Captain Anonymous - Chapter 32 - Meet The Parents
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
>When you wake up the next morning, Twilight is nowhere to be found, the blankets tossed almost completely off the bed, a single purple feather laying on your chest. It’s not like her to be gone when you wake up like this. Even when she awakens first she always lingers in bed until you do as well. Fearing the worst, your heart leaping into your throat with a shot of adrenaline to your system, you scramble out of bed and run out of the room, calling out her name in a clearly panicked voice several times. Eventually she answers you back, stepping out of the bathroom with a towel still wrapped around her mane, steam billowing out from behind her.
 
>”Anon what’s wrong?” she says when she sees and hears you. Your back hits the wall and you slide to the floor in instantaneous relief, your heart still pounding wildly.
 
“Nothing Twily, nothing. I just panicked when I woke up and you weren’t with me. I’m a little on edge after everything we’ve been through.”
 
>”Sorry Anon, I didn’t mean to scare you,” she says with a nuzzle.
 
>You give her a quick peck on the tip of her snout before standing back up.
 
>”Did you still want to go meet mom and dad today?”
 
“Yeah, of course. You leave me enough hot water?”
 
>”There’s always enough hot water, Anon. Go take a shower and we can start getting ready to go.”
 
“Do your parents still live in Canterlot?”
 
>”Yeah, in the same house I grew up in. They never moved even after me and Shining Armor grew up and moved away.”
 
“As many times as we’ve been to Canterlot together and with all that’s been going on lately, I still haven’t met them. We’re seriously way, way past due for this.”
 
>”Well, get a move on then,” she says, magically twirling up the towel and snapping it on you.
 
“OW! Alright, alright, I’m going,” you say, rubbing your rear as you enter the bathroom.
 
>You make it a fast one, cleaning up and shaving as quickly as you can. You return to Twilight’s bedroom with a towel wrapped around your waist, sitting on the bed next to her with a sigh, feeling refreshed and ready to start the day.
 
>”So, have you decided what you’re gonna wear yet?” Twilight asks as she brushes her mane and tail, holding up a mirror in front of herself.
 
“Not really. Were you planning on wearing anything special?” you ask out of curiosity.
 
>”Nothing but the fur on my back. It’s just my parents, Anon, we don’t have to show up looking all fancy and formal. Just be casual. I’m just about ready to go, you better hurry up and go find something.”
 
>You rub your body in a few more damp spots with the towel before tossing it aside, but you remain seated on her bed.
 
>”Are you having second thoughts, Anon?” she asks, seeing your hesitation.
 
“Not at all. I was just thinking.”
 
>”About what?”
 
“You said casual.”
 
>”Yes, and?”
 
>You gesture to your naked body as you reply.
 
“It doesn’t get much more casual than this.”
 
>”You sure about that, Anon? You’ve always said your people are uncomfortable being nak-“
 
>You press a finger over her lips.
 
“As far as I’m concerned, Twi, after everything that’s happened, this week I’m a pony. If all of you are fine running around without clothes, then I guess I am too, for now.”
 
>Twilight smiles at you, taking her brush to your hair to make it more presentable.
 
>”Well then, I guess we’re both ready to go,” she says with a quick sigh, hopping down from the bed and putting the brush and mirror away.
 
>You walk alongside each other in silence as you head toward the ship. You feel yourself becoming nervous at the thought of introducing yourself to Twi’s parents. She senses your apprehension and nuzzles your hand as you board the ship.
 
>”Don’t worry, Anon, it’ll be okay.”
 
>When you reach the bridge you take a seat in the pilot’s chair and sigh, Twilight sitting on her haunches and looking at you expectantly. You take a deep breath and release it slowly before issuing command to the computer.
 
“Computer, separate pilot module from main hull for surface transport mode.”
 
>”Surface transport mode initiated. Pilot module separated. Please specify piloting mode.”
 
“Piloting mode?”
 
>”Surface transport mode allows for manual, automatic, or neural-interface controlled navigation.”
 
“Hmm…” you say, pausing for a moment. “Manual mode.”
 
>The small panel in front of the pilot’s chair extends and surrounds you in a semi-circle with familiar standard helm controls that you’re more accustomed to. A seat has already emerged for Twilight that she’s made herself comfortable on. You look at her, and she gives you a smile and nod.
 
>As you power up the engines, you feel a slight rocking as the smaller, lighter pilot module physically detaches from the rest of the ship. This is much more appropriate than getting all plugged in to the whole ship just for this short little trip, and it feels nice to actually sit behind manual controls once again. You soon find the only drawback of this mode is the slightly limited speed. It won’t be the nearly instantaneous trip you’d been accustomed to, but it still won’t take long. You should arrive in Canterlot in less than five minutes. You set your course, maneuvering your ship as you accelerate away and gain altitude.
 
>The short trip there is quiet, you and Twilight both beginning to feel your nerve wavering the closer you get. When you arrive, Twilight points out where her parents’ house is, and you find a safe spot nearby to land that’s only a couple of blocks away. The couple of ponies you pass in the street don’t even seem to notice the two of you together.
 
>You do hope you didn’t scare them too badly with the whole lockdown thing. But hey, it’s always better to be safe than sorry. Or could it be it’s actually come to the point where you’re just not as much of a public spectacle anymore?
 
>You don’t get the chance to ponder it long, as you’re soon at their door.
 
“So… you wanna knock or should I?”
 
>Twilight looks up at you with a nervous smile before lifting a hoof and rapping on the large wooden door in front of you.
 
>A white unicorn mare with white and purple mane opens the door, smiling when she sees her daughter, eager to wrap her in a hug.
 
>”Twilight! My baby girl! It’s been too long! Your father and I have been missing y…”
 
>She stops mid-sentence when she seems to finally notice you.
 
>”O…oh… hello there…”
 
>You rub the back of your neck nervously
 
“H..hi.”
 
>”You must be that Captain Anon fellow we’ve been hearing about…”
 
>You bow to her, extending your hand as she releases Twilight from her hug
 
“Just Anon is fine, ma’am, thank you.”
 
>Twilight’s mother cautiously places a hoof in your palm, which you shake gently.
 
>”Twilight Velvet…” she replies with a bit of hesitation, her ears starting to flatten against her head.
 
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, ma’am,” you say with a warm smile.
 
>Velvet gives a nervous smile, then turns her head and calls for her husband.
 
>”Honey… we have guests, Twilight and… Anon, the one everypony’s been talking about…”
 
>You still can’t quite make out if she’s nervous, worried, or put off by you, or a combination of the three, her ears still laying flat. Twilight is sitting on her haunches next to you, biting her lip hard and looking away. Velvet is soon joined at the door by another unicorn, a blue stallion, who eyes you with curiosity as he stands at her side. You’re quick to offer him your hand as well.
 
“Sir, it’s a pleasure to meet you, I’m the one you’ve probably heard of as ‘Captain Anonymous,’ but I prefer just Anon.”
 
>He seems less reluctant to allow you to shake his hoof, still looking more curious than anything else as he replies.
 
>”Night Light…”
 
>The awkwardness feels like it’s going to last forever. Twilight finally clears her throat and speaks.
 
>”S..so, mom, dad, now you’ve met Anon… can we uh… can we come in?”
 
>Velvet seems to come back to her senses a bit, hear ears perking back up as her daughter speaks.
 
>”Oh, OH! Of course, of course, how rude of me. Please, Twilight, mister Anon, come in, come in!” she says, standing aside to open the door wider and allow the two of you to pass through.
 
>You and Twilight take a seat on one side of a U-shaped sofa that’s quite soft and comfortable, Twilight maintains some distance from you for the time being as her parents sit down across from the two of you.
 
>”Twilight dear, can I get you anything? A daisy sandwich? Mister Anon, um… some… water?” Velvet asks.
 
>Twilight giggles a bit, smiling at her mother as her own ears begin to flatten.
 
>”No thanks mom, we’re okay.”
 
>Twilight’s response is followed by more uncomfortable silence. You thought things might be a little awkward but this is ridiculous.
 
>”So Twilight, what brings you and… Anon… around? I’m guessing with everything that’s been happening the two of you have become friends, yes?” Night Light asks with a slight tilt of his head.
 
>You and Twilight look at each other.
 
>”You… could say that, dad. Well… yeah, yeah we have become friends. Good friends, actually,” she laughs nervously.
 
>The atmosphere in this room is just asininely uncomfortable. You try to cut through some of it with a more confident tone as you speak.
 
“It’s so nice to finally meet the two of you, I’ve been wanting to for such a long time. Mrs. Velvet, might I say, I can definitely see Twilight takes after you. It’s no wonder she’s such a beautiful mare herself.”
 
>Both Twilights blush with your compliment, Night Light’s head just tilts a little more.
 
>”Yes, our little has girl turned out to be quite the lovely mare. We wonder sometimes if all the stallions in Equestria are blind or just crazy since she still hasn’t caught anypony’s eye yet,” he says. Twilight’s sudden flinch almost gives her away, she shrinks into the sofa a little, blushing even more with embarrassed, worried laughter.
 
>”Mister Anon,” Velvet says, “neither of us is… entirely sure what exactly is going on. We heard about you when you first got here but not much after that until now. All that we’ve been told is that… some of your people might want to cause us harm, but you want to stop them… have you been living in Ponyville?”
 
“Yes ma’am, I’ve been living in Ponyville ever since I first got here. That’s how your daughter and I became friends. She’s a very caring and generous pony, and has been kind enough to allow me to stay in a guest room in her palace. It’s taken the rest of the ponies around Equestria quite a while to get used to me… a lot of them were downright nasty to me at first,” you say, looking lovingly over at Twilight as she continues to shrink back, as though she were trying to become part of the sofa itself.
 
“Twilight was different though. She was suspicious of me at first, but once the initial misunderstandings surrounding my arrival were cleared up, she was quick to apologize and try to make amends with me.”
 
“I’ve mentioned a couple of times over the course of our friendship that I couldn’t wait to meet the stallion and mare that foaled such a good-hearted little filly and raised her to be so perfect, unfortunately a good time never presented itself I’m afraid, that is until now.”
 
>”We’ve also heard that your people are here now, in some kind of ships that sail between the stars… and that more of them are coming. We’ve been worried since hearing that… what makes you want to stay here with us instead of going back to them?” Velvet asks cautiously.
 
“Ma’am, Equestria is my home now. I’ve come to love the ponies that live here and I don’t want any harm to come to them. My people betrayed me when they marooned me here which damaged my loyalty to them significantly at the time. I do have a certain amount of power I am able to exert over my people to help protect Equestria, but I’m afraid the situation is quite complex and would take some time to fully explain properly. And, respectfully ma’am, I was hoping to avoid the subject altogether for the next several days,” you say politely.
 
>”I see…” she replies, “Twilight, you trusted mister Anonymous enough to allow him to share your home all this time and no harm has come to you, so I believe what he says… Mister Anon, I do apologize if I seem a bit… skittish around you, I mean you no offense. If you’ve earned Twilight’s friendship then I have no reason to fear you, but… I’m ashamed to say I still am a bit frightened by your presence.”
 
>You offer her a warm smile and speak in a soothing tone.
 
“I understand, ma’am. No offense taken. This is a new and… unique situation for you, it’s only natural that you might be a bit apprehensive. Is there anything I can do to ease your fear?”
 
>She simply shakes her head, looking down in shame.
 
“I see. Well, I hope I can change that by the end of our visit.”
 
>”Mom… there’s no reason to be afraid of Anon at all. Trust me when I say I’ve seen for myself just how far he’s willing to go to protect us, the sacrifices he’s made to ensure our safety, the risks he’s taken to his own life just to secure that safety a little better. It’s no exaggeration to say that Anon loves Equestria with all of his heart. He loves us, all of us. Very, very, much. Without him, it’s possible Equestria could have been overrun by dark forces long ago and suffered a terrible fate.”
 
>”I understand, Twilight, honey, it’s just an instinctual thing… I’ll get over it soon enough.”
 
>You can see her starting to shake. This is not what you wanted at all, your simply being here is scaring her and putting her on edge. You lower your voice almost to a whisper.
 
“Sir… ma’am… may I come closer to you for just a moment?”
 
>They nod their heads hesitantly. You slide off the sofa and onto the floor, scooting yourself over to where they’re sitting, hoping that being below them will make you seem less threatening, if even only on a subconscious level. You look up to Night Light and still see that same curiosity, and now confusion, but no real fear.
 
“Sir… please don’t be offended by what I’m about to do,” you turn your head for a moment, “Twilight?”
 
>”Don’t freak out daddy, he’s just going to try to calm mom down, he doesn’t mean anything by it okay?”
 
>Night Light’s eyes narrow in suspicion for a moment but eventually he nods. Velvet’s eyes are shut tight and she’s still shaking. You speak to her calmly, slowly raising your hand up to her and placing it on top of her head. She flinches and squeals angrily, her head jerking away instinctively when you touch her, but you stay with her. Night Light looks like he’s about to react when Twilight stops him.
 
>”Daddy, please… just wait.”
 
“Shhhhhhhh… shhhhh…. it’s okay…” you whisper.
 
>You begin to scratch the top of Velvet’s head, down the side of her neck and back up again. You can feel her tension slowly dissipating, though her eyes are still shut tight. Eventually you reach up to her ears, rubbing and scratching them gently, then back down her neck, up and down her back. Eventually she opens her eyes and stops shaking, releasing a soft sigh when you take your hand off her. She looks down at you, seeming much more serene.
 
“Feeling a little better, ma’am?” you ask, smiling up at her. She simply nods her head at you as you return to your seat. “I know that may have seemed a bit forward, I hope you’ll both forgive me for that, but I could tell you were growing increasingly anxious by my presence and I wanted to calm your nerves.”
 
>”I… appreciate the gesture, mister Anon. I do feel a little more relaxed now, thank you,” Velvet replies.
 
>Night Light looks back and forth between you and his wife before speaking to Twilight again
 
>”So, Twilight honey, it’s good to have you home again but… you never quite answered my question. We know you have a lot of responsibilities and stay busy, and we understand why you aren’t able to visit often. I’m still wondering just what brings you around, sweetie. Somehow I get the feeling there’s something you’re not telling us… you’ve been squirming around a lot since you came in…” he questions his daughter.
 
>Twilight looks petrified and on the verge of hyperventilating, opening her mouth but unable to force any words out. Eventually you let out a deep sigh, scooting closer to her and putting your arm around her to calm her down, drawing inquisitive looks from her parents.
 
“Go on Twi,” you encourage her gently, “answer your father.”
 
>Twilight leans against you and swallows a lump in her throat.
 
>”Well, daddy, the main reason we came here was so you two could meet Anon…” she replies hesitantly, “and…”
 
>She’s not able to continue. A knowing expression suddenly falls over Night Light’s face.
 
>”Sweetheart, would it be easier if Anon and I left the room for a few minutes so you can talk to your mother alone? You seem to be under a lot of pressure right now.”
 
>Eventually she nods.
 
>”Yeah… that… that might make me feel a little better,” she replies.
 
>Night light hops down and gives his daughter a hug and kiss on her cheek.
 
>”Take all the time you need, sweetie. Mister Anon, would you join me in the kitchen please?” He says, turning to look at you.
 
“Of course,” you say, giving Twilight a reassuring smile before you leave the room with him.
 
>He magically levitates a chair away from the kitchen table.
 
>”Please Anon, have a seat. I insist,” he says, his tone of voice has become much more firm as he reaches for a couple of mugs, pouring something into one. “Care for a mug of cider?”
 
>You accept, not wanting to appear rude. He fills the two mugs, sliding one across the table to you as he takes a seat in front of you. You nervously take a drink, but you maintain eye contact with the stallion.
 
>”I’ll be direct, Anon. What are your intentions toward my daughter?”
 
“To keep her safe, just like every pony else in Equestr…”
 
>”Anon, you know what I meant,” he says with a snort.
 
>You hear elevated voices from the next room, causing both of you to turn your heads for a moment.
 
>”You what!?” ”Mom, just let me explain…”
 
>You wince a little bit, this isn’t going well. You chug the rest of your cider, wiping your mouth with a deep breath and closing your eyes for a moment before you speak.
 
“Sir, your daughter and I… we’re in love. Romantic love…” you say. Night Light’s expression is unreadable as you continue to speak to him. “She means more to me than anything in the universe, I’ve never cared so deeply for anyone in my life before, sir. I know you might be a little shocked or confused, but please try to understand… I would never harm your daughter.”
 
>Night Light sighs. Well at least he’s not going crazy on you, he seems to be taking it fairly well so far.
 
>”All the stallions in Equestria, and it had to be you…” he says, seeming disappointed.
 
“You said it yourself sir, all the stallions in Equestria must be blind or crazy. I was stunned myself when Twilight admitted her feelings for me… but I’m so happy she did. We’ve been together for quite some time, sir. I wish we could have talked sooner, but we were both afraid of how you and your wife would react when you found out about us.”
 
>”You mean she initiated it?” He asks skeptically.
 
>You nod and smile.
 
“That’s right.”
 
>”And it never once bothered you that she’s a completely different species?”
 
“Not even slightly. Over the time I’ve spent here, I started to find females of your species attractive, though I never imagined I’d have any chance with Twilight. Amongst my people interspecies relationships aren’t entirely uncommon, as our alliance is made up of over twenty different species.”
 
>”I see…”
 
“She and I butted heads for quite some time in the beginning, even though we were close friends. I guess I never really looked at her that way until she said something about it. Once I knew how she felt, I couldn’t hurt her and shoot her down after all she’d done for me and how close we were. Besides, I already felt a great deal of affection for her anyway. It didn’t take long for me to fall in love with her, too, and I’ve never been happier in my life.”
 
>”I wish I knew what to say right now, Anon. On the one hoof, I’m happy my little girl has finally found love, but on the other… this isn’t exactly what I was expecting when she did. I don’t understand it at all... I mean… where exactly do you see this all going eventually? What happens when this is all over and you return to your people?”
 
>There’s a great deal of uneasiness in your voice as you answer.
 
“Like I said, Equestria is my home now. Regardless of what happens, I have no intention of ever leaving. Twilight… she means everything to me, I wish I could express to you how much I adore her, but the words just don’t exist to accurately describe it. I… I plan on spending the rest of my life with her, sir, one way or another. I’d rather die than ever be separated from her… and I’d give my life in a heartbeat to protect her from anything or anyone that would ever try to hurt her.”
 
>You’re surprised Night Light is remaining as calm as he is, and that you haven’t heard any more yelling from the other room. You were at least expecting the whole ‘if you ever hurt my daughter…’ routine accompanied by threatening posturing, the whole nine yards, but he’s just sitting there looking extremely contemplative and more than a little confused.
 
>”So, from what you’re saying I’m guessing you want to marry my daughter, then…” he says bluntly.
 
“Yes sir, I would really like to someday…” you reply sheepishly.
 
>”What about foals?”
 
“I want to be a father…”
 
>”Is that even possible?”
 
“I hope so… but even if Twily and I aren’t… compatible biologically, we could always adopt. I want nothing more desperately than for us to start our own family together when the time is right.”
 
>”Hmm.”
 
>Why has he still not tried to throttle you yet?
 
“So… um… Shining Armor. He’s also quite the stallion. He was pretty ecstatic when he found out about me and Twilight.”
 
>”My son knows about this?”
 
“Yeah… he and I have actually become pretty close. He even offered to be here for us when we decided to tell you about our relationship.”
 
>”Good to know.”
 
“Look… I’m not really sure how you and your wife feel about all of this, but please don’t be too hard on Twilight.”
 
>”I’m not upset or anything Anon, it’s just… going to take me a while to process all of this is all.”
 
“I’m glad to hear that…”
 
>You sit in silence as Night Light finishes his cider.
 
>”Well, you’ve certainly given me a lot to think about, Anon. Why don’t we return to the other room, I’m sure my wife and daughter have had plenty of time to talk things over.”
 
>You follow him back into the other room where you find Twilight on the sofa next to her mother, embracing her, both of them teary-eyed. Night Light sits next to his daughter and you take your former seat across from the three of them. Her father places a hoof on her back lovingly and she turns her head to smile at him, wiping her tears away. Velvet looks over at you with a smile, exchanging a nuzzle with her daughter before she hops down to return to you.
 
>Twilight leaps into your lap, straddling you as she wraps her hooves and wings around you, squeezing you tightly and nuzzling your cheek before resting her head on your shoulder. You’re surprised when you look past her and see both of her parents simply smiling warmly at the two of you as they lean against each other. You wrap your arms around her, gently stroking her mane.
 
“Love you…” you whisper to her, closing your eyes as you kiss her neck. You’re relieved that the worst of it seems to be over now. Maybe they don’t understand it, but clearly they’re satisfied to see their little girl as happy as she is with you, so they’re rolling with it. You'll gladly take that for now.