Romance and the Fate of Equestria

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Princess Celestia had gotten Twilight an arrangement for a nighttime gathering in Canterlot, just outside of the castle. Twilight thus led Snicker-Snack around the corner toward this meeting place, rubbing his back to reassure him.

"You'll be fine, you'll be fine," she said soothingly. "My parents will love you just as much as I do. Well, not that much, I hope… but they'll love you."

"I'm more worried about your brother," Snicker-Snack said confidentially.

"Really?" Twilight said, surprised. "Oh, come on, he's not scary."

"He's captain of the Royal Guard, of course he's scary," Snick grumbled.

"Oh, come on, it's not like the Royal Guard actually does anything," Twilight said, laughing. "They just hang around and look tough. Except for my brother, whose job is to hang around and look pretty. You're way scarier than he is, anyway. Just look at you."

"Oh, Twilight!" called a mare in a gazebo.

Two unicorns approached from the gazebo; a white mare with a purple-and-white striped mane styled in bangs, and a blue golden-eyed stallion.

"Hey, Mom and Dad!" Twilight said, running forward to hug them. "It's been a couple of months, how are you guys?"

"Oh, same as always, honey," her father said, nuzzling her. "But let's not talk about us, let's talk about you…"

"This is your evening, Twilight," her mother said, smiling. "Tell us all about your latest adventures."

"Oh, just the greatest adventure of all," Twilight said, throwing a front leg around Snicker-Snack's shoulders. "Mom, Dad, I've asked you here to meet my boyfriend… this is Snicker-Snack. Snick, my parents: my dad, Night Light, and my mother, Twilight Velvet."

Snicker-Snack shook hooves with Twilight's mother. "Ah, Twilight Velvet, the novelist?"

"Yes," she said in surprise. "You're familiar with my work?"

He stared blankly, motionless apart from the continued hoofshake. "…No," he admitted softly.

"Oh," Twilight Velvet said, disappointed. She quickly perked up. "Well, doesn't matter. I'm just so relieved to finally meet you!" She pulled Snicker-Snack into a strangling hug. "You don't know how long I've wanted Twilight to have a boyfriend… all the time that she was at school without a friend in the world—" She held her daughter's face between her hooves, presenting it to Snicker-Snack. "She's always been this beautiful, you know, I don't know why it's taken her so long…"

"Velvet, don't go where you're thinking of going…" Night Light warned.

"Mom," Twilight choked out.

Velvet let go and stepped back toward Snick. "And it's happened, and not a moment too soon… she just hit twenty-five, and you know what they say about over-twenty-five-year-olds… they're like a stale fruitcake, nopony'll touch 'em…"

"GAH! MO-OM!" Twilight bellowed. "Nopony says that! You're… jeez, Mom, why are you so old?"

"Step aside, Mom," Shining Armor said, appearing rather suddenly on the garden path. "I'll take care of the interrogation from here…"

"Hey, Twilight," Cadance whispered, suddenly standing next to her.

"Oh, hey," Twilight said, quickly recovering from the surprise.

Snicker-Snack backed away in fright. "Whoa… um, hey there…"

"Hi, Snicker-Snack," Cadance said. "And how have you been treating my dear sister?"

"…Good," he said nervously.

"Ease up a bit, man," Shining Armor said, approaching Snicker-Snack with a wide smirk. "You're just meeting the family, we're not gonna skin you at the altar."

"Or are we?" Cadance hissed, her eyes flashing turquoise for a moment as she grinned evilly.

"Get me out of here," Snicker-Snack squeaked.

"No, no, stay right where you are," Shining Armor insisted, pulling him along the garden path. "Seriously, I am more than honored to meet you. Twilight's told us all about you, and there's nothing I'd like better than to get to know the guy who's… well, the guy who's banging my baby sister. But let's put that aside for the moment and just hang out a bit as guys, okay? That's what we're here for."

"Um, okay," Snicker-Snack said, turning his head to silently beg Twilight for help. Twilight just beamed and waved at him.

"Snickers," Shining Armor said sharply.

"Hmm?"

"Listen, broseph, there's a lot you don't know about Twilight and where she's coming from… who she is, and what she does, and I'd be happy to fill you in. Say, while I give you a tour of Canterlot Castle. You're a smart guy, right? I think you'll appreciate the art and culture that our princesses have collected for display around here. I'm sure you've lived in Equestria all your life and still have no idea who your rulers truly are…"

"Wait, wait, wait, slow down a bit," Snicker-Snack interrupted. "And I'm sorry, I stopped listening and lost all potential respect I might have had for you when you said the word 'broseph'."

"Oh, you want to see me command respect, do you? Ever been hit in the face with an indestructium shield?"

"Can't say as I have, Captain, sir. I'd love to take this tour with you, Your Highness, sir. Rest assured I'm hanging onto your every word, Your Highness-captainness-sirness, sir."

"Hmm… you know, we've had two kids working at the castle for years and I don't think we've ever gotten a tour," Night Light said thoughtfully.

"Well, I wouldn't mind getting a refill on my wine," Twilight Velvet muttered.

Twilight watched all of them go and laughed a little. "Oh my goodness, I've never seen him so awkward. He just surprises me around every turn. He's so cute!"

Cadance stood beside her, giggling.

"What's up?" Twilight said, surprised.

"Oh, nothing, nothing," Cadance muttered. "It's just that… considering how you jumped into it—foolishly, recklessly, without a thought in your head—you have a surprisingly respectable sex life."

"I—what?" Twilight demanded. "What do you know about my sex life?"

"Twilie, please, who do you think you're talking to? I'm an expert at reading the bonds of love between ponies, and that includes physical love you may have shared. All I had to do was take a glance to realize you'd lost it. I mentioned it to Shining Armor, that's probably why he charged right into the conversation like that. Regained his composure quick, though."

"Oh, yeah, definitely."

"I'm impressed with you, Twilight," Cadance said tenderly. "I'm impressed with how in love you are. So often, I run into young fillies who are wondering 'what the hay did I sleep with that guy for'? But if I'm reading your feelings and his correctly… we're looking at the distinct possibility that this is the only guy you'll ever sleep with. That's a pretty impressive feat in this modern age of sex on the second date, you pathetic lusty geek."

Twilight laughed, then looked up at Cadance curiously. "You really think he's the one for me?"

Cadance shrugged. "Who's to say? But your feelings are strong. I think they can get the two of you through a lot."

The two of them went silent then, watching Snicker-Snack, Shining Armor, and Twilight's parents entering the castle. They could faintly hear Shining Armor saying, "So, seriously, dude, I have to ask now or it'll be eating at me all night, what the hell is up with your eyes, man?"

"Do I like him more than he likes me?" Twilight asked. "I'm sure that's the case, but I just want to make sure…"

Cadance chuckled. "Everypony thinks that, Twilight. As it stands, it's nearly impossible to quantify the feelings of a couple who loves each other. Trust me, he loves you… very, very much. I get the vibe that he surprises himself, that he didn't realize he was capable of this kind of love."

"You get all that from a 'vibe'?" Twilight wondered.

"Yep. Aren't I awesome?"

The two sisters, in-laws but true sisters nonetheless, smiled at each other lovingly. Cadance looked up, and exclaimed in pleasant surprise. Twilight turned around to see both Celestia and Luna looming over her.

"Oh, Your Majesties!" she said joyfully. "I didn't think you'd have time to drop by."

Celestia bowed her head toward Twilight. "I can always spare a minute for you, my darling, my dearest, my Twilight."

"Ay, but more than the single minute cannot be spared, I fear," Luna said softly. "Come, sister, to our studies."

"What's going on?" Twilight asked.

"I wish I knew," Celestia said solemnly. "But we may have need of you in the next few months. Keep your eyes open."

"I will," Twilight promised softly.

"I wish you luck in love, Twilight Sparkle," Luna said as she and her sister departed.

"Thank you, Luna."