=Familia 7=

>You crest the next hill before you and finally see Anonymous’s cottage in the distance. You catch yourself smiling without knowing and wonder how he’d had such an effect on you in so short a time.
>It had only been about two months since you began visiting Anonymous for your princess training and you’d heard a lot of his stories.
>First trips to the beach, how Celestia grew to love all things sugary, and what morals he had imparted onto the princesses you’d spent your life venerating. 
>The strangeness of it all had already dawned on you when you were in his presence. Somehow Anonymous projected an air to him that made you want to trust him implicitly. It was like he would subconsciously pick up on what you felt a father should be and became that person.
>You smile as you go over the next hill. Thinking about that got you thinking about your own dad. You remembered his face when you had been accepted into Celestia’s School or when Shining became a captain or gotten married. He looked proud and unshakable, and happy that his children were achieving the heights he wished for them.
>You wondered, did Anonymous have those same feelings with the Princesses when they had ascended to the throne?
>Would Anonymous and your dad get along if they ever met?
>You chuckle and approach the door, knocking on it with your hoof.
>”Twilight, is that you?” you hear from behind it.
“Hello in there, Anonymous! I’m here for our meeting!”
>”Of course, dear. I’m afraid I quite literally have my hands full in here, can you let yourself in? The door is-“
>You hear him mutter something too quiet to perceive and the door lock clicks open.
>”-now open!”
>You let yourself in, all smiles, to the cozy little cottage.
“I have so much to tell you Anonymous! I’ve finally explored my new castle and-“
>You finally catch sight of Anonymous with a tray of cookies in his hands.
>You also catch sight of who is standing next to him.
>Your jaw drops to the floor.
“WHAT IS -HE- DOING HERE?”

>You smile looking out the window as you watch the snow pile up in the backyard. The cold and wind outside battered against the home, but your study stone walls kept it out and the warmth of the fire in.
>The commotion behinds you hurries your to removal of the turkey you were cooking in your oven and head into the living room.
“Easy now girls, don’t knock it over!”
>Celestia and Luna each flutter around a mounted fir tree you’d put in your living room, decorating it with magic ice crystals from the deer forest and baubles of gold. On the top of the tree rested a wooden carved star that you’d made in your free time, and beneath it was a collection of gifts covered In white sheets.
>”Sorry daddy!” they say as they touch down.
>You smile and chuckle to yourself as you set the table.
>Each year since you had taken the girls in, you had slowly introduced more and more of your traditions from the holidays back home. One year just the tree, another year stories, or another food. Last year was the first with presents and this one was the first where you’re surprising them with the presents.
>You catch the girls eyeing the gifts as you cut the turkey.
“Giiiirls. First food, then toys.”
>Celestia snaps back to reality and stands up straight. “Y-yes daddy!”
>”Oooookaaayy…” Luna says, fluttering over to the table.
“And go feed Philomena, Celestia!”
>You pull your seat out and grin to yourself.
>They were going to love what you got them.

“And now the best for last…”
>Celestia tears the sheet off the present with her sister and the two of them gasp. In shock.
>”YOU GOT US A SAMOPHLANGE!” they both cry out in joy.
>”OH MY- GAAAAAAAAAAAAH!” Celestia cries.
>”YES! YES! YES!” Luna exclains.
“Girls, the neighbors will hear!”
>What neighbors?
>Didn’t matter.
>The girls run around the living room and bowl over each other. That was the last of the presents you had obtained over the last year that now sat spread around the room. You sit in your chair and smile down at the girls when they stop in front of you.
>”Thank you daddy! We love you!” they say in unison.
“I love you too, girls. Did you get me anything?”
>Luna’s eyes bug wide at the task you reminded her about, but Celestia nudges her.
>”In our room, remember?”
>”A-aye. Beneath the toy chest.” You hear them whisper.
>You keep your act up and tilt your head to the side inquisitively, the girls see that and zip off in a flash.
>”Berightbackdaddy!”
>The girls zip in and out of their room and hide behind your chair
>”Close your eyes!”

>You cover your eyes with your hands.
“I’m blind as a bat now.”
>You hear them fluttering behind you and feel a soft warm cloth drape around your neck, the girls saying “Okay!” as soon as it’s snug. You take your hands off your eyes and look down at the red and gold scarf draped around your neck.
“Wow! Girls I love it!”
>The little fillies beam with pride and joy and jump up on your lap, hugging you tight.
>”Aspen and the others helped us make it!”
>”We love you, daddy.”
>You hut the girls close and hug them tight. 
“I love you girls too.”
>For a blissful moment, everything was harmonious and peaceful in the world.
“…Daddy?”
“Yes Luna?”
>”What is that present?”
>You open your eyes and glance over to a still covered box hiding behind the tree.
“I don’t remember that one…”
>You set the girls down and go snag it, sitting down with it on the floor with the girls flanking you. You’d gotten every gift and counted them, you remembered and kept track of them all. Did you forget one?
“Well girls…let’s see what else you got!”
>You throw the sheet off the gift and take the top off the box.
“…Who the Zog are you?”

>He, as you gather from his high but a bit raspy voice, looks down his little snout at you.
>”I’m Discord.”
>”What’s a Discord?” Celestia asks.
>He narrows his eyes in impish annoyance. “I’m a Discord!”
>”Why art thou in our Chrissy Mas gifts?”
>”Oh…I knew I was forgetting something.” Discord reaches into the box he came in while his rear floats into the air and carries him with it.
>Oh great. He can float.
>The child presents a letter to you. “I couldn’t read it.”
>You take the letter and give it a once over.
>”Hey partner! I saw how well you were taking care of the girls and was hoping you could take in this one as well. He’s been lonely since he popped up and I think he and the girls can become fast friends. His favorite food is chocolate milk and he hates bedtime. Work in the galaxy is going well, but one of my creations is causing a ruckus! I’ll never make skeletons again! Give the girls all my love and keep that disposition we all love so much! Signed, Red.”
>You blink twice reading the letter again while Discord cleans his ear out and smells it.
“…Girls. This is Discord. He’s going to be living with us from now on.”
>The girls take a long gasp of air behind you and look each other in the eyes with big smiles.
>”WE GOT A LITTLE BROTHER!” they exclaim.
>”Wait what-“
>Discord gets no further before the girls leap over your shoulders and embrace him, nuzzling his face in a hug-pile and probably smothering him.
>”Blech! Ew! Ach! Get off! I’m the big brother! THE BIG BROTHER!”
>You sat there watching the revelry still looking over the letter.
>Just like your partner to gift you a boatload of work for the holidays.

>”And that, Twilight Sparkle, is why you find me here today.” Discord says, munching on a cookie on the couch next to Anonymous.
>You shoot an annoyed scowl at Anon.
“You could have told me Discord was your adoptive son.”
>Anonymous shrugs. “He doesn’t like me advertising it.”
>You glance over to Discord.
“I find that hard to believe, Discord loves an audience.”
>Discord munches on another cookie and opens one eye at you. “While it may be true that I am often…GRANDIOSE-“
>”Especially when you were younger.” Anonymous says.
>”-yes, especially then. While I may have been known to be grandiose, I will have you know that he is telling the truth. I mean can you imagine what it would do to my reputation if ponies knew I had a perfectly normal and boring father? Not to mention the commotion it would bring to his doorstep…”
>You cock an eyebrow.
“You’re actually protecting him?”
>Discord sighs and considers the distance for a moment. “You cannot live with someone for the formative years of your life and have them be an ever-present nugget in the back of your mind without developing a rapport, Twilight.”
>That was not the answer you expected. You watch the old man and the Draconequus shoot idle glances at the other and send light elbow jabs out between held back chuckles.
>”He’s a softie underneath all the fur, Twilight.” Anonymous says.
“I’m sure…”
>A timer in the kitchen rings and Anonymous and Discord jump to their feet.
>”The cookies!”
>”Twilight help us save this batch! They’re almost perfect!”
“What do you mean sa-AHHH!”
>Discord pulls you in a magic grip as the two rush to the kitchen and enlist you in their father-son cooking brigade, whether you liked it or not.
>Maybe now you understand where Discord gets that from.