"What's the big brother act?" Twilight asked.

"... What are you talking about?"

"Steven, what's the big brother act?"

"Oh man, you were talking to Steven directly?! Don't acknowledge him! He's right you know. Now that I know you wanna know what it is, there's no way I'm telling you!" Twilight narrowed her eyes.

"Jerk!"

"Me?"

"No, I was referring to Steven!"

"Oh, good. Well... Tell your brother I'm honored, but I just don't have the time!" Twilight's eyes widened.

"Y-you're going to refuse to see Shining Armor?!"

"Yeah... sorry, but like you said, I've got too much to do anyway. I just can't afford to spend my time on it! I would love to meet him, but I'd prefer to spend the little time I have with my son and friends."

"B-but... Shining Armor could be your friend... You two have a lot in common you know, he's a royal guard!"

"Really? Well, that's nice and all, but I simply can't do it!"

"Well... What if I told you he was captain of the royal guard?! Is the visit important enough then?"

"Whoa! I thought Steel was captain of the guard!" Twilight tilted her head at me. Then she seemed to understand what I was talking about.

"Oh! You mean Steel Boulder! No, there are three different kinds of royal knights, there are Lunar Knights, like you, Celestial Knights, led by Rhino, then the Royal Guard. Steel is the captain of the Lunar Knights, Shining Armor is the captain of the Royal Guard!"

"Wow Twilight, how do you know so much about the military forces of Equestria?"

"When your brother is captain of the guard, you learn a few things."

"Well, that makes sense I guess. Still though, just being a captain doesn't make him more important to me. My friends and son come first. Then work, then everything else."

"... Are you sure? It would mean a lot to me if you two met... and got along..."

"Well, some day I'm sure, but I just don't have the time! I'm sorry. Please give him my humblest apologies."

"Hey! Sharky, you there?" RD was knocking on the door.

"Case of point, I've got a play date. You should get to sleep."

"... Ok Sharky... I'll respect your decision. Goodnight..." Twilight trotted back up the stairs and into her bedroom as I answered the door.

"Hi RD! Hi Scootaloo! Hi... Gilda? What are you doing here still? Don't they need you back at the Empire?"

"Maybe, but it's not like I care. Things are way better here! I even made my own cloud house!"

"Wow! Sweet... This won't result in a gryffin attack to reclaim the princess right?"

"Heh, doubt it... there's no way my dad'll care enough to send soliders."

"Right... RD, Scootaloo. Nice to see you guys! Won't you come in?" I stepped out of the doorway and gestured for them to come in. They all filed in and sat down around the table with the wooden horse head. "Sweet. So, how many of you have eaten lunch? Unity's still asleep for now, so I can make us some lunch while we wait."

"I'd love something to eat!" Scootaloo piped up. I smiled at her.

"Yeah, I could go for a bite." RD agreed. Gilda looked nervous.

"Ahh... uhh... no thanks..."

"Not a fan of veggies Gilda? It's ok. Not my favorite either to be honest..." I consoled.

"Then what do you like to eat?" Scootaloo asked innocently. I flinched.

"Oh yeah... I never told you that... Sweetie, Sharky here eats meat. Gilda too. Don't be scared, they don't eat pony." RD explained. Scootaloo's eyes flew open and she started backing up.

"Y-you eat w-what?!" She wailed. She backed up all the way into a bookcase. RD followed her, cooing and trying to embrace her the whole way.

"No no, calm down, Sharky and Gilda are good remember? There's no need to be scared, hush dear..." She slowly calmed Scootaloo down and pulled her into a hug. She rubbed a hoof through Scootaloo's mane and mumbled to her until she stopped shaking.

"Whoa... Where did that come from RD?" I asked in suprise. She lifted her head away from Scootaloo.

"Where did what come from?"

"That! That was some great parenting there..." RD blushed.

"Oh... it's no big deal..."

"Y-yeah... she's a great parent... I'm sorry I freaked out..." Scootaloo managed to mumble.

"Ugh, I think I'm gonna choke on the emotion. It's ok Scootaloo. I totally understand. RD, way to go girl. Well... I can't help you with the meat Gilda, but I'm gonna go make the rest of us a salad... After I ask Twilight if it's ok..."

"It's fine!" Twilight yelled from her room.

"Are you eavesdropping?!"

"No!"

"Freakin' creeper. Go to sleep!"

"Ok!"

"Why do you keep saying mean things?" Scootaloo asked innocently.

"... Uh... RD?"

"Don't worry, I got it. You can go start that lunch."

"Imma go find some lunch of my own. I'll see you guys later." Gilda turned and left the library. I walked into the kitchen and found some lettuce and tomato. Oooh, onions too. I washed my hands, then set to cutting up all the vegetables. I tossed them all into a big bowl and mixed them all together.

"Salad's done!" I called as I divided the dish up into a few bowls for my friends and I. RD and Scootaloo came running in. "... That means you too Twilight!"

"Oh, ok!" I heard her trot down the stairs as she came into the kitchen.

"Ok, everypony dig in!" As we all sat down at a table in the kitchen, I heard crying from upstairs. "Oh, Unity's awake! I'll be right back!" I stood up and left the kitchen quickly. I jogged through the main room and up the steps to the bedroom. Unity was laying in the little bed, still dressed in his pony outfit. He was crying his little eyes out. His tears boiled away and floated away from his face as they rolled down his cheeks. I was a little afraid to pick him up because of it, but at my touch his tears stopped and he was normal temperature. "Hey buddy! Let's go get some lunch ok?" He stared at me blankly. "... Still a baby, right." I walked back out of the bedroom and through the library until I was back in the kitchen. "Everypony enjoying the salads?" There were mixed 'mmm' and 'uh-huh' noises before they all went back to eating. "Well damn, take a breath will ya? Glad to hear you all like it!" I made Unity a sun bottle and had Twilight heat it for me again. I fed Unity the bottle. Only the milk this time. The bottle was left hanging in midair again. I grabbed it, and it liquified in my hands. Scootaloo didn't freak out again, so I assume she didn't just see the bottle liquify.

"Oh, let me clean that..." Twilight offered. She had finished her salad, and seconds.

"No no, I got it." I argued.

"No, you fed Unity, I'll clean the spill." Twilight shot back.

"No, you take care of him all the time while I'm gone, I got it."

"It doesn't matter, it's my house, and I'll clean it if I want to."

"Well he's my son and it's my responsibility to clean up his messes."

"You're both wrong." RD interrupted. "I already got it." I looked down, and sure enough, the spill was gone.

"How did you..." I started.

"Fastest pegasus in Equestria."

"Ah, of course. Well, you go actually get in bed Twi, let's get to that play-date Scootaloo!" Twilight's ears drooped, but she turned and headed off to her bed without complaint.

"Ooooh! Do I get to play foal with Unity?!" Scootaloo asked excitedly. I blinked a few times.

"What?"

"Foal, you know, the game where I take care of him like he was my foal?"

"Oh, I'm familiar with that game. It's called 'baby' in my world. I didn't think you'd be the kinda filly to play a game like that..."

"Oh... is that bad?"

"It's terrible. What are you, a baby? No, it's not bad, you just suprised me..."

"Hey! Be nice Steven!" Scootaloo scolded. I guess RD did a pretty good job of explaining it to her.

"Oh for the love of... Don't speak to him directly!"

"Oh... sorry. Well, can I play with Unity now?"

"Sure! Just uhh... be careful..."

"Well I know that! He is just a baby! I wouldn't wanna hurt him..."

"Not him I'm worried about..."

"What?"

"Nothing. Let's go into the main room and you two can play there. Oof!" A coin pouch appeared out of nowhere and landed on my head. "Hey, my pay!"

"Pay? You haven't gone on any missions lately!" RD said confusedly.

"That's what you think. Killed a golem this morning. Let's see here... 2000 bits. Hey, that's not too bad! I was worried it would be crazy high again..."

"Wait, that's not a sentence you just throw out like that! 'Killed a golem this morning'. You act like it's no big deal! You could've died!"

"Not really. Beat it in under three minutes. Ok, here he is Scootaloo. You two play nice now..." We had walked into the main room as I talked. I set Unity on the ground and let Scootaloo play with him. She started tickling him and cradling him in her hooves. "Dear Celestia that's adorable."

"Yeah... You know, bein' a mom is way more awsome than I thought it would be..."

"Really? How so?"

"Well, thought it would be a ton of work, which it is, but it's also way more... happy."

"Happy?"

"I'm just happy. All the time now. When I'm with her... it's like I've done something very important. Something good. It makes me happy ya know?"

"I know what you mean." Scootaloo started giving Unity raspberries. "Oh dear god... my heart..."

"Sharky! Are you ok?!"

"Yeah, that's just the sweetest cutest thing I've ever seen in my entire life..." Unity was giggling like his life depended on it and wiggling his 'hooves' around wildly. Scootaloo was smiling and laughing along with him. "Anyway, I know what you mean. Unity... Whenever I'm taking care of him, I feel like I did something very right."

"Yeah... Sharky... I want to tell you something..."

"Shoot."

"That girl..."

"Who?"

"The one from your other world." I flinched.

"Uhh... yeah... what about her?"

"She has got to be the dumbest, most unlucky girl ever."

"How do you figure?"

"She let you go. I don't think she knew what she was missing."

"He still won't get that you like him. Calling it now. That's... very nice of you to say RD... Oh my god... He thinks your trying to talk to him like a beer drinking buddy after a break-up! Rich! but you're wrong... That girl... to quote a favorite song of mine... you don't know like I do, you'll never understand. You don't know what we've been through, yeah that girl's my best friend." RD flinched and gave me a look of shock. Scootaloo either couldn't hear us or wasn't listening. She was totally absorbed into playing with Unity.

"How can you talk about her like that?! She wasn't even loyal!"

"Funny that you would say that... It doesn't matter. I know what she did was wrong, and I know I shouldn't care... but I just can't bring myself to dislike her. Because he's too much of a wussy."

"You still... love her?"

"Oh god no. No way, she royally screwed that up. I just... I can't say that I'm mad or that I hate her... NO Scootaloo! Don't take off his hat!" I yelled suddenly as Scootaloo started tugging on Unity's stocking cap with her mouth. Scootaloo released his hat as soon as I yelled.

"Why? Is something wrong?" She asked worriedly.

"Uhh... no... I just want him to keep that hat on..."

"Okayyyy... why?"

"Because I am weird! Just leave it on ok?"

"... Sure..." After that, I didn't have any problems with Scootaloo and Unity. RD and I talked a little more, but soon Scootaloo and her left for some flight training. After they left, I went to go wake Twilight up, but she was waiting by her bedroom door for me.

"Are you free to read now?" She asked excitedly.

"... Yes... have you been waiting here for me?"

"Noooo..."

"Yes she has." Spike said from his bed. He must've been relaxing there almost this whole time. Twilight shot him a glare.

"Oh... Twi... I wanted you to get that rest... Well, I suppose it can't be helped now... Well, let's get to reading then shall we?" She nodded and we both picked a random book off the shelves in her room.

"Memoirs of Starswirl the Bearded, a look into the makings of modern magic. What book did you get?"

"Twilight's Diary. Do not read, this means you." Twilight magically pulled the book out of my hands.

"Spike! You put my diary on the library shelves?!"

"Sorry! It looks like all the other books!"

"It's ok, I'll just grab another. Let's see... Ah! Daring Do. I wanted to read these..." I pulled the first book off the shelves and sat down in a corner to read. Twilight trotted over and crawled in my lap. I ran my hand through her mane absent mindedly as I read. In about 8 hours, I had finished the first 2 books and was almost done with the third. I had stopped to feed Unity and put him in bed, but the books were so engrossing that I didn't bother to stop for much else. Late that night, my body finally decided to shut me down.

"How did you enjoy your books Sharky?" Twilight asked as the third book fell out of my hands and onto the floor.

"Zzzzzz..."

"Awww... He fell asleep... How cute." Twilight levitated me over to the bed and laid me down. With that, she crawled into the bed with me and pressed herself against my sleeping body. "Well, so much for your dinner with Rarity..."