The two of them sat at the table as silence prevailed. Twilight observed that Maestro was nervous, moreso than she’d ever seen him be. She could understand, of course. It was a delicate subject that he was trying to broach. Twilight didn’t rush him, though. He would talk when he was ready. He took a breath, and began. “It’s not my fault this happened to you, that it got so… weird. It all goes back to my dad. He was… eccentric… to say the least. I know that you read about the Enchantment Of Attraction Magnetism, but allow me to shed some light on it all. You see… My dad was a desperate mess after his first wife died, at least according to the journals he kept.
“He tampered with things that he shouldn’t have, and experimented with enchantments until he stumbled upon the key for his desires. Once he tested it… it seemed that it was key to his problems. It worked wonders for him finding a new wife- at least, at first. You see… he didn’t know the consequences of what he had wrought.”
Maestro paused for a moment as he looked down, a solemn look on his face. “This next part… I didn’t find out about it until recently. You see… a child born from such a mingling… is essentially cursed.” Twilight’s heart sank as she could tell where this next part was going, but let Maestro continue anyway. “My dad kept notes on what happened in my childhood, recording what came of such interactions. There seemed to be no limit in what it could do. He was ecstatic at his findings, a pony that could -without knowing- cause anyone to fall for them. He did, however, note that this curse was different from his enchantment. If enough time, space, or what have you came between the victim and the source, the effect would dissipate. He tried forcing such to become enthralled again- but the effect only ever works once on any given individual.”
Twilight saw tears stream from his face. He’d kept it together through the explanation, but apparently the thought of what his father had left him with was too much. Twilight hesitated for a moment. What should she do? She was awfully confused, but… Maestro was still her friend, and he was suffering. She got up from the table, and went over to comfort him. She held him close as his tears continued. She stroked his mane gently, trying to calm him down. She‘d never really seen him so vulnerable before. She tried to comfort him with words. “It’ll be alright, Maestro. We’ll figure out something to get this curse broken. I promise.”
To her surprise, Maestro broke away from her grasp. His tears were starting to dry, but he still looked rather solemn. “That won’t work, Sparks. My dad’s enchantments are too strong for me to break. This… curse… has his magic essence all over it. It is as immovable as a mountain. I may be very good with enchantments, but even I could never hope to free myself from this affliction.” He looked away, defeat creeping onto his face. “As for what happens to us now… I’m unsure. I was blinded by my feelings, not understanding the signs that you were showing. I wanted so badly to have a romantic relationship work for me, but I didn’t see the signs of how shallow it was. As for why… I chose to be willfully ignorant, much to my shame. I hope that at the very least we can still be friends, Sparks."
For a while, Twilight was uncertain of how to respond. This sort of challenge for friendship was something she had never really come across before. However, she knew this much- Maestro had never meant for this to happen. The sincerity in his voice was something that was impossible to fake. She knew what had to be done. She walked up to him, and placed her right forehoof upon his back. “Maestro, I forgive you. You’ve seen so much happen, that it’s understandable that your frustration at your previous failures clouded your judgment. As for this curse… I think that there may be one individual that might be able to help. I’m not completely sure how things will work out between us, but we’ll figure it out. Whether we are meant to be together or remain as just friends, I’m willing to figure that out. After all, avoiding it will only cause more trouble down the line.”
With a chuckle, Maestro shook his head. “You amaze me, Sparks. Always have. You were one of the few that were less predictable than everyone else- aside from Discord and Pinkie, that is. I’ve had many flings over the iterations, but I never felt strongly about anyone… until you. The reason I didn’t approach you until I got today’s letter is simple- once I excavated the disturbing facts by visiting Dad’s lab, I had to know the truth. Did you really love me? Or was it the curse that I’d been straddled with?” He looked Twilight in the eyes, and sighed. “Now that I know the result, I can safely say… I don’t deserve somebody like you in my life, Sparks.” He stood up, and gazed out of the window. “Perhaps… I should pass the baton of my Element to someone else, and step back. All I need to do is find a worthy candidate…”
Shock and surprise lit upon Twilight’s face. Was he serious, or was he joking? She honestly couldn’t tell. Twilight wasn’t sure how to feel. Was he refusing to try again with their relationship? Part of her thought she was relieved that they could go back to being “just friends”, but the other part vehemently disagreed. Did she want to try again, with this black spot hanging over them? Or would she push down her nebulous feelings, and let him walk away as a friend?
To Be Continued In Part Three