Ch12: surprise?
Arvak yawned deeply as he returned to the land of the awake. He gave his pillow one last tight hug before letting go and sitting up. Twilight was nice enough to offer him her old room to stay in after the Gala; the only problem was that he was teleported to the room, meaning he never met her parents. Granted her brother took his appearance pretty well, but that might have been expected since he is captain of the royal guard, so he would he used to strange occurrences when dealing with the princesses.
The room itself was like he would expect, books everywhere! On the walls, on the ceiling, on the floor, and one under the pillow… he would have to ask her about that one. The general color scheme was purple, like her coat, and would make it difficult to find him if he decided to hide.
He thought back to last night and remembered the fun he had with Equestria’s newest addition. It seems that even when you’re having fun, you still have to be careful, and one thing he didn't know, is that Netch have a minor ability to control their stings, though it doesn't always work. Rainbow was a perfect candidate for that when she kept weaving through them like an obstacle course. Long story short, even the Netch was laughing.
His train of thought was derailed when Twilight teleported into the room. Her mane was disheveled and she gave a big yawn. She looked tired beyond belief, if the bags under her eyes were any indication.
“Hey Arvak, you awake?” she asked.
He waved a hoof in front of her eyes, only getting a slow, Gummy styled blink from her.
“You okay Twilight?” he asked.
She gave another big yawn. “I'm fine, just a little tired, but not tired enough to teleport us to the castle for breakfast.”
She started to charge up her horn, but Arvak had other ideas. He gave it a flick with his hoof, and her whole head bobbed back and forth.
“You should get some more rest. I’ll go to the kitchen and see if I can’t get you something.” He said to her.
“Do you know where the kitchen is?” she asked. “And the room I'm staying in for that matter?”
“Nope! But has that ever stopped me?” he joked.
“No, but you did leave a trail of destruction once, one I'm sure my parents can do without.” She deadpanned.
“Then what do you suggest?” he asked, laughing nervously.
“I go get breakfast.” She said, determined despite how tired she looked.
Arvak put a hoof to his chin in thought, “hmm… nope!” he chirped happily.
“Why are you so insistent, I'm-” *yawn* “fine.” Twilight argued.
“You just yawned, you’re tired.” Arvak insisted, poking her side.
Twilight giggled, “You have no proof.”
“I will get you breakfast.” He insisted.
Twilight just sighed, “Alright…”
“Yay!”
“But I'm going with you, this way I can calm my parents down.”
“From what?” Arvak asked, genuine confusion plastered on his skull.
Twilight just gave him her most unamused look. “You seriously just asked that?”
“What?”
“Remember Ponyville’s first reaction?”
“Nope!”
‘THUD!’
“You okay Twilight? I think you dented the wall.”
“Ow…”
----------------------------------------------------
Twilight’s parents, a blue unicorn stallion with a dark blue mane and tail with two crescent moons as a cutie mark and a grey colored unicorn mare with a purple and white striped mane and tail with three stars as her cutie mark, both sat in the kitchen at a table and drank from their respective cups of coffee. The modest kitchen they sat in had the table in the center, in the right corner, next to a counter that ran along the back wall with an oven and washing machine built in, sat the fridge. A window sat above the oven, looking over the glowing city of Canterlot, well, it was glowing from the heat of the day; it was the middle of summer.
“Honey?” the stallion asked from around his coffee.
“Yes dear?” she replied.
“Is it too early for a cold beer?”
“Not on a day like today, I’ll get two.” The mare used her magic to levitate two ‘Dos Piedras’ from the fridge. She popped the caps off and gave one to her husband, and kept one for herself.
“Thanks hun.” He said, taking a sip of the cool beverage in exchange for his coffee.
“I don’t know why we insisted on making coffee today, next thing you know we-”
“We what?” he asked, gazing at his wife’s confused face.
“Hun… are you pulling a prank on me again?” she asked.
“What?” he asked, following her gaze. “When did we get the fake skeleton?”
The bundle of bones in question walked past the two confused ponies and to the fridge, opening said machine, and withdrawing two slices of watermelon and balancing them on what appeared to be wings made of purple fire. They followed it with their eyes as it left the room and heard the clip clops of hooves on stairs.
“Twilight.” They said in unison.
---------------------------------------
“Hey Twily.” Arvak said as he walked back into Twilights bedroom.
The mare in question leaned up in her bed, a bandage around her head. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and stared at the fruit he brought for her.
“How did it go with my parents?” she asked.
“Who?” he asked.
She stared at him, her left eye twitched and she sighed deeply before levitating a melon to her and taking a bite. She chewed for a bit and swallowed, then turned to the undead pony next to the bed. “Arvak, were there two ponies down in the kitchen?”
“Yes.”
“Did you see them?”
“Yes.”
“Did they talk to you or show any form of reaction to seeing you?”
Arvak went to open his mouth to talk when Twilight’s parents walked into the room and sat on either side of Arvak, both looking to Twilight for answers. Arvak blinked twice, looking between the three ponies before making his way out slowly.
“Sit.” The grey mare ordered. Arvak immediately planted his rump on the floor with
a ‘thud’ next to her.
“Twilight,” Her father started, “what in Equestria is this?” he motioned to the skeleton.
Twilight looked over to Arvak, then back to her father. “Just Arvak being Arvak.”
She answered.
“And how did this… Arvak show up?” her mother asked.
“Magic!” he chirped, scaring both of them.
“Sweet Celestia it talks!” the mare yelled.
“Yep, and it’s great to meet you!” He said with a smile on his bony head, extending a hoof for one of them to shake.
Twilight smacked a hoof to her face, but just as soon as she was going to respond…
“Well, I certainly didn’t expect that. My name is Dazzle.” The mare said as she shook his hoof.
“And I'm Comet.” The Stallion continued as he in turn shook the bony hoof.
Twilight stared in shock at how easily Arvak managed to turn the situation from tense to normal, or as normal as it can get with a talking skeleton around.
“Twily dear, close your mouth, you’ll attract flies.” Dazzle giggled at Twilights expression.
“I'm going to finish my melon, then I'm going back to sleep. You three can talk somewhere that’s not here.” she said, using her magic to shoo the three out of her room.
“She always like this?” Arvak asked.
“Only when stuff doesn’t make sense.” Comet replied, chuckling to himself. Dazzle joining him.
-------------------------------------------------------------
“So you were chased around Ponyville just because of the effects of poison joke?” Comet asked.
“Yep! You should have seen what some of the mares did, especially Blossom, didn’t think a Pegasus could bend like that.” Arvak said with a shiver.
“What are you guys talking about?” Twilight asked as she entered the kitchen where Arvak and her parents were sitting, looking less tired and even got rid of the bandage on her head.
“Just our latest escapades around Ponyville.” Arvak answered.
“Twilight, you definitely make the best of friends don’t you.” Comet commented.
“Well, yes I do…” she agreed, though slightly confused. “Arvak, what did you tell them?”
“nothing.” He replied innocently.
“Oh he told us everything honey.” Dazzle said.
“Even-”
“yes.” Her father butted in.
“Sweet Celestia Arvak, what did I tell you about doing that?” she face hoofed.
“Technically, you said nothing, just interrupted me whenever I was about to.” He replied.
“But we do not tell other ponies about that!” she yelled, waving her hooves about.
“Calm down Twilight, we actually approve of this.” Dazzle put in.
“What?” Twilight asked, completely thrown for a loop.
“With any luck, the poison joke incident may have gotten us grandfoals!” she clapped her hooves together with a big smile on her face.
“You would try to make that sound positive.” Twilight sighed.
“Twily, having foals is an amazing thing.” Dazzle said.
“Hey, Arvak.” Comet whispered.
“Yes.”
“Let’s grab some beer and head for the living room.”
“Okay…” he agreed, grabbing some alcohol from the fridge and following Comet, leaving Twilight and Dazzle to their talk.
Once situated in the rather nice living area, complete with couch, bookcase (no surprise), coffee table, and recliner. Comet sat back with the beer in hoof, and Arvak on the couch with his fire claw holding the beverage.
“So, you think she really has them?” Comet asked.
“Has what?” Arvak replied, tilting his head in confusion.
“Foals you bone head.” Comet joked.
“I hope not, I’ve seen what human kids can do, I shudder to think what chaos pony foals can unleash.” Arvak said with a shudder.
“So you don’t want a kid to carry on your bloodline?” Comet asked.
“If you’re asking if I want a couple little skeletal foals running around wreaking havoc like I somehow seem to do, then probably no.”
“Well, if what you told me about the poison joke incident is true then-”
“I’M WHAT!!!” a shrill voice boomed throughout the house that could put the Royal Canterlot Voice to shame.
“I think that’s your cue to run.” Comet said to Arvak with a somewhat scared look.
“Now why would I-” ‘poof’ he was cut off as he disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke, causing Comet to cough a few times. He sighed and finished the last few sips of his beer before taking Arvak’s barely touched bottle and downing that too.
-----------------------------------------
Arvak reappeared in Twilights bedroom with a ‘POP’ and fell on her bed. He sat up and looked around, seeing the room in the same clean state as before, but with a peeved Twilight and a grinning Dazzle in front of him.
“Did I miss something?” he asked.
“Don’t feign ignorance Arvak you-”
“Twilight, dear, I doubt he knows what feign means.” Dazzle interrupted.
“Nope!” he chirped.
“What Twilight was going to calmly say, is that she is with foal.” Dazzle continued.
“What?” he asked.
“I'm pregnant bone head!” Twilight said as she tapped his skull.
“How in the world did… oh.” He suddenly had a dawn of realization as to what could have caused this. “Wait…”
“What?” Dazzle asked.
“Doesn’t a mare need to be in heat to have foals?” Arvak questioned.
Twilight thought for a moment before remembering that herself. “Yes, and my heat isn’t until next week.” she mused.
“So then how…”
“Poison joke?” Dazzle offered.
“How is me getting pregnant funny?” Twilight asked.
“Infant shenanigans?” Arvak offered.
“If anything goes wrong, it’s your fault.” Twilight said, poking Arvak’s ribcage.
“Um… sure?” Arvak nervously replied.
“Good answer.” Dazzle congratulated with a laugh.