//------------------------------// // Interlude: Parents // Story: Another Hatchling // by Tatsurou //------------------------------// While Samus and Spike were telling the story, a train pulled into Ponyville Station from Canterlot. This, in and of itself, was hardly something of significance. Trains between Canterlot and Ponyville ran nearly every day. What was of particular significance regarding this train, however, were two particular passengers. Both were unicorns. The stallion had a pale blue coat, a darker blue mane and tail, golden brown eyes, and a Cutie Mark of two crescent moons cradling each other. The mare had a grayish white coat, purple and white striped mane and tail, pale blue eyes, and a Cutie Mark of three purple stars. The older couple didn't stand out very much, unless those who saw them knew who they were. If they were known, they tended to be given a wide berth. After all, strong magical talent ran in this particular family. "Oh, I can't believe Spike is finally home again!" Twilight Velvet proclaimed happily as the pair made their way through Ponyville. "I can't wait to see the little guy again! I just wish Twilight had let us come by to help her while he was missing." "Now you know our little Sparkle, dear," Night Light offered in a conciliatory tone. "She probably spent the entire month he was gone trying to reverse engineer the spell gone wrong to bring him back. It wasn't even through her we learned he was gone, after all." "Or through her that we learned he was back," Velvet grumbled, just a hint of annoyance in her voice. "Now don't get me wrong, I know how caught up in things she can get...but to hear about it from Discord of all creatures? I didn't think we were that low on her list of priority contacts." "Maybe she was waiting until she had Spike settled in again before she wrote us," Night Light suggested reasonably. "Discord did mention he was a...little different." "Please, dear," Velvet countered as they reached the Crystal Castle, "how different can he be? It's only been a month-oh, this place is new. Are you sure these are the right directions? I thought she lived in the library." "We read about this in the news about Tirek, dear," Night Light reminded her. "I know that, Night Light," Velvet snapped back playfully. "But we should have heard about it from Twilight, right?" "Point made," Night Light allowed as they made their way in through the open door. It didn't take long for the pair to make their way through the castle to where the large gathering was, somewhat startled at the diversity of the gathering. "And I thought I was done being surprised by your odd acquaintances, Twilight!" Velvet called out, drawing attention. "Mom?" Twilight called out, stunned. "Dad?" She eagerly rushed forward to embrace the pair. "What are you both doing here?" Shining asked, surprised. "We heard Spike was back," Night Light replied warmly as he embraced Twilight Sparkle. "So we came to see the little guy." "While I'm not at all surprised we hadn't gotten word about it from Twilight yet, with how forgetful she can be," Velvet teased as she mussed her daughter's mane, "but you're more responsible with that sort of thing last I checked." Twilight Sparkle let off a cough that sounded remarkably like "The wedding!" making several gathered burst into laughter. "What's the joke?" Spike called out as he stepped out of the kitchens, having made himself larger to better carry multiple trays of food and drink. "I want in on this!" Twilight Velvet stared up at the armored dragon. "Woof..." she let out all unintentionally. "Twilight, dear, who's the hunk? Did you finally get yourself a suitor?" As most present stared, Celestia, Luna, Samus, Anthony, and Gandrayda burst into peals of laughter. Spike turned awkwardly to Twilight. "Mom...how do I handle this?" he asked worriedly. "I wish I knew, Spike," Twilight replied, mortified for her mother's sake. Velvet, however, put two and two together. "...Spike?" "In the flesh, Grandma," Spike replied nervously. Velvet let out a low groan as she buried her face against the table. "Applejack, can I get a hard cider?" she asked softly. Inside she moaned as she thought, I was drooling over my own grandson... "Ah don't exactly have-" Pinkie Pie cut Applejack off by reaching into the farm pony's stetson and pulling out a bottle. "Here you go, Missus Velvet!" Pinkie proclaimed happily. "I stash some all over just in case of cider emergencies-" "Why wasn't I ever a cider emergency?" Rainbow demanded angrily as Applejack, quite unnerved, took her hat off her head to stick her face inside to see what else Pinkie might have stashed in there. "Because you drink for pleasure, silly filly!" Pinkie replied. "Cider emergencies are for therapeutic drinking!" Night Light shook his head as he glanced around at the gathered group. "Well, it seems like some introductions - and explanations - are in order here." "Montage time!" Pinkie shouted out, yanking on Spike's wrist before futzing with the holo-projector. About an hour later, Night Light and Twilight Velvet were both a little glass-eyed, having been given a quick summary of all the story Spike and Samus had told everyone so far, and Spike was rubbing his wrist and grumbling a bit to himself. Twilight Velvet managed to gather her wits towards the end. "Well...quite the tale," she stated finally. "Certainly a lot to take in," Night Light agreed. "You seem to have done a lot in what, to us, was quite a short time, Spike." Spike shrugged deprecatingly. "I suppose." Velvet then turned to Gandrayda. "From the sound of it, you and my grandson are rather sweet on each other," she began dryly. Gandrayda shrugged hesitantly. "I-I suppose so," she stammered, a trifle intimidated without knowing why. "So when can I expect great grandkids?" Velvet asked incisively. "I'm still waiting on more grandfoals, but-" "Mom/Grandma/Mo~ther!" three voices complained loudly, much to the amusement of nearly everyone else at the table.