The Anthropologist

by Weavers of Dreams

-70- Goodnight, Goodnight and Goodnight

"Now, tonight is our baby's first time," Mercury said through bared teeth at the nervous blue stallion. Her husband, who had taken time away from his job stood beside her, his fangs bared as well. "And we just want to be sure you'll be very gentle with her."

Noteworthy gulped and took a step back. "Why does this reminds of when I met Bon Bon's parents?"

"We're not trying to frighten you," the mare said in a more gentle tone, but kept her teeth bared. "But, we are looking out for Lyra's interests. And, if my Baritone's any indication, stallions can get rather carried away when in the throws of passion. A good thing actually." Here she started to smile and titter a bit. "Makes for some of the best romps." She became serious again. "But, my baby is going to be nervous and scared. So, you'll do your upmost best to control yourself. Right?"

Noteworthy nodded quickly as the thestral bumped noses with him. "Yes, ma'am."

"If she's says 'stop', you'll stop. Right?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"And you'll both have fun. Right?"

"Yes, ma'am. Wait. What?" The poor stallion was confused.

The mare giggled and kissed his cheek fondly. "Love's not a one-way street, kiddo. Make sure you have a good time as well." The slight blush on his confused face pleased her. "As my son-in-law, I am looking out for your interests as well." She leaned in close as if she were telling him a secret. "I've already got the girl worked up like a torqued spring, just waiting to unwind itself for you."

Noteworthy had no idea how to respond to that.

"My, the colt's at a loss for words," the mare snickered smugly. "Well, let's not keep him in suspense any longer, Baritone. Call Lyra so that... Baritone? No. We are not playing the over-protective father game."

"But I've been waiting years to scare a colt out of his wits," the other thestral protested.

"No," Mercury repeated with a scowl, poking his chest sharply. "That's one of the lowest and most over-used tropes in the book. We will not demean ourselves to such a standard. Understand me, mister?"

Baritone deflated with a sigh. "Fine, dear. But, just for the record, this could have been my only chance."

"Good," Mercury harrumphed indignantly. "Now, let's not keep these two lovers apart any longer."

Moments later the door to the bath opened and Noteworthy's jaw nearly hit the floor. In walked a mint unicorn, her silky mane flowing down her neck in perfect ripples, her fur gleaming in the light, hooves finely filed and polished to a bright sheen, the grooves of her horn were expertly filed as well (unicorn horns continually grow), and a miniscule amount of makeup had been applied to bring out her finest features. The mare herself was stunned at the sight earth pony stallion before her as well.

The maids had shown no mercy to him, ensuring there was not a spot of dirt anywhere on him, and ignoring his protests as they ran through a series of manes and tail stylings until they arrived at his current smoothed over look. They hadn't even let him brush his teeth by himself, and his mouth felt like it had almost been rubbed raw by that sadistic toothbrush. Thankfully, they decided to forgo any makeup, as that would only hide the ruggedness they all agreed was attractive.

Both ponies stared at each other for the longest time in silence. Then Lyra gave an excited cry and leapt forward embracing her stallion and nuzzling into his softened fur. "Oh, this is awesome, you look incredible, and you're so soft. It's like a layer of velveteen over those firm muscles of yours."

"You're beautiful," was all Noteworthy could say. This elicited a laugh from all the mares present. Lyra began to rub against his side, her soft fur actually generating static. Was she purring?

"We've prepared your old room for tonight, young mistress," Bouncing Betty, who was present, said with a knowing smile plastered on her face. "I felt it would be appropriate."

"You read my mind, Betty," Lyra said, flicking her tail under the stallion's chin seductively. However, on the inside she was a nervous wreck, but her mother had advised her to at least act bold. She was unsure how long she could keep up this act. It was taking every ounce of will power she had just to walk in a straight line. "Let me lead the way, Notes. It'll give you a nice view while I make sure you don't get lost."

"'A' for effort, 'C' for corny," mercury sighed under her breath. Really, her daughter was trying too hard to be sexy. It almost made her facehoof. But she still couldn't help but smile. Lyra was young and would eventually learn she didn't need to try so hard.

"Get going already, you two," Baritone groaned rolling his eyes and waving a dismissing hoof at them. "There's no need to hang around here anymore for our benefit."

Lyra blushed a bit in embarrassment and then, with a few quick goodnights, including a goodnight kiss for Henry, who just emerged from the bath as well, she led the lucky stallion off.

The little colt was confused. "Um, where are they going?"

Mercury bent down and nuzzled his mane. "Oh, just to have some private time together. Might not seen them for a couple days."

"Oh," Henry said, his ears drooping in disappointment as he rubbed a hoof where his mother had kissed him.

"Don't worry about being lonely tonight," his grandmother comforted him with a hug. "You'll be with me and your auntie tonight."

"Me, too," Twist called out indignantly. This profited a flurry of pleasant kisses on her face. She found it to be an acceptable offering.

"As if we'd leave you out," the thestral cooed, swiftly maneuvering both foals upon her back and holding them in place with her wings. "Now, how about we get you both some proper bedtime attire?"

Apparently the two grandparents had been preparing to host grandchildren for a quite while. Both Henry and Twist were slipped into silk pajamas just the right sizes for a colt and filly of their ages. While Henry questioned the need of sleepwear, as he had mostly been naked since his arrival. Twist, on the other hoof, was dancing about to show her mother.

"Yes, I see, Twister," Bon Bon chuckled as she too put on a cotton nightgown, which she had packed for herself from home.

A moment later, Henry found himself snuggled beside Twist on the softest bed either of them had ever touched and tucked in with equally incredible sheets and blankets. Twist had reached out and hugged him about his barrel and was proceeding to burry her nose in his neck. This made both the mares d'aaw, much to the colt's embarrassment.

"Red looks good on those cheeks of yours," Mercury teased, before kissed him between the eyes and encircling both the foals with her body. She looked over at Bon Bon, who was setting up a nightlight in one of the wall sockets. "Ah. One of them scared of the dark?"

"Henry ith," Twist piped up, making the colt blush even brighter.

"Sorry," he said, trying to hid behind his hooves.

"That's quite alright dear," the mare reassured him with smile. "Let me tell you, my Lyra needed a nightlight up until she turned fourteen."

"No way," Bon Bon said in disbelief as she crawled under the covers close-by. "That mare who sneaks out at night to play with the town thestrals?"

Mercury burst out laughing and nodded. "The very same. I remember one time, when she was around six. I decided to take her stargazing as a mother-daughter bonding experience. Well, I figured we could each use some snacks, but I got no more than ten feet before she started crying for me to come back. Needless to say, it was a bonding experience, but there wasn't much stargazing."

"I'm gonna have to remember that one," Bon Bon chuckled as some delicious ideas popped into her head.

"I've got entire photo albums for you to look at later," Mercury said deviously. "Ah. I've been waiting so long to share all those precious moments with her herd. I can hear her groans of embarrassment already."

"That's just awful," Bon Bon chuckled with gleeful clap of her hooves.

"Sometime tomorrow though, dear," Mercury said, cooing at the foals. "Right now, let's set if I can't get a certain little colt to fall asleep tonight."

"It won't work," Henry sighed wearily. Then he added, "and I'm not little."

The mare kissed him for what must have been the umpteenth time and smiled. "It wouldn't matter if you were taller than Celestia, Henry. You're always going to be little to me."

Henry was too tired to argue, and just tried to snuggle into the soft bedding. Then he remembered that the mare was wrapped around him and Twist, and he was really just nestling into her shaggy, warm fur. He froze at this and stared into the smiling face of the fanged matriarch. He swallowed and chuckled awkwardly.

"You really need to relax," she gently chided him.

Twist nodded in agreement. "He'th alwayth like thith. Auntie Lyra thayth it'th becauthe thome human familyth don't thtay clothe like uth ponieth do. Tho Henry doethn't feel comfortable thnuggling, because it'th thtrange thing to him."

Mercury stared at the filly, who seemed so proud of her speech, and then turned to Bon Bon. "That was one of the most adorable things I've ever heard. Too bad I didn't really understand word of it."

Twist deflated some. A quick nuzzle brought her spirits back up. She giggled as her grandma's nose tickled her brow.

Bon Bon smiled at the thestral's interaction with her daughter. "She said that Lyra believes lots of humans don't form very close-knit families. Or, at least, not like us ponies. And that Henry's resistance to getting comfortable with ponies is a result of that. Though, he has gotten much better. Lyra took him to bed with her last night, after adopting him. They've really bonded well with each other."

"I see," Mercury said with a smile. "Just like my Peter was, at first. Lyra almost had to be kept on a leash for the first couple years as she wanted to hug everything within sight. Then again, he was about eleven, and she was four." She sniffed at the memories. "I knew all sorts of tricks to get him to snuggle with his mother."

Henry grew a bit more uncomfortable as the mare propped his head up with a gentle hoof and leaned down until her nose touched his. Finding himself unable to look away form her mesmerizing eyes, he held his breath as he awaited her "tricks". Much to his surprise, she kissed his nose and started singing him a lullaby.

Dream now this night,

My brave little boy.

Let the beating of my heart,

Take you away,

To far off lands of mystery,

Full of wonders and joy.

Fear not the waking world,

I am here to comfort you.

Sleep warmly, safe from the cold,

As I take you by the hoof.

When you wake, I will be waiting,

To hear your sweet voice again.

Till then I'll keep watch,

Banishing all the monsters,

Who would disturb your rest.

For you are my little boy,

My good boy,

Let fear flow away as the waters.

Nightmares be banished now,

Crumbling away, turning to ash.

Let the beating of my heart,

Sounding behind my breast,

Guide you to back home to me,

Across that restful sea.

Perhaps she was called Mercury Melody for a reason. Her voice made both foals feel quite heavy, and Twist was out like a light, while Henry wasn't far behind. Even Bon Bon was feeling a little drowsy. The mare's voice was like warm honey to the ears.

Let my ears delight in your voice,

As you return from you voyage,

Dreamland fades away,

When you come back home to stay.

Until then I shall remain at your side,

To keep you safe tonight.

Mercury repeated lullaby a couple more times before the Henry's eyes became too heavy to keep open any longer. Soon enough he was softly snoring and snuggling into the soft warmth. The mare kissed both foals and gently laid the colt's head back down upon the pillow before sniffing emotionally.

"It's been... quite a while since I've sung that to someone," she whipped her eyes. Then she peered over at Bon Bon, who was lightly slapping her own face to keep awake. "I see I haven't lost my touch either."

The other mare gave a deep yawn and one more slap, before shaking her head and looking at the thestral's cutie mark. A series of silver notes. No. they were quicksilver. "You used to sing that to Peter, didn't you?"

Mercury nodded. "Made up the words myself."

"You're good with children," the earth pony said with a smile as she watched the grandmother lay her head down upon the pillow near the foals' heads.

The mare chuckled. "Thank you, Bon Bon. I can already tell your daughter is good for Henry."

"She does tend to push him out of his comfort zone a lot."

"I would love to stay up and chat about these two for hours," Mercury began with a sigh as she draped a protective wing over the two cuddling forms, "but, there are other matters we must discuss."