I rolled over and tossed the pillow off my head. Shining Armor laid in his bed on the other side of the room. I could see him frowning and watching the door in anticipation. Without looking away from the door, he spoke in a hushed voice. “What do you think happened? He’s usually not like this…”

Training my ears on the commotion in the living room, it sounded as if Dad and Mom were fighting over something. Though they never fought often, this time seemed a lot worse than before. “I don’t know, Mom’s pretty angry too. What coulda happened?” I pulled my blanket tighter around me and used my magic to fluff my pillow.

“It’s Hearth’s Warming Eve and you’re jobless? How long have you been jobless!?” I heard my mom shout.

Dad replied quietly making it hard to keep track of what was happening. Finally, it got quiet for a few eerie minutes, Shining glanced over at me, “I hope they’re okay… should I check?”

Hiding my muzzle under my blanket, I shook my head and hoped he could see me. “I think we should stay in bed… I don’t want to know why they’re fighting-”

I stopped talking the minute my mother’s voice boomed from somewhere in the house. “You did WHAT with our savings?! How could you! Those bits were for Twilight and Shining’s college fees!”

I heard my father shout in return. “I was the one who earned all that money! It was mine to do as I pleased! If you want to save money then go and, you know, GET A JOB!”

Another moment of silence came to pass through our home. “Sh- Sh- Shining… I’m scared…” I said quietly.

Shining Armor quietly crawled out of his bed and tiptoed across the room and sat next to my bed, laying his head on my bed next to me. He put a hoof on top of mine. “Don’t worry, Twilight. No matter what happens, I’ll always be your big brother.”

“My BBBFF?” I asked sheepishly.

He chuckled quietly. “Yes, your Big Brother Best Friend Forever.”

My brother and I both looked at the door as a loud noise passed through the house, followed by a howl of pain from my mother. Shining crawled up next to me and pulled me into a hug. Holding my head against his chest. “Don’t worry, Twilie. You’ve got your big brother here.”

I couldn’t help but feel like something very bad had just happened. I felt tears begin to stream from my eyes. The room was beginning to spin so I closed my eyes and pressed my face into Shining’s fur. He stroked my mane trying to keep me calm.

As silence conquered our home once again, I could hear faint whispers in the next room before suddenly something glass fell to the floor and mom shouted again, “I’m through with this! I’m leaving you, Night Light!”

A minute later, Twilight Velvet opened the door and saw the two of us sitting on my bed. I looked up at her, “Mom…” she had a bloodied patch of fur just above her right eye, “W- What’s ha- happening?”

She sat down on the bed next to us, “I’m sorry, Twilight. I didn’t mean to scare the two of you.”

Night Light came to block the light from the fireplace, “Shining, come here, please. I need to talk to you about something.”

Shining nodded to him before giving me a hug, “Love you, Twilie. I’ll be back soon.”

He glanced at our mom and kissed her on the cheek without saying anything. “Love you, kiddo,” she said before planting a kiss between his eyes. “Now go see what your father wants.”

Her and I watched as my brother left the room. “Twilight, I’ve got a special present for you this year, it’s in Canterlot and we’ve got to leave now if we’re going to make it in time.”

“What present?” I asked finally calming down a little.

“We’re going to go talk to Princess Celestia,” she said quietly as she pulled me into a hug.

I didn’t know what to say, so I said nothing. After a few moments, my mother stood and her horn came alive with magic. She drew my school bags and a trunk out from my closet and began filling the trunk with my belongings as well as my bags.

“Mom? Why are we packing?” I asked, pushing my blankets off me and folding them by hoof. She lifted it with her magic and put it in the trunk before closing it.

"Mom? Are you okay?" I asked. Climbing off the bed, I pressed my cheek against her leg and looked up at her. "Mom?" I asked again when she didn't answer.

She looked down at me, tears streaming down her cheeks, soaking her fur. "Don't worry, baby. Momma'll be better once we get to Canterlot."

I nodded and rubbed my cheek against her leg until I felt her lift me in her magic. She carried me up so I was eye to eye with her. She smiled a broken smile before pressing her nose against my cheek. "I love you so much, sweetheart."

"I love you too, mom... But why are you crying?" Mom simply looked away from me and sat me back on the floor, grabbed a purple linen scarf and wrapped it around my neck.

"Come, Twilight. It's time to go." Her voice was shaking and I saw something glistening on her cheek. She walked out of the room, carrying the trunk behind her. I looked at my bags she had sat on the floor, they had some of my toys in them though nothing real special. I slid them over my head and onto my back and quickly trotted after her.

In the living room, Dad and Shining Armor sat together near the fireplace. Shining Armor looked at me and waved, tears coming to his eyes. I felt tears coming to my eyes and I ran across the room to the two of them. My dad scooped me up in his hooves and held me close for a minute or two. “Love you, Twilight.”

“Love you too, daddy,” I said quietly in return before he let me go. I slowly returned to my mom’s side and followed her out the front door.

The cold winter winds blowing across Trottingham threatened to steal the scarf I wore around my neck. I looked up at mom and realized she hadn’t grabbed a single belonging of her own. All she grabbed was my stuff… “Mom?”

A chill ran down my spine, “It’s cold out here.”

“I know, baby. It won’t last long, we’re going to go get a cart ride from a friend of mine.” She smiled down at me, “Would you like to ride on Mommy’s back?”

I nodded, feeling my hooves start to tingle in the snow. She picked me up and put me on her back, just behind her shoulders. Mom began to trot as fast as she could with me on her back. I hid my face in her mane to try and hide from the cold air flowing past us. It didn’t take her long to get to where she was going, as she slowed I peeked ahead from between her ears. We were coming up to a little rickety looking cottage. “Mom?”

“Yes, Twilight?” she answered softly.

“When will we get to Canterlot?” I asked her curiously.

“Before dawn,” she answered as she tapped a hoof on the door.

The door swung open and a stallion stood in the doorway rubbing his eye. “It’s Hearth’s Warming Eve, what do you- Velvet? Why are you… Is that a little filly I see on your mane?”

I ducked out of view and hid my face in my mom’s mane again. Velvet nodded, “Yes and it’s cold out here, may we come in for a moment?”

“Yes, of course. Come in, come in, make yourselves comfortable.” I peeked out ahead again and saw the stallion step aside. Mom accepted his invitation and walked into the cozy little cottage.

She sat the trunk on the floor and laid down in front of the fire with her hooves closest to it. I crawled off her back and laid down against her belly, snuggling up against her. Velvet looked over at him, “Thank you, High Note. I’m sorry to come so late into the night, but I have an important favor to ask of you. My daughter and I need to pegasus cart ride to Canterlot. The roads are covered in snow and the last train left town a little while ago.”

“Sure, but first, let’s get you warmed up. I’ll grab some blankets to toss in the cart so the two of you are more comfortable. It’ll be a cold flight… The wind wasn’t being nice today, I imagine it’s no better now.” He rose a hoof and disappeared through a doorway. After he reentered the room he smiled, “Sorry, figured I’d fill the teapot. Might be a little bit before I’m ready to go.”

Mom nodded to him and looked down at me, “Why don’t you get some rest, sweetheart.”

I nodded and yawned, “Okay, Mom.” It didn’t take very long for me to fall asleep.

Yawning, I blinked my eyes open. I was laying bundled up in blankets against my mom’s stomach still. I couldn’t see much, it was dark and the wind was loud, but just behind the rhythmic winds was a soft humming. It was my mom.

She had her head laid across her hooves, her eyes closed and a blanket draped over her. She was humming the same song she hummed anytime she wanted to help me fall asleep. She usually only hummed me to sleep whenever I had a nightmare... Why would she hum it now? I'm not having a nightmare...

"Mom?" I asked, pressing my nose against her belly.

She opened her eyes and smiled down at me. "Did you sleep well, Twilight?"

"I did... Why are you humming?"

"Well, I was hoping to help keep you from waking up." She smiled and pressed her cold nose against my cheek.

"Mom... Why are we going to Canterlot without dad and brother?" I asked, feeling as though I wouldn't be seeing them for awhile.

"Well, Twilight... I'll be honest. I don't think your father and I can be together anymore... But, he and I both love you and your brother with all our hearts. Your father and I will always be there for the two of you and maybe Nightlight and I will be able to be friends again."

"But why can't you two just be friends now?" I questioned, not seeing the point in all this. Tears came to my eyes and I hid my face in the blankets. Why am I crying?

I felt my mother lick the back of my ear. "Shh... No need to cry, my little Sparkle. You'll see them again. I promise. Go back to sleep, my sweet little filly. Mommy'll take care of everything.

I looked up at her. "I miss Shining Armor..."

"I know you do. I do too, baby. Now get some rest, don't you want to be awake when we meet the Princess?"

I nodded and smiled a little excitedly. Momma had always told us stories about the Princess. "Good night, Momma."

"I'll wake you when we get there," She whispered, licking my ear again.

Feeling the cart bounce and bump woke me up. “Momma? What happened?" I asked, jumping a little.

Almost immediately her nose pressed against my shoulder. "Everything's okay, Twilight. We're at the Canterlot Castle. See?" She motioned for me to look out ahead of us.

Just beyond a massive gate stood an enormous castle with towers that were so high in the air that I had to look straight up to see the tops of them.

"Is this where we're going to live?" I asked in awe.

"Yes, Twilight. Celestia and I are old friends." She smiled and as they neared the gate, two unicorn guards approached the carriage.

"Halt!" said one of them, they approached the pegasus who brought us here. "What's your business?"

"I'm simply here to drop these two off. Lady Velvet and her daughter."

The name caught the guards attention. "Twilight Velvet?" The guard asked, glancing back at us. When mom nodded the guard waved his hoof and the gates opened. "Princess Celestia had been expecting your arrival."

High Note nodded, thanking the guards before proceeding into the castle. It had begun to snow a little. As High Note stopped the cart at the doors he glanced back, "I hope everything works out for you, Ms. Twilight. Happy Hearth's Warming." He glanced up, and I followed his eyes. He was looking at the moon, hanging heavy overhead.

"Fly safely, my friend," she said as she levitated me and my blankets onto her back before picking up the trunk with all my stuff inside. She walked up to the door and nodded, the unicorns posted outside opened them with a solute.

Mom carried me inside the castle. The foyer was huge. Mom carried me up the stairs before a pegasus flew over and landed beside us. "Follow me. The Princess is waiting." He turned and trotted up another set of steps and through the door. I watched as he guided us through a maze of rooms and hallways until we finally came to a small room, which seemed to be like a living room.

In the middle of the room stood the most beautiful creature I've ever seen. "Twilight, meet Celestia. I was a student of hers a long time ago."

"Hello, I'm glad to finally see you again, my dear Twilight Velvet," Celestia said before looking at the guard and nodding. The guard saluted and left.

"I'm sorry for coming here on such short notice… Night Light and I had a fight earlier tonight. I... I didn't know where else to go." She walked forward and sat down, levitating me off her back and setting me next to her.

I yawned, feeling drowsiness setting in again. Repositioning myself so that I’m looking at my mom, I smiled and she smiled back at me. "Hello there, little one, what'd be your name?"

I looked at the Princess. "I'm Twilight Sparkle," I said quietly.

"I see; like daughter like mother, I suppose. Well, In the morning you'll be able to explore the castle with my dear friend, Cadance. She'll be so happy to finally meet you." She smiled a soft reassuring smile, much like mom did.

My mom spoke again, "Does that mean we can stay here until I can find a job?"

"You can have the job you used to have here in the castle, as my bookkeeper," Celestia said. I imagine the two of you are quite tired. Please, follow me." She nodded towards the door to her left. My mom picked me up along with the trunk and followed her.

It didn't take long for us to turn into another room; a large room with a huge bed. "My old room?" My mom asked, looking around as if surprised.

"Yes. I left it how it was with the anticipation that you would return at some point." Celestia turned towards us and bowed her head slightly. "It's a pleasure to have you back, Velvet. I hope you and your daughter enjoy your stay here and manage to adjust accordingly."

My mother smiled, "I think we'll be able to manage, right Twilight?"

I stood up and put my hooves in between mom’s ears. "Yeah! Thank you, Celestia!" I said before yawning again and laying down on top of my mom’s head.

Celestia walked over and held her muzzle just over mom's horn. I stood and touched her muzzle with my own. "Good night, little one," she said before walking past the two and leaving the room.

Mom sat the trunk on the floor and put me and my blankets on the bed. "I have a present for you," she said before turning away for a moment.

I couldn't see what she did, but a moment later she turned back towards me. "I want you to meet an old friend of mine," she said before crawling up onto the bed and laying down with me.

"Who am I meeting now, momma? I'm too tired..." I complained as my eyes tried to close.

Mom levitated ragdoll, only a little smaller than me, into my reach. "A special friend I've had since I was a little older than you are now. Her name is Smarty Pants, and now she's yours."

I looked up to see her smiling down at me. I grinned and reached forward, grabbing ragdoll and snuggling with it as I got comfortable against mom's fur. "Good night, Mom. Love you."

"Get some rest, sweetheart. You have a big day tomorrow," she said, calmly licking my ear to help me fall asleep.

It worked.

Author's Note

I would like to make it clear that while this story shares similarities to my own history, it's worth noting that this is still a story about ponies in equestria and so isnt 100% historically accurate.