“So after all that time getting the current reversed, we realized that we actually needed to increase the voltage! Not even close! All we could do was laugh at ourselves.”
Twilight Velvet nodded encouragingly. She wasn’t quite sure what her daughter was talking about, but she knew she was excited. Twilight often got like this when discussing an experiment, or a lesson, or a new book...anything, really. It was a wonder that she hadn’t brought out a blackboard yet.
“And then Dr. Hooves found out that we needed a weaker magnet for the device! This might actually be easier to understand with a diagram. I’ll go—”
A knock at the castle door interrupted her. The Castle of Friendship was large, but the hallways actually seemed to amplify noise, so it was impossible to miss a visitor. Twilight Velvet and her daughter both stopped and looked toward the hallway.
Velvet quickly stood up and waved. “I’ll get it.”
It wasn’t that Velvet didn’t approve of her daughter’s studies, but more that the explanations could be long and tiring. But if Twilight was happy, she was happy, so she was more than willing to endure the rambling. It wasn’t often she could make a visit to her daughter, so a rare school holiday was the perfect occasion. She made her way to the castle door and opened it, ready to greet one of her daughter’s friends.
“Hello, I’m looking for Twilight Sparkle.”
Twilight Velvet didn’t recognize the mare on the doorstep. She looked old, but there was aura about her that seemed to contradict that appearance. Her unnaturally flowing mane, blown by some unfelt breeze, amplified this and gave a strange, unearthly presence to the mare. Fortunately, her pale cerulean eyes, turquoise mane, and light mulberry coat managed to stop her appearance from being unsettling.
Twilight Velvet finally remembered to greet the mare. “I’m her mother, Twilight Velvet. Most ponies just call me ‘Velvet’, so they don’t confuse me with my daughter. Twilight’s just inside; I’ll take you to her.”
Velvet led the mare to the large living room where her daughter was flittering to and fro. She was muttering to herself and seemed to be setting up some kind of demonstration, complete with mechanical contraptions and the infamous blackboard.
Once Twilight saw the mare, she hastily set down her papers and cleared her throat. “Mistmane! It’s good to see you!”
“Hello, Twilight,” Mistmane responded. “It’s good to see you. Unfortunately, I can’t stay long.”
“Is something wrong? If you need help with a new threat to Equestria, I can—”
Mistmane chuckled, interrupting Twilight before she could start rambling. “It’s not that dire, but I still need your help. I received an invitation to the ‘Grand Galloping Gala’.”
“Why wouldn’t you be invited? You are one of Equestria’s greatest heroes, after all.”
“I understand why, and I’m glad I was invited. The problem is that I don’t have anypony to go with.”
Twilight’s eyes lit up. “I see! Don’t worry, Mistmane. We’ll find you the perfect date for the Gala. I’ll just go get some notes together!” Twilight flew out of the room, leaving Mistmane and Twilight Velvet alone.
Velvet smiled and shook her head. “I’m sorry about my daughter. She tends to get very worked up over things.”
“Oh, don’t mind it. She’s brilliant, and brilliant ponies tend to be at least a little strange.”
Velvet’s chest swelled with pride. Her daughter was brilliant. She had even become a princess! Shining Armor had become captain of the royal guard, then protector of an entire empire... Both of her children had accomplished so much.
“She must have an amazing mother.”
Twilight Velvet looked over at Mistmane and gave a small smile. “You think so?”
“It takes a wonderful parent to raise such a wonderful child.”
Twilight Velvet nodded to herself before gesturing to the chairs next to the window. “She might be a while, so you might want to take a seat. Can I get you anything?”
Mistmane slowly lowered herself into the leather seat. “You can sit down and relax. There’s no need to be formal.”
Velvet nodded and took the seat across from the mare. “So you’re Mistmane. I’ve read about you.”
“Twilight said the pillars were heroes, but I didn’t expect we’d be that well known.”
“Oh, no,” Velvet chuckled. “I had to search forever to find anything about you. I like to keep up with Twilight’s adventures, that’s all.”
Mistmane seemed to ponder the response for a moment before replying. “Ponies need support from those close to them. I just wish I had realized that sooner.”
Mistmane’s voice carried a heavy regret as she spoke. Twilight Velvet looked into her eyes, trying to peer deeper and understand the mare across from her. There was regret, yes, but there was so much more. Patience. Understanding. Compassion.
“Do you mind telling me what happened?” The older mare’s mysterious aura had gotten the better of Velvet, but she wasn’t sure that was a bad thing. If she got to know more an intrusive question like that would be worth it.
“Well, it was a long time ago.” Mistmane’s voice contained a passion usually reserved for the young. The energy was missing, of course, but the investment was impressive on its own. “It was so long ago that even I’m not certain, but that’s a story too long to tell right now.
“When I was younger, I was showered with praise and adoration. Ponies viewed me as a symbol of kindness and beauty, but I don’t know if that’s the case. I tried to help the ponies who held me to that standard, but there was one pony I overlooked. Sable Spirit, my best friend. Her desire for attention only robbed her of her beauty, and when I returned from my studies, I found that our town had sunk to a state I never expected to see. All from her feeling unappreciated.”
Velvet frowned. Whenever Twilight told a story like that, there was some kind of happy resolution. She didn’t want to believe that such a story could end that way. After thinking for a moment, she asked, “Is that all? What happened to the village? What happened to Sable Spirit?”
Mistmane gave a sad smile. “I couldn’t stand to see my neighbors or my friend in such a state, so I cast a spell and gave all my beauty to them. You see what I look like now.”
Rather than feeling relieved, Velvet felt shocked. She sat in silence and tried to comprehend the tale. Mistmane had sacrificed her beauty—the thing she was loved for—for her friend. That was...incredible. If it had been her, would she have done that? Would she have given up the one thing she was known for? Probably not, in honesty. Did that make her a bad pony?
No, it didn’t. After all, there were plenty of good ponies who probably couldn’t do that. So if Velvet wasn’t a bad pony, Mistmane was an extraordinary pony. She was clearly generous and strong-willed; Velvet could understand why Twilight respected her so much. Her soft, gentle eyes and attentive demeanor put Velvet at ease. They made her feel safe.
“How old are you, exactly?”
It was a fair question. Velvet had just realized she couldn’t know based solely on appearance. After all, the story implied that Mistmane didn’t look the same as she normally would.
Mistmane seemed to fidget before mumbling an incomprehensible answer.
“Sorry, I didn’t catch that. Can you repeat?”
Mistmane nervously cleared her throat. “I’m thirty-eight.”
An awkward silence settled into the room. As Mistmane studied the ceiling, Velvet tried to process the new information. She was thirty-eight. The mare across from her was thirty-eight. That meant…
“You’re ten years younger than me?!”
Velvet wasn’t sure if that was a question or an observation. She must have said it louder than she thought, considering Mistmane’s startled jerk.
“Tha– Well, yes. If you are forty-eight, I am ten years younger than you.”
Velvet worked her jaw, but no words came out. Mistmane quietly avoided eye contact, slowly tapping her hoof against her chair. After an uncomfortably long pause, Mistmane decided to speak up.
Mistmane’s voice broke the silence but not the atmosphere. “I’ve told my story, but what about you? If you don’t mind, I’d like to hear your tale.”
Twilight Velvet composed herself and shrugged. “There isn’t much to tell. My children are the interesting ones.”
“I’d still like to know. Many ponies think they aren’t interesting when they really are.”
“Okay, then. I grew up in Canterlot. Went to public school, got a job, met Night Light, and eventually had kids. Really, nothing interesting.”
“Night Light is Miss Sparkle’s father? Is he here somewhere?”
Twilight Velvet’s eyes dropped to the floor. As she slid her hoof along the chair’s edge, she said, “We aren’t together anymore.”
Mistmane looked at her apologetically. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories.”
“No, no. It’s fine. Sometimes you stop loving a pony you used to.” Velvet did her best to put on a strong front, but her voice started to crack. “We both knew it was for the best, but that realization can still hurt. Twilight and Shining were already adults, so it wasn’t too hard on them.”
Mistmane reached out and gently placed her hoof on Twilight Velvet’s shoulder. She didn’t speak, but her hoof made Velvet feel a bit better. A calm, gentle headpat from Mistmane made Velvet’s chest flutter for a moment before she drew in a deep breath.
“I don’t know what’s taking Twilight so long,” she said, trying to change the subject, “but I’m sure she’s coming back soon.”
“I actually don’t think I need her help.”
Twilight Velvet blinked at Mistmane. There were only so many things that could mean.
Mistmane noticed Velvet’s confusion and smiled. “I was going to ask you to go with me.”
“Me?” Velvet blushed and tripped over her words. Of all the things that could have happened today, being asked to the Grand Galloping Gala wasn’t a possibility that had ever come to mind. “No, I shouldn’t. After all, it’s your first Gala. You should make sure you get the best date you can.”
“I don’t think any amount of paper and chalk can replace a one-on-one conversation.”
“But we only just met. It’s not as if there’s anything between us.”
“Of course there isn’t. But maybe we could get to know each other better. Maybe as friends, maybe as something else. Whatever the outcome, I’d like to have more time to talk to you.”
Twilight Velvet thought for a moment. It wasn’t what she had ever expected to do with one of her weekends, but it could be fun. Besides, Mistmane was so nice, inviting, and comforting. Spending more time with her was a welcome suggestion.
Velvet blushed as she responded, “Yes, I think I’d like that.”
Mistmane gave a small bow and levitated a ticket to Velvet. As they made their way out of the castle, Velvet paused and looked back.
Her daughter would be sorely disappointed.
