During a frosty night of a blood moon I found myself alone, searching for answers as to why that stupid mare took everything from me. It all happened so fast— I almost finally ruled Equestria! My children would have strived and lived in a world where their queen was respected. Unfortunately it's far too late to be respected, actually… feared. That's more like it. Everycreature who wasn't one of us would know of their new queen. I can't believe Equestria was almost mine… but, of course, things didn't go as planned. How… how did those ragtag hooligans manage to foil me? And without any magic to contend with? Clearly, fate isn't with the most noble and last of the modest species who can contort this land to for the better. I have to admit, after a while there wouldn't be anypony to fool into thinking we're one of them. The world would've ran out of love to share.
Countless dark nights and unforgiving days after this unfair defeat, I somehow found Ponyville. No, I wasn't going to provoke them. Although, I should've… those odds may have seemed terrible but I've dealt with worse than a town full of weaker beings. Snow made it harder to see and even more difficult to walk without any fur to shield me from the frosty nips and flicking hail. I was about to flutter away but sometimes, life randomly decides to give you an outing. A mare was calling out to someone. That sense of motherly concern came and went. It's funny how a few children makes you want to celebrate each birthday, feed and nurture them individually and show them how to cocoon but too many– and I mean, too many, just causes you to stop.
Decades and a century or so of nonstop hatching does this to a beautiful queen like myself. If only Thorax never found out how to reverse transmit our magic. Strangely enough, all that responsibility going away feels… good. I am both infuriated and relieved of this! Where was I? Yes, the mare. She was yelling for somebody and it caught me off guard— being out alone, this late at night?
She was pretty… in terms of turning into somepony as a disguise. This mare had dark fur with a matching dark mane. Her mane had bright yellow highlights which made her stick out like a sore hoof. I'll spare you the details of sneaking up on her and looking like this random pony but that cocoon glowed so brightly, I stuffed her inside of a log. Ponyville would've been a perfect place to lie low and live for a while and I almost made it there too.
Then, he found me.
“Mom? Was I too good at hiding? Now it's your turn!” Excuse my terrible impression. He had an annoying voice. I was going to take his love right there and then but felt like playing along.
“Yes, that was very good! Good job! Let's head back into town, dear.” I told him. Looking back, I was too convincing. After all– I have done this way too many times.
“I thought we were making a snowpony? We gotta make a snowpony! You promised!” He whined with that ughh annoying voice.
“Oh, I'm sorry, I had almost forgotten about that. Thanks for reminding me!” I smiled, giving him a little hug. “How did I get so lucky?” He most likely thought I was talking about him. No… no, I was thinking about my free ticket into Ponyville.
But the kid. I had no plan. It would be a little cruel of me to take him deep within the snowy forest and abandon him. I'm not that evil. Am I? So then I briefly babysat him. Who would've foresaw that? I thought I could do this parenting thing until I left him off with his father. How would I have known if he did or didn't? It would have made everything a lot simpler if this child did.
So there I was, watching him pathetically roll a ball made of snow. And another, and another, and– he eventually stopped, breathing out gusts of cold air. The colt took off his fuzzy hat, placing it on top of the head of the snowpony.
“Yay! I made you, mom! Look! Your hair was a little difficult, though.” He presented the snowpony. It wasn't impressive.
“That looks nothing like me at all! You forgot my wi—” I was about to comment on my missing wings. But then subsequently realized I was putting on a disguise. “You forgot my winter coat, luv.” The look of disappointment swept away from his face, which was already burning red from the frost.
If somepony told me I would take off my protective sweater from the weather to make a child smile, I would've laughed. In this instance, I should be the one laughing at past me for not accounting for such a thing to occur. There was this warm, tingly feeling inside of me that felt as if my stomach was being heated by a lantern underneath it. I hated it.
After I shivered and backed away from the snowpony to admire it, I saw that gleeful expression on his face. It has been a while since anything remotely similar to that look had been caused by me. I know I've done many things close to this to harvest love from ponies but… this was different. You see, I felt proud. I'm not sure if proud is the correct word to describe this feeling in the first place? Confused, is the word I would describe how I feel at this very moment.
“Alright, now we are going.” Through my shaking mouth, I managed to tell him. I grabbed the jacket and gently took him by the arm.
Otherwise an uneventful trip, he said something to me that made me regret taking on this parental role if only for a little bit.
“I love you, mom.” So casually and freely it came. He looked up at me as if I had to say it back.
In theory, this would be so easy to lie and tell him four little words back but… I never felt like this in a while. Being a mom. It's true I have hundreds of children– if I could even call them mine anymore– but they took care of one another. Even though I met this kid a good five minutes ago, I struggled to lie to him.
I struggled to lie to myself.
You know the rest of the story from the accounts of the mother and her son, Princess.
Cadence leaned over the table. We were in a dimly lit room with the only source of light being a dying lamp. She twirled a hoof in a circular motion over at reflective windows. A file teleported in the middle of the table from an unknown source of unicorn magic. Gross.
“Yes, but I want to know your perspective. It's funny how things work out. I will never forget you trying to ruin my wedding by being… me. So, speak, or else.” Cadence placed a hoof over her muzzle, giggling behind it.
I stopped dead in my tracks. The child turned back in confusion, walking up to me and soon tugged at my coat in a playful manner.
“What is it mom? We're almost home!” He told me. And he was right. The street leading into Ponyville was a few metres away. Through the snowy bush and woodland, I backed myself into a circle of white trees. He followed, chirping once more, “Are you alright, mom? Is it the cold?”
“No. No— I'm not alright. I can't do this. Not now… not anymore.” I told myself, looking away from the upset looking colt.
“Don't worry, I'm here! We look out for eachother, remember? After dad got sick?” He began to cry. I haven't even told him anything yet and here comes the tears…
“A few ways south of your snowpony, there's a— just… go get help and look out there. Find a huge hollowed out log. I… I can't go through with this.” Moments later, I shifted back, clutching my eyes right as the colt screamed.
“M-m-monster!” He yelled so loud, wings of the pegasi flapped and zoomed around the area.
“Why? Why did you give away your cover? You know, it probably would've gotten you inside of the town.” Cadence eyed me with a look of curiosity.
“Being told I'm loved— you couldn't possibly know how odd it feels to be told this.” I explained to her, adjusting the magic inhibitor around my neck.
“What? What do you even mean by that…” Cadence put a hoof to her temple, shaking her head.
“Me, being told I'm loved while not me while doing something as— me… it's too much. I felt ill!”
“I still don't know what you're on about. But, thanks for being so obedient.” Princess Cadence stood up, using a hoof to comb her mane, then repositioned her crown.
Not long after, she made her leave as I was left there to figure out something I never felt before. My children still and always have loved me… right?