When she discovered Twilight Sparkle's incredible raw talent she resolved not to make the same mistake again. Celestia loved her new protégé dearly, but this time she would have the strength or will to see that she was disciplined properly when temptation lured her off the correct path. She owed it to her.

Twilight & Shining Armor were alone now in the East observation room, both awkwardly staring at the rosewood box and its contents. Neither wanted to be the first to speak. At last Shining levitated the leather strap out of the box, and that set his younger sister off.
>"Shiny, please don't! I'm sorry I disobeyed the Princess! Can't we please talk to her again? I can convince her I don't need to be spanked!"
>"You've put me in an impossible spot here, Twily!" he protested, "She gave me a direct order! I'm part of the Royal Guard, I can't disobey an order from the Princess...not as my first duty in my entire career!"
It broke his heart to see his little sister cry. Shining Armor wanted to protect her from any harm, but he was stuck between a rock and a hard place.
>"Ugh...why did you have to mess with teleportation in the first place?"
Ashamed, the adolescent filly's ears drooped back as she tried to explain;
>"I'm sometimes tardy for my classes because I spend so much time reading in the library at school. I just thought it would be so great to zap myself from place to place...I'd never be late for anything!"

>"But you KNOW how dangerous it is!" exclaimed her brother, taking off his helmet, "Twily, you're at an age where your body and your magic is changing so fast it's insanely unpredictable! Teleporting is way too risky until you're older and more controlled!" 
>"I know that...I'm sorry! I really am!"

They were both silent for a long time...Shining examining the leather strap he held in his hooves, Twilight looking on it with fear in her eyes.
>"Twily...you know I have to do this. I have no choice. Please stop looking at me like that."
Part of Shining Armor wished he'd taken the Captain's advice earlier and just gone home until tomorrow but part of him knew Princess Celestia was right. He wouldn't want any random trooper spanking his little sister's rump...it had to be him, it was fate.

During their foalhood together Shining had heard his little sister getting her bottom spanked many times. Once she'd tried flying a kite in a lightning storm to experiment with static electricity. Years later she'd lit the living room carpet on fire while practicing incendiary spells. Recently she'd gotten a pretty wicked caning when Mom decided she was staying up too late, missing too many meals and generally not taking care of herself in favor of feverish studying. These events were miserable for Shining...sitting downstairs or in his room, listening to his beloved little sister cry her eyes out and beg for mercy, knowing he could do nothing to save her from the trouble she'd legitimately gotten herself into. Listening was almost as bad as getting a licking himself.

Now HE was expected to do the spanking? Just the idea made Shining light-headed. How could Princess Celestia expect him to do such a thing?

The answer was simple, and it came to him in a moment of calm clarity; because he loved her. As much as Shining Armor dreaded the idea of whipping his little sister's backside with a leather strap, the idea of losing her to a tragic teleportation accident was a thousand times worse. In that moment he resolved to do his duty no matter how unpleasant it was.
>"Twily, let's get this over with."
Her bottom lip began to quiver, and real tears began to run down the filly's cheeks.
>"Do you really have to?"
He did not want to, but there was no other choice. Before he did anything Shining Armor put his arms around his sister and hugged her tight.
>"I'm so sorry about this, but the Princess is right. She told you not to attempt teleportation spells but you disobeyed her and put yourself at risk."
>"But Shiny, I PROMISE, I'll never do it again!"
He shook his head.
>"It's too late for that. I don't want to do this either but neither one of us has a choice. You'll just get into bigger trouble if Princess Celestia comes back and finds out you didn't get your spanking...and I'll be courts-martialed for disobeying a Royal order on my first day! Heck, I'll probably get my rump whipped in the Castle courtyard for that!"
Twilight's eyes grew wide with horrified amazement.
>"Would they really do that to you?"
Shining Armor chuckled nervously.
>"Normally, no...but if Princess Celestia has any sense of irony that's what I'll get."

Twily sniffled and looked up at her beloved big brother.
>"I don't want you to get whipped, Shiny, not for anything."
He smiled and hugged her again.
>"I don't want that either, but I'm afraid we can't avoid your whipping."
>"I know Shiny, *sniffle*, I'm ready to start."

Shining Armor held onto his sister for a few moments longer, wishing he could always keep her safe and somehow get her out of this punishment today. It was just a fantasy though...someday Twilight would grow up and learn dangerous magic, battle fearsome beasts and live her own life. Shining couldn't keep her safe forever any more than he could save her from this imminent spanking.
>"Shiny, I'll try to be brave like you."
That nearly made him cry.

>"Okay, let's get this over with, Twily" sighed Shining Armor.
He released her from his embrace and motioned toward a hoof-stool.
>"Bend over that now."
Twilight Sparkle trembled in fearful anticipation, but honored her promise to be brave. She lowered herself down without complaint, leaving her poor defenseless fanny exposed to the coming pain.
Taking the strap into his hoof, Shining got into position on her left, checking the distance against the length of his arm. This was his first time administering a spanking to anypony, the last thing he wanted to do was genuinely hurt his own sister.
>"Are you ready, Twily?" he asked.
The filly whimpered in protest;
>"Don't ask me if I'm ready...I'll never be ready. Just do it!"
So Shining Armor did it.

The first stroke of the strap fell perfectly, landing right across the base of both rump-cheeks. Twilight Sparkle squeaked in pain but held position, waiting for the next spank. It didn't come immediately...
>"What's wrong?" asked the adolescent filly.
>"The dial didn't move" her brother replied, "it didn't count that one."
He tapped the dial with his hoof, thinking it might be broken. It was not broken, and Twilight figured that out first;
>"Shiny, don't you see?" she whimpered, "It didn't count because you didn't spank me hard enough."
>"So you want me to spank you harder?" he asked incredulously.
>"I don't want to get spanked at all!" answered Twilight, "But we don't really have a choice."

Shining tried another swing, hitting harder this time. It drew a pained yelp from Twilight, but the needle stayed at zero.
>"You've got to be kidding me!" he complained.
This time the young stallion did not wait. He laid on a third stripe with more force than he would have liked.
>"OWWW!" cried his little sister.
At last the needle clicked over to number one, and Shining knew what was expected of him.
>"I'm really sorry, Twily."
With that he launched in for real, delivering three more hard lashes to his sister's rump. She tried to hold her composure, but by the second of these she cried out loud. Shining gave her two more then stopped.
>"That's 6, Twi...take a break...we'll do this slowly."
The purple filly reached back to rub her sore rear-end, shooting a glance over to the indicator dial as she did so. Then, to her horror, the needle clicked back one!
>"Shiny, look!" cried out Twilight in dismay "It only says 5 now!"
They both stared at the dial face, not making a sound until the phenomenon happened again. The needle actually lost ground, clicking back to the number four. Again the young Lieutenant tapped it with his hoof, thinking it was broken.
>"Why is it doing that?"
Once again Twilight figured it out first.
>"It's because we're taking a break!" she exclaimed, "Princess Celestia did that to me once before...I was stalling so she rolled back the count!"
>"Princess Celestia has spanked you before?" asked Shining Armor.
>"Umm...yeah, sort of" confessed the blushing filly, "I don't wanna talk about it. Just start again before we have to start over from zero!"

Twilight scrambled back into position, rump in the air, and her brother managed to get another hard whack in before the needle clicked back to three. Soon they had regained ground, getting back up to six again.
Lesson learned; breaks were not allowed.

*WHACK*
>"Seven,"
*WHACK*
>"Eight,"
*WHACK*
>"Nine"
Shining counted aloud, but he could see that it just upset his sister to be so far from the end. For the tenth lash he just shut his mouth and got down to business. For her part Twilight was trying to be brave, and take her punishment with dignity, but each smack still hurt terribly, making her cringe and buck...and eventually drawing full tears.
>"Whhhhaaaahhhhh, it hurts so bad!" she cried.
That didn't make things any easier for her brother, who had a front-row view of her trembling rump (getting pinker with every blow) and knew how much it had to sting. He just choked back his own tears and did his best to finish the awful job.

Unfortunately he missed his aim with spank #13, landing the strap's painful tip right in the tender crack between Twily's cheeks. She screamed and twisted away at this one...it clearly left a little welt.
>"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Twi!"
>"*sniffle* Huuuu-huuuuuu, just finish them, *sob* PLEASE!"
Another screw up followed though; feeling guilty for his careless stroke Shining laid on the next two lashes too delicately...the counter rejected them and stayed locked on thirteen.
>"Come on...get it together!" he admonished himself.
At last Shining Armor spanked hard enough to move the dial...fourteen, fifteen, sixteen...
He tried to distribute the strokes evenly over his little sister's rump, so that one spot didn't get too much, but the strap seemed magnetically drawn to the 'sit-spot' right above her legs, where it hurt most. More of Celestia's magic, or just bad luck? Either way poor Twilight squealed and cried her eyes out every time the strap laid another pink mark on this delicate region.

>"Halfway, Twily...we're over halfway done!" reported Shining Armor once the eighteenth stroke had been given.
He didn't get an answer from Twilight, who by now could only cry and tremble in anticipation of the next sting. She was making herself a thousand promises...
>"I'll never try to teleport again...I won't lose track of time...I won't read in the library until the last possible minute...I'll never be tardy for class...I SWEAR I'll never disobey Princess Celestia again!"
None of that helped ease the scorching pain in her backside though. It wasn't the worst spanking she'd ever gotten, but it hurt like Tartarus and the Unicorn did not want a repeat of the punishment ever again.
She didn't blame Shining, or even the Princess. Twilight had known she was doing wrong the moment she opened that forbidden textbook and searched for the secrets of teleportation. Everything they'd said about her not being ready to attempt such dangerous magic was true...but magic was powerful and power was SO addictive. What had started as a harmless little peek into the book had turned into a real attempt to use the spell, which Celestia had detected & stopped before anything harmful could occur. After that it had been a straight path to this position; bent over, rump in the air, tail swept aside, whimpering and sobbing as she paid the price for her disobedient curiosity.
>"I'm sorry! Bwwwhhhhaaaa, I'm sorrrrrryyyyy!"
That did little more than assuage her own guilt; Twilight knew her brother wasn't allowed to stop. On top of her own humiliation & pain she felt awful to have gotten him wrapped up in this. It was Shiny's first day as a real Royal Guard, and she'd ruined it. The young Unicorn felt as if she deserved this spanking for that alone...but at the same time she would have taken any opportunity to end the pain early.

During his training Lieutenant Shining Armor had sent good friends crashing to the ground in practice combat. He'd knocked his own room-mate unconscious with a lance once, and sent another pal to the infirmary in a fight with wooden swords. Shining had felt bad about those accidents, but they were accepted parts of training. Sometimes you came out on top, sometimes it was you who got your bell rung.
This felt worse.
Twilight was growing up...she was a young teenager now...but she was still tiny compared to him. Ever since the first time he'd seen his little sister wrapped in a blanket at Canterlot Hospital he'd felt responsible for protecting her...but here he was, slashing her bottom with a wickedly painful strap, making her cry. This went against every urge and instinct he had as a big brother.
>"Just get this over with" he told himself, "24 down, only 11 lashes to go...just think of her butt as a target."
But training targets at the Military Academy did not flinch and cry every time a pony hit them...they did not shed tears or whimper in anticipation of the next blow. Shining Armor had never seen one turn a painful shade of pink.

The moment when poor Twilight could not take it anymore arrived. With a squeal of pain she tried to jerk her rump out of the way. It backfired; she made her brother miss his target and she got an agonizing smack right on the cutie mark. She'd lost control. Twilight Sparkle had promised to be brave but the pain of this strapping overcame her. That sting on the side of her flank was the last straw...she desperately tried to scramble forward, out of that terrible strap's range.
>"Hold still, Twily, you're almost done!"
Shining Armor had to help her stay in place for the last ten spanks. He wrapped his left arm around her mid-section, holding Twilight tight enough to prevent escape.
>"OOOOWWWWwwoooOOWWWW! Shiny PLEASE STOP, IT HURTS!"

He wiped away his own tears and continued. Only a few more to go, but Twilight twisted and struggled like her life depended on it. The young officer did not doubt his own strength, but fearing his resolve would falter he delivered the last ten whacks quickly.
All Twi could do was scream & kick her legs; those last 10 lashes all blended into one fog of burning, stinging pain.
>"I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! PLEASE STOP...NO MORE!"
>"Twily, it's over..."
>"I'm sorry, I'll never disobey again! Please stop, PLEASE!"
>"Twily, listen to me...I've already stopped...it's over. We're done."

Twilight was silent, breathing heavily thru her mouth; nostrils clogged up with runny snot, her eyes puffy from crying. Once she realized that Shining Armor was telling her the truth she exploded in a fit of relieved bawling, happy that the best big brother in all Equestria was there to hold her in his big, strong arms.
>"I...*hic*...I thought it w-was never g-g-going to *sob* end" wept the filly, resting her head against the cool armor that covered Shining's chest.
Because of lashes that didn't count and a magical counter that penalized breaks, Twilight had suffered more than her sentence of 35 spanks, but at least it was over now.

It took Twilight Sparkle a long time to calm herself down, and even after that she rested in her brother's embrace, relieved to be done with the punishment and back in a happy place. Shining Armor indulged her...he was happy to be done with this as well.
>"Hey Twily, let's never do this again" he whispered to her.
>"Sure thing, BBBFF" answered the filly, giggling a bit.

By now it was late afternoon; Twilight had no more classes and the Captain had already told Shining to go home once he was done. Taking his official duties seriously, the Lieutenant wrote a short report to Celestia, but did not make a copy to file with his Captain. This was a personal matter; he saw no need to let everypony in Canterlot know about it.

Twilight took this time to wash her face, brush her disorderly mane and inspect her sore backside in the mirror.
>"I can't believe it!" muttered the adolescent filly, "My fanny feels like it should be covered in huge welts & bruises but look! A few little pink marks, it's like it never even happened!"
Shining Armor chuckled;
>"I'll take your word for it. I think I've seen enough of your butt for a long time."
Twily trotted back into the room and teased;
>"I don't know what you're complaining about, you had the easy job!"
>"Still not one I ever want to do again" he muttered.

Brother and sister walked home together, just like old times. It deeply affected Shining Armor. He'd been so busy with the Academy over the past few years that he hadn't realized how much he missed doing simple things like this with his little sister. Just listening to her tell him about what books she'd read and what she was learning in school made his heart feel light.
It was completely the opposite for Twilight. Since he left for the Academy she had missed time spent with her big brother and painfully felt its absence in her life. She had kept her chin up and never mentioned her sorrow though. She loved her brother too much to put that kind of weight on his heart when he needed to be concentrating on his dream of a military career.
Something worried her though;
>"Hey Shiny?"
>"Yeah?"
>"Please don't tell Mom & Dad about...you know."
Shining Armor rolled his eyes and replied;
>"Twily, if nopony EVER finds out about that I'll live my life happy."
She bumped up against him and agreed.
>"Deal. It's between you, me and Princess Celestia!"

Epilogue
The siblings kept that promise. Twilight still got a long lecture from the Princess concerning dangerous magic, but she did not get spanked anymore (for that crime at least). With time she learned to be very skilled at teleportation.
Shining went to work the next day and began his career in the Royal Guard for real. He was stationed in Canterlot now, so even though he did not live at home anymore he was close by and able to spend more time with his sister & parents, visiting whenever his military duties afforded him a break. What the siblings enjoyed most was sharing ordinary activities; a walk together, grocery shopping, a visit to the library.
No matter how busy their own schedules were the brother and sister always made time for each other, and when the day came Princess Celestia decided Twilight was old enough to be sent on a mission to Ponyville on her behalf, Shining Armor was there to see her off on the next chapter of her life's great adventure.

THE END