A father should always be there for his children...his daughter...

He should always be there to help his daughter...but what happens when she no longer needs him?

Thinking back, he still remembered every little detail of when his children were brought into the world. There were always those harsh bright lights in the hospital, probably meant to ensure the doctors did not miss anything while examining their patients. Then there was the always prevalent smell of...cleanliness. Of the multitudes of chemicals used by the cleaning staff to reduce the odds of any sick pony catching some disease. There was his wife, so exhausted after her ordeal and still so very beautiful, resting in the soft white linen of her bed.

And then there was the weight...the weight of a new life held in his fore-hooves.

"How does our son look?" his wife had asked, a weak smile on his face.

"He looks..." he paused for a moment, searching for the right word. "He looks strong..." Back then he had not realized how true his words would ring. Shining Armor seemed to grow up so fast, always bigger and stronger than those his age. But his heart was strong too...he never bullied others, always doing what he could to protect those smaller or weaker than him.

His son had never needed his help, never needed his protection. He'd never had any fear of the dark or monsters or anything. It was like he'd come into the world ready to grow up.

He hadn't thought he could ever be any prouder.

Then came his daughter...little Twilight Sparkle.

It was amazing in how may ways her day of birth mirrored Shining Armor's. The light were still so bright, he actually considered bringing a pair of sunglasses in to hospital...but he got the feeling his wife would not approve. The smell was there, always at the perfect level. Never too potent so it stung your nostrils or weak enough that it wasn't noticeable, always at the spot where your nose could never get used to it. Even the question was there, the same question was asked as he was finally allowed to hold the small body of his newborn daughter.

Well, same but for one word.

"How does our daughter look?" perhaps his wife had looked a little less haggard this time, just a little. Practice does tend to make perfect.

At the question he once again looked down at his new child and found his mind focusing on the same word as before.

"She looks...strong," perhaps he'd chosen it a good luck charm...in hopes that she would grow up much like her brother had. Or maybe he'd picked it because even then, he could sense all the power held within her small little body.

And then there was the other difference that day. Shining Armor hesitantly walking up to his side, his gaze slowly focusing on the small sleeping form of his new sister.

"Is that her?" he said, leaning forward until their noses were nearly brushing. "She looks so small."

"Yes, this is Twilight Sparkle. Congratulations Shining Armor, you're a big brother now. And don't worry about her size, she'll grow up faster...a lot faster than you'd expect."

A silly smile appeared on Shining's face as he continued to inspect his sister. Looking over the two of them, a wonderful idea had suddenly come to his mind.

"Of course, you realize the being a big brother means you have an important job now right?"

"A job? What kind of job?" Shining Armor quickly jumped to attention. He was already trying to emulate his current heroes, the royal guards of Canterlot.

"Until your sister is old enough to take care of herself, I'm going to need your help in taking care of her," he said.

"Of course...help you how?" Shining Armor tilted his head quizzically to the side.

"Well...just be there for her when your mother and I can't. Take care of her...keep her safe. Above all else...be her friend. Do you think you can handle that?"

"You can count on me dad!" Shining Armor brought a hoof to his forehead as a salute.

He'd smiled at at that, at his son's happiness along with the fact that his new daughter's safety was secure. Nothing could be safer than the love of a family.

He just hoped that Twilight wouldn't decide to grow up too fast.

With that he had returned Twilight to her mother, and after a couple of days rest the entire family had come together at home.

It seemed he had just put her down in her crib before she was madly running around the house, asking silly questions of anything and everything she saw. In an attempt to slow her rate of questions he'd given her a book.

That was when the strength he'd seen began to show up.

Power not in strength of limbs or anything like that, no, Twilight shared nothing of that aspect with her brother.

Her strength was always held within. If his daughter put her mind to something, she would get it done, no matter the cost. She was so smart, so determined...and so very very stubborn.

Twilight seemed so determined to get through everything on her own, to read every book available to her, and then some. He wasn't sure where, but somewhere along the way she'd picked up the idea that only she could solve the problems of her life. That she didn't need anypony to help her.

Well...anypony but him.

She was scared of the dark, that was something he'd never forget. She would sit, all wrapped up in her covers, refusing to fall asleep until he checked under her bed, got her a glass of water, and read the bedtime story just one more time.

"Okay, one more time," he would always say, opening the book back up. "But only if you promise to go to sleep afterwards."

"I promise dad," she said, snuggling back against her pillow as he began the story once more, happy to be there for her.

This routine repeated itself for a few years but things, as they have a habit of doing, began to change.

A night came where Twilight did not call for a story.

Curious, he walked over to her room and found her not in her bed, but at her desk. She was studiously reading a massive book, her eyes hungrily devouring the words on the pages.

"Twilight?" he said

"Oh, hi dad. I'm just trying to finish one more chapter of this book of magical theory. I'll probably be up for a wile. I don't need to be tucked in," her eyes never left her book.

"Oh...okay. Goodnight Twilight."

"Night dad," she raised a hoof to wave at him. So he went back to his own room where he sat in his bed, confused.

What was he supposed to do if his children no longer needed him?

She still relied on Shining Armor though, still needed him. Her Big Brother would always be there for her in case he felt she was spending too much time trapped in her book. He always tried to make sure there were at least a few moments of the day where she would take her nose out of those pages and go outside and enjoy the sun.

Eventually Twilight's continuous studying had paid of with an enrollment in magic school, provided she could pass a simple test.

And then something extraordinary had happened, somehow an application exam had led to the Princess herself requesting to take Twilight on as her personal student! Not to mention him temporarily being turned into a cactus!

He could not have been more proud...or more worried for her.

Under the Princess she would be taken directly to the castle, away from her family. They would take his little girl away, and he wouldn't be able to keep her safe any more. He knew that being a star pupil under the Princess would lead to other ponies being jealous of her. He doubted she'd be able to make many friends, friends that could help her where he couldn't.

He needed to help her, needed to stay with her, but how?

In the end, he could do nothing about it but smile as wave as the Princess lead her away.

There were letters home of course, and visitations for the holidays, but they were never long enough for him. She would talk of course, she always loved to talk, about her studies and what sort of research the Princess had her doing...but never of friends or anything else.

Just of what she learned and how she couldn't wait to get back...

When had she gotten so ready to leave her family behind?

Years passed, with the letters growing shorter and the visits growing fewer. One thing he tried to hold on to in order to make her absence less... noticeable, was that at least she was safe. Next to the Princess...he doubted there was a safer place for her to be.

Of course...that was when the sun decided not to rise.

Everypony knew that could only mean one thing, something had happened to Princess Celestia, and if something had happened to her than something could happen to...

No, he had refused to consider such a possibility, instead rushing off to Ponyville with his wife in a desperate attempt to try and find her.

They'd spent so many dark hours looking for any sign of her, asking around is case somepony had seen her. All this brought them to was an empty library, piles of books scattered across the floor. Eventually him and his wife could run no more and stood in the darkness, hoping and praying for things to change...

Perhaps the Princess had heard their prayers, because at that moment the sun triumphantly rose over the horizon, finally casting away the shadows. With it they heard something else, something coming from the Everfree Forest.

Curious, they joined a growing crowd of ponies outside of those dangerous to see a small procession walking towards them It was Princess Celestia with...another Alicorn alongside her? Another Princess?

But who was that behind them? A group of ponies and in the center of them...

"Twilight..." he muttered, nearly rushing out of the crowd over to her, but he managed to stop himself. Galloping past the Princess was probably not the wisest idea.

Instead he just stood back and watched.

Watched as a garland of flowers was placed around the other Alicorn's neck. Watched as the Princess directly addressed his daughter or her new mission in Ponyville.

Watched as the rest of those ponies crowded around her in a happy embrace.

"Friends..." he found himself saying. "She's got friends now."

"You're right," his wife said, that calm smile of hers resting on her face. "Looks like she doesn't need us after all."

"Yes..." he admitted and a small pause. "But why did it have to happen so soon?"

"You said it yourself, the day she was born. Don't you remember?" his wife chided. "She's strong."

"I didn't think she'd be this strong..." he sighed. "Come on, she probably won't want us embarrassing her here, let's go home." His wife simply nodded, walking away from the crowd with him.

His daughter was safe now. Safe and happy with her new friends...he should be happy.

But all he could picture was that little filly, begging for one more story before she went to sleep.

Author's Notes:

You ever heard the song 'You Can Let Go Now Daddy?'

Well here's a chapter on one of the mane six's fathers. Think this is chapter one of...seven? Seven is the correct number right?

Well I think it is. Hope those that read this enjoyed it.