Meeting Mommy

"Viola?" I call into the seemingly empty washroom. I let my voice echo through, bouncing of the graffiti-covered walls. There was no reply, but I could hear a filly sobbing in one of the stalls. "Viola? Are you okay?" I run along the row of dark green stalls, my hooves brushing aside each unlocked door until it came to one that refused to budge. I knock, putting my mouth near the little slit where the hinges were to speak to her.

"Go away." I heard a voice sniff.

"Hey, little one," I coo. "Can I come in?"

There was a dead silence, the kind that left a strong sense of tension in the air. To my relief, I hear a click and the door swings open to reveal my daughter huddled atop the closed toilet seat. Her eyes are puffy and red, her mouth curved in a dismal frown and she looks absolutely petrified.

"What do you want?" she huffs, burying her head behind her forelegs. "You probably don't want me, right? Because I'm a failure. Everypony knows it. And now you do too. So why don't you just go ahead and leave me alone, alright? You obviously didn't have any trouble with that when I was born."

My mouth felt dry in two ways, a parched dry that nagged me for water and a drought of words. Everything I had to console her was instantly sucked out of my mouth, leaving a bitter taste of defeat on my tongue. I was both taken aback by the nerve she possessed to accuse me of not loving my own daughter and the uncomfortable sensation of pure and utter guilt. It felt as though a hefty rock had appeared in my stomach, and now weighed me down. Her words were the poison shoved down my gullet, and her icy glare was the invisible hoof forcing me to swallow the inevitable truth. I swallowed hard as if I were gulping down the venom.

"You don't even know-" I stammer. The words well up in my chest, but I fumble to grasp them in my throat long enough to speak. I inhale deeply, my nostrils flaring as the exhausted breath escaped from my lungs. "I don't expect you to understand, or even begin to comprehend what it was like for me. I see now how scary it must have been for you, and I am sorry. I am truly..." I wince as my own words seep in, what I'm saying. Biting my lip as the thoughts I had contained for so long pounded in my mind. "...truly sorry for that. I only wanted what was best for you. How could a mare like me, one that can hardly care for herself, give you the loving home you deserve?"

"Mom, I-" Viola began. I could see tears of guilt welling up in her eyes as well.

"I was not ready to be the parent you needed. So I gave away the one thing I loved most in the world, the one thing that actually loved me back too."

My eyes jerked upwards as I felt a gentle-yet-startling embrace. I glance down, my forelegs awkwardly contained in her grasp. She perched on her hind legs, and her once perfectly-groomed coat was ruffled with wind and splattered with speckles of mud. Her forelegs rapped around my lower neck. Her head, and dark mauve mane done up in perfect little curls, rested on my shoulder. I could feel her body quiver every once in a while as she sniffled or sobbed, and droplets on salty tears collected in my blue coat.

"Shh," I cooed in a soothing voice. Like clockwork, I stroked the fur of her coat gently in a vertical pattern so that every stroke left it smoothed down. "It's alright."

"I l-love you, mom." she managed through incessant sobbing.

I planted a peck on her cheek, breaking the hug and giving her a smile. "I love you too," I grin. "So howabout you go wash up and I'll meet you outside, sound good?" Viola shoots me an inquisitive look, but nods and trots over to the sink with an obedient smile. I peek my head out of the Mare's restroom. Luckily, the cruel crowd of foals I had accidentally attracted had subsided by now.

The clouds had begun to roll in, casting a shade over the entire fair. Most families had decided to return home as the sun faded, leaving the rows of booths eerily quiet. The only sound that greeted my ears was the occasional whistle of wind as it picked up around me and fell once more and the faint tune of cheery carnival music drifting about the place. I feel a bump from behind and turn to see an embarrassed Viola, blushing from her sudden collision with my flank.

"Oops." she laughed, "I wasn't looking."

I giggle idly, but the task at hand is far too important for me to get distracted.  "Are you ready for a challenge?" my lips part in a mischievous grin as I rear up, pawing at the air dramatically as my wings splay out. Viola nods eagerly. "Sweet. Let us commence! Today, I shall teach you to...." I pause for dramatic effect. "FLY!"

Viola's eyes instantly widen and her eyebrows curve upwards with evident fear. Her lavender pupils seem like tiny ships in a sea of white. "No... no, no, no..." she mutters, taking a step backwards.

"Aww, c'mon. Nopony's here to judge you, and you won't succeed unless you try."

She takes a shaky breath before speaking. "Okay. Um, where do we start?"

"Hop on!" I say, gesturing my head towards my back. "I'll take you for a practice flight first." The filly clambers onto my back, her hind legs digging into my sides, just below the wings. "Hold on tight." I can feel her hooves dig in even more. I break  into a gallop, dashing across the open field. With a burst of speed, my wings extend and a steady flap pushes me into the air. I can feel Viola tense, and her hooves struggle for a grip around my neck. I begin the climb, each wing beat propelling me higher from the ground below.

"Ready?" I gasp as the wind presses against my face.

"Ready."