//------------------------------//
// Chapter 47: Meeting the Family 
// Story: The Arrogance of Man 
// by Johng117 
//------------------------------//

Junior remained silent as he sat alone in Celestia's chamber. He gave a heavy sigh as he propped his hand under his chin. It was just a couple of hours since the confrontation between the Transmutants and the MONARCH soldiers. Currently, Celestia was resting from the battle in her bed. Her cheek was bandaged and her forehead was covered in bruises. She was breathing softly as she slept. Her hand held Junior's firmly as he sat at her side. The Transmutant gently rubbed her hand with his other as he lowered his head. A soft knock came at the door, prompting Junior to slowly raise his head.
"Come in," called Junior. The door slowly opened, revealing Luna to slowly step in.
"How is she?" asked Luna.
"She just went to sleep. She's fine," answered Junior as he released his adoptive mother's hand. Luna lightly stepped over to his side and looked down at Celestia with a frown.
"If only I had joined my sister. Perhaps she wouldn't-"
"It's not your fault, Luna. Things...just went wrong," said Junior solemnly. He shook his head. "There was no way that she could've known that one of them was that powerful,"
"I suppose," said Luna as she crossed her arms and kept her frown. Junior glanced at her.
"So, what's going to happen with the MONARCH soldiers?" asked Junior.
"For now, we are going to keep them locked in the dungeon. We are going to be interrogating them, starting with the Transmutant since she seemed more cooperative than the others," answered Luna. Junior chuckled.
"Celestia rarely had to use that place. Now you guys finally have a use for it," said Junior.
"I do not really find it all that amusing, Gojira," said Luna with a frown. Junior shrugged.
"Sorry, I'm just trying to make light of the situation," replied Junior. He then looked down in thought. "Something about Sunset Shimmer bothers me. She suddenly changed into that...I don't know what she was. Luna, you lived in a previous era. Are you familiar with her appearance?"
"I have never seen anything like her," said Luna as she shook her head.
"She changed...like a Transmutant. She was a normal girl years ago. I don't understand," said Junior as he rubbed his head. Luna looked at him curiously.
"Pray tell, how is it that you and my sister know of her?" asked Luna.
"It's ancient history, but she was Celestia's pupil before Twilight. I was living in her castle at the time as a kid. I sort of had this crush on her," said Junior. He then shook his head in amusement. "Ironic how years later, we meet again and we're trying to kill each other,"
"Well, her body had changed back to normal. I can see why you had taken a liking to her. She is a pretty young woman," said Luna with a smirk.
"Well, I'm already with Twilight. What's in her heart comes first before her looks. That's why I fell for her in the first place. Shimmer was just some stupid kiddie crush that I had," said Junior. He scratched the back of his ear as he stood to his feet as he sighed. "I wonder if it's a good idea for us to come back to Ponyville right now. People won’t be happy to see us,"
"We'll handle it. We have a Changeling that used Sergeant Yoshi's communication device and the Changeling that you and the others captured. All that's missing are the ones who framed you. We'll announce to the public of the plot tomorrow," said Luna in reassurance. Junior nodded to her.
"Thank you. Take care, Luna," said Junior as he walked out towards the doorway and down the hall. Luna turned to face Celestia, finding her peeking through one eye. Luna lightly smirked.
"You are quite sneaky, my dear sister," said Luna in amusement. Celestia lightly laughed.
"I think that perhaps he can be of help to her," said Celestia. Luna looked at her concern.
"Sister, she nearly killed you. She has a great power inside of her. Is it wise to have her here?" asked Luna in a worried tone.
"She's the way she is because of me. I want to make up for my mistake. I just want her to be happy," said Celestia. She looked out towards her window, towards the night sky. "It might be a while before she'll even speak to me again, but I believe Junior is the best person to help her. Those two have more in common than they realize,"
"But I am concerned about her form," said Luna warily. Celestia furrowed her brows.
"As am I. This is the first time that I have ever seen or heard of a human transcending the form of a demon. The question is, what sort of organization is MONARCH with the capability of transcending humans with unknown creatures and supernatural beings?" said Celestia. Luna's eyes widened in shock at the mention of what sort of creature the Elf had changed into.
"But the Transmutants were changed through their DNA by the blood of those creatures. A spirit has no blood," said Luna in confusion.
"Perhaps there's something that we don't know. MONARCH is toying with forces beyond its control," said Celestia in a low tone.



Junior wandered through the Canterlot halls alone in silence. He held his hands in his sweater pockets as he looked down at the ground in thought. He wondered about the Transmutant that fought for MONARCH. She was strong and willing to talk to those who would be interrogating her. He wondered if the soldier would consider changing sides.
'Why am I being so lenient towards her out of all of the soldiers? Hell, why am I being lenient to a MONARCH soldier?' thought Junior with a scowl. He continued walking as he kept his scowl on his face. He later came across the castle lobby, where Twilight was standing with two familiar people. The petite Elf was conversing with none other than Cadence and Shining Armor. Twilight turned as she noticed the Transmutant approaching from the side.
"Oh! There he is now!" said Twilight as she waved at Junior. The Transmutant lightly smiled as he waved back at her. Cadence turned and greeted him with a bright smile.
"Hi, cousin!" greeted Cadence with a wave.
"Hey, Cadence. Welcome back," greeted Junior as he made his way to the group. He cleared his throat as Shining Armor directed his attention towards him.
"Uh...good evening, Captain Armor. I hope you two enjoyed your honeymoon," said Junior as he stood stiffly.
"We did," replied Shining Armor with a small smile.
"It was wonderful! Our trip to Prance was great! We just came back a week ago," said Cadence. Junior nodded.
"That's cool," said Junior. Twilight turned to face him, revealing a bandage on her cheek.
"We were just talking about having dinner with our parents tonight," said Twilight with a bright smile.
"Well, that seems nice. I'll see you at home then. Have fun," said Junior as he walked away. Twilight raised a brow as her expression turned to disappointment.
"Hold on one second!" called Cadence as she grabbed Junior by his shoulder and pulled him back. Junior looked at her in confusion.
"What?" asked Junior. Cadence smirked at him.
"You're coming along," said Cadence.
"I...I am? But...this seems like a family thing. I don't want to be a bother," said Junior with a nervous expression. Cadence lightly laughed.
"What are you talking about? Twilight was just telling us how you two were together!" said Cadence. Junior went stiff.
"O-Oh?" asked Junior with a nervous smile. The thought of Twilight mentioning the fact to her elder brother made his skin crawl and chilled his spine. He imagined the captain of the royal guard cornering him while they were alone with a steel sword in his grip. 'Don't you dare defile my baby sister', the captain of the royal guard would say as he pointed the tip of the blade towards the Transmutant's throat. Junior's mind came back to reality and he mentally whimpered as he smiled at Cadence nervously. He had fought Transmutants, soldiers, monsters, and Changelings. Yet, he feared that he would be no match for the one thing that every boyfriend dreaded. Meeting the family of the girl that he loved.
"Gojira, why don't you come with us? I'm sure my parents would love to meet you!" said Twilight with a reassuring smile. Junior gulped nervously.
"W-Well..." Junior looked away briefly as he weighed his options. As he noticed the slight frown of Twilight, he immediately turned back with a forced smile. "Sure! Why not?"
Twilight smiled brightly at his answer. She made her way over to the Transmutant and took his arm. She walked with him while her brother watched with an uncertain gaze. Cadence noticed this and turned her attention to him.
"What's wrong?" asked Cadence. Shining Armor remained silent as he watched his sister and the Transmutant walk to the doors.
"I just wasn't expecting her to meet someone this soon. Especially him out of all the guys in Equestria," said Shining Armor. Cadence lightly frowned.
"What do you mean by that last bit?" asked Cadence.
"What does she see in him? He wasn't exactly someone with good behavior," said Shining Armor. Cadence looked at him in disapproval.
"Get to know him first before you start judging him," said Cadence.
"Fine," sighed Shining Armor. The two began to trail after Twilight and Junior in silence.




Later...

The moon continued to shine down its light upon the land as the stars twinkled. The cool air brushed against the skin of Junior. Crickets chirped in the night. Despite the serene atmosphere that Canterlot had to offer, it was not enough to settle the Transmutant's nerves as he stood before a large house. He stood by anxiously by Twilight in front of the brilliant crimson colored door that led into the cyan colored house. A lantern hung on the side of the door, lighting up the porch. Shining Armor made his way over to the door and began to knock on it. Junior felt anxiety beginning to overcome him. He was tempted to just make up an excuse and run as far away as possible. However, the Transmutant swallowed his worries and took calming breaths.
The sound of footsteps were heard from behind the door. The sound of frantic conversing came from within the house. They sounded like they were arguing while they finished tidying up. Shining Armor chuckled.
"I guess mom and dad weren't expecting us home so soon, eh Twily?" asked Shining with a smirk. Twilight chuckled in response.
"Leave it to them to panic when company is coming over," replied Twilight. The arguing ceased from behind the door. After several seconds, the front door opened. Junior steeled himself, keeping a calm and neutral expression as he attempted to keep himself from looking intimidating.
The door opened, revealing a middle aged Elf man standing over six feet tall. His hair was Dark phthalo blue and was neatly combed. His amber eyes stared at the group before him. His apparel comprised of a grayish azure sleeveless sweater over a grey, long sleeved button up shirt. Over the left side of his chest were a small white crescent moon and a larger light gold crescent. His bottoms comprised of grey khakis. A middle aged Elf woman stood at his side as she pulled open the door. She was petite, much like Twilight, standing at five foot four. Her light grey hair had a similar style of bangs that Twilight had along with moderate purple highlights. Her hair ran down over to her shoulders and curled. Her eyes were a light arctic blue. She wore a light grey, long sleeved shirt that hung loosely on her torso and a violet skirt with it. On her shirt were three violet stars sewn in near her right hip area. The two smiled brightly as they greeted their children and daughter in law.
"Twilight! Shiny and Cadence! Welcome!" said the woman as she made her way over to the Shining Armor and Cadence. She wrapped them into a hug while she planted a kiss on Shining Armor's cheek. Twilight made her way over to her father and wrapped him into a hug and then hugged her mother.
"Oh, I missed you mom and dad!" Twilight cried with joy. Junior watched the scene with a small smile.
"We missed you too," said the father with a smile. He then caught Junior standing at the side in silence. The Elf looked at the Transmutant with a raised brow. His mind snapped as he recognized the young man's face.
"So...who's your friend?" asked the man. Twilight made her way over to Junior and brought the Transmutant closer to her parents.
"Father, this is Gojira Takeshi the second. The boyfriend that I told you and mom about in my last letter, whom we agreed to invite over for dinner a week back," answered Twilight with a bright smile. Junior smiled nervously at the parents.
'Why the hell didn't she tell me that she was inviting me before hand?!' thought Junior.
"Oh. My, he's...he's actually a lot taller than I thought he'd be," said the mother in a joking manner. Junior lightly chuckled.
"You have no idea how much I get that," said Junior. He cleared his throat as he extended his hand. "Hello. It's uh...it's a pleasure to meet you both,"
"Likewise. My name is Night Light," said Twilight's father as he lamely took Junior's hand and shook it as his eye lids hung half open while keeping a neutral stare. The Transmutant was bothered at how insincere the Elf was, but he did his best to ignore it. Twilight's mother took Junior's hand and shook it.
"My name is Twilight Velvet. But please call me Velvet, dear," said the Elf with a smile. Junior mentally sighed in relief at how much more willing she was to shake his hand let alone introduce herself. He then lightly smiled.
"Sure thing," said Junior with a nod. Velvet stepped back into the house and gestured for the couples to step inside.
"Come on in! Dinner is almost ready," said Velvet. The couples stepped inside of the house. Junior stared around the household, finding it to be widely spaced. The walls were decorated with a few family photos and awards for astronomical studies. Burgundy colored carpet covered the ground of the living room. A fire place sat in the corner of the living room along with a table in the center of the room. The small table had a glass surface supported by metal legs. The room gave a sense of high class, which made Junior anxious. Velvet turned to the couples with a smile as she gestured to the sofa in the room.
"Please, have a seat! I'll be in the kitchen finishing dinner," said Velvet as she wondered off to towards another room. The couples made their way over to the sofa and took a seat. Night Light made his way over to a chair that sat near the fire place and took his seat. The group was locked in an awkward silence. Cadence cleared her throat.
"It's great to see you both again, Night Light," said Cadence, hoping to start up a conversation. He nodded in agreement.
"As it is to see you again. The wedding sure was hectic," said Night Light with a chuckle. Cadence laughed in response.
"I know. How many wives get so say that their wedding day was nearly ruined by a Changeling invasion?" asked Cadence in a joking manner. The married couple and Night Light all laughed in amusement. Junior gave a weak chuckle but then immediately went silent.
'Why the hell am I laughing? I was the one getting my ass kicked by the Queen!' thought Junior with a quick scowl. Velvet poked her head out from the corner of the kitchen and looked to Twilight in curiosity.
"Oh, Twilight. How's little Spike doing? I haven't seen the cutie since the wedding," asked Velvet.
"He's fine. Spike's been helping me with my studies and whatever shenanigans that occurs in Ponyville as usual," answered Twilight.
"Well that's good. Don't work him too hard. He's still a child and deserves to have time to make pleasant memories with his youth," said Velvet as she went back into the kitchen. Twilight nodded with a chuckle.
"I'll be sure to give him a bit more time off," replied Twilight. Night Light cleared his throat as he looked to Junior.
"Gojira Takeshi, was it?" asked Night Light.
"Uh...Gojira is just fine. Takeshi is my surname," said Junior with a nervous smile.
"Right. Tell me-" Night Light was interrupted as his wife poked her head back out from the kitchen.
"Uh! Don't ask any questions about him yet! I want to be able to give him my full attention!" said Velvet as she went back to the kitchen. Night Light sighed in disappointment. He then looked to his daughter.
"Twilight, what happened to your cheek?" asked Night Light. Twilight slightly stiffened at the question. She didn't want to bring up the fact that she was held hostage by MONARCH's soldiers, but Shining already knew and it wouldn't have been right to lie to her father about it. She decided to be truthful, but avoid mentioning everything.
"I was cut," said Twilight.
"How?" asked Night Light. Twilight grimaced, realizing that there was no avoiding the explanation.
"Uh...well...because a Changeling disguised as a MONARCH soldier cut me on the cheek with a knife and held my friends and I against our will," admitted Twilight with a nervous grin. Her father's eyes widened.
"Oh my goodness! What did it want from you?! How did you get away?!" asked Night Light frantically. Velvet poked her head back out with a worried expression.
"Wait, what?!" exclaimed Velvet.
"Mom, dad, it's alright!" said Twilight as she raised her hands with a nervous expression.
"I should have gone after you, sis. But Celestia ordered the guards to remain in Canterlot while she took the rebels instead," sighed Shining Armor in frustration. Cadence placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"It's alright. Gojira managed to save us in the end," said Twilight as she took Junior's hand as she gave the Transmutant a smile.
"Did he now?" asked Velvet. Her eyes looked over Junior with interest as she bore a small smile.
"My, you're quite heroic, cousin!" said Cadence with a smile. Junior chuckled in embarrassment.
"Uh...not really," said Junior with a shrug.
"Not really? You went against several soldiers to get to us!" argued Twilight.
"Not alone. I had Mosura and the others with me," said Junior.
"Who are they?" asked Night Light with a raised brow.
"Friends/roommates of mine, sir," answered Junior with a slight nervous expression. He swore that he caught the Elf looking at him suspiciously.
"Well, thank you very much for saving our Twilight. You have no idea how many dangerous adventures this little lady goes on!" said Velvet.
"You're welcome," said Junior with a smile.
"Well, I just need to set up the table and we'll be good to go!" said Velvet. Night Light nodded as he prepared to stand.
"I'll-" He was interrupted as Shining Armor waved his hand.
"No, I'll help mom, dad," said Shining Armor as he prepared to stand. However, Junior suddenly shot up to his feet.
"Uh...why don't I take care of that instead?" asked Junior as he wandered to the kitchen. "I mean, it's been awhile since you, the family, have seen each other. Don't mind me!"
"Thank you! You're quite the gentleman," said Velvet as she followed Junior back into the kitchen. Night Light and Shining Armor scowled in response as they remained seated.
Junior sighed in relief as he set plates over in the dining room. The Transmutant needed an excuse to leave the room for a breather and setting the table was the perfect opportunity. He had felt a crushing atmosphere forming in the living room that seemed to have been created by the desire of the father and brother to prod him for personal questions. He shook off the thought as paranoia and continued to set the table. The table was rectangular, covered in a white table cloth. Six chairs were lined across the table.  A chandelier hung overhead, giving soft lighting. Junior nodded in approval as he looked over the plates, silverware, and glasses that he had set up.  Velvet came up to his side with a glass pan filled with macaroni with melted cheese and broccoli. She sat the pan down carefully and looked to Junior with a smile.
"Thank you, dear," said Velvet. Junior nodded in response.
"No problem...Velvet," said Junior. He looked away with slight shame. He felt impolite referring to her by the second half of her first name. He would rather call the Elf by her surname since he had not known her long enough to call her by her first name. Velvet patted his shoulder with a nod.
"Could you call everyone in? I need to get the ice tea,"
"Sure," replied Junior as he made his way out of the dining room. He made his way over to the living room where he swore that he caught a small conversation going on. He stepped out to the living room.
"Hey, dinner is ready," said Junior. Twilight scowled as she stared at her older brother. She turned back to Junior and nodded to him with a smile.
"We're coming right now," said Twilight.



The couples found themselves sitting at the table. Twilight sat beside Junior on his right while he sat at the far side. Cadence sat across from him while Shining Armor sat beside her. Velvet sat next to Shining Armor while Night Light sat across from her, next to Twilight on her left side. They sat as they ate the meal that was served to them. Junior savored the taste of the meal. It wasn't meat, but it was delicious. Night Light cleared his throat.
"So Twilight, tell us how you met Gojira," said Night Light.
"Oh, where to start?" asked Twilight as she picked at her food as she looked down in thought. She then smiled to herself. "I could start from the beginning. It was over a year back when Princess Celestia held the Summer Sun Celebration. While my soon to be friends at the time volunteered to help me find the Elements of Harmony, we ran into Gojira in the Everfree forest,"
"What in Equestria were you doing in a place like that?" asked Velvet in an appalled tone. Junior swallowed his meal before speaking.
"Celestia adopted me when I was a kid. She wanted me to come to Ponyville to make friends, but she went missing when she was supposed to raise the sun. I assumed Nightmare Moon had her, so I followed her to the Everfree. Then I met Twilight and the others," answered Junior as he took another bite of his food.
"You went after an Avatar? That seems unwise," remarked Night Light. Junior cleared his throat.
"No...I guess not. But I didn't care. I wanted to find Celestia, no matter what," said Junior.
"So, you weren't worried about possibly being killed?" asked Velvet with wide eyes. Junior shrugged.
"Maybe a little. But Celestia is worth it. Besides, my dad always said that only a coward backed down from a fight," said Junior. He noticed the odd stares that Twilight's parents were giving him. Shining Armor and Cadence did the same. Junior chuckled in embarrassment.
"But...I don't think he knew that I would end up taking on an Avatar that could raise the moon with her magic,"
"Your father, where is he?" asked Velvet. Junior sighed.
"He and my mother actually passed away years ago," said Junior. Velvet's expression turned to remorse.
"I'm sorry," apologized Velvet. Twilight rubbed Junior's shoulder in comfort.
"No, it's fine," said Junior with a reassuring nod. He continued to eat along with the others. Velvet looked to Junior in curiosity.
"You know, I remember seeing you at the wedding reception. But I've seen your face before that," said Velvet. She tapped her chin in thought. "Ah. Where did I- oh that's right! You were on MONARCH wanted posters a few months back!" said Velvet as she snapped her fingers. Junior slightly stiffened while Twilight gasped.
"Mother!" cried Twilight in an appalled tone. Velvet shrugged.
"What? It was resolved, right?" asked Velvet.
"Gojira, you wouldn't mind telling us why MONARCH would have wanted posters with your face on them, would you?" asked Night Light as he glanced at Junior. The Transmutant felt himself growing intimidated by his judgmental stare.
"Dad!" said Twilight as she narrowed her eyes. Junior raised his hand.
"It's...it's fine Twilight," said Junior in reassurance. Of course, he wasn't comfortable with sharing this information. He cleared his throat. "Well, you probably know that I was wanted because I am a Transmutant,"
"Yes, they wanted civilians to report you if they ever saw you or your friends. Claiming you to be dangerous," said Shining Armor as he was about to take a bite of his food. Cadence stepped on his foot from under the table, causing him to grunt in pain. Cadence closed her eyes as she furrowed her brows.
"Also, something about being mentally unstable," said Night Light. Junior winced in response while Twilight sent her father a look of disapproval.
"Well, I had no idea that the posters were that detailed," Junior nervously chuckled. "No, I'm sane. I'm actually a special case compared to most Transmutants,"
"Do tell," prompted Night Light.
"I'm not affiliated with the Revolutionaries and I was one of the first Transmutants to appear. But since I'm arguably much stronger than most and I'm a fast healer, MONARCH considered me the biggest threat," answered Junior.
"I see," replied Night Light. Junior lightly sighed in relief. Velvet looked to Junior with a smile.
"So Gojira. What is it that you want to do with your life since you're able to freely walk with everyone knowing about you?" asked Velvet. Junior stopped eating. He felt the stares of Shining Armor and Night Light on him. He gulped nervously.
"I...actually haven't been able to put thought into that," answered Junior. Shining Armor shook his head in disapproval while Night Light glanced at Twilight with a look of disappointment. "But...I did graduate high school and I enjoy writing and drawing, so maybe I could make a living as an artist or writter. If not, I guess there's always the royal guard,"
"You seem to be nonchalant about joining the royal guard," said Shining Armor with an unimpressed tone.
"I'm sorry?" asked Junior with a raised brow.
"Kid, it takes more than muscle to join the royal guard. It's about honor, the will to serve the princess and the people. A code of conduct must be upheld," said Shining Armor in a prideful tone. Junior was about to roll his eyes but stopped himself before he came off as rude.
"Does it involve peace talks and reasoning with the enemy? I'm terrible at those. I once got my face slammed into the concrete trying to reason with this guy in high school," said Junior in a wary tone.
"Oh my! What happened?" asked Velvet.
"He thought I was stealing his girlfriend. I ended up hitting him back after that. I was worried that he would never walk again," said Junior with a shudder. Everyone in the room looked at Junior with wide eyes. Junior cleared his throat as he looked away.
"Maybe the royal guard isn't the place for me. But I am doing some labor work for Applejack at the time. I'll figure out a long term plan soon," said Junior as he scratched his head. Night Light turned to face Shining Armor and Cadence with a smile.
"So son, when can we expect to have a grandchild?" asked Night Light. Shining Armor chuckled in embarrassment while Cadence smiled bashfully.
"It's kind of early for that. But...I think you can expect to be called 'grandpa', right dear?" asked Shining Armor as he turned to face his wife.
"You know it," said Cadence as she planted a kiss on his lips. Velvet smiled coyly at Junior and Twilight.
"So Sparky, when can we expect to hear more wedding bells?" asked Velvet. Twilight's eyes widened as she blushed brightly. Night Light coughed furiously as he choked on his tea. Shining Armor dropped his fork as he remained still as stone with wide eyes. Junior however, choked on his food. He turned to the side, coughing furiously. Twilight, Cadence, and Velvet all gasped in alarm and Twilight stood from her seat.
"Oh, gosh!" cried Twilight. Junior dropped to his knees and began to slam his fist against his chest several times. He finally managed to cough up the piece of broccoli that was lodged in his throat. He panted as he grabbed a couple of napkins and used one to pick the broccoli and the other to wipe his hands. Junior sat back down while Twilight looked at him in concern. Junior cleared his throat as he rubbed his neck, looking at Velvet with a nervous laugh.
"Haha. It's uh...kinda early to discuss that, right?" asked Junior with a wheeze.
"Agreed," Night Light and Shining Armor deadpanned in unison. Junior sighed as he lowered his head.
'Please kill me,' thought Junior. Cadence and Twilight nodded as they looked to Velvet.
"Right. I mean, it is a big commitment to be made!" said Cadence.
"Yeah this is something that shouldn't be taken too lightly," said Twilight in disapproval. Velvet giggled in response.
"Sorry, I was just teasing," apologized Velvet.
"It's fine," said Junior with a reluctant smile. He drank his tea, hoping that it would soothe his aching throat, and placed his cup down as he swallowed the liquid.
"So, have you had any girlfriends before?" asked Velvet. Junior shook his head.
"Never. Twilight's the first," said Junior.
"Really? Why's that? You're a handsome young man! Surely you could have gotten a girlfriend once or twice before!" said Velvet.
"More like thuggish," Night Light muttered to himself. Junior clenched his fist under the table.
"I guess it wasn't meant to be. Besides, when have relationships actually lasted after high school? That's just-" Junior stopped himself as he noticed a smiling Cadence holding up a picture frame with her and Shining Armor. They were at their school's prom. Junior slumped his shoulders.
"Just what?" questioned Shining Armor with a raised brow and a low tone.
"Um...a rarity," answered Junior with a forced smile.
"Nice save." Twilight whispered. Junior cleared his throat.
"But no, I never had a girlfriend. I guess I wasn't their type," said Junior.
"How do you figure?" asked Night Light. Junior sighed.
"I used to get in trouble and fights. I also wasn't very social," admitted Junior. Shining nodded as he looked at Junior.
"We're curious to know why," said Shining Armor. Night Light nodded in agreement. Twilight and Cadence shot Shining a glare while Velvet looked at him in disapproval. Junior looked down as he narrowed his eyes as his frustration grew.
"Captain Armor, have you ever been looked down on because you were different?" asked Junior in a low tone. Shining Armor raised a brow at this.
"Pardon?" asked the Elf. Junior raised his head looked to him with a firm expression.
"Nah. I figured not. But it puzzles me how people have a nasty habit at trying to make others feel inferior to them. I'm not referring to you of course," said Junior as he lamely gestured to Shining Armor with a deadpanned expression.
"What are you getting at?" questioned Shining Armor.
"Let's be honest. People that are weaker, poorer, and even less intelligent make other people feel good about themselves. It gives them a sense of security, knowing that they are greater. But, that's not always good enough. Sometimes, you want to make that person feel bad about themselves. Why? No idea. I'm not the jerks who told me that I should go back to Neighpon since I couldn't speak Equish properly in my childhood," said Junior as he took a sip of his tea. Twilight, Velvet and Cadence looked at him with deep frowns. "So when you tell me that you're curious to know why I got into trouble, why I never socialized with others, and why I fought so much, I'll tell you why. It's because kids thought I talked funny. I had a scary face, I was bigger than most kids, I was stronger than any of my fellow students. Hell, I can unintentionally kill a man if I hit him too hard,"
"Goji-" Twilight raised her hand but the Transmutant stood up. Everyone in the room looked anxiously. Shining Armor kept a firm expression while Junior locked eyes with him.
"I started off as a nobody, and then I rose to something else. Something that they couldn't categorize as normal, so everyone just ostracized me instead. I didn't fit in with any of them. Did you fit in?" asked Junior in a firm tone. Shining Armor lost his expression that remained neutral. Junior shook his head. He then turned to face Velvet as he gave her a friendly smile.
"May I use your bathroom?" asked Junior. Velvet jumped at his sudden change of tone and his direct attention towards her.
"S-Sure! Right this way," said Velvet as she stood up from the table and led Junior out of the dining room. Junior bore a look of dejection on his face as he continued to walk. As the two left the room, Twilight glared at Shining Armor and her father.
"What was that?!" demanded Twilight. "Why were you guys prodding him like that?!"
"Twilight, what do you see in him? He has no real plans for his future, he's a thug, and-" Night Light was interrupted as Twilight turned to face him.
"He's just misunderstood!" said Twilight. Cadence turned and looked at Shining Armor in disapproval.
"Yeah, and where do you come off as a hot shot? I thought you'd sympathize with someone like him." said Cadence. Shining Armor sighed in response.
"Honey, look, I didn't think he went through something like-"
"Well, it would have been nice if you were more sensitive!" snapped Twilight as she shot her elder brother a glare. Shining Armor sighed in response as he lowered his head. Twilight shook her head as she angrily went back to eating.
Meanwhile in the hall, Junior trailed behind Velvet in silence. The woman had led him down to a door that was on the right. She gestured toward it as she bore a nervous smile.
"Here you are!" said Velvet. Junior nodded as he gave her a small frown.
"Thanks. I uh...I'm sorry about what happened back there. I can get touchy sometimes. But that's no excuse for my behavior," said Junior.
"Oh, it's alright. I apologize about my son and my husband. They're just looking out for Sparky," said Velvet. Junior nodded to her in understanding.
"I know," said Junior as he entered the bathroom. Velvet lightly sighed as she made her way back down to the dining room. Junior made his way over to the closed toilet and sat down on it. He gave a sigh of frustration as he buried his face into his hands.
"Ugh! I knew this was a bad idea!" Junior whispered to himself. It seemed that his fears were coming true. Dinner was tense and filled with uncomfortable questions. It was already bad enough that he had a temper, but now he had to worry about throwing fists with either the father or brother of his girlfriend. Junior slapped his hand against the side of his head for having that thought.
"What if this means I'm no good for her after all?" whispered Junior. He closed his eyes as he took calm breaths.
'Calm breaths, Goji,' Fluttershy's soft, and sweet voice filled his mind. He recalled his counseling session with her and the tips that he was given. He exhaled slowly, allowing his nerves to settle.
"No, you can't think like that. Just...suck it up. Take all the shit that you can," Junior whispered to himself. He heard a sudden knock, causing the Transmutant to jump in surprise.
"Gojira? Are you OK?" called Twilight. Junior stood up to his feet and made his way to the sink. He started to wash his hands as he turned his head towards the door.
"Y-Yeah! I'll be out in just a second," said Junior as he turned off the sink and dried his hands with a towel. He took another breath before opening the bathroom door. As he stepped out, he found Twilight looking at him in concern.
"Gojira, I uh..." Twilight looked down in disappointment. Junior sighed as he lowered himself to her eye level and brought her chin up to face him.
"It's alright, Twilight. I just needed a breather, that's all," said Junior in reassurance. Twilight rubbed her arm as she looked away.
"I...maybe it was a mistake to introduce you when you didn't want to. We can...leave early if you want," said Twilight as she took his hand and gave him a small smile. Junior shook his head.
"No, that wouldn't be right. I'll just suck it up. But next time, give me an earlier notice before I have to meet your parents," said Junior with a chuckle as he ruffled Twilight's hair. She lightly giggled as she pushed his hand away.
"Sure," said Twilight. She took his arm and walked with him back to the dining room. The Transmutant pulled out her seat, allowing Twilight to sit down. After he pushed her seat back, he went back to his seat and sat down. He avoided eye contact with Shining Armor and Night Light as he ate in silence. He mentally sighed as he debated whether he should strike another conversation. In the end, he made up his mind and turned to Twilight.
"Twilight, do you still want to learn how to speak Neighponese?" asked Junior. Twilight looked at him in surprise at how he brought up the subject. She imagined that he would have just remained silent throughout the rest of dinner.
"I- Yes! Yes, I think it'd be nice to learn," said Twilight with a smile. Velvet looked at him curiously.
"Oh! So you are bilingual," said Velvet with a smile. Junior nodded.
"That's right. Celestia had taught me Equish years ago. I ended up taking a class on Neighponese back in high school so that I could speak it much more properly," answered Junior.
"Could you say something in Neighponese for me?" asked Velvet with an eager smile. Junior cleared his throat.
"Yūshoku wa oishīdesu," said Junior.
"What does that mean?" asked Velvet. Junior gave her a small smile.
"It means, 'dinner is delicious'," said junior as he took another bite of his food. Velvet smiled brightly in response.
"Ah. Well, I'm glad that you're enjoying it!" said Velvet. Junior cleared his throat as he looked to her curiously.
"So, I'm curious. What do you and your husband do for a living? Maybe I can pick up a few ideas," said Junior with a shrug.
"I'm an astronomer. My team and I have been researching a very fascinating star," said Night Light. Junior's interest peaked.
"Are you allowed to go into detail?" asked Junior.
"Well, the star appears to be giving off an unusual light. Normally, stars have certain colors based on their life cycles and mass," said Night Light. He began to tap his chin. "But for some reason, this star appears to be violet in color. Honestly, it doesn't even seem scientifically possible! How in the world-"
"Honey, you promised that you weren't going to worry about your research tonight," said Velvet in disapproval. The Transmutant nearly snorted, learning where Twilight inherited her panicked antics when it came to research. Night Light tittered in embarrassment and cleared his throat.
"Right. Well, the star is baffling but it is an amazing discovery," said Night Light in a calm voice. Junior nodded in agreement.
"I bet. But I like to think that the cosmos itself is fascinating. Especially what the unaided eye can see down here from our world," replied Junior. He then looked to Velvet.
"What do you do?" asked Junior.
"I'm an author! I've currently written five books. Four of them already have been published while we're waiting on the last," said Velvet as she levitated four books over from the other room and brought them over to Junior. The Transmutant caught them in his grip and looked them over. A couple of them were romances, while the other two were of the adventure genre. His eyes widened in surprise as he looked over one particular book.
"You wrote 'The Dragon Tamer'?!" asked Junior. Velvet nodded.
"I sure did! It wasn't as well received as my other books, but it has a modestly sized fanbase," answered Velvet. Junior chuckled to himself.
"I gotta say, this was one of my favorite stories from when I was thirteen. It still is in fact. I always liked the emphasis of a mutual bond and respect between the characters rather than having the main character try to force the dragon to obey her. This story is underrated and deserves more credit than what those critics say about it," said Junior with a tone of irritation at the end.
"Well, it was one of the first stories that I wrote. I wasn't as experienced with character development at the time. But, I'm happy to know that there are readers who enjoyed it. I sometimes wonder if I should rewrite it," said Velvet as she tapped her head as she looked down and furrowed her brows.
"I personally wouldn't mind. As long as the story still had the human and the dragon form that specific bond, I would read it," said Junior. Velvet shrugged.
"But people today are so into the dirty romance, action and monster slaying these days that I don't even know how people today would respond to it," said Velvet in disappointment.
"True, but there's nothing wrong with breaking apart from the trend. Right?" asked Junior. Velvet smiled brightly at the Transmutant.
"I couldn't agree more, dear," said Velvet.  She then looked at him with a grin. "I'm glad that there's still people who enjoys a good book,"
"I'm sure Twilight would agree as well," said Junior in a joking manner.
"You have no idea," said Twilight with a chuckle. The table was filled with small laughs from everyone in the room. Shining Armor cleared his throat as he rubbed the back of his head.
"Uh listen...remember how you asked if I ever fitted in with others in school?" asked Shining Armor. Cadence looked at him with a raised brow.
"I do," answered Junior.
"Well, I can relate to you. I mean, I did have a small number of friends but we were pretty unpopular kids. Nerds if you will. We were pretty much looked down on by the popular kids," said Shining Armor with a chuckle. Junior's brows raised in surprise.
"I...I had no idea. I always kind of pictured you as a football player or something back in your days in high school," said Junior. Shining Armor shook his head.
"Nah. Just a kid who played role playing board games with his friends. Cadence was the popular one," said Shining Armor as he pointed to his wife. Junior chuckled in response.
"OK, I believe that," said Junior.
"Why, you should've seen Shining Armor in those days! He was actually scrawny compared to you when you started high school," said Cadence as she looked at her husband in a teasing tone. Shining Armor sighed in embarrassment. Cadence planted a kiss on his cheek. "But he was a loveable dork,"
"Aw," cooed Velvet as she wiped her lips with a napkin.
"I always said you'd make a girl very happy one day," said Night Light in approval. Shining Armor scowled in response.
"I wouldn't let the scrawniness get to you. You could argue that I cheated since I was physically enhanced at a young age," said Junior with chuckle.
"I'll be sure to keep that in mind," replied Shining Armor. Twilight lightly smiled at how Junior was able to hold a more civil conversation. Her father still casted him a few unimpressed glances throughout the new conversation, but he hadn't tried to antagonize him again. Shining Armor seemed to have taken the scolding of his wife and sister to heart and decided to give Junior a chance to chat without giving him crap. Twilight looked at her mother and noticed the warm smiles that she would send him. Her mother seemed to have definitely warmed up to Junior, much to her delight. Fortunately, Cadence was around to help her defend the Transmutant, otherwise things may have turned sour. Twilight reached under the table and took Junior's hand into her own and held it firmly with a smile on her face.



It had been an hour since dinner. Junior stood with Twilight outside of the house with Shining Armor and Cadence. Velvet and Night Light waved to the couples that stood outside of their door.
"It was great to have you all here! Take care!" said Velvet.
"Bye mom and dad! See you later!" said Twilight as she waved to her parents.
"See you later," said Shining Armor with a wave. After their farewells, the couples traveled down the path that led to the house. They soon made their way over to an open area where other houses could be seen. Twilight leaned against Junior as she walked with him.
"Hm. I guess it wasn't so bad," said Junior.
"Yeah. Mom seemed to like you," said Twilight with a smile.
"Thank god. It gives me some comfort to know that at least one of your parents liked me," replied Junior with a grimace. He couldn't imagine sitting through the rest of dinner if both of his girlfriend's parents prodded him with uneasy questions while giving him the stink eye. Shining Armor cleared his throat as he approached the Transmutant.
"Gojira, can I talk to you for a minute?" asked Shining Armor. Junior nodded.
"Sure," replied Junior. Twilight looked at her brother curiously while Cadence went over to her side.
"Come on, let's give these two a chance to talk," said Cadence with a small smile as she led Twilight further down the road. Twilight reluctantly nodded as she followed Cadence. She then gave one last glance at the Transmutant before turning back with a small sigh. Junior turned to face Shining Armor, sensing a tense atmosphere going on between them.
"Gojira, I misjudged you. I want to apologize for that. I think I can see why Twilight would like someone like you," said Shining Armor as he rubbed the back of his head.
"And I was out of line with my attitude and my assumption. I apologize too," said Junior as he lowered his head.
"Listen, I just want to make sure that my little sister is with someone who doesn't hurt her. Someone who will love and cherish her every day," said Shining Armor. He placed a hand on Junior's shoulder and gave him a hard stare. "Gojira, don't ever hurt her. I can assure you that the consequences will be more than you can handle,"
"I would rather die than hurt her in anyway. I promise," said Junior with a nod and a firm expression. Shining lightly smiled as he nodded in approval.
"Hmph," Shining Armor gave a respectful huff to the Transmutant. He placed an arm around his shoulders and walked with him to Twilight and Cadence. "Hey, thanks for convincing Princess Celestia to hire that mercenary. He's pretty exceptional in his combat skills,"
"Oh, no problem. Glad to hear that Celestia is getting her money's worth," said Junior with a chuckle.
"He also mentioned that he was going to demonstrate combat experience with Transmutants. He specifically mentioned you and your friends," said Shining Armor. Junior's face turned into a scowl.
"Oh," said Junior.