//------------------------------// // Meet the Parents // Story: Friendship is Equal to or Greater than Magic // by Fanon Canon //------------------------------// To say that Twilight was a little anxious about meeting her parents for the first time in a while, especially given the climate she faced, would have been something of an understatement. She had only left them for the grand and illustrious pursuit of knowledge and the study of friendship, and now it was magic of her own doing that was now bringing her right back home. But there was hardly anything that could be done about it now, so she simply resigned herself to bravely knocking on their door with her dragon assistant by her side, apprehensive about how they would react under the effects of that lovely, lovely spell everypony kept hearing about nowadays. “There she is, there’s my little girl, the mare of the hour, of the century even!” The familiar but nevertheless, disturbingly different voice of her father greeted her the moment he lay eyes upon his daughter after opening the door. “Hiya Dad.” Twilight responded quite bravely. “And she’s brought her lovely dragon baby, too.” He continued, noticing Spike’s presence. “Nice to meet you too, sir.” The dragon replied much less enthusiastically in response to being called a baby. Twilight’s father led them in, the mare feeling a sudden sense of nostalgia upon the sight of her old home, while the dragon found it all quite intriguing. In no time at all, they had come upon the living area, where Twilight’s mother awaited to bring her hooves around her daughter in a much more physical expression of admiration then her husband’s simple words of appraisal. “Well ain’t this just grand, huh dear.” The father remarked as soon as Twilight was free from her mother. “Just grand.” His wife parroted back. “So, umm…” Twilight began. “Anyway, mom and dad. I’ve got kind of an announcement to make.” “Ah, don’t you worry, girl.” Her father said comfortingly. “We are your parents, we know all about it, don’t we deary.” “Know all about it.” The wide repeated. “Of course you do.” Twilight muttered to herself. “Well nevermind about it, then. I’m feeling pretty tired now, do I still have a room?” “Of course you still have a room.” Her father responded gleefully. “You head on, we’ll keep your baby dragon company.” “Appreciate it.” She replied. “Spike: stay.” “Err.” The dragon had time to say, before his unicorn left the room in a hurry, leaving him there with her beaming parents. “Ain’t it just wonderful” Twilight’s father continued to remark. “Yeah, just wonderful.” Spike replied. “I never would have imagined our daughter was capable of such a thing.” He continued heedlessly. “I mean, casting spells is one thing, but to make such a spell that you can actually invite into your home and have a nice with is just nothing short of spectacular.” “Umm… excuse me?” Spike asked, that last set of words prodding his interest. “Oh yeah, you just missed him.” Twilight’s father replied. “Truth be told, it was quite shocking, seeing a spell manifest as your own daughter speaking in a strange tongue and start up a conversation as if it’s nothing was quit alarming. But, as soon as he had explained himself, we was completely okay with it, weren’t we dear?” “Okay with it.” Twilight’s mother repeated after her husband nonchalantly. “Really?” Spike said, quite pleasantly himself, for he was struggling to understand just what he was hearing. “And err, where is this spell now?” “Oh he had to dash.” The father explained. “I don’t blame him, when you’re a sentient spell, you’ve got a lot of priorities to deal with.” “Is that so?” The dragon said. “Excuse me, I need to speak with Twilight.” “It’s the first on your right after you reach the top of the stairs.” The unicorn informed him. Spike gave a quick reply of thanks, before making his way out of the living room and up the stairs as fast as his little dragon feet would allow him. Bursting through Twilight's door, her found her carefully examining one of the many books that lay in heaps around the room, the only sort of indication that this room belonged to Twilight in any way. "Read that. Read that. Read that." The unicorn was casually remarking as she flipper through the various covers that each held little interest. "I can't have read every book in Equestria surely. Or has everypony simply stopped printing them." "Don't you have other things to worry about then books?" Her assistant asked her, forgetting his reason for being there in the first place. "Yeah. Sleeping." She remarked, dropping ever book held afloat by her magic in a flash and dropping onto the bed. "Wow, it feels like months since we set off for Canterlot this morning." For some reason, Spike found himself agreeing with her, though quickly dismissed it in lieu of the more pressing matter. "Twilight, you know that spell." He began. "I know several spells." She replied cheekily. "But I think I know which one you're referring to." "Yeah that one." Spike said. "And remember you said how it was sentient." "I said many things." Twilight replied, again in cheek. "But yes, I said something along those lines." "Well." Spike went. "What if sentient meant... manifesting itself in the physical form of you, and talking to your parents." Twilight did not react as sharply as she had done before. Slowly she raised her head from her bed, eyeing the dragon. "Spells have done many things." She said. "But nothing quite like what you just described there." Spike simply stood silent. "If I'm hearing to right." She began. "What you mean to tell me is that this spell has decided to take on my form, somehow and is now speaking to my parents this very moment?" "Well, not at this very moment." Spike replied. "It left before we came here. Don't know what it's up to." "I see." Twilight remarked simply. "Where are my parents now?" "Err, downstairs." The dragon answered her. "Go back down there, please." She requested. "Talk to them, keep a close eye on them." "What? Wh... okay." Spike relented, and subsequently left the room, at a much slower pace then his entrance. Twilight remained on the bed, deep in thought. Perhaps a little too deep in thought, Spike hadn't exactly gone on at hours length about this strange new state her spell was in. Her eyes glanced over at a mirror in the corner, and the unicorn suddenly felt a compulsion to go ahead and check out her reflection. Getting off the bed and standing in front of the mirror, Twilight slowly analysed her own reflection. There was nothing particularly mystical about it, it was still her. She moved a hoof up to brush her mane, her reflection copying her action. She turned her head to the side, her reflection turned to side as well, as it was supposed to do. She said: "She sells sea shells by the sea shore, but the sea shells she sells are sea sells for sure." Her reflection said: "Urgh, is that how I sound?" Oh... wait.