Rarity wrapped her forelegs around the small tree, her face involuntarily scrunching up as the sap melded into her fur. Taking a deep breath, she managed a smile. "I-is this correct, Pinkie?"
Pinkie Pie stood level with Rarity and squinted. "Hm... A little more to the left."
There a squish echoed out as Rarity, smile shuddering, shuffled two hoofsteps to her left. "Alright?" she asked through grit teeth.
"Just perfect!" Pinkie yelped. She gave Rarity a hearty pat on the back—which sent the rest of the unicorn's body tumbling into the tree—and bounded away, toward one of the dozens of other pony/tree couples that filled Sugarcube Corner. Nopony else in the building seemed to be having any problems with their partners.
Rarity waited until Pinkie was out of sight to sigh and remove herself from the wet bark. She grabbed a nearby napkin and began to wipe her chest. “You know,” she muttered to the mares sitting behind her, “I love Pinkie dearly, but I could do without the monthly ‘Hooray for Breathing’ parties.”
Fluttershy, smiling, shifted in her seat to give her potted plant more room. "I kind of like it, I think."
"You would," Rainbow said. "At least you're not—Twilight?"
At the edge of the sofa on which they sat, Twilight snored, oblivious to the conversation and the roar of the party going on around her. Her head rested heavily on a cactus. It took multiple prods and one shove from Rainbow for her to stir and lift her head. "Yuh...?"
Her three friends stared at her. "What's up with you?" Rainbow asked. "It's like eight PM."
Twilight gave a great yawn and rubbed her eyes. "Sorry, girls. This is the third night in a row I've been to one of Pinkie's parties... She just keeps trying to convince me to come and make the party 'officially royal.'" She sighed. "I haven't been getting much sleep."
Fluttershy reached to pull out one of the needles stuck in Twilight's cheek. "Can't you tell her that you need a break?"
"Yeah," Rainbow added, leaning back. "Just ask her. She'll say yes, but be disappointed, then you both will spend two days feeling awkward, then some disaster will happen to bring you together again, and you can write in the journal about standing up for yourself or something."
Twilight frowned. "And how is that a good—"
"Niedliiiiiiich!" came a yelp.
As if punctuating the shout, Twilight's wings shot up, knocking Rarity back into the tree. Both Rainbow and Fluttershy jumped as Twilight’s head whipped around to look into the crowd. Every point of fur standing on end, a weak whinny echoed from Twilight throat. "Why is she...?"
Rarity growled and lifted herself up. "Twilight, what is wrong with you?"
Twilight kept her eyes trained on the crowd—or, rather, a single mare headed toward them through the crowd. The mare cast wary looks at the couples around her, visibly cringing at the sight of a mare embracing a ficus. Taking wide steps, she made her way to the four and stopped right in front of them.
Rarity, Rainbow, and Fluttershy scanned the mare. It was as if somepony had cloned Twilight, but something went ever so slightly wrong in the process. She was the same height, and had the same face and horn, but her fur was a light gray, and her mane, which was long enough to be draped over her back, had streaks of the same. Her cutie mark was three small purple stars, their points nearly as sharp as her polished horseshoes.
Twilight, limbs shaking, grinned toothily. "M-Mom!" she said with a bright-red face. "Hi! What are you doing here?!"
Without a word, Twilight’s mother leaped forward to pull her daughter into a hug. “Spike told me you would be here! Oh, it has been such a long time since I have seen you, my little niedlich!”
“Yeah...” Twilight murmured, patting her on the back. “It has, huh?”
“Ahem.” The family, still locked together, turned. Rarity had wiped herself off again and stood with Rainbow and Fluttershy. She leaned forward. “Aren’t you going to introduce us?”
Twilight smiled. “Oh, right. Girls, this is my mom, Twi—”
“Twilight Velvet is what my name is,” Velvet interrupted, eyes lidded. “But you may refer to me as Velvet, if you would like.” When Rarity opened her mouth to respond, Velvet lifted a hoof, stopping her. “You do not need to introduce yourselves! I know all about you from the magazines! You are Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy.”
Rarity's eyes went wide. "Magazines...?"
"Mom, it's really great that you're here and all," Twilight said, stepping forward. Her hackles were still stiff. "But you never told me you were coming! I'm not sure that I can—"
"I do not need to tell you what I am doing with my life!" Velvet shouted, smile vanishing. "You are my daughter, and I am the parent."
Twilight gulped and looked away. "R-right, Mom."
Just as quickly as it had left, Velvet's smile reappeared. She hugged Twilight again. "My little niedlich... Oh!" She backed up a bit and lit her horn. A second later, Twilight gave a yelp as all the cactus needles in her blushed cheeks were pulled out at once. Velvet sighed. "Really, Twilight. Do you not wash your face?"
"I do," Twilight stammered over the giggles behind her. The blush was spreading. "It's just—"
"I would like to meet Pinkie Pie. She is here, is she not? This is one of her famous parties?"
"Yeah. She's probably over by the sales counter," Twilight explained. "Why don't you head over and check? I'll catch up in a minute." Velvet nodded and trotted away, a grin planted firmly on her face. As soon as she was out of sight, Twilight’s smile faded. She took a deep breath and flopped back onto the couch. “Jeez...”
Rainbow sidled over to her, one hoof barely smothering her giggles. “You feeling alright, nietzsche? How’s your face?”
Twilight crossed her forehooves and pouted. “It’s ‘niedlich...’”
Rarity rolled her eyes at Rainbow and grinned at Twilight. "Your mother is lovely," she said. “Did I detect a bit of an accent?”
“I wouldn't doubt it,” Twilight replied, sitting up a bit straighter. “My mom isn’t from Equestria; she was born and raised in Germaneigh. She only immigrated here as an adult to work as a magic scientist. I guess I'm just used to it by now.” She turned to Fluttershy, who was listening politely, and Rainbow, who was smirking. “And yes, she can be a little overbearing at times, but that's just the way she was raised! I swear, she’s really nice when you get to know her!”
Fluttershy nodded. “I’d love to get to know her, Twilight.”
“And you probably will,” Twilight said, shifting her gaze to the crowd. She frowned. “It sounds like she renewed all her magazine subscriptions again, which means she’ll be obsessed with talking to you guys any chance she can get.” With a sigh, she hopped off of the sofa and walked away. “I’m gonna go introduce her to Pinkie. I’ll be back soon.”
Rarity sat back down on the couch, next to the pegasi. Rainbow elbowed her. “Who knew Twilight was such a momma’s girl?”
“So says the filly who dyes her hair to look more like her father.”
Rainbow’s jaw went slack for a moment. She turned away, scowling. “O-oh, go hug a tree!”
A few hours later, things were winding down; as much as ponies loved Pinkie’s parties, one can only hug a plant for so long before things start getting awkward. Pinkie waved goodbye to the last group of guests to leave—at least, the last guests not connected to the Elements of Harmony. Yawning contentedly and wiping her brow, Pinkie turned back to the rest of the bakery and planned her cleanup route; it took her right past the couch where her friends still sat.
This included her one new friend. Velvet was lying across the couch and jabbering, mouth moving a mile a minute. "She was so cute!" she chirped, laughing. "That is why the New Canterlot Library now has a fire extinguisher at every desk."
Everypony laughed along—except for Twilight, who gave more of a low nicker into her hooves. “The directions they gave weren’t very clear... Okay, Mom, maybe it’s time to go—”
“Oh, please, just one more story!” Rarity begged, still chuckling. “Twilight almost never speaks about her foalhood with us. Who knew she had such an exciting life?”
“Oh, things were not so very strange,” Velvet replied. “Twilight was just so sweet and innocent.” She smiled. “Have I told the story about the time when Twilight assaulted one of her teachers?”
All the laughter stopped short. The other Elements all slowly turned to Twilight, who had gone pure white. Her wings flared and she shot up her hooves defensively. “G-Goddess, Mom! You’re making me sound like some sort of criminal! If other ponies heard you saying stuff like that—”
“Oh, it is not a large problem. I can say what I want about my daughter!” Velvet shot back, rolling her eyes. She turned to the other mares, who were still slackjawed. “It was many years ago. One day, she got a bad grade on a test. It made her so upset that she cast a spell and turned her teacher into a snowmare.”
The others all recoiled in unison. Fluttershy looked away. “O-Oh, my...”
“It was an accident!” Twilight yelped. “I swear! I even helped get her into a freezer so she wouldn’t melt while they came up with a counterspell!”
Rarity nodded and moved a hoof to her throat to hide a gulp. “Yes, yes, I’m sure, Twilight,” she said with a grin.
Rainbow leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes. “Sounds like you needed to... chill out.” She spent a few moments giggling to herself before opening one eye and looking around at the rest of the group. They were all staring—or, in Twilight’s case, glaring—at her silently. She frowned and threw her hooves into the air. “Oh, come on, that was funny! You couldn’t even chuckle?!”
Before anypony could answer, Velvet gave a yawn. Rubbing her eyes, she turned to Twilight. “Niedlich, this has been very fun, but it is becoming late in the night. I think we should go back to your library." She looked to the others. “It has been very nice meeting you all. I hope to speak with you in the future.”
Rainbow, Rarity, and Fluttershy all nodded enthusiastically. “It’s been a pleasure,” Rarity added.
Twilight had to suppress her own yawn. She hopped off of the couch and helped her mother down. “Sure, Mom, let’s head...” She gazed around the room.
As tame as plant-parties tend to be, this one had caused quite an impression on Sugarcube Corner. Dirt covered the floors, mixed in with leaves and pine needles. The far wall was streaked with sap. A bag of fertilizer had been ripped open and left in the doorway. And in the center of it all was Pinkie Pie, diligently mopping the floors, bags hanging from her eyes. Every few moments she would stop biting the handle and yawn.
“...Actually, Mom, I think I’m going to stay to help clean up.”
Velvet’s ears went back. “You are going to stay? But it is almost ten thirty!”
“I know, I know!” Twilight assured her. “Don’t worry, I’ll be home soon! I promise.”
Casting a wary look, Velvet took a step toward the door. “Well... alright. I suppose you may stay. But come home quickly! You need your sleep!” She walked away, and out the door.
Twilight watched her leave. “Okay!” she called to Pinkie Pie, walking back over to her friends. “Pinkie, is there anything you want us to do?”
Pinkie stopped mopping and looked over at them. “Um... Oh, I know!” She zipped away, leaving behind nothing but an outline in smoke—only to return again before it had dissipated. Somehow balanced on her back were twenty cacti, twelve ficuses, fourteen roses, and three pear trees. As her friends stared in shock, she unloaded them onto the floor. “All of these plants went the entire party without being hugged!”
Rarity gulped and instinctively grabbed the napkin from before. “You don’t mean to say...?”
“Can’t you feel it?” Pinkie asked, putting an ear up to one of the pear trees. “These plants feel so left out! We haven’t thanked them for all the oxygen they give us! While I clean up, can you spend some time with them?”
The four stared.
With a sheepish grin, Rarity backed away. “Well, I am simply exhausted! I’ll see you ladies tomorrow! Ta-ta!” She walked a few steps before breaking into a gallop out the door. Rainbow Dash watched her go, shrugged, and sped out after her.
Twilight and Fluttershy exchanged glances before heading for the plants. “Darn promises...” Twilight muttered. Fluttershy hugged a ficus and sighed contentedly.
By the time Twilight made it home, her brain was addled by exhaustion—as it turned out, plants were rather demanding friends. Nevertheless, she hummed quietly to herself as she fiddled with the lock on her door. It had been worth it to spend more time with her friends. That is, without her mom in tow.
Speaking of Mom, I hope things aren’t too messy, she thought as she slowly closed the front door behind her. I don’t think I’ve cleaned the guest room in months! The floorboards creaked with every step, much more so than during the day, it seemed to her. She froze in place and listened for the telltale pitter-patter of dragon claws against wood. Fortunately, nothing came; the silence remained unharmed.
She blew a sigh of relief. “I wasn’t even here, and he still followed his bedtime.”
“I suppose someone has to.”
A shriek escaped Twilight’s throat as the new voice cut through the darkness. Before her wings even had the chance to open, her horn was lit, throwing light across the entire room. There in the corner, she could just barely make out the silhouette of another unicorn.
She gritted her teeth. “Mom?! Don’t scare me like that!”
Slowly, Velvet stepped into the light. Her blue eyes drilled into Twilight. “You are late.”
“What? Late for what?” Twilight cast a spell, and a nearby lantern sparked to life. “Shouldn’t you be in bed?”
“I should be asking you the same thing!” Velvet Sparkle returned, stomping forward. Twilight was sure that she could see poison spraying out of her mother’s mouth. “Where have you been?! Do you know how far past your bedtime it is?!”
Twilight paused. “My... bedtime?”
“Yes, your bedtime! Eleven o’clock!” She jabbed a hoof at a nearby clock; it read eleven o' four. “You are late!”
“Mom, please!” Twilight whisper-shouted to her. “Can you calm down a little bit? Ponies are sleeping!”
"And you should be too!" Velvet's eyes narrowed. "I did not raise my daughter to be a delinquent!"
"I'm not a delinquent!" Twilight seethed. "Listen, Mom, I don’t know what you’re talking about. I haven’t had a bedtime since I was a foal, living at home. And even if I—”
“When did I tell you that you could stop following it?”
“When did you...?” Twilight muttered. “Stop following what?”
“Your bedtime!” Velvet raised her nose into the air. “When did I tell you that you could stop following your bedtime?”
“W-well, you didn’t, I guess, but I—”
“Aha!” Velvet yelped, her voice echoing through the halls. “So you admit to your crimes!”
“Would you just let me finish a sentence for once?!” Twilight screamed back, wings and horn sparking. The lantern’s flame jumped up high. Velvet recoiled, and Twilight took a step back. Gritting her teeth, she continued, “I didn’t commit any crimes. I’m an adult—you can’t boss me around and tell me when I have to go to bed.”
“Ah,” Velvet said, looking away. “So you think that you are better than the rules.”
“There are no ‘rules!’ I-I mean, I’m not even tired!”
"Why, of course you are tired!" Velvet grabbed ahold of one of Twilight's forelegs and shook it. It wobbled in her magical grasp like gelatin. "Do you not think I saw you yawning at the party? There is no life in these bones! You are a growing filly. You must sleep to become big and strong like Princess Celestia!"
Twilight snatched her hoof away. Her face filled with pink. “I’m already an alicorn! You can’t rule my life like this!”
"What?" Velvet gasped and threw a hoof to her heart. "I am not trying to rule your life!" She threw that same hoof at the staircase.
"Now, I will give you three seconds to walk up your stairs and go to bed." With a flash of her horn, an hourglass with only three grains of sand appeared. One fell quickly, while the other two tottered precariously over the edge. "One."
Twilight folded her wings and sat down. “I love you, Mom, but I’m not doing this.”
Another grain fell. "Two." Velvet's teeth were grinding.
The Princess closed her eyes and lifted her nose into the air.
The last grain. “Three.”
“Hmph.”
Velvet swore under her breath and fixed her daughter with a steady gaze. She took a single step forward; the ground seemed to quake under her hooves. She growled. “Fine. Twilight Clopina Sparkle: you are grounded.”
Twilight’s bloodshot eyes fired open, along with her wings. “What?!” She threw her forehooves to the floor, smashing the floorboards. Any semblance of calm had been drowned in a sea of screams. “You can’t ground me! I’m an adult! It isn’t fair!”
“Life is not fair!” Velvet said, turning up her nose. “You are not allowed to see your friends or go to their ‘parties’ for a month. And I expect an apology for making me scold you so late at night.” One eye opened, falling upon Twilight with a lidded stare. “After you go to sleep, of course.”
“B-but—” Twilight choked out, wings twitching involuntarily.
“No buts!” Velvet shook her head. "I am tired of you talking back to me. You are my daughter, and you will do what I say.”
“I’m an aduuulllt!” Twilight’s wings were flapping at full force now, their wind nearly throwing Velvet across the room. The wood under her hooves splintered more and more as she danced from hoof to hoof upon it. Her eyes had gone blurry. “I’m a grown-up marrrrrrre!”
“Can you guys quiet down?!” Spike yelled, appearing at the top of the staircase. He rubbed an eye. “I’m having that dream about the ice cream again, and I’d really like to—”
Velvet sneered and leaned in close, her muzzle nearly touching Twilight’s. “You are a filly.”
Twilight reared onto her hind hooves and let out a window-shattering bray: “No! I’m an adult, and I do what I want!”
With a single flap of her wings, she shot from the floor, and out an open window. Velvet fell from her hooves to the floor; books, papers, and dust scattered all over the room were thrown into the air; and Spike could only scream as the earth shook below his claws. The alicorn’s high-pitched whines echoed through the town for minutes afterward, prompting a number of lights throughout the neighborhood to spark to life.
Both Velvet, whose mane was streaked with pebbles and dirt, and Spike, who coughed up tornadoes of dust, walked outside to watch Twilight fly off into the night.
Velvet sighed and walked away in the direction of her daughter, ignoring Spike’s confused questions. “I thank you for your hospitality, Spike. Good night.”
Nightlight stretched his limbs and let out an unconscious sigh. With his wife visiting their daughter in Ponyville, he could afford to take up the entire king-sized bed without any complaints or swats from newspapers blocking his way. Visions of whole weeks—months, even—where he would have the bed to himself danced within his dreams. That, along with multi-million bit lottery checks and mares who may or may not have resembled particularly attractive movie stars.
Nightlight was a stallion of simple tastes.
One thing he did not like, however, were shrieks the volume of air raid alarms.
But this is what he woke up to at one o’clock in the morning, along with his entire home shaking under him. Body addled by sleep inertia, he tumbled out of bed with a moan, muzzle fitting perfectly into a single slipper. He lay on the floor for a moment, deciding that this natural disaster wasn't an immediate threat to his sleeping space.
The entire house sagged to its right, resting on that of the neighbors.
All the furniture in the room slid across the floor, headed straight for him. He let out a loud groan and slumped his body over a few inches, just barely dodging his wife's vanity cabinet. Mumbling every curse he knew through his newly-found mouthguard, he managed to make it out of his bedroom. The creaking of broken wood echoed through the house. Nightlight followed the sound down the hall and down the stairs.
He turned to enter the living room—or, at least, where the living room used to be. Both couches had been ripped in half. The coffee table, as well as every book and coaster which had once been placed on it, had been thrown across the room, landing straight into the fireplace. And the fireplace burned bright, despite Nightlight not remembering ever actually lighting it.
These same flames were scattered across the room, surrounding a single long trail of burnt carpet, which cut straight through the middle of the room. On either side of it, the walls had huge, strangely alicorn shaped holes in them.
Nightlight stamped through the wreckage—he could put out the flames in the morning—and looked through one of the holes. These same holes were stamped into every wall past it, going past the kitchen and den into his daughter's old bedroom.
A purple, smoking mass shuddered on the bed.
"Twilight?" Nightlight called, stepping through the holes. Each room was more ravaged than the last. He squinted and removed the slipper from his muzzle. "You're not allowed to use the fireplace anymore." The winged lump let out an ear-shattering wail. Wincing, Nightlight took two pieces of broken plaster and shoved them over his ears. "Alright, alright, you can keep playing with fire!" He made it to her bed.
Twilight lifted her head and sniffled. “Mom hates me.”
“Whaaat?” Nightlight chirped, wrapping a leg around his daughter. “How do you figure that?”
“She g-grounded me.”
“Oh.” Nightlight sat down next to Twilight and cradled his head in his hooves. “I guess she hates me, too.”
She sniffled. "Sorry about, you know... breaking the house." She glanced at him with one eye. “I'll fix it later."
"No, no, it's fine, it's fine! Nothing to worry about," Nightlight said, patting her on the back. The house sagged again, the entire structure falling an entire foot. Nightlight tumbled off of the bed and stared at his daughter from the floor.
Twilight sighed. "Can I stay here for the rest of the night? Mom is back at my house, and I really don’t—”
“Where is she?!”
Both father and daughter jumped. The building had begun to shudder again, with new quakes running through the floorboards every second. Twilight groaned and buried her head back into the mattress. Nightlight whimpered and ducked under the bed. They both winced as the door to Twilight’s room nearly flew off of its hinges.
Velvet stepped over a shard of wood. Her glare darted between her kin, before focusing on Twilight. An unmoving frown was etched upon her face. “You cannot run from your mother, Twilight.”
“How did you get here so fast?!” Twilight screamed at her. Her mother answered by throwing a heavy clump of papers at her face. It impacted with a thump and sent her flying across the bed. Shaking away the birds that had suddenly appeared in her vision, she glanced downward, only to find the early-early edition of The Canterlotan Times staring back at her.
The cover was emblazoned with a crude drawing of her being disintegrated by a bright-green laser. The headline read: “Princess Twilight Sparkle: Abducted by Aliens!”
Twilight's mouth opened slowly. "Uh."
"Do you know what you have done?!" Velvet yelped. "You scared so many ponies with your screaming and your disappearance!" She grabbed the paper away from Twilight. "This is just the cover story I gave to the press. Hopefully this will give them some solace while you are away."
"What?!" Twilight's wings shot up. "You told them this? Why?"
"So your so-called 'friends' will not attempt to retrieve you!" Velvet's eyes narrowed. "Goddess knows what those delinquents would do, keeping you out so late..."
“Y-you’re going to start an national emergency!” Twilight's breathing had become shallow and choppy. "Mom, why are you doing this? You were never this strict before!"
Velvet's scowl faded a bit. "I am just doing what is best for you, niedlich." She pulled Nightlight out from under the bed and stood him up next to her. “And I think that we both agree that grounding you now is the best way to keep you out of trouble.” She smiled. “Right, Besitz?”
Nightlight looked at his hooves. “Uh...” She elbowed him in the side. “O-ow! I mean, um, yes!” He stood up straight and put on a shaky smile. “I agree with your mother. This’ll be good for you! And besides, uh, won’t it be great to get away from work for a while...?” He looked to Velvet. She nodded.
Twilight’s teeth were clenched. “But—”
“I already have told you, no buts!” Velvet scolded, earning a giggle from Nightlight, which, in turn, earned him a whack to the back of the head with the newspaper. Velvet sighed and turned away. “You are to stay in your room, and think about what you have done.” She walked away, with Nightlight following close behind.
Wings falling, Twilight shoved a nearby pillow over her muzzle and screamed as hard as she possibly could. The shriek lasted nearly a minute. When she lifted it off, she saw with a start that she had somehow singed the fabric.
“Excuse me!” Velvet could be heard yelling through the door. “Keep it down! Some ponies are attempting to sleep!”
Twilight—and her entire bed—caught fire.
“Urg...”
Drool plastering her chin, Twilight managed to lift her head from the pile of cinders which was once her bed. Her head felt as if her horn were on backwards, drilling into her skull; her wings simply wanted to drop off her sides. Eyelids closing out of sync, she threw her gaze around the room.
That was a mistake. Harsh noon sunlight flew through the windows and stabbed her retinas, forcing her to duck back under what was left of the blanket. She was tempted to just stay there either until the twinging in her joints had faded away, or until she died—whichever came first. With her stomach growling as it was, the second option seemed much more likely.
Grumbling what she was sure her mother would call a 'bad word' under her breath, Twilight managed to lift her eyes out of the shadows. Staring at her from across the room were two fried eggs and a piece of butter-and-jelly toast, all laid out on a ceramic plate decorated with bright pictures of flowers. Steam still wafted into the air.
Twilight gasped and lifted the meal over to herself. As angry as she was, even she couldn’t deny her mother’s cooking. Aches forgotten, she dived in. As she scarfed down the breakfast, she looked up.
Across the room, standing in the hole that she had made when she crashed, an unfamiliar stallion stared at her.
She shrieked and jumped back, both throwing her food into the air and stirring up a hurricane of ash. “What are you doing in my room?!” she managed before the plate came crashing down onto her head. Her horn pierced an egg, and the yolk came spilling down over her mane.
In response, the gray unicorn shrunk back. “Um, I’m just here to fix the wall, P-Princess Twilight Sparkle...” He wore a pair of thick, blue overalls, and a mask was strung over his muzzle. Various tools laid around him.
“Oh.” She gulped and looked away. “Sorry. Uh, carry on, I guess.”
Still shaking, he nodded and picked up his sander. “Of course, M-Miss Princess Twilight Sparkle. Please, just ignore me.”
Twilight watched him for a second before granting his request and looking down at her food. It lay on the floor, covered in cinders and dirt. She resisted a sob as her stomach erupted again. Carefully, she put the remains back on the now-shattered plate and returned it to the desk where she had found it. She noticed that, laying on the desk, were two pieces of paper and a pen. She brought them over.
The first paper was simply a card. In intricate cursive, it read:
“I believe I mentioned before that I would like you to write a letter of apology. Here is a parchment on which to do so. I will collect it at dinnertime.
Love, Mom”
She threw the card to the floor and lifted up the blank parchment. Her horn itched to spark it into flames, but the rest of her had to protest. She already sat in a pile of ash. Her wings, dragging against the ground, were stained black.
She chuckled. This is quite the look for a Princess...
Wait.
“Aha!” Twilight yelped, wings flaring and stirring up clouds of dust. A few stray giggles escaped her grinning mouth as she picked up the pen. “Oh, ho, ho, Mom! Who’s the filly now?!”
With a click and flourish of the pen, Twilight began her letter:
“Dear Princess Celestia,”
Her pen flew across the page as she kept watch on the door. She described the circumstances of her situation, making sure to mention that she had not been abducted by extraterrestrials. When she named her actual assailant, a small blush filled her cheeks.
It ended with a succinct plea: “Please help.” She rolled up the scroll and readied a spell to send it off. But just as her horn lit, she remembered something else. Unfurling the scroll, she scribbled just under her signature: “Do NOT attempt to come in through the front door! Come to my room!” She opened a window—which now had bars over it—and readied her horn.
Although Spike was still in charge of sending off all of her letters, Twilight had at some point taken time out to learn the exact magic behind it herself, and create her own spell to mimic it. She had always kept it secret, though, lest Spike find out and invade a dragon's hoard again. She cast her spell, sending the letter-turned-smoke flying out into the air.
She rested her head on her hooves and stared out the window for a few minutes. Unicorn foals were playing in the street below, throwing rubber balls to one another, apparently oblivious to the half-destroyed house sitting before them. She sighed. “I wish I could go out and play...”
Absent-mindedly, she tapped on the dark-gray bars, before immediately grabbing her hoof away. The metal was burned her fur and skin.
Her eyes widened. The bars were made of xenodite, a metal specifically known for possessing two key qualities: one, being resistant to all magic—she couldn't rip them off, nor teleport past them, and they would burn her alicorn skin; and two, costing more per pound than every piece of gold owned by the Crown.
Twilight hung her head and held back a scream. Through measured breaths, she seethed, "Mom, how are you doing all this?"
"With a drill, I would presume."
Twilight whipped her head upwards, only to lock eyes with Princess Luna. The alicorn hovered in front of the window, eyeing the bars with a brow raised. "It has been nearly a month since I last constructed a prison, but I am not inclined to believe that the fundamentals of construction have changed.”
"L-Luna!" Twilight yelped. "I'm sorry, but I didn't realize that there were xenodite bars over the window. I'm not sure how you can get in!"
Luna's horn flashed for a split second, and her entire body began to darken. Within a few seconds, she had become jet-black. Her form condensed, and an inky smoke passed through the bars, only to rematerialize on the other side. She landed on the hardwood with a thump, kicking up a cloud of soot.
Twilight's jaw dropped. "H-how did you do that?!"
"Hm?" Luna furrowed her brows. "Were you not watching? I took the form of a gas and slipped past the bars."
"Well, yes, I know, but how?"
"I do not understand the question." She blinked. “Why is there egg in your mane?”
Twilight shook her head. “Oh, nevermind! After I sent my letter, I... wait.” She tilted her head. “I addressed the letter to Celestia!” Seeing Luna’s eyes darken, she quickly added, “N-not that I’m not glad that you’re here! But where is she?”
A calm smile passed onto Luna’s face. “The last time I spoke with her, she was crying.”
“What?” Twilight yelped, knees buckling.
Luna let out a hearty chuckle, before throwing a hoof in Twilight’s direction. “Oh, do not worry yourself! Her servants are supplying her with a steady diet of iced cream and miniature chocolates.”
"Why?!"
"Well," Luna began, raising a hoof to her chin, "when we received your letter, Celestia was in her bath. I had stepped into Celestia's room—as I do everyday—to read her diary, when I found the scroll on her bed. I read it, and I was obviously quite relieved." She frowned at Twilight. "I had been so afraid that you had been slaughtered by our old foes, the aliens! When they told us that they were going to take 'one of our own,' we never expected it to be you!
"When my sister returned from her bath, I reported to her the contents of your missive. She, however, was not relieved; when I mentioned the name Velvet, she nearly keeled over!”
Twilight took a step back. “My Mom?”
“Oh, yes!” Luna responded, grinning. “My sister seems to have quite the strong opinion of your mother—or the ‘screaming Tartarus witch,’ as Celestia called her.” Seeing Twilight’s mouth agape, Luna nodded slowly. “Oh, I know, I was surprised too; I was not aware that there were witches in Tartarus!
“Anyway, after informing me of the Tartarus witches, she began to weep. When I asked why, she told me that she needed to plan your funeral, before lying down on her bed and ordering a servant to give her ice cream.”
Twilight gulped. Her legs had started to shake. “O-oh.”
Luna smiled and rested a hoof upon her shoulder. “There is no need to be nervous, Twilight Sparkle. No matter what Celestia thinks of your mother, I am here to help you in any way I can.”
“Right. Right...” Twilight’s wings fidgeted around a bit. “I guess I just need help taking care of my mom.”
“Of course," Luna murmured.
With a flash of her horn, Luna summoned a butcher knife. She headed for the door.
“W-wait!” Twilight yelped, throwing herself forward to grab onto one of Luna’s hindlegs. The dark princess affixed her younger with a bewildered glance. “When I said I wanted you to ‘help take care’ of my mom, I didn’t mean I wanted you to kill her!”
“‘Kill her?’” Luna repeated, twirling the knife. “When was I going to kill her? I merely intend to cut off a lock of her mane.” She smirked and thrust her nose into the air. “In my experience, that is the only way to truly defeat mares.”
“Oh.” Twilight looked to her hooves. “That's not really what I had in mind either. I only want to try to escape as a last resort.”
Luna sighed loudly, and the knife disappeared with a pop. “What, then?”
“I guess I just wanted help talking to her,” Twilight said with a blush. “She’s not listening to me because she thinks I’m some kind of troublemaker. But maybe if you talk to her, she’ll listen!”
“Fine. I will try. Where is your mother?”
Floorboards creaking under her, Velvet laid a hoof on her Twilight’s door. She wore a white button-down blouse and a sharp black skirt; her uniform at the lab where she worked. Her limbs were weary, and she looked forward to reading her daughter’s apology letter. With a flash of her horn, the knob turned, and the door opened up.
Smiling, she peeked her head inside. “Niedlich?”
It only took a single glance across the room for any trace of mercy to fall from her face. Sitting at a makeshift desk constructed out of broken bed parts and books, were Twilight and Luna.
Luna stared down at the multitude of cards in her magical grasp. She grimaced. “Do you have any ‘threes?’”
Twilight, face placid, didn’t look down at the one card in hers. “Nope, sorry. Go buck.”
Belting out a string of expletives, Luna threw her cards to the floor and crossed her forelegs.
“W-what is this?!” Velvet barked, her hold on the doorknob tightening so hard it cracked. “What are you doing in my daughter’s bedroom?”
The two alicorns whipped their heads to the side to look at the intruder. Twilight smiled shakily. “Oh, uh, Mo—”
“Finally!” Luna interrupted. “I am growing sick and tired of this Windigo-forsaken game! I will have you know, Velvet Sparkle, that your daughter is a swindler of the highest caliber!” Before anypony could protest, Luna hopped off of her chair and took a few steps toward Velvet. “I have waited hours for your return.”
Velvet’s eyes narrowed. “You have not answered my question, Princess Luna! Why are you here? My daughter is grounded!”
Luna snorted. “Well, it does not look like you have done a very good job; we are on the third floor.”
Velvet blinked. Twilight stared for a moment before sighing and throwing a hoof to her face.
“No matter our location,” Luna continued, “I am here to protest the cruel and unusual punishment you have inflicted upon your daughter. She is a Princess of Equestria and deserves to be treated with respect.”
Velvet rolled her eyes. “Well, if she wanted to be treated like a Princess, perhaps she should have acted like one and fulfilled her promises—like obeying her bedtime.”
“‘Bedtime?’” Luna repeated, tilting her head. “Twilight mentioned this in her letter, but I did not understand. What is this ‘bedtime’ of which you speak?”
“It’s, uh, exactly what it sounds like,” Twilight said. “It’s the time at which foals have to go to bed.”
The confusion that had been on Luna’s face melted away, only to be replaced by a simper. “What? Who would be so foolish as to assign such a thing? Why, you would deprive somepony of their chance to see the night!”
Velvet sneered. “That is exactly the point.” Twilight’s wings tensed. Luna’s mouth hung for a moment, smirk fading. Velvet kept her expression. “I intend to keep her out of the trouble that comes from being out at nighttime.”
"Excuse me?!" Luna shrieked. "How dare you! The night is per..." She trailed off, teeth clenched. A fiery breath came out of her nostrils. Her mane went supernova. "Alright, Luna, return to your place of happiness..." She closed her eyes. The floorboards were cracking under her hooves.
Sighing, Velvet trotted up and pushed her way between the two Princesses. She draped a protective foreleg over Twilight. “My daughter does not need your assistance. She will be perfectly safe here, in her room.”
“I would be perfectly safe in Ponyville!” Twilight shot back, craning her neck.
“Please, niedlich, calm yourself.” Velvet smiled. “You must be hungry. I will—”
“How can I be calm when you’ve made me a prisoner in my own bedroom?!” Twilight fell back onto her haunches, the lines on her face becoming readily apparent. “I swear, I’ll go back to following my bedtime! Just unground me and let me go back home!”
“No, Twilight Sparkle!” Luna barked, stepping forward. “She has no right to enforce her barbaric ‘bedtimes’ on you!”
Velvet gasped. “No right? No right?! What right have you to tell me how to raise my foal?!”
“I’m not—”
Luna sneered. “I am her fellow Princess; the Monarch of the Night.”
“Hah!” Velvet blurted out, smirking. “You are not a real Princess!”
The room fell silent. Twilight’s entire face went slack.
The stars in Luna’s mane went out for just a second, as her mouth fell open. She stared at Velvet with wide eyes. “Excuse me?”
“You are not a real Princess! You have not performed any of the acts that make a true monarch.”
Luna’s face tightened, and she seemed to grow at least a yard taller. “H-how dare you! I have lived for thousands of years! I have watched ponies, nations, entire races live and die! I have struck down spirits and dictators! Without my powers, the whole of nature would be thrown into absolute, unforgiving chaos!” She stamped a hoof, her hoof smashing through the floor. "There is nothing that I have not already done!"
Velvet didn't drop her smirk. "You have never written an award-winning young adult novel!"
"...What?" Luna muttered.
"Everypony knows that to be a true Princess, you must have written an award-winning young adult novel! Princess Celestia has written one; Cadance has written several!" Velvet grabbed her daughter again. “Twilight’s novel about young griffons bonding over their mutual love for encyclopedias while fighting against a tyrannical, dystopian government captured the hearts of teenage fillies across Equestria!”
“Mom...” Twilight looked away, face reddening. “I used a pen name for a reason...”
“My point still stands!”
Luna took a step back, her hooves dragging through the ashes. “Th-that is a lie! I know it is!” Her eyes darted back and forth between the two mares, faster and faster, right along with her breathing. “I know! If it was true, Celestia would have told me!”
Velvet raised an eyebrow. “Would she?”
“Mom, stop it! Can’t you see how freaked out she is?”
“Celestia does not want you to know about it!” Velvet yelped, shooting a hoof towards Luna. “She wants you to remain ignorant of the young adult novels, so nopony will recognize you as Princess, and she can keep all of the teenage fillies for herself!”
“No, no, no!” Luna screamed. “It can’t be! Twilight, why did you not tell me that I am a laughingstock?!”
“Because you’re n—”
“You must want to hoard the fillies, too!” Luna’s wings were flared out, their tips touching the ceiling. “I cannot believe that you would trick me like this! You may forget everything I said about helping you get out of here! You are clearly in need of a good ‘earthing!’”
She collapsed into a gaseous form again and floated past the two mares and out the barred window. When she reformed, she was turned away from the two, her nose thrust high into the air. “I must go and write my novel. Good day!” With a flap of her wings, she sped off.
Twilight leaped toward the window, hooves clamping the burning bars. “Wait, Luna! Come back! You’re my only hope!”
There came a sigh from behind her. "Why do you insist on trying to run away? I love you, and I am simply doing what is best for you!"
Twilight snorted, eyes clenching. "N-no."
"Hm?"
"No!" Twilight spun around. Spurts of flame flew from her mouth with every breath. "You don't love me! If you loved me, you wouldn't be trapping me here!"
Velvet flinched. "I am not—"
"Yes, you are! You don't love me, and y-you know what?" Twilight, bleary-eyed, broke eye contact and gritted her teeth. "I don't love you, either. I h-hate you." She took one long step forward, forcing Velvet onto her rear. "I hate you, and once I get out of here, I never want to see you again!"
There were a few seconds of near silence, the only sounds being Twilight's ragged breaths. Velvet's legs shook as she managed to climb to her hooves and clear her throat. Her muzzle quivered as she murmured, “You... I-I suggest that you... Ugh!” She stamped a hoof and trotted over to the door. She opened her mouth again, but closed it without saying anything. With a sigh, she left the room and locked the door behind her.
As soon as the door closed, Twilight picked up a pillow and threw it straight after her mother. It hit the door noiselessly and crumpled to the ground. She crumpled with it, burying her head in her hooves. “Great work, me...”
“U-uhm, ex... excuse me, uh, Miss Your Highness P-Princess Twilight Sparkle...”
She looked up and sniffled. Staring at her—or her hooves, really—was the drywaller. He still stood in the massive hole in the wall that Twilight had made when she first crashed. A drywall knife floated in his grasp.
“What?” she spat.
The drywaller flinched, but managed to make eye contact. “Well, um, ma'am, I wanted to say that I'm very s-sorry about you being grounded.” She didn't respond, and he looked away. “I mean, um...”
She held up a hoof, but managed a small smile. “Listen... I appreciate that you're fixing my wall and all, and you're doing a really great job, but I'm kinda having a moment here. You know: angsting about my mom trapping me, and all that.”
He chuckled—still frowning—and rubbed the back of his head. “Yeah. That's, uh, what I really wanted to say... You know, you're n-not really trapped...”
Twilight blinked. “What? How?”
He laid a hoof on the edge of the large hole in the wall and beamed.
“...Yes?”
The smile fell. “There's a hole in this wall.” He patted the edge.
“I'm not following.”
“You can escape through the hole.”
She eyed him for a moment, the side of her mouth raised ever so slightly. Without warning, though, those same eyes widened. Her smirk faded.
She flapped her wings once, and shot off of the ground, through the hole.
The drywaller flew backwards, his now-limp body making another hole in another wall. A trail of ash followed her out. Various items and pieces of furniture were sent flying as Twilight crashed through the den and kitchen again. The only difference was that this time, Twilight had a huge grin plastered on her face.
She blasted through the living room window and went sailing off into the evening sky, her only cry being: “Why in the name of Celestia didn't I think of that?!”
“Do you realize how much I love you?”
Lyra chuckled and turned away, trying to hide her blush in her cup of cocoa. “Yeah, yeah, I know...” Before she could take a swig, she found another pair of lips pushing hers out of the cup. “Bon Bon, what are you—” The two kissed. Lyra stared at her fillyfriend’s closed eyelids for a few seconds before giving in and closing her own eyes. She pressed harder, and let one of her hooves stray down Bon Bon’s side, headed for her flanks.
“Ugh.”
The two mares broke apart and threw their glances at the alicorn sitting further down the otherwise deserted bar. Twilight’s entire front was covered with crumbs and ashes, and her muzzle was shoved firmly into a cup of cocoa. She glared at them out of one baggy eye.
They frowned, but moved together again. Lyra moved her hoof again.
“Ugh.”
Lyra recoiled and banged her hoof on the counter. “I swear, I’m gonna—”
Bon Bon touched her shoulder. “Sweetums, please... she’s royalty! You’d be executed!”
“I could still beat her face in...”
“I’m sure you could,” Bon Bon murmured, pulling Lyra in for a hug. “But she’s not worth it. Just ignore her, and pay attention to—”
“Uuuuuuugh.”
“That’s it!” Lyra yelped, jumping off of her chair. She grabbed Bon Bon by the hoof and pulled her down. “We’re getting out of here!” She stormed off with her fillyfriend trailing behind her, leaving Twilight to be the only pony in the restaurant.
Twilight watched them go, her hardened scowl cracking as their voices faded. She sighed and swallowed her last donut whole. Hair splayed out over her face, she laid her head on the counter.
It wasn’t that they were both mares; she just wanted to be alone.
Well, as alone as she could get while still stuffing her face with donuts. She could feel Donut Joe staring at her from across the bar—or, more likely, her wings. He wasn’t going to ask her to leave anytime soon.
“More cocoa and donuts, please?” Twilight muttered.
Joe came to collect her empty cup, but hesitated. “You sure?”
“Yes. I need something to fill the vast vacuum ripped into my core by my maternal progenitor.”
“Mm.” Joe took the glass. “Poetic; must be bad. I’ll get you extra whipped cream this time 'round.” He trotted away.
Twilight sighed again and, closing her eyes, tuned in to the hum of the neon signs outside. They were droning, yes, but leagues better than a certain mare’s screech. Compared to that, the hum was the Canterlot Philharmonic.
“You look very much like a mess.”
The orchestra stopped short. Twilight opened her eyes, and nearly upchucked all of her donuts. Staring at her, eyes just as baggy and streaked, was Velvet. The two stared at one another for a moment before Twilight groaned and began pounding her skull into the table. Velvet rolled her eyes and hopped onto the barstool next to her.
“If this is how you act when you are out at restaurants,” Velvet continued, “perhaps I really was right to worry.”
“Can you just stop?” Twilight asked. “How did you even find me this time?”
"You did not go far." Velvet turned to face forward. “And I always used to bring you here after school was over, when you were just a filly.”
Joe stepped in with Twilight's cup floating in front of him, but it fell to the floor when he locked eyes with Velvet. "Oh, hay," he swore, backing out.
The two watched him go without a word. Velvet grumbled and rubbed her eyes. "I...” She paused. “I am not sure how to say this. I do not know the Equestrian word, I do not think.”
“Just say it; I’ll translate,” Twilight muttered.
“Es tut mir Leid.”
Twilight lifted her head and turned to stare at Velvet. “You... You’re sorry? You’re sorry.”
“Yes, I think that is correct.”
“That’s just... I mean—” Twilight gritted her teeth. “You’re sorry. You’re sorry.”
Velvet frowned. “You sound like you do not believe me.”
“That’s because I don’t! I can’t!" Twilight yelled, throwing her hooves into the air. "You’ve spent a full day trying to keep me locked in a room for months, all because I didn’t go to bed on time! And you did it all with a smile on your face!” Twilight growled. “And now you expect me to believe that you’re ‘sorry’ all of a sudden?”
“But...” Velvet met her eyes. “I am... sirry? Sorry.”
“No.” Twilight turned away and jumped off of her barstool. “I don’t care what you say now.” She walked away with her head low. “I’m leaving. I don’t care if you follow me, either. I’m not talking to you ever again.”
“Twilight, please, wait!” Velvet yelped, galloping after her. “Do not leave again! Just stop, and I will explain my actions!" When Twilight kept moving, Velvet slowed to a trot and let her head hang. "P-please. I beg if you, please stop and listen... niedlich."
Twilight crawled to a stop. Her growl echoed through the restaurant. "Fine." She turned her head, so one lidded eye pointed toward Velvet. "I'll let you explain. But don't expect me to forgive you!"
The grimace on Velvet’s red face lightened, just barely making it to a smile. "Thank you." She took a deep breath and opened her mouth, but made no sound.
Twilight turned fully and raised an eyebrow. "Are you alright?"
"I-I was scared."
"Okay..."
"No, no, I mean... that is why I punished you like I did. I was scared."
Twilight found herself caught between a smirk and a gape. "You were scared? Of what? And what does you being scared have to do with my bedtime?"
Velvet rested a hoof on a nearby table to steady herself and looked into Twilight's eyes. "So much has been happening in our family. Your brother is a prince in his own country. You are a princess—not even a member of our race anymore." She walked up to Twilight, causing her to tense. But the alicorn relaxed, almost involuntarily, at the sight of a genuine smile. "It is all very joyous and very exciting, but... This may be surprising, niedlich, but I am older than I look."
"Oh, yeah?" Twilight said, hiding her own smile.
"Yes. I am at an age where I want to live simply and relax. But I am also a mother, and I cannot help but worry about my foals." Her face sagged. "Shining lives in a dangerous tundra, leading armies. And you are an Element of Harmony! You are in the magazines every other day, with some new danger! How am I able to relax when you are out, facing death?"
Twilight nickered. "But Mom... that's my job. I'm the Element of Magic; putting myself in danger comes with the title."
Velvet took a breath, then nodded. "Yes. You are an adult, and you have an important role. I do not deny this. And you have grown up so fast. And I suppose that is why I was so upset when you disobeyed your bedtime. It was the last thing that"—she swallowed—"the last thing that remained from when you were just a foal." She turned away and cast a hoof over her face. "I am s-sarry."
"Oh, M-Mom!" Twilight yelped, grabbing the mare. The two hugged fiercely, holding one another for over a minute. They shook in unison, tears stinging their eyes. "Please, don’t cry! I was so busy thinking you were evil that I never really thought that you might have a reason.”
The elder sniffled, but managed a chuckle. "I suppose I may have overreacted a tiny amount..."
"Y-yeah. You did."
"...but I now realize that I was wrong. Can you still not forgive me?"
Twilight grinned and wiped her eyes. “Of course I can, Mom. I love you.” They hugged again. “So... am I still grounded?”
Velvet nodded.
“Oh,” Twilight said, frowning.
“But you may return to Ponyville,” Velvet added after a moment. “And perhaps I can shorten your punishment to just a night. If you promise to sleep healthily.” She touched her nose to her daughter’s. “You are my little niedlich, after all.”
So close that their coats brushed, the two trotted out of the restaurant. “It is becoming late,” Velvet said. “If you are going to return to Ponyville, you should make your way soon. You are always welcome to stay in your room, though—”
“No!” Twilight yelped. She took a breath. “I-I mean, no thank you. I think I want to get back to my own bed. Thanks, though.” She smiled, and the two nuzzled.
Velvet giggled. “Oh, how I do love you and your excitement.”
Twilight blushed. “Yeah, I know. I love you too...” She trailed off as her entire muzzle scrunched up. She sniffed. “Hey, do you smell that?”
“Smell what?”
“It smells like...” Twilight sniffed again, looking around. “...like badly written young adult fiction.”
A bang rung through the air, and the two jumped back as the ground in front of them exploded, sending plumes of dust into the open air, and into their faces. When the air cleared and their coughing fits had subsided, they stared at what had crashed to the ground in front of them. It was a book.
Its leather cover read: Generations, by Princess Luna of Equestria
“Ha ha!” came a voice, booming from all sides. “Who is the real Princess now, Sparkles?!”
