Twilight put her scarf on the nearby rack. She set her saddlebags down onto the hardwood floor.
“Good Evening Twilight!” a voice sounded from the kitchen. The faint clatter of utensils falling into the sink contested with various conversations. “How was your day?”
“Great!” Twilight replied “I finished off another book!” She followed the aroma of fresh bread towards the kitchen. 
A mare, with purple and white mane and a magenta coat greeted her. “Woah! You are kinda light on your hooves a little down you think?”
“I often always forget that it comes with the wings,” Twilight smiled. She turned to a stallion with a darker coat, peeling some carrots over the sink. “How’s thing’s going, Dad?” 
“Fine,” he replied. “Go on and take a seat at the table, dinner is almost ready”
Twilight made her way over to the table where food was already gathering. Doubling back to make sure her parents were occupied, she snuck a slice of cucumber and munched on it softly. 
“…Annnnndddd…. Done!” Her mother swiped the dish of freshly minced vegies before Night Light could spare a chance to inspect it. “Don’t worry, Hun, I know the dish will be absolutely delicious, as always”
Night Light’s worried look melted into a gentle smile. He sighed softy and took his seat at the table. After a moment’s grace, and due thanks to Celestia, Night Light exclaimed “Dig in!”
Twilight reached for more cucumbers. She placed a liberal amount of everything on the table from stir-fry to rice, and fresh chopped veggies that her dad was trying to inspect for the hundredth time.
“One moment please, I need to check on something,” Her mom raced off to the other room. Her father chuckled softly and took that as his que to check the kitchen. A faint close of the oven door and the aroma gave away the surprise at the end of dinner- shortcake.
Night Light disappeared down a corridor into another room. Twilight shrugged and munched happily on the home cooked meal. It was hard to compete with meals at the castle made from Spike or Starlight Glimmer. However, memory had to chip in and rig the scores. If they found out she preferred her parent’s cooking over theirs, Spike would sulk in his bed and Starlight would create a parallel reality. 
Suddenly, Night Light rushed bad into the kitchen “Oh no… Oh no… I forgot to set a timer,” he propped open the oven and shouted “NOOOO!” He fumbled into the drawers until he snagged an oven mit and a hot pad, quickly scrambling to pull his ruined masterpiece out of the oven.
Twilight Velvet walked into the room “What’s wrong honey? Did the Shortcake explode?”
“Quite the opposite, it shrunk” He looked at the shortcake in disappointment “I must’ve forgot an ingredient or two”
Twilight chuckled. This, was a first. Usually, Dad would try to prepare dessert, but often burnt it to a crisp. He would pout for no more than an hour, but make up with it with…
Suddenly the freezer door opened. Twilight’s ears perked up. She had to keep herself from leaping out of her chair, the pair of wings not helping to the bunch. 
“I’m sorry honey,” Night Light started, as both of them made it back to the table “Dessert is going to have to be Ice cream,” He sighed. 
Twilight Velvet brought a couple bowls of the table, with a look of disappointment. “Sorry Twili, dinner was a disaster” She set the bowls in front of each pony, giving Twilight the biggest bowl, although arguably, Dad’s bowl was bigger.
Twilight looked at her parents, unusually downtrodden. My, the Shortcake must’ve did a number on both of them.
“Mom, Dad,” Twilight started. Her parent’s eyes shifted off the floor towards her attention. Twilight slowly stated “Dinner was perfect,”
Twilight Velvet and Night Light gasped. “Really?” Her dad started “I thought your friend Pinkie Pie would’ve made a better meal,” He offered the ice cream to Twilight. Supposedly, Twilight thought this more of bribery, but she opened the container of ice cream and dished her parents a generous amount. Both her parents had a puzzled look on their faces. Her mother’s was a little more intense than her father’s. She knew, serving her parents first was a rarity. Usually, she would scarf down the deliciousily goodness before giving her parents a fair share.
Twilight started dishing her own, a modest amount filled her bowl. Red magic encircled the spoons. The spoons danced across the table before landing in their respective bowls. “I can’t choose between you and Pinkie Pie- your my parents, and she’s my friend. Knowing her, once I spoke her name, she would magically in our home, listening keenly."
A faint clatter in the background, behind the sink confirmed the suspicion.
Twilight chuckled "But, just as best, is a home-cooked meal with somepony you love. It's not the dinner, it's the company”
“I also thought after you’ve been with Rarity, seeing the table sparsely set up would insult your etiquette,” Twilight Velvet explained.
“Rarity would be proud of your set up- she has good taste and normally doesn’t like overly-regal, gaudy things- last time she did that, she was under the spell of the notorious inspiration-manifestation”. Twilight sighed “If only Spike didn’t eat it- I wanted to see what what was inside,”
Her parents stayed silent. Twilight laughed “Mom! Dad! Just because I’m a princess doesn’t mean you need to overstress yourselves with every minute detail!” Twilight giggled “I’m your daughter for crying out loud!”
“Just wanted to make this a special occasion…” Twilight Velvet eyes looked down at the ground “After all, you requested it out of the blue”
Twilight Sparkle answered “And you made it with your best effort, with all your heart and soul. I’m never disappointed”
“I need you to sit down with me and look me in the eye” Twilight pointed towards her purple eyes “Remember the time when you were with me when I was accepted into Celestia’s school?”
“Very well. Just like it was yesterday” Night Light said. 
“Well, it hasn’t been yesterday,” Twilight explained “I want to know why you are so set on trying to impress me. I was inside that room during my test to impress you. What changed?”
“Well, you aren’t a filly anymore, that’s a first” Night Light ate a bite of ice cream gingerly.
“You’re right, I’m not a filly, but I do miss the times way back when,” Twilight followed her Dad, not scared to take another bite. “The reason why I wanted to come over is to purely, spend time with you,”
“What? I thought you were too busy with you princess duties, spending time with us was just something to keep everypony happy” Her mom looked dumbfounded 
“Not to keep me happy,” Twilight pointed her spoon at her father, then her mother “I want you to be happy. You see, I’m not here to make sure everything is in balance, but rather, visit my parents and spend quality time with them,”
Her parents stayed silent. 
“Remember Minuette, Lemon and Moon Dancer?” Twilight said.
Her parents nodded.
“Well, Moon Dancer was furious I left her,” Twilight said. “But I only spent a partial amount of my life hanging around her. I noticed she was lonely, and I didn’t want my parents to be that way either. After all, you spent eighteen years raising me, it’s unfair that I don’t pay my respects back”
Twilight continued, not even giving the bowl of ice cream a second glance “Ever since Shining has had his daughter, and me being off in some faraway place makes me wonder how you cope with it”
Her mother was very careful with her answer, yet seemed very natural at giving it “Twilight, all we want to see is our children to be happy,”
“And that’s the parent’s I know best” Twilight smiled. She explained while her parent’s listened closely “Overlooking my memories, there has been many, some that of my friends in Ponyville, some mended and rebuilt here in Canterlot. I could feel the most important one missing- my fondest memories. I couldn’t quite place it- but there is no place like home.
“Let’s face it--- I spend eternity out here, lifespan was increased along with the package with a beautiful pair of wings. They gave me freedom, they gave me peace. But, I could notice one thing missing for all this time away. How can I forget? Mom and Dad, the two very special ponies who give me all the freedom that time cannot buy- priceless little moments like these that- if I miss the opportunity, I will miss it forever”
Night Light gave off a smile as wide as Pinkie Pies. Tears filled Her mother’s eyes.
“So… what do you say, can we make a memory?” Twilight asked. Twilight smiled as her parents got out of their seats and embraced her.
 
[hr]

“Oh come on!” Twilight complained “Landing on the boardwalk! I don’t have any money left!” 
“Hehe… now you’ll have to pay!” Night Light grinned mischievously. Twilight looked in horror as more of her properties were mortgaged. She wanted to give off an “ACK!” but instead came out a long yawn.
“Oh, I somepony sleepy?” Her mother observed.
“Yes,” She admitted “Princesses still need their beauty rest. That doesn’t change with a pair of wings” She started off to the guest room of the house, which used to be her bedroom. 
“Oh honey, you can take our bed, Dad will sleep on the couch, and I will take the guest room”
“Banishing me to the couch?” Night Light teased “Is it because you landed on Appleloosa flats and it cost you a quite a bit?”
Twilight Velvet gave her husband a firm nudge “Do you want to be sleeping there for the rest of the week?”
Night Light held his peace with a smile.
“Dad, is it okay to use Mom’s shampoo?” Twilight’s voice echoed from the bathroom.
“Why are you asking him for?” Her mother trotted past the bathroom, closing the door with her magic. “Of course you can!”
The water started, as the humidity began to rise. Twilight hopped into the porcelain tub and lathered her fur with soap. She took the shampoo and washed her hair with Mom’s shampoo. She felt the cooling of her mane and the aroma of Lavender hung thick in the air. 
After all the suds were washed off, she stepped out of the tub and toweled herself off. She looked at the sink and remembered “Oh, mom! Can you give me my saddlebags? My toothbrush is in there!” 
“Sure thing, Twi!” A couple of hoovesteps and a set of saddlebags levitated in as the door creaked open a pinch. 
“Thanks mom!” Twi said as she reached into her pack and dabbled a drop of Toothpaste on her toothbrush. Her tongue tingled as the Toothbrush rushed around her set of teeth. She was doing quality as she could with the resources she had. After all, a princess needed her teeth sparkly and white, or the foal-free press would get on her tail end again. 
As she opened her pack to put her toothbrush back, she read a note in familiar writing stating “Meet in our room for a surprise”
Twilight carried her saddlebags out of the bathroom, down the hallway, and into her parents room where they were smiling and motioning her to get into bed. 
“We came to tuck you in, sweetie,” Dad explained.
Twilight rolled her eyes playfully “I’m over a decade too old… but if you insist.” Twilight didn’t have to be told twice when she hopped onto the king size mattress. She felt the blankets rush over her and wrap around her. “Goodnight” she yawned.
“Oh you are forgetting, your story!” Dad waved a book in front of her "Your favorite! Smartypants and the wand of Starswirl"
"Best night ever!" Twilight whispered to herself. 
Her parents hopped onto the sides of the bed and began with the first line "Once upon a time..."
A couple stanzas later, their Alicorn Princess fell asleep.