The family sat around a long wooden table, Night and Twilight senior at the head, Twilight and Rainbow on one side and Cadence and Shining on the other. The delicious looking food was arrayed along the table with place settings for everyone. Rainbow discreetly eyed the decor and, in her opinion, fancy array of cutlery. There were certificates and artworks on the wall and more than a few native artworks from many of the cultures Twilight’s mother had visited. It looked a little like how Twilight kept her own home.
After a brief moment of “Recalling where we are provided from” everyone began to dig in to the rich array of root vegetables and roasted chicken. Fruit juice was served politely and conversation was on light subjects. Rainbow ate quietly, listening to Twilight and her parents exchange seemingly complex research progress and comments that clearly were simple to them. Cadence and Shining both looked equally bemused by the matter. Rainbow managed a brief conversation on baseball standings with Shining but an enthusiastic rise between them drew ire from their respective partners.
Cadence decided to set the subject to something everyone wanted to talk about. “So, Rainbow. How did you and Twilight get together?” Rainbow looked up and finished her mouthful of dinner.
“Well, uh, I had a pretty bad break-up. Not the best relationship before to be honest. So we chatted and she said some stuff that clued me in to how she felt about me....” Rainbow smiled and looked over at Twilight who was looking very relieved at the edited version of events. “I thought about it, y’know? What it could be like, whether it was a good idea. I guess I decided without realising and asked her on a date. All our friends are supportive about it and we’ve been getting on great.” She grinned.
“I had spent a long time analysing my own feelings before I let slip.” Twilight chipped in. “Analysing and checking and researching... Over thinking it as far as Rarity was concerned.” She giggled, “when Rainbow said ok to giving it a try, I was over the moon!” she blushed.
Night looked puzzled, “So... the attraction to girls wasn’t simply a phase? Or a side effect of only making real bonds with females?” The clatter of cutlery was synchronised, Twilight senior was agog, Twilight junior was beet red, Shining was giving his mother a run for her money on the jaw drop distance and Cadence had placed her hand to her temple. Rainbow scratched her head; her parents had been a lot worse. But then she had “come out” by being caught making out with Gilda.
“Dad!” Twilight exclaimed, it was a little shocked in tone but anyone who knew her could hear the lecture tone. “You and Shining were admirable role models in my life as were the varied interns and officers in Celestia’s campaign trail. However after becoming socialised with my peer group, comparing and contrasting the known markers for sexuality and conducting research into the subject, not to mention a long period of confusion... I came to a conclusion that thus far has been as correct as is possible in such a situation.”
Like a chess game, she virtually tapped her timer as the group shifted focus from the navy haired subject to the dark blue haired challenger. He coughed to clear his throat, took a sip of his drink and replied. “Very good dear. It is nice to see you so happy and secure in yourself.” With a sly grin he turned his attention to clearing up the emptied dinner service. “Dessert everyone?”
*
The cake was consumed in a convivial atmosphere, subjects taking a lighter tone along the line of shopping experiences, the health and life happenings of near family members and a long tangent into aircraft and the exact nature of Rainbow’s job. “So, I just get to do what I want and kind of hang out with my employees. I’m working on getting a Life Flight team based at the airfield, there aren’t any in the local area and I’m trying to get the Wonderbolts to perform from it some time.”
“An admirable pair of goals dear.” Twilight senior smiled. “I’ll see what my connections can do, a few surgeons and hospital chiefs happen to be in my address book.”
“Do let us know if you manage to convince the Wonderbolt’s to perform at your airfield, I am rather partial to a little show.” Night smiled a distant smile of recalled boyhood ambition. Twilight senior smiled indulgently at her husband.
“So, how are the other’s doing Twilight?” Cadence asked, “I do keep up with their social pages but I am sure one or two of them are not the most active there!”
“Oh, well the girls are all ok, Rarity is being the most mysterious at the moment.” Twilight said. “We really have to work on getting what this big secret she’s keeping is.”
“You know, I am so glad you made friends on that assignment.” Twilight senior interjected. “Your father and I were slightly worried when Celestia told us her little plan to get you talking to other’s your own age.” She pointed to Rainbow as she spoke, “Now we couldn’t be happier, even if two of my babies are all the way in Ponyville!” She made a mock dramatic pose with a smile.
“Mom, it’s not that far away, besides... With Rainbow I can fly by if needs be.” Twilight grinned as Rainbow playfully punched her arm.
“Yeah, it’s a good job they all checked out so I didn’t need to come down and fetch you!” Shining grinned through a mouthful of his second helping of dessert. Cadence shot him a look that read a number of negative outcomes. “What?” He didn’t notice his sister rising from her seat.
“What do you mean? Checked out?” Twilight asked, it was a tone all at the table were wary of.
“Uh... They, uh... They were all pretty cool girls?” Shining swallowed.
“That’s not what you really meant.” Her tone was on the plateau, not quite on “T-word” levels. “You mean checked out, as in background checks.”
“Um... It seemed like a good idea at the time? They were all there and I was worried for you?” Shining sat back in his seat.
“Twi’ you ok?” Rainbow grabbed her girlfriend’s hand. “You going to sit down?”
“You took the background checks for them, the ones that the agency had collated for their involvement with Celestia? The ones that you were not supposed to use personally?” Twilight shook her hand free from Rainbow’s. “You didn’t trust my judgement Shining... I think I have to go now.” Twilight left the room and the shocked family heard the front door open and close.
“Uh, Twi’ has been really hung up on trust and that... You know, after the wedding and all.” Rainbow rubbed her head in defeat. Her girlfriend’s family exchanged looks.
“I am such an idiot.” Shining groaned.
“Yes you are dear. Do try and keep some things under wraps.” Cadence replied archly. Two chastising looks came from his parents.
“What now? I can go after Twilight but I don’t know the neighbourhood so well.” Rainbow shoved her chair out from the table.
“She’ll be over auntie’s soon enough, that’s where she went after family arguments.” Cadence replied, “I’ll give her some time to get there and then take you over.” She also stood and clipped her husband around the ear. “I have some words for you.” She pulled him from the room.
This left Rainbow alone with Twilight senior and Night. “You sure it’s ok for me to not chase after her?” she asked, concerned. A buzz from her phone distracted any reply. “Oh, she told me not to bother and that she was going to talk to Celestia.” Rainbow read from the text. “Guess that answered that question.”
“Yes, Twily can be relied upon to flee to her when things get overwhelming. Unless of course they were regarding her...” Twilight senior sighed, it was resigned, with an undertone of regret but acceptance. “She always did from the moment she was brave enough to leave the house on her own.” She gave a weak smile. Night drew closer and gave his wife a quick embrace.
“So, you and Twilight? I trust that is working out... If you of course know of her idiosyncrasies...” He trailed off; it was difficult saying that your daughter could be as crazy as a box of frogs and as sociable as a hibernating bear.
“Yeah, knowing her for two years now, seeing her at her best,” Rainbow smiled at those memories; the moment they rescued Celestia and Luna... Fetching up in the crowd for the flying competition, laughing and joking at Donut Joe’s. “and, well... her worst too...” Angry and confused by her friend’s rejections through that snake oil salesman Discord, going a little crazy when the bugs came into town, when she was running late on an assignment. “I trust her to have thought out any relationship, she has a pretty wide research resource for all that kind of thing. I really like her, heck I think I love her more than I loved anyone... I won’t hurt her.” Rainbow cringed at how emotional she was sounding, so unlike her.
“Ah hah, that was what we needed to hear dear.” Night smiled. “Now, if you wouldn’t mind, I think I need to finalise a report and Velvet has a son to browbeat once his wife is done with him” Night chuckled. “Cadence will be along shortly to take you to Celestia’s. I am sure she would be happy to have you stay.”
Night excused himself and Twilight senior led Rainbow to the basement games room with a smile that said “Have fun”. After about a half hour Cadence arrived to take Rainbow and the luggage to her aunt’s home.
*
Celestia’s house was grand, not ostentatious like some of the movie-star places, it just spoke of old money and long settled roots. There was a double garage and a tidy garden, a long drive leading from the street. A whole list of features that Rainbow knew many aspired to.
“It is quite impressive isn’t it?” Cadence supplied.
“Yeah, like a palace...”
Cadence laughed, “Well, you know that Shining and Twily call me Princess? It’s kind of true.”
“What? For real!?” Rainbow was incredulous a moment.
“Yeah... In the old country before it was annexed by some other bigger kingdom. All of us are royalty technically. There are even a few jokey groups that keep calling for us to have honorary positions.” Cadence grinned. “I wouldn’t mind a nice spangled tiara myself.”
“That’s pretty cool.” Rainbow leaned back in her seat. The car came to a halt and she jumped out.
“No sign of auntie or Luna.” Cadence looked around the front lawn, “come on, they’ll be inside.” Cadence led the way to a door at the back of the house. “I always come in this way. The front door is just for show.”
“No security?” Rainbow looked around for any of the usual black-clad radio toting suit that could be found around government residences.
“You saw the guys at the gate right?” Cadence smiled, “That’s them. Aunty prefers to be left to her own devices here in the house.” She took a key from her purse and unlocked a side door. “Aunty? Luna?” She called through.
“In the study dear.” Celestia called, her voice its usual calm and wise tone. Rainbow followed Cadence to a organised looking room, this one struck her as very familiar and she realised that Twilight had modelled her own study after that of her mentor. “Cadence, oh and Rainbow too. Come and sit a while, we were just having some tea.” Celestia stood and ushered them to take a seat in her ever graceful manner. Rainbow always found herself a little awkward meeting her, she was the governor of Canter State and a huge part of Twilight’s life. She was also absolutely gorgeous, something that often struck Rainbow at the most inopportune moments. She sat beside Twilight, Cadence and Celestia were opposite them.
“I’m sorry I stormed off like that.” Twilight said. “I, it made me angry and then it just confused me, I had to go and speak to Celestia.” Her mentor gave her a smile and patted her hand.
“No Twilight, Shining was stupid to have done it and even more stupid to tell you about it.” Cadence pulled the face of any long suffering partner. “He did only check because he was worried about you. We know there was no reason for that now though.” She smiled to the younger woman. “I gave him a good telling off. Now I better go tell him he can possibly avoid the sofa if he does some of those chores.” She chuckled. “Bye aunty, Twilight, Rainbow.” Cadence gave her aunt a peck on the cheek, her sister in law a quick hug and a wave to Rainbow.
The rest of the evening passed in an uneventful but companionable manner. The new couple caught up with Celestia and brought her to speed on recent Ponyville events. Luna arrived home later and joined the conversation and soon it was late enough that they all withdrew to bed.
*
It was late, Rainbow lay beside Twilight looking at the ceiling. This too was Twilight’s old room, she spent a lot of time with Celestia before she moved to Ponyville and this room was also a relic of Past Twilight. There were less school awards but still plenty of framed certificates and letters of commendation. Lazily switching views from ceiling to the sleeping girl beside her, Rainbow tried her best to sleep. A persistent dryness in her throat thwarted that idea. Artfully leaving the bed in a way that did not disturb Twilight, Rainbow went in search of a glass of water.
Twilight’s room didn’t have an en suite but there was a well appointed washroom down the hall. Treading carefully Rainbow managed to get there without disturbing anyone and helped herself to some cold water. As she left the room she heard voices, “They must still be up then.” She thought, walking back to her room.
“You should tell her now Tia.” Luna was a loud one, Rainbow wasn’t trying to hear her, but now she had to hear the reply.
“I can’t Lu, I just... she... I can’t. Not yet...” Celestia sounded upset. Not wanting to intrude Rainbow returned to bed. Sleep came shortly after that.
*
The next morning Rainbow decided against mentioning what she had overheard. Besides which, Twilight was once again stressing about her extended family being introduced to her girlfriend. After a lot of work from Rainbow, Celestia and Luna she was persuaded that things would go well.