"So what's all this daddy stuff I heard?" He folds his arms across his chest and a cross look adorns his face.
"Ok dad. I'm not gonna lie. But I would rather talk about this with mom as well. Wait a sec." I turn around quick to see if I drained the water from the tub, and sure enough I had forgotten to pull the plug. I mentally roll my eyes, heading back for the tub, and reaching down to pull the little lever and the water begins to flow down the drain.
"No, son. Tell me right now."
With a sigh and no choice other than to do as he demands, I tell him. "Dad, last night, Vinyl had a bad dream that was about her mother-" is all I get out before he cuts me off.
"I want to know why she is calling you daddy."
I sigh again, craning my neck so I can see the small hybrid, hiding herself behind me. "She had gotten into telling me that she has never had a father, and I could see that when we were about to fall asleep again she has bonded herself quite a lot to me, and she called me daddy."
"But you aren't her father. So why?"
"Maybe she thinks and sees me as one, but I myself have bonded with her and to tell you the truth...I want to adopt her." I reach my hand down and place it on her shoulder.
"So you're meaning to tell me that you want to adopt an alien that you came across just last night because she called you daddy?" He sighs.
"Yes. I want to be her daddy." Now I grab her, and pick her up, laying Cinyl on my arms and she wraps her arms around my neck to hold onto.
"No no no no no. I can't have this." He spins half way around, putting his hands on his head. "My son wants to adopt a...a...some human pony thing from outer space."
"Only if you know the hell she's going through right now." I say bluntly, walking past him, and out to the living room, and sit on the couch.
"Why does he have to be so mean?" Vinyl asks, leaning her head on me.
"He's not, he's just still shocked about housing a living being from outer space, and hearing me want to adopt it the next morning. Just don't worry about him okay?" I run my free hand through her mane with a smile.
"You...really want to adopt me?" She looks up to me with pleading eyes.
"Yeah, I do. I know it hasn't even been a full twenty four hours yet, but I've really gotten used to you, and when you called me daddy that first time, I was just really happy. Now that I see you, I think to myself, I have a daughter, and it makes me even happier."
"Really daddy? You really think that?"
"I would be more than happy to call you my daughter." I hug Vinyl close to me.
"I'd be happy with that, and to call you my daddy." She replies nuzzling my cheek.
"I love you Vinyl."
"I love you too daddy."
"Hey, are you hungry, Vinyl?" I ask, pulling the small hybrid away from me, and if her stomach knew what I had said, it growls loud, and deeply.
"I think that means yes." Vinyl giggles, pointing to her belly.
"Okay, let's see what I can get you." I set her down on the hardwood floor, her hooves making a little clop sound. I grab her hand and lead her into the kitchen. I open the refrigerator door, as a wave of cold washes over me. I scan the shelves for anything she could possibly eat. There is milk, orange juice, leftovers, and lots at that. There is spaghetti, meatloaf, and stuff. I wonder what her kind eats. She said that they are ponies from wh- wait. Ponies? Aren't ponies vegan? I think so, but I think I should ask, just to clarify. "Hey, Vinyl, what do you guys eat on your planet? Are you guys vegan?"
"Yeah, all ponies are." She replies sarcastically, with a roll of her eyes.
"So veggies and fruits and grains and what not?"
"Yeah. But, hey, what's this?" She asks holding out a bag to me. I take it from her, and I open it to see what's inside.
"Those are ribs from a cookout we had a few days ago."
"Wait. You...you eat...meat?" She asks shakily, slowly walking backwards away from me.
"Is there something wrong, Vinyl?" I reach out to give her a hug.
"Stay away from me!" She shouts, turning around, and running off. Shoot. Ponies dont eat meat. Now she's probably thinking I'm gonna eat her. With a sigh, I follow after her.
"So much for a good daddy." I hear my father scoff from the livi room couch as I pass throug into the hall way. I simply ignore him and keep moving. Now I hear the sound of what seems like crying, coming from my room. Maybe that's where she went. I reach my bedroom door which is closed and then I see mom pop out of her room in her robe, and rubbing her eyes.
"Hey, what's going on out here? I'm trying to sleep." She says groggily, with a sigh after.
"Vinyl thinks I'm going to eat her."
"What? Why?" She stares me in the eye, not an intimidating look, but I know she's demanding an answer.
"Well, do you remember how she said she's a pony? Ponies are vegan and we are omnivores, right?"
"Oohhhh." It took her a few seconds to process this, but she got it after a few seconds. With a shrug, I enter my room to find Vinyl moping on my bed.
"Hey Vinyl." I sit on the bed next to her. She lays curled up, holding her tail in her arms like a stuffed animal. "I'm not going to eat you okay? What reason do I have to eat you? Besides, why would I eat my own daughter?" I softly stroke her mane for reassurance.
"That's probably what you told those other critters you ate."
"If it was my choice, I wouldn't eat them, but are bodies need the protein to live. Plus I don't eat them alive. We eat them after they have died or have been killed by hunters."
"Yo-you're not a hunter...are you?" She turns her head to face me, tears staining her furry cheeks.
"No Vinyl. Come here." I reply softly, lifting Vinyl into me lap. "I wouldn't eat you if you were the last thing on earth."
"O-okay. I'm sorry I ran away daddy. I-i was just...scared. Please don't be mad at me."
"No Vinyl, I'm not mad."
"Okay." She replies softly. We sit there for a few seconds, me holding her and rubbing her mane. Then out of the blue, she shoots up. And hugs me really tight. "Thank you daddy."
"You're welcome Vinyl." I hug her back. "You smell good."
"Cause you kind of just gave me a bath."
"I know. Now how about we try getting you something to eat again?"
"Okay." She loosens her grip on me a little, but doesn't let go.
"Am I a good daddy?" I ask as I get up from the bed.
"Uh huh." I feel her head nodding up and down a couple of times.
"And I think you're a good daughter."
I step out of the room, and instantly I am overcome with the smell of eggs and French toast. I love that smell, it always gives me this good feeling inside, like Im in heaven. I feel my mouth beginning to water as I imagine sitting at the table with a plate of over easy eggs and perfectly made slices of French toast, drizzled in pure maple syrup. It's te syrup that kind of ruins the mood because I hate how much pure maple syrup costs. It's so expensive! Eighteen bucks for a small jar, twenty seven for a slightly larger bottle, and forty for a large jug. The large jug is only as big as a quart. It's kind of a lot, but the cost is just oh my god. Like I said, my mood just got ruined. Curse you overly priced tree sap!! Walking back into the kitchen, I happen to pass by dad who grimaces at the sight of me holding Vinyl.
"Okay dad, you are going to tell me what is so wrong with having Vinyl here! Ever since you came home last night you've been a big prick!! She's homeless, and helpless, and we might be her only hope!! Why do you hate her?" I shout in his face. He doesn't scare me. Heck I'm taller than him by two inches so why should I be scared? It just pisses me off how much of an ass he has become since he saw this creature.
"What's wrong? What's wro is that we are hear prong an alien life form, that you have come so attached to that you want to be a father to it! How do you know that's what it wants? What if it's luring you into some trick? Who knows? And don't you dare use that tone of voice with me, and choose your words carefully or so help me god I will-"
He begins to yell back, but stops for some reason after he draws an open hand back, threatening to slap me. Then I notice that me and Vinyl are surrounded in some sort of purple glow, and Vinyls grip has retightened its self. The. I see her horn is glowing. Did she put some sort of force field around us? Dad stumbles back, unsure of what to do, his hand falling back to his side. I reach my free hand to touch it, but I draw it back instantly after having an electrical shock delivered into my hand.
"What in the name of God?" Dad mutters softly, stumbling backwards.
"I won't let you hurt my daddy!" Vinyl yells as she cries.
"It's okay Vinyl. He won't hurt me. He wants to, but he can't. So you can let go of the force feild or whatever this is."
"No! Not until I know you're safe! I don't want you to get hurt"
"Vinyl, please stop crying. It's okay. I'm not gonna get hurt."
"..."
"Vinyl?"
"Okay." She replies softly, her horn stops glowing and the force field she placed around us slowly diminishes.
"I'm warning you Brad. That thing is. Nothing but trouble." Dad says as he hurries past me and into his room where he shuts the door behind him.
"I'm sorry dad." Vinyl mopes softly, sniffling a little.
"Whatever for?"
"He's right. I am just a lot of trouble."
"No Vinyl, you're not trouble. What makes you think he's right?"
"You said it yourself. Ever since you brought me here, thing between you two got really bad. I should just go somewhere else. I don't belong here." She attempts to pull away from me, but I bring her close into a tight hug.
"No, don't you ever think that. He's just being a big meanie. And as of right now, you belong here with me." She hugs me back, not saying anything, just sniffling here and there.
I resume heading to the kitchen where the smell of an early morning breakfast becomes over powering, and I find that I'm beginning to salivate. Not drooling, just eager to shove my mouth full of delicious food. A very light smoke is rising out of the pan on the stove as the eggs sizzle, and pop everyone in a while. Mom is flipping over the French toast on the griddle, or grittle? I don't know. Mom is making he eggs sunny side up, just the way we like them, and the French toast slightly over cooked. It gives them a little more crisp to each bite, and it soaks up the syrup better. I hate it when you put the syrup on, and it just flows off onto the plate. It's like hello! I put that on the toast for a reason! I'd like it to stay there! Thank you very much!
"Hey, what was going on out there?" Mom asks, turning to face me.
"Dad was being a jerk to Vinyl."
"Ohh come here." Mom says softly, putting the spatula down and walking over to me, taking Vinyl into her arms. "It's okay, momma's got you." She gives Vinyl a reassuring smile.
"It's nice you say momma and stuff, but since I do have a mom, and I miss her very much, i...just please don't say it." Vinyl sighs, and turns her gaze down to the floor. "We were supposed to go see the Wonderbolts perform today, then this happened." She begins to silently cry as tears flow over her eyelids.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I won't say it anymore. Who are the Wonderbolts?" Mom takes a finger and wipes a tear out of Vinyls left eye.
"They're like a group of Pegasai who perform stunts and everything, and I hear it was really cool. But I only heard that from other pegasai because they pretty much only performed for Cloudsdale which is a city in the sky, and not being a Pegasus myself, I can't see them. But then my mom told me that they were coming down to our small town called Ponyville to make a performance. I was really happy to hear that, but now I'm stuck here." Vinyls silent crying now has become a quite moping. "A-and today was sup-posed to be...my birthday."
"What? Oh Vinyl, I'm so sorry, I don't know what to say. I want to say happy birthday, but..."
"I-it's okay. Please don't make a fuss over me."
"Okay. Here Brad, hold her so I can serve breakfast. C-can she eats this stuff?" She asks as I take Vinyl from her.
"Yes I can. Just no...meat." Vinyl replies with a sniff.
"Okay. It will be ready soon."