• Published 1st Sep 2014
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The Sparkle in his Eye - Tatsurou



Ratchet balances saving the galaxy with being the father to a purple alicorn foal. Adorable shenanigans and explosions ensue.

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Interlude: 'Normal' Family

As Ratchet, Clank, and Qwark worked to comfort Twilight, Skrunch arrived in his rocket with a news printout. It showed Qwark's real parents, and gave the report of how they died...due to faulty Technomite equipment.

Qwark took it as well as he could, all things considered. Clank did his best to comfort him as well. "I recognize them from the photo," he pointed out. "Your parents were both great heroes in their own right. You should be proud."

"How can I be proud, after how much I've let them down?" he asked. "This is the third time I've been on the wrong side...and the second time as a puppet! I...I'm no hero..."

"Yes you are," Ratchet interrupted. "Making a mistake doesn't make you less of a hero...even if it is a trend. What you do once you realize the mistake is what determines that."

Qwark managed a soft smile, wiping his eyes. "Thanks Ratchet." He chuckled. "I can always count on you three to help set me straight, can't I?" He sat down heavily. "You know...I think the real reason I came to follow you wasn't just to try and join in on your adventure." He sniffed. "The truth is...you're the closest thing I have to a family..."

Skrunch, from his position on Qwark's shoulder offering comfort, was the only one to see Twilight's eyes briefly flare with a rainbow of colors. "So...we're like family to you?" she asked softly.

"Yeah," Qwark agreed, nodding his head. "Kinda pathetic of me, huh? Especially how this all started..."

"...not if we feel the same," Twilight pointed out.

"Huh?" all four around her asked, Skrunch in his monkey tongue.

"Well...I've always wanted a big brother..." she indicated, drawing circles on the ground with her hoof. "And back on Challax, I heard Daddy talking about adopting you, so I think he feels the same way."

"Really?" Qwark asked eagerly as Ratchet facepalmed.

"Forgot how good her hearing was didn't you...Dad?" Clank teased quietly.

"Shut up...Mom," Ratchet sniped back. Louder, he spoke up, "Well...if it'll make everyone happy..."

Qwark let out an ecstatic cheer as he pulled all three of them into a hug. "I love you sis!" he called out, kissing Twilight on the cheek and making her giggle. "I love you Mom!" Kissing Clank on the cheek caused him to spark uncertainly. "I love you Dad!"

The things I do for Twilight, Ratchet thought ruefully, rubbing at his cheek.

"Now we can do all that fun family stuff I see on TV!" Twilight called happily.

The three men around her glanced at each other, wondering if they could pull this off.


Back on Veldin, Twilight, Qwark, and Skrunch sat around the dinner table. Twilight sat in a high chair to put her above the height of the new table - adjusted so Qwark could sit comfortably with them all - tilting her head in confusion at her new brothers. Skrunch was wearing green overalls, a white t-shirt, an ornate orange choker, a blonde wig, and a green hat of unusual design...and a jetpack. Qwark was wearing a white and black striped T-shirt and his old school's varsity hoverball jacket. He was also attempting to convince her of something she simply didn't understand.

"Why do I need the frying pan?" she asked yet again.

"Because," Qwark explained, "when Ratchet comes in to say hi to you, you're supposed to whack him upside the head with it and say, 'Not the Mama!' It's part of these 'normal family' things you talked about. I should know. It's from my favorite old family TV sitcom. I used to watch it all the time when I was younger."

Twilight tilted her head in confusion. "I...must have missed that one. It doesn't ring any bells." She glanced towards Skrunch. "And...that one doesn't either."

"But...But Ratchet said you always enjoyed Old Earth TV," Qwark pointed out. "That's what these are all from."

"Huh?" she asked in surprise.

At that moment, Ratchet stepped in through the front door, wearing a white button down shirt under a black suit with a red tie. "Clanky, I'm home!" he called out happily.

Clank stepped out from the kitchen. He was wearing a red wig done up in a bun, a white dress hanging from one shoulder, and a choker of white stones. "Welcome home, Ratchet. Dinner will be ready soon."

Finally realizing what was going on, Twilight burst into laughter. "Did...did you all dress up as...characters from...different shows about families?"

The four men glanced at each other with a shrug. "It...would seem so," Clank admitted.

Ratchet scratched the back of his head. "We really should have coordinated better-" He paused as he caught sight of the frying pan. "Hey! No bludgeoning! Besides, Twilight's much too old to be the Baby."

Twilight continued to laugh. "That's not what I meant!" she gasped out. "I just...I wanted us to do normal family things...as us, now that we're a family."

"Then again," Clank pointed out, "we are the last Lombax, a uniquely designed robot, an unusual superhero, and a talking candy colored pony with wings and horn. We are not exactly normal."

Qwark shrugged. "Normal's overrated anyway."

That got a laugh out of everyone.


Later on that night, Qwark was reading Twilight a bedtime story from a picture book, making the story up as he went along. Of course, the story was all about some insanely fantastic exploit of his that probably had little anchor in reality or actual events, but Twilight was absolutely enthralled. As he reached the end of the story, she let out an adorable yawn.

"Sounds like someone's ready for beddy," he teased, tucking her in.

"Stay with me?" she pleaded sleepily.

With a soft smile, Qwark pulled out something he'd been working on. It was a small pendant in the shape of his Q symbol, on a silver chain long enough to be slipped over Twilight's head but short enough to not hang down to her hooves. "Here," he said, slipping it onto her. "As long as you wear that, no matter where you or I are...I'm always with you."

Twilight stared down at the pendant happily before letting out another yawn. "I love you, BBBFF," she murmured as she dozed off.

Qwark smiled, wiping a tear from his eye. It was the first time she called him that, but he instinctively knew what it meant and how to respond. "Love you too," he whispered as he planted a kiss just below the base of her horn, "LSBFF."

As he turned to his own bed for the night, he didn't see the pendant he'd just given her briefly flash with a rainbow sheen.

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