Celestia's New World

November 11

I checked my clock as I pulled next to the curb in front of Sarah's house. I was right on time. Just like before, I was blown away at the sheer size of the house. I don't visit this part of town often, so I don't typically see houses of this magnitude. At an estimation, her house was easily twice the size of my own.

I got out and stood up, and even then, I still had to crane my head upwards to see the top of the house. It looked like it was three stories, or maybe two and an attic. On the outside, it seemed rather old, at least in the dark, but I'm sure it's been entirely modernized. Having seen the inside once before, I knew she wasn't kidding when she said her dad was rich.

I wonder how much a place like this would go for. I need a bigger house to store all the kids Celestia and I are gonna have. Raise. I meant raise.

Ah dang, I should've bought a gift. Like... a bottle of cheap wine. Would that have been appropriate? I should've asked Celestia. Whatever, too late now.

With a knock on the door, it swung open, bringing me face to face with Sarah once more.

"Phil! Come in, please." She stepped aside, welcoming me into her home.

I stepped into the house. Now that I had more time to look around, the whiteness struck me once again. This place was beautiful. It was so clean and well maintained. The table in the dining room to the right was already covered in dishes for us. The smell of cooked food wafted through the air. It smelled like ham. I really liked ham. I hope there's no pineapple on it, but I won't be picky if there is.

A neat collection of shoes sat near the entrance, so I removed mine and added them to the group.

"Is that him?" I heard a man enthusiastically ask from another room. He emerged from what I assumed was the kitchen into the dining room. As soon as he laid eyes on me, he let out a loud, "Ah, there he is!"

Sarah's father was a portly man whose hair was showing signs of greying. He sported a modest moustache and, from my best guess, was in his late-fifties. He looked kinda like Vernon Dursley from the Harry Potter movies, though he was a bit on the short side. He wore a sweater over a shirt, with a tie underneath, all neatly tucked into his pants. I felt a little out of place, but I wasn't worrying.

He approached with a smile. "You must be Phil."

We reached our hands towards each other, shaking like gentlemen. I think the last person I shook hands with was Chrysalis. This was a far different situation. There was a subtle strength in his grip, so I responded in kind.

"That's right. It's nice to finally get to meet you, Mr. Lockhart." I responded.

"The feeling is mutual, Phil. Please, call me Ben."

"Of course. I must say, this is a beautiful home you have."

"Thank you very much. It took some doing, but we got the place fixed up. My wife Olivia is just finishing up tonight's meal in the kitchen." he said. His grip loosened, signifying the end of the handshake. I let go.

"It smells great. What are you serving?"

"We've decided to keep it simple for today. Roast ham as the main course with cooked vegetables and mashed potatoes to go along with it."

"That sounds great. Seems a bit much to me, though." I said.

"Nonsense. This is just our way of welcoming you into our home. That, and this isn't just any sort of meeting, is it?"

I flashed Sarah a look. "Guess you're right about that."

"Well, of course I'm right. Our little Sarah has finally gotten herself a boyfriend."

"Dad."

"Oh sorry, honey. Make yourself at home while we finish our dinner preparations. Shouldn't be long, now."

He gave me another smile before turning and walking back to the kitchen.

"He seems nice." I said, turning to Sarah once again. His breath smelled kinda funny. Beer, maybe. No, wine, I bet.

"I am so sorry for this." she said to me.

I sighed. "It's fine. You look nice."

"Oh... Th-Thank you."

Sarah wore a sleek outfit for our meeting, black pants with a white blouse. It wasn't a formal outfit, but it seemed to match Ben's dress shirt just fine. She was rocking it, though. I think she's wearing makeup, too. Maybe it's just the lighting. Her slightly red face brought the whole thing together. Just like every other father-daughter relationship, she was a bit embarrassed by him. Maybe she just liked my compliment. I felt a little out of place in my jeans.

"I... uh... S-So you're... You're good with computers, right?"

"Hmm? Usually." I replied.

"We have a little time b-before dinner will be ready. I... have a... laptop that's been having problems. C-Could you take a look at it for me?"

"Uh... Sure? I'll give it a shot. What'd you do to it?"

"I... don't know."

I shrugged. "Alright."

She smiled. "Th-Thank you. It's in my room." She gestured up the stairs.

I shrugged again before following her. On the way up, I noticed three pictures on the wall of the staircase. One of Sarah, one of her father, and one of her mother. The portrait of her mother was very eye-catching. I can see where Sarah gets her looks from.

With Sarah's room, there were four rooms upstairs, along with a smaller door leading into what I presumed was a closet. All of the doors were closed, leaving no indication as to what could be inside.

"In here." she said, opening a door.

"Geez, you got a nice place." I said, pausing to look around for a little longer. I joined her soon after.

Like everything else in her house, Sarah's room was a blinding white. The room was very tidy. The bed against the wall was pretty big and well kept. There was nothing on the walls, but she had a few pictures in frames on her dresser. A closet door was closed in the corner of the room and a nightstand with a rather elegant lamp sat next to her bed. A computer desk was pushed against the wall opposite her bed. A sleek laptop rested on it.

"Is this the guy?" I asked, approaching the desk.

"Yep. That's... uh... Y-Yeah."

I opened it. Upon first glance, it was a pretty standard Acer laptop. If it were new, it would probably hover around the thousand dollar range. As soon as I turned it on, ads popped up on the screen. I raised an eyebrow towards Sarah. "So, what did you say happened to it?"

"I... Uh... I d-don't know." she said, "Can you... fix it?"

"Not a problem." I answered, sitting in her chair.

Sarah looked over my shoulder as I got to work. Some glaring problems immediately stuck out. There were numerous fake PC speedup programs on her desktop. It looked like she tried to fix it on her own, but it didn't seem to work. The homepage for the browser was changed as well.

Like any other computer I worked on, step one was Malwarebytes. There weren't many other steps. I leaned back in the chair and said, "Alright, that'll run for a while and clean up all this garbage. When it's done, you'll wanna restart it."

"That's it?" she asked.

"Yep."

"Wait, really? B-But that was so easy!"

"Virus removal ain't hard. But lots of people mess it up." I pointed at her fake programs. "Never pay for these."

"I... Are you... sure?"

"Yep. If we had some more time I could give ya some more info, but I wasn't really prepared for this kinda thing."

"Alright, if you say so. I can't believe it was that easy. How much do I owe you?"

"What? Oh... Uh... I'm good."

"You fixed my computer, I want to return the favor."

"It's no problem. I do this all the time. I could do this for money. I don't, but I could."

"Are you sure you don't want anything?"

"I mean, if you really wanted to, you could get me a bag of Doritos or something. But really, I'm good."

"Well... alright. Thanks."

"So..."

"So?"

"What did you look up to get all those pop-ups?" I asked.

"Um... N-Nothing."

"'Nothing'? You know, I used to say the same thing when I put viruses on my parents' computers growing up." I chuckled. She immediately looked away, so I followed up with a polite, "Sorry." I gave her a brief inquisitive gaze before standing. Sarah's pornography habits were none of my business and it was against my position as a computer service technician to snoop.

Sarah's face was a little red. "R-Right. We sh-should head back downstairs soon. They're probably wondering what's taking us."

"Computer work takes time."

She let out a nervous chuckle. She was quiet for a while before saying, "Hey, Phil?"

"Hmm?"

"I... Um... M-My... My father is... He's very particular about how you should act while you're here."

I nodded. "Anything I should keep in mind?"

"Y-You will need to act with respect towards him, and by extension, my mother and I."

"I'll be nice."

"R-Right. M-My father is a very religious man. My mother is, as well, to an extent."

"So what does that mean?" I asked.

"I... I just wanted to warn you before you spoke to him again. He has... very dated beliefs. He's very particular on when and how you should speak."

"Hey, I said I'll be nice."

She frowned. "M-My dad is usually nice, but he's very strict on the rules. Just be careful, alright?"

"It'll be fine. Everything will turn out great, you'll see."

"Oh, I hope you're right."

The two of us returned downstairs. The smell of the food was even stronger than before.

Ben appeared at the bottom of the stairs. "Dinner's... Oh, you're back. Dinner's ready, you two." he said.

"It smells great." I said.

"You get him to take a look at that computer of yours?" he asked Sarah as we followed him into the dining room.

"Y-Yeah. It didn't take long for him to check it out."

"That's good. Take a seat, please."

A wide variety of foods had been set out on the dining room table. There was far too much to eat, even for four people. Maybe this is just how they lived their lives. I'm sure it'd all make great leftovers. Olivia joined us from the kitchen, carrying a rather large bottle of wine and setting it on the table. In addition to the wine glasses on the table, the four of us had been given glasses of milk.

Now that I finally saw her in person, I found that her picture really didn't do her any justice. Olivia was a beautiful woman of medium height, standing a few inches taller than her husband. She had a slim figure and her skin had a slight tan. Her sleek, brown hair reached midway down her back. She was younger than Ben, or at least appeared younger. She obviously put a great deal of care into her appearance. Her outfit was a simple black dress.

Her breasts were pretty big, too. Given Ben's obvious wealth, they may not be entirely natural. I didn't have anything against it, I was just a little curious. I think she noticed me staring at her, because she smiled at me. Her dress didn't exactly make it difficult.

Now that I think about it, Sarah wasn't anywhere near as tall as her parents.

Ben pulled out a chair for Olivia, which she took with a smile. I did the same for Sarah, emulating his gesture. Sarah still seemed a little nervous, which is to be expected, given the situation. Me, I was doing pretty good. I think. The women sat first, thanking us for our kindness. Naturally, the men followed.

As far as I could tell, the meal itself followed no sort of religious rule. I did see a crucifix above the door frame leading into the kitchen, though. Maybe I should teach Celestia about our religions sometime. I'm sure she'd be interested.

"Let us say grace before enjoying this wonderful meal my beautiful wife has prepared for us. Phil, would you lead us?"

Sarah shot me a worried gaze.

"Uh..." Which one was grace? No, I don't remember. "I... think it would be more appropriate if you were to lead us. I wouldn't want to offend by reciting it incorrectly."

"I thought as much. Very well. Let us bow our heads in prayer." Ben recited his prayer, following with an, "Amen." We did the same. He performed the sign of the cross, which we copied. I hope it was appropriate for me to follow along. I'm not religious, I don't know the etiquette.

The four of us began to collect food for ourselves. Ben, as the head, chose first. I took mine last, mostly because it felt awkward for me otherwise. I took some from each plate, collecting ham, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and some veggies. I'm pretty sure Ben wanted to show off a bit. Nothing wrong with that when it comes to food.

"It looks delicious, Mrs. Lockhart." I said.

"Thank you, Phil. And please, Olivia is fine."

I nodded, smiling at her.

"I must say, I am surprised that you knew the prayer of Our Lord." said Ben, looking at me. He reached for the wine. As we spoke, he poured a glass for himself and his wife.

"My family was a bit religious. Both my brothers and sisters went to a Catholic school."

"And you?"

He offered me some wine, but I politely declined, raising my hand. He didn't offer any to Sarah, but there were four cups, so I imagine she could have some if she wants. Personally, I disliked wine, but if I didn't have to drive, I'd try it.

"I've never been to a religious school myself." I answered, "I honestly don't know why. And we spent a lot of time there organizing events and community gatherings. I don't... really know why I was left out." I shrugged. I wasn't bothered by it, I just thought it was kinda weird. Maybe I should ask my dad sometime.

I took a bite of the ham. The first thing I noticed was that the texture was so smooth. It fell apart so easily. It was so soft and tender. There was a distinct sweetened flavor to it too, which I loved. This stuff was great.

"What a shame. Catholic schools are much more suitable for developing the young mind. So, you met my daughter at work, is that correct?" he asked.

"That's right. I'm her manager. We met on the job and went out for coffee."

"That was the day I was late to come home." said Sarah.

"Yes, of course. I trust she's being a good employee for you."

I nodded. "She's good at her job. As good as can be expected given her limited responsibilities. She's friendly around work and is always available if she's needed."

He chuckled. "And is he a good boss to you, Sarah?"

"He's... alright. I can't complain."

"I hope your relationship isn't interfering with your work." he said.

"Not at all." I said, "We keep things separate."

"Yeah, w-we try to avoid talking about it around others." said Sarah.

"So you spend time together outside of work?"

I shrugged. "Not often. We don't really get the chance."

"That hardly sounds like a relationship at all, if you ask me." he replied.

"We're t-taking things slow." said Sarah. She sounded as nervous as she looked, which is to say, pretty nervous.

"Is that so?" asked Olivia, "So that means you haven't been doing anything funny with our daughter, right?" asked Olivia. It kinda felt like she was having fun with this. It seemed different from how Ben was taking this all in.

"Of course not." I answered honestly, "Like she said, we're taking it slow."

"Nothing? Not even a kiss?" she asked.

I shook my head.

"Y-Yeah, we haven't done anything." said Sarah.

"To each their own." she replied, "Oh, you should have seen Ben when we first met. He was quite the horndog when we were younger."

"That's quite alright, dear." he said to her, "He isn't here to hear about us."

Olivia chuckles. "Yes, times are different, now. Oh, how the world has changed in such a short time." She let out a sigh.

Hey, this is going great! Sarah still looked a little nervous, but I'm used to seeing it from her.

The rest of the meal was filled with light conversation like what we had just been through. We shared a bit about ourselves and a bit about our lives. I learned that they've been married for 24 years. Ben was 57 and Olivia was 53. They told me that they moved to town fairly recently from Maine, like Sarah said.

Ben owned a shipping company specializing in furniture and other household amenities. In his boasting, he mentioned the company had a profit nearing a million dollars last year. I feigned interest to be polite. I guess it was pretty neat, but I didn't really care. All that mattered was that dinner went well. Sarah said she would take care of the rest.

It didn't take long for Ben to change the topic from his company to his daughter. Two things I'm sure he was very proud of.

"She's gotten fantastic grades in her schooling, all the way up through her college years. You see, our Sarah's trying to become a veterinarian."

I nodded. "She mentioned it to me, actually. She told me that she was about halfway done."

"That's right." he said, "It takes the right kind of person to devote themselves to schooling for so long. Yes, my little Sarah has proven herself to be quite the talented young woman."

"Father..."

"We've been looking for a school for her to study at in Wisconsin." he continued, "Would you have any suggestions?"

"Uh... I... I'm sorry, but you'll have to ask someone else about that. I really have no idea."

"Hmm... Can't say I'm surprised."

"If you're looking for a place for Sarah to resume her schooling, does that mean that this is a permanent move?"

"It may very well be permanent. At least until I retire, but I still have a lot of time before that happens."

"So with this new move and all, is your family going to get involved with any... community events? I know it's a bit late in the year, but we have our fair share, same as any town."

"It depends, really. I'm not usually one to involve myself in those sorts of things. A gathering in a town like this would be rather uneventful."

"I wouldn't know myself." I said, "I'm not interested in that kinda thing either."

"Are there any parades?" asked Olivia.

"Yes, yes there are. Usually towards the end of the year there's a big ol' parade that goes through the downtown area. Makes parking a nightmare but it's always lively. I'm sure there are more during the year, but it's been a while since I've seen any."

"That's a relief. I love parades. The bigger the better." she said with a smile.

"They couldn't be as good as the parades we had in our old city." said Ben.

"Oh don't be such a stick in the mud. You didn't go to them anyways." said Olivia, "Perhaps we could help organize them, Sarah. Does that sound like fun?"

Sarah nodded at her mother. "Yeah! I hope there's one soon."

"So what made you move to Wisconsin?" I asked Ben.

"The housing was cheap. Not that the price mattered, of course. I can afford any home I wanted in this little town."

"I can see that you've been settled in for a little while now. How have you been liking it?"

"We've been here for about two months, and so far, I'm not impressed. Not that I expected anything in the first place. If it were up to me, I'd move immediately."

"Mmm, but it's not up to you, is it, honey?" said Olivia, still smiling.

Ben sighed. "Yes, Olivia has had quite enough of all this moving. I understand her frustration. Thankfully, the location is rather centralized for my business needs, among other things."

I nodded. "Exactly. Easy to find anything you need and it won't be too far away."

"Are there any good stores in the area?" asked Olivia.

"Ah... Let me see... Well... I'm not much of a shopper myself, but there's a mall in Janesville not too far north, though it isn't... It's pretty basic. Cherryvale Mall is in Rockford. Haven't been there in a few years, though. I'm sure if you stroll around downtown though, you'll find something you'll like."

She smiled. "I'll be sure to give them a look. I was thinking about getting some more clothes."

"You've lived here for quite a while, right?" asked Ben, "Are there any places you would recommend our family to visit?"

I shrugged. "I don't go out much, myself. But, I can recommend checking out the downtown area. The restaurants there make some great food. I... I'm not great at remembering names, but yeah, try some of them out. Aside from that, there's a wine bar across town called... Oh gosh, what was it... Clara Bo, that's what it was."

He briefly nodded, bringing his hand to his chin.

"And if you're looking to take a vacation, the Wisconsin Dells aren't too far away, either. Very nice place. I used to go once a year with the family."

"Yes, I've heard good things. Tell me Phil, if you were to move, where would your dream location be?" he asked me.

"Uh... I dunno. Never really thought about it. Somewhere cheap. Northern America where it's colder. I like the cold. Can't stand heat. And definitely somewhere away from the city. I hate dealing with traffic. Oh yeah, and somewhere with Google Fiber."

He chuckled. "That is one thing I'm not complaining about. The internet prices are fair here."

I shrugged. "Yeah, it's fine. I haven't looked around."

Once again, he reached for the bottle of wine and poured himself a glass. "Are you sure you don't want any?" he asked, tipping the bottle towards me.

"Sorry, no. I try not to have any alcohol in me when I drive."

He set the bottle down and took a sip from his glass. "They say you can tell a lot about a man by the way he enjoys his drink. I'm surprised there's someone in this town that can refuse a drink. Especially you."

"Huh?"

"You see, I didn't know if I liked the idea of someone like you dating my daughter."

I hesitated before giving him a questioning, "Alright..."

"I'm sure you understand my apprehension. After all, it's only natural for a father to want to protect her daughter."

Yeah, that's true. I didn't really see where he was going with this, though.

"So naturally, I collected what information on you I could. I do not like what I found."

Uh... Wait, what? I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Dad?" asked Sarah, just as confused as I was.

"I'm not so sure I'm comfortable with a man like you being in a relationship with my daughter."

"Well... uh..." I didn't have anything to say about that. It didn't really matter how he felt, even if we were in a real relationship.

"What's wrong with him?" asked Sarah, a bit concerned, "He's been really kind to me!"

Yeah, what's wrong with me?

"He can be as nice as he wants. It won't hide the trash that is his family."

"Whoa, hold on, there." I brought up my hands to try to calm him down.

"A lowlife from a family of lowlifes, that's what he is."

Wait... So he's just gonna insult me? I don't get it. I kinda thought this was going well. I mean sure, he might not like the area, but he can't blame that on me.

Ben continued to speak through my stunned silence. "Criminal records are public knowledge, you know. I don't simply call people trash without proper reasoning."

He's being really mean. I don't like this. I wanna leave.

"Your mother and your father, both of them drug addicts, alcoholics... Both of them were convicted for possession. Isn't that true? Your brother, too. All of them, lowlifes."

"Hey, there's no need for that." I got out.

"Simply put, Phil, you are unfit for my daughter."

Sarah just stared at her father, mouth agape. I don't blame her.

I took in a breath and let it out slowly. "Ok." I stood, glaring at him. "I don't feel very welcome here anymore. The meal was great, Olivia. Thank you." I turned to leave.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it." she replied, seemingly ignoring her husband's vulgar attitude.

"Yes, you're just too far beneath us, Phil."

Against my better judgement, I stopped. I turned back to him. He was still smiling at me. Sarah was still stunned, horrified at his words. Olivia didn't seem to have a care in the world.

"Are you done?" I asked, my hands clenching, "Is this how you treat your guests, Mr. Lockhart?"

He again chuckled to himself. "Only those like you."

"Like me? What, you mean someone who's poor? I obviously turned out better than you."

"Better than me? Ha! You couldn't hold a candle to me."

"At least I didn't run a background check on your family like I was looking through newspaper funnies."

"Perhaps you should have. You would know exactly who I was and exactly why I'm dismissing you like the vermin you are."

"Congratulations, your dick is bigger than mine. I'm done here." I turned and walked away.

"What, leaving so soon? You haven't even finished your meal!"

"No. I'm not staying. I'm not arguing anymore. Fuck you. Goodbye."

"So you're a coward, then!" he let out, "Too scared to even face me."

"Goodbye!" I loudly repeated, not looking back. He threw out more ego inflating insults as I left. I did my best to ignore them.

"Phil! Phil, wait!" Sarah cried as I began putting on my shoes. I looked up to see her panicked face. "I didn't know he would do this, I swear!"

"It's alright, Sarah." I said, standing. Geez. I felt so bad for her. Can't imagine how she's gotta be feeling right now.

"Phil, I..."

"Sarah, what are you doing?" Ben shouted, stomping towards the front door.

Sarah stood between her father and I, facing him. "What's wrong with him? He's done nothing wrong! He doesn't deserve this treatment!"

"Sarah, step away from him. I don't want you standing near such a lowlife."

"He's not a lowlife! He's my friend!"

"I don't care what he is! You're not to see him again, understand? You're getting a new job by the end of the week."

"Hey, don't make her quit her job." I said, "She doesn't deserve punishment for your shortsightedness."

"How dare you tell me how to raise my daughter?" he growled at me.

"She can make her own decisions."

"She's living under my house, so that means that she's living under my rules."

Well... Damn, he's got me there. It's a big deal getting your first job, though. Even if it's McDonald's. He's just being a dick.

"F-Fine! Th-Then I'll move out" Sarah shot.

"Where would you go?" he asked, "You can't make it on your own."

"I'd... I could live with Phil!"

I'd prefer if you didn't, Sarah. I guess it's fine. You might have to share a room with Red.

"What... You will not! And you! What have you done to my daughter?!" he roared, rushing towards me.

"Father, no!"

He grabbed my shirt and pushed me against the wall. There was a bit of force behind his arms. "What have you done to her?" he asked again.

I looked to his hands, then back to him. I took in a breath to calm myself, because if this didn't end soon, someone would get hurt, and it wasn't going to be me. "Alright, Ben... I appreciate that you're Sarah's father, and an old man besides... but if you don't take your goddamn hands off me, I will break you in half."

He glared at me for a few more seconds before pushing me again, letting go of my shirt. "Get out of my house. Get out of my house and stay away from my daughter!"

I turned around without another word and left through the door. I've had enough of this.

"Phil!" Sarah let out, following me outside.

"I've had enough." I said, continuing to walk.

She stopped. "I'm sorry!"

I glanced back, but couldn't find anything to say.

I got my keys and got into my car. Sarah stood outside on her own, watching me go. Her father was watching me from the doorway, a smug look on his face, I'm sure glad to finally get rid of me.

I have not been this... fucking enraged in... I have never been this angry, period. It took me this long to realize the full impact his words had. I wanted to fucking scream. He pushed every button I had.

That fat fucking asshole talking down to me? How fucking dare he?! Fuck!

Oh, I hated driving while in a bad mood. I needed to calm down before I got back to Celestia. I don't want her to see me like this. As I drove, I bottled my feelings, trying to push them aside. I wanted this to be over, but something told me that this was just the beginning. Oh, and poor Sarah...

I had a lot of trouble holding my rage in. I wanted to be a well-adjusted adult, but at the same time, I wanted to wring his fat neck. As I finally pulled to a stop in the driveway, I tapped my steering wheel with my hand. I paused for a moment before clenching my fist and punching the edge of the steering wheel in anger. I thought it might help calm me down, but all I managed to do was hurt my hand. The rubber surrounding the wheel softened the strike, but it was probably gonna bruise.

"Fuck."

I got out of the car and headed inside, rubbing my fingers, frustrated that I let myself slip back into old habits. I've been using 'fuck' more often and now this... I'm not a child anymore.

"Phil! How did it go?" Celestia turned to me with a smile, eager to hear the details of my night out. Her smile faded as she got a good look at my less than pleased expression.

"It... Uh.... It went pretty bad." I said, lowering my hands, "It went pretty bad."

"Bad?" Her smile disappeared. "What do you mean? What happened?"

"Sarah's dad... He... Uh... He insulted me and my family."

"He... He did what?!"

I explained what happened at Sarah's house. Though I was only telling Celestia, Red and Chrysalis found no issue in listening in. They were sitting next to Celestia on the couch, so I couldn't blame them. I told Celestia that the night started off very well, but fell apart after a point. Talking about it helped calm me down, so that's nice. I took in a deep breath. "Anyways, now I gotta tell Sarah that we're still friends."

Celestia was absolutely horrified. Red also looked displeased, but she probably didn't want to hear about it in the first place and was just displeased that I had included her in the conversation. Chrysalis just seemed interested in what I had to say. I didn't notice any change in her reaction as I spoke.

"How... vile." said Celestia.

I nodded. "I'm just glad this mess is over."

"It's far from over." said Chrysalis.

"Shut it."

"I just hope Sarah's alright." said Celestia, "Should we tell someone about this?"

"About what?"

"He spied on your family, Phil."

I shook my head. "It's not illegal. Everything he said was true, anyways."

"Phil, no..." she softly let out, "Don't you mind?"

"Yeah I mind, but it's not like I can do anything about it."

"You're far more forgiving than I." said Celestia, "I would not have stood by and allowed him to speak ill of my family."

"I'm not forgiving him. I'm gonna hold this grudge for a few years before it disappears on its own."

"Here, here." said Chrysalis.

"Shut up, Chrysalis." I said.

"Here, here." said Red, smirking.

"Red." I sighed. "Anyways, like I said it's not like he was wrong. I come from a family of screw ups. But that's all in the past. We all do stupid stuff when we're young, it's just... they did a lot of stupid stuff. But it's not who they are anymore. I... Red, Chrysalis, you two don't wanna hear this stuff, do you?" I asked, offering to step away so Celestia and I could talk.

"I'm quite interested. By all means, continue." said Chrysalis.

Ok, didn't expect that. "Red?"

She shrugged. "Eh... Yeah, I don't really care either way. Feel free."

"Alright... Yeah, my family got better. My older brother spent damn near ten years in jail 'cause of all the stupid stuff he used to do. And my dad... and my... mom... The two of them were the same way. Just a series of bad decisions after bad decisions.

"Why the hesitation?" Chrysalis asked, pointing out my stumble.

I didn't answer right away. In my mind, I debated whether or not I wanted Chrysalis to know these kinds of details about me. I decided that it really wouldn't matter. "I... I kinda have a soft spot when it comes to... talking about my mom. She passed away eight years ago. And... And like I said, she isn't innocent, either. She lived the same... fucked up life as my dad. When she had kids... When my parents had kids... When they settled down, they quit that life."

Celestia's eyes were soft. She listened intently to every word I said.

Chrysalis said nothing. She merely maintained the same gaze as before. She understood that this was a more serious matter that had nothing to do with her. She was simply curious.

"At least... that's what I thought." I couldn't stop myself from continuing. With it, I heard a crack in my voice. Why was this coming up now? With Chrysalis and Red here...

"Phil?" Celestia asked, her voice quiet.

"I... I thought I would be fine talking about this... but..." I brought my hand up to wipe my eyes.

Celestia stood, placing her hand onto my shoulder. I met her eyes for a moment before she turned to the two on the couch. "Please excuse us."

They said nothing as Celestia directed me into the basement, closing the door behind us. She led me to the couch, having me sit down, and joining me after I did.

Now that we were alone, Celestia and I looked to each other. Her eyes were so big and full of love.

"Are you alright?" she asked me.

"Yeah, I'll be fine." I replied, "Just... Emotions are... I'm kinda... having trouble... holding back my tears." I sniffed and wiped my eyes again. "My mom died of an overdose, Celestia." I let out. I sniffed again. "I can't say it any other way. She died because of the fucked up life that Sarah's dad brought up. And him just pushing that button, and having to explain it to you..."

"Oh, come here." she softly let out, pressing against me, wrapping her arms around me.

I gently returned her soft, loving embrace. "It hurts, Celestia. It's been eight years and it still hurts."

"I know, Phil. I know."

I took in a slow breath, but I couldn't stop myself from shuddering. "It never stops hurting, does it?"

"No... No, it doesn't. But you can't give in to the pain, Phil. It never stops hurting, but that doesn't mean that it has to define who you are."

Her voice was soft, yet so powerful. Caring and wise... Her years were beginning to show. Sometimes I forget that she's so much older than I am. She understands this pain far greater than anyone else.

"I know. It just... It hurts."

"It's alright. I'm here for you."

"Yeah... Yeah..." I rested my head on her shoulder for a short while. "Thank you, Celestia. I'll be fine." I said, lifting my head, "I'll be fine. I just had to... I had to let that out."

"I understand." she said. She lifted a hand to my face and wiped away my tears. "Feel better?"

"Yeah." I let out a sigh. "Thank you."

She smiled.

"I... I didn't... I didn't know a lot about my mom growing up. I knew she loved us, and as a kid, that's all I needed. She was busy, most of her life. Busy and stressed..." I took in a breath. "He cut deep, Celestia... He cut deeper than I expected. I don't like when people... corrupt the memory I have of my mother. It's all I have left of her."

"What you remember of her is special, Phil. My memories of my own mother bring me joy... I'm sure yours do the same."

I gazed at her for a long time, tears beginning to form in my eyes again. She reached up and wiped them away again.

I leaned forward. "I love you." I whispered, holding her tightly.

"I love you, too."

I let out a sigh, still holding her. I pulled back. We shared a short kiss.

"You've been going through a lot recently, Phil. I can see it in your eyes. You're exhausted."

"Maybe I am. Maybe I should take a little time off to rest."

"Do what you feel is right."

"Yeah. I guess I have been feeling a little stressed, though. You know? The last time that happened..." I trailed off, smiling at her.

She let out a chuckle. "The last time you felt stressed, it led to our first night together."

"Yeah."

"If you hadn't done that, I may not be here right now." she said with a small smile.

"What a weird way to start a relationship."

"If we hadn't made love, I may not have fallen for you. Maybe I would. I don't know. I think I was already developing feelings for you by that time. I felt so young and free with you, things I haven't felt in a long time."

"That's cute, Celestia."

She smiled. "It might help to go out again."

"I dunno. I don't go out often, you know that. The last time we had a party like that, we had a few other guests."

"Yes, my guards."

"And my friends." I smiled.

"Perhaps we could invite Chrysalis and Red."

"Well, Red's not old enough to drink. And they'd need IDs anyways. They'd have to stick with soda. Though you and the guards didn't get carded, now that I think about it."

Celestia giggled. "Yes, that's true."

I let out a breath. We stared into each other's eyes for a while before I finally asked, "Wanna watch a movie?"

She gasped. "Yes!"

I pulled away. "Alright, let me grab some snacks, then I'll get it set up for us."

She grabbed my hand. "Let me get them."

I paused. "That works."

"Oh, this is going to be so fun!" she cheerfully let out, standing and bounding out of the room.

With Celestia gone, I couldn't help but to smile. After all this, I had her love. That's all I could ever ask for. I went to my computer and turned it on. After it booted up, I navigated to my movies. The movie of the night was... uh... What should I pick? Deadpool? No, I can't show her Deadpool. Even if it was a romantic comedy.

It's gotta be a movie I actually had, though. My collection wasn't very big. Zootopia, that's a good one. There we go. She'd totally love that. I love it, so I know she'd love it.

I heard Celestia chatting with our guests for a moment before she came downstairs, arms loaded with a plentiful bounty of snacks.

With a quick test to see if everything still worked the way I wanted it too, I turned off the unneeded monitors, turned off the basement light, and joined Celestia on the couch. She gave me a smile as I sat next to her. She grabbed the blanket and covered the two of us with it. As if it were the most normal thing in the world, Celestia lied against me, resting against my shoulder. She looked up at me with a bright smile.

"We've never watched a movie together. I'm so excited!" she said.

"Yeah. I'm sorry I keep you trapped at home all the time."

"Oh honey, I've never thought that."

"Well, I kinda have."

"I know. You need to stop thinking of it that way. I like being at home with you."

"I'm glad. One of these days, I'm gonna show you the world."

"Until that day, all I need is you."

"You're sweet."

She giggled.

Celestia quieted down as the movie started. It was clear from the start that she was enjoying herself. I couldn't help but to check her reaction every so often. It was an annoying habit and I'm sure she noticed, but on the plus side, it gave me an opportunity to look at her, so I wasn't complaining. More than anything, Celestia just seemed to be genuinely enjoying herself. She was experiencing something new with someone she loved. I still felt a little guilty for keeping her trapped here all the time, even if she doesn't see it that way.

Every so often, she would pick up a snack for herself. Sometimes she would offer some to me. The sight of her shaking an already bitten Twinkie in her hand towards me while still watching the movie was just so cute.

As the movie reached its halfway point, Celestia turned to me and gave me an unexpected kiss on the cheek, getting my attention.

"What's up?" I asked.

"Oh, nothing." she said with a smile.

I squeezed her far hip with my hand. "Are you lying to me?"

She giggled. "I was... thinking of a name."

"A name?"

"Mmm-hmm. For our child."

"That so? Any luck?"

"It's difficult to decide. There are so many to choose from. And if it's a filly or a colt... Oh, it's not easy at all."

"Heck, maybe we'd wanna give them a human name."

"Yes, you're right! I hadn't even thought about that. Tell me some human names. For a girl, first."

"Hmm... Alright. Let's see... Jessica, Hannah, Kayla, Mary, Susan, Lydia... That's six right off the bat. I could be here all night with this."

"Now a few boy names."

I sighed. "Jacob, Eric, Kyle, Steven, Franklin, Walter, Tom... And these are only names from my culture, too. You'll find so many different names everywhere you go."

"Did you have any... pony names in mind?"

"Not... really. I'm not very imaginative when it comes to that kinda thing. And even then, I'd probably say something related to the sun."

She chuckled. "I'm sure we'll think of something."

"Maybe we could just call the kid 'Junior'. Easy."

"Philly, I'm being serious. What if I were to become pregnant? We need to think of a name sooner than later."

"Uh... Maybe we could let Luna name them." I suggested.

"That's... Hmm... That's not a bad idea. I would trust my sister's judgement. Still, it's a big decision."

"That's true. I've never really given it any thought before. We might have to hold off on this for a little while."

"Oh, very well. I suppose we won't have to worry about it for some time." She sighed. "One can only imagine what our child would become."

"Yeah."

"We could raise the greatest ruler Equestria has ever seen."

"He'd probably inherit our collective laziness and set a new standard for the phrase 'couch potato'."

She let out a short laugh. "Undoubtedly, he would be very bright. He could use his gifts to help others, as his mother and father did before him."

"If he turns out anything like you, I think we'll be fine."

"Like me?"

"C'mon, you're great.

"What about you?"

"I'm not that good. I'm definitely not as good as you."

"Phil..."

"Hmm..." She didn't like my self-deprecating jokes. "So... have you decided where to have it?" I asked, changing the subject.

"I want to deliver my child in Equestria. And I want you right beside me."

I smiled at her. "And I want to be there with you."

She sighed. "I love you."

"I love you too, Celestia."

"You know, Phil... when you come to Equestria..."

"I know. I'll be able to propose to you." I paused. "I'm scared, Celestia."

"You're scared?"

"Yeah."

"I'm not going to say 'no'."

"I know, I know... I'm just... scared of getting married. I'm... I'm only 25, you know?"

"I'm scared, too." she said.

"It's a scary thing."

"Yeah."

"How would I even get a ring for you?"

"We have our ways, but it's not important, Phil. All that matters is your love."

"It's symbolic."

"Yes, I suppose it is. You don't have to worry. We have rings aplenty in Equestria."

"If you got married, everyone would know about it."

"Would you prefer to be wed in secrecy?"

"No, no, it's not that."

"Are you afraid to show the world our love?"

"Absolutely not! It's just... I never expected to be marrying a Princess."

"And I never expected to be marrying a human."

"I never expected to fall in love with a pony."

"I never expected to fall in love with such an ordinary man."

"I never expected to meet such an extraordinary woman."

"You're too kind, Phil."

I pecked my lips against hers, causing her to bashfully shy away.

"You're so cute, honey." I said. I let out a sigh. "I can't wait for the two of them to leave."

"Hmm? Oh. Yes... I can tell. I feel the same way. I have my cake but I cannot eat it."

I chuckled. "That's one way of putting it."

The two of us stared at each other for a while, saying nothing. Celestia cleared her throat once. I coughed.

"You wanna [REDACTED]?"

No having sex with guests in the house. That was the rule. Did we try to follow it? Yes. Did we fail? Also yes. Did they hear us? Maybe. Celestia usually makes quite a lot of noise, but she can be quiet if the need arises. Unfortunately, our guests include a professional thief and someone that feeds on love.

Either way, what's done is done. Celestia and I laid together on the basement couch, holding each other's nude bodies, the both of us covered in sweat. No words were shared, just the sound of our exhausted panting.

We kept silent for a long time, doing nothing more than gazing at each other. I didn't want anything more. I was more than happy to meet her gaze. The soft, loving look in her eyes told me the same of her.

Celestia's soft lips curved upwards in a smile. "I really liked the movie."

I returned her smile. "I thought you would."

"We may have to watch it again. I was a little distracted towards the end."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, I think I was, too."

"I didn't think we'd do that again until we were alone. I'm relieved. I'm glad to have found a partner so willing to make love to me."

"Celestia, shush."

She chuckled. "Am I being too naughty?"

I raised my finger to her lips, shushing her once more. She smiled behind it. There were few things I loved more than her soft, gentle voice, but there was no need to break this peace we shared.

"I love you." I said, immediately going against my own wishes. It was too hard not to tell her.

"I love you too, honey. Do you think that did it?"

"Hmm?"

"You know..." She turned to her side and looked down, placing a hand onto her stomach. She glanced up at me for a moment before returning to her previous position.

I smiled at her. "Maybe."

"Maybe? Yes... Maybe."

I lifted my hand to her face, brushing her hair from her forehead. "You're so cute when you're in love."

Her red face seemed to brighten further as she looked away with a bashful smile. Even after all this time, she was still so sensitive to my compliments.

"Quit being so cute." I told her.

"What?"

"You're too cute. Quit it."

"I'm not being cute on purpose!"

"Yes you are, nobody's that cute by accident."

"I'm no~ot!"

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure."

"Your pouty-face says otherwise."

She maintained her pout for a short while before relaxing. I squeezed her against me with my arm, smiling at her. The movie was over. It had been over for a while. It looked like Celestia and I were going to just fall asleep down here.

A faint buzz caught my attention. I glanced at my discarded pants on the floor. My phone was in a pocket and I was curious to see if someone had texted me. I reached for it, but it was too far.

"Hmm? Your pants?" she asked.

"My phone."

"Let me."

She extended her hand towards it. Her hand began to glow a golden yellow, followed by my pants glowing the same yellow. They lifted into the air and floated to my hand. I quickly collected the phone. The lock screen told me that I did in fact get a text.

"Oh hey, it's from Sarah." I said

"Hmm?" Celestia lifted her head, curious. "What does it say?"

"Oh, it's kinda long." I read the text aloud, my voice not reflecting the emotions that Sarah was trying to convey. "-Phil, I'm so sorry!!!! I didn't know he would be like that!!! He's never done this before. He's never been this cruel. I don't know why he did that, I swear! He's usually a nice man to us. He's not-..." I stopped reading aloud and summarized the rest. "She says that she's sorry for what happened and that she still wants to be friends with us."

"It isn't her fault that her father acted the way he did."

"I know. What should I say?"

"Tell her that we're happy to still have her as a friend after such trying circumstances."

"Yeah, good idea." I began speaking as I typed. "-Celestia and I are happy to still be your friends, Sarah. It's alright. We know what he said has nothing to do with how you feel.-"

We received a response after a few minutes. I read it aloud again. "-Did you tell Celestia what happened? Tell her that I'm sorry, too. I can't believe my father would do something like this.-"

"Ask her what happened after you left." Celestia suggested.

I did as she said.

"-My father stormed into his study. He's still angry. My mother told me that she would have a talk with him after he cools down.-"

"I could only wonder what they'll discuss." said Celestia.

"-Are you alright?-" I asked.

"-No, I'm not alright! I'm in my room bawling my eyes out! It was so scary! He's never exploded at anyone like that. And now he says that I have to get a new job, too. He says I can't see you again.-"

I started typing something before deleting it. I did this two more times before giving up. "I... I can't offer her any advice on that one." I said to Celestia.

"You don't need to give her advice, Phil. Just offer her your support."

I nodded. "-I'm sorry that things turned out the way they did, Sarah. We're worried about you. If you ever need to talk, we're here for you.-" I showed Celestia, and she nodded.

"-Thank you Phil. And tell Celestia thank you, too. I'm sorry to have worried you. I think my father is scared, Phil. I've never been this rebellious towards him before. I don't think he wants me to leave and live on my own, yet. That's why he exploded when I said I'd live with you. I didn't mean it. It just came out. I'm sorry it made him attack you. But I can't live like this. I can't live under him after this. I'll have to find a place somewhere.-"

"Did she really say that?" asked Celestia, referring to Sarah living with me.

"Yeah. It was a tense situation."

"Would you... let her stay here?"

"If she didn't have anywhere else to go, yeah. I wanna help her, but with Chrysalis and Red and with you here, too... Geez. Sarah won't be able to afford an apartment with her current job."

"She's in such an awful situation. I could only imagine what she's feeling right now. If she truly wishes to leave her father, perhaps it would be best to offer our hospitality."

"Are you sure?" I asked.

She hesitated. "Less sure than I would like. I can only think it's the right thing to do."

I nodded. "-Even if you were panicking when you said it, we want you to know that you'll always have a place here if you need it.-" I grumbled, hesitating to send it. "Does that sound right?"

"It's very kind of you, Phil. She's lucky to have you as a friend."

I grumbled again before sending the text. I then sent another text that asked, "-What will you do now?-"

The reply took some time to come back with how long it was. "-Thank you so much. You don't know how much this means to me. I just hope I never have to take advantage of your offer. I don't know what I'm going to do. I don't want you worrying about me. I don't think my father would ever kick me out. I'm going to make a plan for these next few months. I can't live with this man anymore. Not after seeing his true colors.-"

"-Alright. If it's too hard for you, ask for help. You're not in a position where you can afford to be stubborn.-"

"-I know. I'm sorry. For everything. I have to go.-"

"-Will I see you at work?-"

"-Yes. Goodnight.-"

I dropped the phone onto the floor, exhausted.

"Do you think she'll be alright?" asked Celestia.

"She'll be fine."

"This doesn't feel right."

"I know what you mean. I don't want to interfere in her decision making process. She's not ours to look after."

"Yes, I suppose. It must be the Princess in me that worries for her safety." She chuckled.

"I think I've had enough excitement for one day." I gently patted her back. "Come on, let's get cleaned up."

She nodded, then pushed off of me, standing and stretching.

I stood as well, doing the same. We faced each other, temporarily abandoning our objective of leaving the room. It really was a treat seeing her in the nude. I didn't know what she saw in return, but her gaze was just as clouded with love as mine. Not that it was a bad thing, of course.

As I began collecting my discarded clothing, she did the same. Though we took care to keep our love a secret, the scent of sweat and passion lingered. It would not be difficult to tell what happened between us. That begs the question though, did I really care? Is this how parents feel?

The two of us finally returned to the upper world. Chrysalis and Red were still playing video games. Reminded me of me when I was a kid. Oh god, this really is how parents feel. This relationship has given me a lot of insight into things I didn't really want to think about.

Chrysalis turned to the two of us with a somewhat suspicious smile. "How was your movie?"

I didn't like the look in her eyes. Did she already know?

"I really enjoyed it. The characters were so cute." Celestia replied with a smile, seemingly ignoring Chrysalis's gaze, "It's nothing like the movies we have in Equestria. We'll have to watch it together sometime."

Er... Was that a reference to... No, it couldn't be. Celestia wouldn't.... Maybe she would.

There was a brief period where Chrysalis pondered what Celestia said that made me further question whether we were still talking about movies. She replied with a pleasant, "Perhaps it would be fun. I haven't watched a movie since they started making them."

Red, blissfully ignorant of our ways, brushed us off as she took advantage of Chrysalis's distraction to secure her victory. Chrysalis didn't seem too bothered by Red's tactics, even as Red flashed her a decidedly smug look.

"The two of us are gonna get ready for bed." I said, motioning to them that we were going to step past.

"Don't let us stop you." said Red, "The sooner you're out of our way, the sooner we can get back to the game."

"Yeah, that... Alright." I shrugged. She was right.

Celestia and I moved into the bathroom to brush our teeth. Among other things. With our daily rituals complete, we finally returned to the basement.

Alone again. With her. Though we had just put our clothing back on, they were once again discarded, this time just to the underwear. The two of us laid on the couch. Her body always felt so warm against mine, her back against my chest. My arms tightened around her midsection as I was once again reminded of how much I loved her.

"Do you think she knew?" Celestia asked.

"Chrysalis?"

"Mmm-hmm."

"Maybe. I don't really care."

"Hmm... I don't either." She giggled, caressing my hands.

"We don't have to deal with them."

"No, but it's polite."

"Yeah, that's true. Well, maybe we can try to tone it down."

She let out a sigh.

"We'll get our chance."

"Yes... I miss our bed."

"Yeah. Chrysalis didn't even use it last night."

"We should still allow her to use it. She can't have recovered fully, yet. I can't wait to show you my bedroom."

"I'm looking forward to it."

"I can't begin to tell you how much I enjoy this."

I gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Haven't you said that already?"

"I'll say it as many times as I wish."

I gave her another squeeze. "Goodnight, honey."

"Goodnight."