“Sign here, here and here.”
Since Evening Star is the sole responsible for his son’s action, it was him who signed Sun Light’s contract on his behalf. He did so after careful reading and consideration of what type of work Sun Light will be in charge of.
“Done,” he announced to Celestia’s secretary, Kibitz.
Kibitz snorted, “To think that Celestia kept a monster like you so close, and now your own offspring is following your path. Makes me wonder what her highness is really up to.”
Evening Star spat the pen in his mouth, planting it on the wall like an arrow, then flashed his most political grin ever, “Secretary Kibitz, you’ve always been a good friend of mine. So please, never again insult my son in front of me, or you might just find how monstrous I can really be,” however, he failed to hide his murderous aura, causing Kibitz to stiff all over.
“I am but a pen that is guided by her majesty’s will, if she asks of me to help then I will help,” Kibitz replied three pitches higher than normal.
“And I am her spear, swore to her protection by an oath more sacred than heaven itself,” Evening countered with full vigor.
“But are you really?” Kibitz asked incredulously.
“What is that supposed to mean?” Evening’s aura faded as his expression grew to a more serious one
“It means, minister, your loyalties is always and forever will be to your family first,” Kibitz explained, more relaxed as the intensity of the situation died down, “if your family had chosen a different path, we might not be having this conversation.”
“Are the papers signed yet?” Sun Light peeked at the adults from the crack of the door, breaking all residual tension between them, “I need to get the filly to Celestia before she chews my ear off for being tardy.”
Evening turned toward his son, a soft smile adorning his lips, “Already signed them, would you mind if I tagged along on your first day?”
“Don’t you have work to do?” Sun Light suspiciously inspected his father smile.
“No need to worry, Kibitz will take over them for a day,” Evening then turned toward Kibitz and with a coy smile that somehow felt more threatening than a prowling hydra, “Am I right mister Celestia’s pen?”
“I-I-I…“ Kibitz stammered as he felt his time nearing its end, “I’ll do it,” he finally admitted defeat.
“But don’t you have your work cut out for you, grandpa secretary?” Sun Light asked with genuine concern in his eyes.
“Don’t worry about me, young one,” Kibitz waved Sun Light off, “I’ll manage somehow.”
“Alright then,” Evening was suddenly at the door, “Let’s go.”
“Dad, how many times have I told you not to bully grandpa Kibitz like that,” Sun Light scolded as he left the room.
“Sunny please, if anypony can handle my teasing, it’s Kibitz,” Evening replied just as he closed the door after his son.
Kibitz sat back in his armchair, relief finally washing over him, “That was close!” he exclaimed loudly, “His presence can certainly make a pony tremble if he wills it,” after a few moments of relaxing he straightened his back, grabbed his quill with his aura then returned to his work, “I guess it’s fine, having a monster like that around here. As long as his leash remains in the right hoof,” he exclaimed to no one in particular.
Further down the hall, father and son were walking side by side.
“[What did the contract say]?” Sun asked.
“[You can read it if you want to, I had Kibitz send me a copy to my office],” Evening answered calmly.
“[Can’t you at least give me a summary]?” Sun pressured.
“[It basically explained what your job is, and your schedule, there was a clause about your salary of 250 bits and an explanation on how you can earn overtime. Oh and that Celestia is your superior, not Twilight Sparkle,]” Evening summarized.
A mischievous smile appeared on Sun Light’s face, “[good to know.]”
“[There is also a clause on a number of comebacks you are allowed to use,]” Evening Star quipped.
Sun Light hesitated before concluding, “[Now I know you’re just making that up.]”
“[Suit yourself,]” Evening Star shrugged, but upon hearing his son’s grumbling he said, “[You know, I see no reason for you to hate this filly as much as you do.]”
“[She managed to figure out my cutiemark before I did,]” Sun Light reacted defensively, “[and everypony just wants to shower her with praise simply because she is the Princess’s disciple. So annoying.]”
“[So its pride and envy that caused so much animosity,]” Evening concluded, “[I expected better from you, you know,]” he sighed.
Sun grumbled, he knew his reasons were petty, but it’s more than that, something about Twilight just doesn’t sit right with him, but he couldn’t place his hoof on it. Because of this, he didn’t want his father, or even his sister for that matter to know about that.
Noticing his son’s deep contemplation, Evening Star spoke, “[Or is there some other reason else you aren’t telling me about?]”
Sun Light hesitate, even though he swore to himself last night that he will be more open with his father, it still was easier said than done, “[It’s just my instincts],” he caved in, “[Something about her just doesn’t…click, you know...]”
Evening Star smiled in recognition, “[Oh I know,]” he quipped, “[like how her eyes sparkle when she looks at you, or how she smells too good to be true.]”
Sun Light stared at his father in shock, “[Oh? and what is that suppose to mean?]”
“[Can't you tell?]”
“[If you think you know me better than I know myself then please, don't hold back,]” Sun Light stopped in front of Twilight’s chamber’s door.
But before he could knock, Evening Star let out a chuckle, “[I think she's your first crush.]”
Sun Light froze in his place, “[don’t even joke about that,]” he said to his father’s amusement.
Twilight Sparkle opened the door shyly, immediately her face brightened when she saw her assistant, “I thought I heard a familiar voice but didn’t understand the language, what type of Equish was this?”
“It wasn’t Equish,” Sun Light replied a couple of pitches higher than usual, a blush adorning his face. He tried to shack it off by rubbing the back of his head, “it was Phoenician, the language where my dad came from.”
“So cool,” Twilight brightened three folds, “Do you think you could teach me?”
“I- I guess,” Sun Light stammered.
“Nice,” Twilight jumped with excitement, “I’ll go and get Spike then we can head toward Celestia to learn that new spell.”
“[Well?]” Evening Star hovered above Sun Light with his all-knowing grin.
“[I just thought how better she’ll sound if she ever talked in Phoenician,]” Sun Light mumbled, shortly before glowering at his father who he didn’t need to see to figure out that he was snickering at his expense. “[You,]” he jeered, “[you used your inception on me, didn’t you?]”
“[Oh, grow up,]” Evening scolded, though he couldn’t get the smile completely out of his face, “[you two make an adorable couple.]”
Sun Light gasped loudly, “[Never, will I indulge you in ANY act you might find me cute.]”
Twilight came trotting with Spike on her back, “Ready to go?”
“Spiky!” Sun Light jumped with joy, scooped up the baby dragon on the filly’s back and starting cooing, “Who is my favorite baby dragon, who is?”
Spike jovially accepted the colt’s embrace, smearing his drool all over his black coat, giving it a glistening sheen.
Evening opened his leg compartment, then pulled his handkerchief. He knelt toward his oblivious son, then started wiping away some of the drool, “[Right now, you look more adorable than the first day you were born,]” he whispered softly in his son's ear while making sure Sun Light noticed his smirk.
Sun Light’s smile immediately turned into a scowl. “[I just lost this argument, didn’t I?]” He muttered.
“[Big times,]” his father replied jovially, earning a hiss from his son.
Evening ignored Sun Light, then focused his attention on the little filly next to him, giggling silently to herself. “Would it be alright if I tagged along for today, little one?” he asked her warmly.
“Sure,” Twilight replied while beaming a smile.
“Shall we go then?”
“Let’s.”
And with that, the trio went their way toward the Royal Athenaeum where Princess Celestia was waiting.
Princess Celestia greeted the newcomers, “Minister Evening Star, what a surprise seeing you here today!”
“Greetings Princess,” Evening gave a bow, “will it be alright if I stay and watch for today?”
“Evening,” Celestia responded with a grave expression on her face, “Who is it this time?”
“Kibitz,” Evening replied immediately.
Celestia sighed, “When will you two ever stop pestering each other?”
“And where will the fun in that be?” he answered her sarcastically, Causing Celestia to roll her eyes at him.
“You can watch silently from the corner,” she ordered by pointing at the desk and he obliged by walking toward it.
“Sun,” She then addressed Sun Light, who merely looked at her droopily, “This is your first day on the job, you should be ecstatic, is something the matter?”
“Nothing to concern yourself, princess,” He answered, giving his father the stink eye. Evening noticed and immediately waved at his son with his ‘I know you are angry with me and I don’t care’ smile that he normally wore during the cabinet meetings. Sun Light replied by sticking his tongue out, only for his father’s smile to widen.
What am I going to do with you two? Celestia sighed inwardly, better not dwell upon their mischief, lest I might worry myself to my own grave. “Then would you mind gathering these books while I see through Twilight’s homework?” she levitates the list of books toward him.
“Sure thing,” he grabbed the list of books then trotted toward the designated bookcase, Spike in tow.
“Now Spike, if you to aspire to be anything more than a bowl of drooling adorableness you need to learn the basics of a working library,” he explained as Spike stood in attention placing his paw on his head in a salute.
Evening’s inquisitive stare did not go unnoticed, Sun Light looked at him and said, “Just watch,” before returning to the baby dragon.
“Since you still don’t understand that much about subjects and such, it’s best to teach you the simple things,” Sun Light walked toward the main desk, then pulled the upper drawer, and from it, a thick binder.
“This,” he then placed the binder between him and the baby dragon, “is the library log," he tapped on the binder, then waved over the Athenaeum, "The placement of every book in any library is written in its log,” He opened the binder then leafed through a random page showing a table the size of the page portraying six main columns.
“This,” Sun Light pointed at the first column, “is the name of the book,” he took a random book from a nearby shelf and pointed with his hoof at the title. He then pointed at the first letter of the title, “When you want to find a book, you look for the first Letter.” He enunciated on letter while tapping on the first letter of the random book he chose.
Sun Light flipped the book in his hoof and read the title, ‘Shamans, a reference guide’, it read. Then pointed again at the S of the word Shamans, “This is an S,” he told the baby dragon, “Now say it with me, S.”
“ARGH,” Spike replied, following carefully every movement the young colt is making.
“Close enough,” Sun Light concluded, before continuing in his explanation, “Now, we only need to search for the letter S.” He kept leafing through the binder until the letter S appeared on the top page, “S” he repeated to the baby dragon while pointing at the giant letter.
“Now we need to find the second letter H,” he pointed at the second letter of the word, and Spike almost immediately nodded in agreement, Sun Light started leafing through the S section until he found his word.
“There is it,” he pointed to the word in the binder and Spike let out a coo of awe. However there are three books that start with the word Shaman, Sun Light noted. “Now, which of these books is the one we are looking for?” Sun Light asked after putting both the book and the open binder in front of Spike.
Spike squinted at the binder, then at the book, then at the binder. Evening Star looked curiously from behind the dragon, only to be genuinely surprised when the baby dragon pointed at the correct book from the list in the binder.
“Very good!” Sun Light exclaimed as he nuzzled the dragon while rubbing his head, with Spike shouting gibberish of joy at the young colt’s treatment.
“That’s amazing!” Evening Star clapped to his son who beamed back with pride, “How did you do that?”
“I turned my job into a simple associative game with him as a player,” Sun Light explained happily, “It’s quite remarkable how fast he learns things that way.” He then placed Spike on the ground, then pulled the list of books that Celestia asked of him, “Now that the warm-up round is up, let’s get to the real…” He trailed as he started reading the necessary literature.
“Is something wrong?”
But before his son could explain, a hail of books started falling on the trio.
Evening didn’t waste a single breath, almost immediately he unsheathed his hidden spear, then with a single swoop, knocked all the falling books away from the children.
“Dad, wai..!” Sun Light tried to explain, but to no avail as Evening scooped up both colt and hatchling and dashed quickly to where Celestia has been.
“Are you alright princess?” He asked with all urgency…
….only to be blown off by the princess who ran in the opposite direction screaming, “Twilight, are you alright?”
“Wha?!” Evening asked as he watched the princess running toward a pile of books, letting go of his son and the baby dragon.
“Its initial teleportation surge, dad! No need to go super warrior on us.” Sun Light scolded his father while cradling a crying Spike.
Evening turned toward his son with an unsure expression.
“Twilight have just managed her first teleportation,” He explained acidly as Celestia helped her student out of a pile of books.