Just one week.
Fanfic by englishwitch
Edited by DerpyDash2131
Disclaimer: The following is an entirely fan-created parody. My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, its characters and all other affiliated merchandise are the intellectual property of Lauren Faust and Hasbro. Please support the official MLP: FiM show.
I make no profit, or money at all, for the production and distribution of this fanfiction.
Chapter 6
Deciding to leave the library was an easy decision for Twilight. After what she'd just seen, she needed some air. Velvet thoroughly agreed and didn't even mention the fact Twilight was leaving the building unattended. It was the furthest thing from her mind.
"A real mother-daughter day. That's what we need. Not a casual discussion over breakfast or anything having to do with hangovers," she added knowingly. "but a true and proper time to talk, catch up and...forget our trouble." her mind still held the image of Night Light the walking disco ball. Velvet shuddered and hoped fresh air and sunshine would banish that image down to the deepest shadows of her mind.
...***...
"And so, there we were, just burst down the door, charging in to save the day when the Diamond Dogs beg US to take her. The gems too."
Velvet laughed so hard she almost lost her balance. "She beat them all...by whining?" She managed to gasp out between giggles.
"All by herself." Twilight chuckled. "All we had to do was help her take the gems home."
Velvet put a hoof to her eye to wipe away a tear. "I must remember to meet Rarity while I'm here." Her eyes sparked as a memory crossed her mind. "Is she the same Rarity who traumatized Prince Blueblood at the grand galloping gala some years ago?"
"The one and only." Twilight nodded. She stopped for a moment to admire the flowers at Roseluck's stall, as beautiful and fragrant as ever.
"You do know some delightful ponies." Velvet commented. She took a pear from a fruit stall, tossing the bits to the owner as she took a bite. "I may have to 'borrow' that Diamond Dog adventure."
Twilight Sparkle gave her mother a sideways glance. She knew very well what 'borrow' meant. "How is the latest book coming?"
Twilight Velvet was a writer of some regard. Twilight Sparkle attributed her love of books to her mother. Not that everypony knew she was a writer. She chose to write under a pen name, the pseudonym of Dusk Twinkle. Dusk, because it was another name for Twilight and Twinkle after Velvet's own mother, who had nurtured her daughters growing talent in its earliest days.
"Slowly but surely." Velvet spoke automatically. Any time anypony asked how her books were going, she made the same reply out of pure habit. "The publisher has lifted the deadline, what with this Canterlot emergency and all. I've been hoping to talk to you on the subject, actually." She stopped herself as they passed the Ponyville café. "Over lunch, my treat."
They sat down and the waiter, Horte Cuisine, handed them two menus. Velvet took the liberty of ordering tea for two and dandelion sandwiches. "Unless a nice single stallion like yourself like to join two ladies for lunch."
Twilight planted her face onto the table and growled in frustration.
Horte, to his credit, reacted in his usual fashion - as though he'd heard such requests so many times he was bored by them. "Madam, I am not single." He nodded his head to the two of them. "I shall return with your orders momentarily."
When Horte had moved out of earshot Twilight lifted her head from the table."Mum!" Twilight snapped.
"I simply asked a nice stallion if he'd like to join us for lunch." Velvet replied in her 'I don't know what you're talking about' voice.
"You know what you did." Twilight's eyes narrowed. The gaze almost burned into Velvet. "Remind me to tell you what Applebloom and her friends did last Hearts and Hooves day. Maybe you'll learn the same lesson about interfering in love." She sighed and shook her head. "You'll probably want to borrow that too."
"I don't know." Velvet admitted. There was a silence for a few seconds as Horte returned and delivered the tea and sandwiches. Velvet was never confident discussing her work in public and only continued after she was sure he was out of earshot. "Love and romance doesn't have too much of a place in adventure books. Not my kind of adventure books."
"There was a potion involved," Twilight said casually as she poured the tea, using her magic to lift the pot. "stolen books, chaos and near disaster. All because of three fillies trying to do something nice for their teacher."
She knew she'd hooked her mother at the word 'potion.' 'Stolen books' and 'near disaster' were just icing on the cake.
"Do tell." Velvet beamed.
...***...
A short time later Velvet was rolling on the floor, laughing.
“I’m serious.” Twilight giggled. “He was dragging the whole house!"
Velvet laughed so hard she clutched at her sides. She waved a hoof to Twilight, trying to tell her to stop.
Slowly Velvet's laughter faded, and she regained enough composure to sit up. Giggles still escaped as the image returned to her mind.
"You know mum," Twilight changed the subject effortlessly. "Rainbow Dash would love to know you're the author of her favourite books. It's because of Daring Do she learned to like reading in the first place."
Velvet stopped laughing, but the smile remained. "I thought I recognised those books your pegasus friend had in her saddle bag. How thrilled was she when she'd seen they'd been signed by the author?"
Twilight giggled. "I believe her exact words were, ‘ohmygosh ohmygosh ohmygosh ohmygosh.’ Give or take a few ohmygosh's" Unconsciously her hoof rubbed at her side. Rainbow had given her such a strong bear hug, her ribs had been sore for a couple of days.
Velvet chuckled, amused. "It was nice of you to send copies for me to sign, not just ask for one of the gratis copies I have in the attic." As the author Velvet usually received half a dozen free copies of the Daring Do books on their first print run. One usually graced the bookshelf at home, Twilight and Shining were given a copy each, the rest were usually packed away in the attic. "Very nice. One could almost say...loving."
Twilight facehoofed. Her mother was as subtle as a rampaging dragon. "No, Mum. Dash is just a friend."
Velvet simply nodded along, in a very knowing fashion which annoyed Twilight even further. "There's nothing wrong with it, dear. You can love anypony you like."
Twilight was sorely tempted to teleport away. Anything to avoid this conversation. She'd heard many stories about how hard it was to 'come out of the stable,' as the saying went. But it was mane-curlingly embarrassing when you had to come out because a parent had put you in there.
Metaphorically speaking, of course.
"I do love my friends, Mum. AS friends! I just thought it would be something Dash would appreciate, and since I know the author, it's not like it was a great deal of effort."
Velvet shrugged. Twilight wasn't sure if her mother believed her or not. "To answer your query," Velvet decided a change of subject was in order. The atmosphere had started to tense. "I can guess your friend would be overjoyed to know I write Daring Do. But, as always dear, I'd appreciate it if you kept it a secret. It’s the reason I chose the pseudonym in the first place, so I could just concentrate on writing and not be bothered by all that publicity stuff. I write for the joy of it, not the fame and not the money. Although the money is nice." She laughed.
Twilight nodded. She had always kept the secret and she always would, as long as her mother wanted her to. "I promise I won't tell. Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye." She made complicated gestures and gently poked herself in the eye with her hoof.
Velvet's eyes widened in confusion. "What was that?"
Twillight laughed. It was odd how the unusual had become so mundane to her. She'd forgotten this wasn't how the rest of Equestria worked. "It's a Pinkie Promise. A Pinkie promise is unbreakable. Pinkie Pie makes sure of that. Breaking a promise means you lose a friends trust, and losing a friends trust is the fastest way to lose a friend..."
There was silence.
"Forever?" Twilight looked around in all directions, including up at the clouds and even inside the teapot. Usually Pinkie appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, to chant the word Forever, in a variety of threatening tones. Now that she thought about it, where was Pinkie? She hadn't seen her since the party and that was two days ago now.
"Twilight dear, are you all right?" Velvet watched her daughter look in the teapot, up at the clouds and even under the table, looking for something.
Twilight snapped out of her search, remembering she wasn't entirely alone. "Sorry. Mum, can we stop by Sugar Cube Corner for a moment, I need to ask Mrs Cake something."
"Of course, dear." Velvet smiled. She glanced down at the table, their meal was done so she dropped the bits, and a generous tip and followed Twilight down the street.
They had barely made it ten steps before, "LOOKOUT!!!"
A mass of pain, blue, orange, purple and sparkling gems ploughed into Twilight. As one huge ball of pain and fury, a tangle of wings, horns and hooves, they rolled down the street for almost ten feet before they came to a stop.
Twilight saw brightly coloured spots dancing in front of her eyes. It took a few seconds for her to realise it wasn't concussion, just the sunlight shining off the jewels of her dads coat.
Slowly, Night Light and Scootaloo untangled themselves from Twilight. Both were wearing identical helmets and had identical scooters. Night Light's was bigger, obviously.
"Sorry about that, kiddo." Night light laughed and helped Twilight to her hooves. Something cracked in Twilight's spine as she rose, a bolt of pain following the noise. Twilight had to bite her lip to stop the yelp escaping her throat.
"Sorry, Twilight." Scootaloo said. "We were having a little race and...well I guess we weren't looking where we were going."
"Night Light," Velvet caught with them, shaking her head in disbelief. "You're racing children now?"
Scootaloo grinned, glad no one was yelling at her. "It all started with me trying to teach Night a few tricks. Then we found out we're about as fast as each other because I'm small and light and got my wings for a burst of speed and he's...bigger." She was going to say ‘Old’, but she'd seen what happened when the "O" word was used around Night Light. He challenged you to a race and you ended up running over ponies. "And less experienced." She added, hoping she'd managed to salvage the sentence. "You got a cool dad Twilight." She added, now hoping flattery would help keep her out of any more trouble.
"If you think so, you can keep him." Twilight groaned. The pain in her back was a deep throb now. Not debilitating but still quite bad. "Come on, Mum." She, slowly paced away from Night Light and the confused Scootaloo. Had she just been given a parent, a real parent?! She beamed at Night Light, who looked at her nervously.
Velvet followed on close behind her daughter. "Playing with fillies. He's such an immature colt. I don't think stallions ever grow up, they just learn how to act in public. At least most do." She threw a glance over her shoulder at Night Light, who was in deep conversation with Scootaloo, who, it seemed, kept trying to hug him.
Twilight tried to stretch, earning another bolt of pain. “Mum, let’s go to the spa. I need my back straightening out. Dad and Scootaloo did something.”
Sugar Cube Corner went forgotten.
Slowly but surely Twilight went down the street and straight into the Ponyville Day Spa.
When the stepped inside a pink pony with a blue mane popped up behind the reception desk, a warm and friendly smile on her face. “Welcome to the Day Spa. I’m Aloe. How may I help you?”
“Hi, Aloe.” Twilight tried to smile but the pain was really nagging at her now. “My back has been knocked badly. Do you think there’s something you can do for it?"
Aloe vanished behind the desk and reappeared next to Twilight from behind a potted plant, which was a move that would have made Pinkie Pie proud. She prodded at Twilight’s spine gently, taking note of the winces and gasps from Twilight.
“You poor thing.” Aloe sighed. “Yes, come along, we’ll get that back into place.” She looked at Velvet with a smile. “Would your sister like some spa treatments too?”
Velvet laughed, a blush rising on her cheeks. “Actually, I’m her mother. And your flattery is quite transparent.”
Aloe nodded. “But did it work?”
“Yes.”
The two mares were taken through to the back room where a line of massage tables were waiting. Only one was occupied, by a white mare. Her mane was wrapped up in a towel, a thick green mud mask coated her face, she was sitting on a layer of red velvet cushions and her back with being pummeled by a muscular earth pony with a light tan coat and a dark blonde mane. The spa masseuse, the aptly named Quake.
Rarity’s face lit up when she saw Twilight. “Twiiiliiight.” Her voice shook with the rapid and gentle hits from Quake. “What brings you here, darling?”
“Just getting my back fixed. I got knocked over by Scootaloo and my dad. What are you doing here?”
Rarity’s smile dropped. “Oh, darling, don’t talk to me about that awful stallion. The decisions he forced upon me for that awful coat have destroyed me. I simply could not look at another piece of fabric today. I had to rush straight here for some comfort treatment to help me forget what he made me do. I don’t mean to offend anypony you know, especially your own father, but Twilight, dear, it was ghastly, that stallion and every foalish decision he made was wrong wrong wrong! His sense of fashion is lacking the sense of sight, his maturity is non-existent and -”
“Rarity,” Twilight interrupted before her friend went to far. “I’d like you to meet my mother, Twilight Velvet.”
“He’s the most charming, kind, caring stallion I’ve ever had the pleasure of spending time with!" Rarity finished, laughing nervously. Underneath her mug mask she was blushing like a tomato,
“No need to sugar coat anything.” Velvet said casually. “Night Light has been making an ass of himself lately. And I am truly sorry he forced you to make that awful coat.”
Lotus, a blue earth pony with a pink mane appeared next to Velvet and started a gentle massage between her shoulder blades. Velvet moaned lovingly as the talented hooves worked at the knots of tension that had settled into her muscles lately.
Aloe was next to Twilight, rubbing her hooves together to warm them up.
“It’s quite all right, darling.” Rarity said, trying to sound casual, but it was obvious to everypony that it still bothered her. “It’s my own fault, I suppose. I’m far too generous at listening to the clients demands. Sometimes they don’t know less can be more. They just want so much flash and flair, they turn a great outfit into a fashion disaster. I want the client to be happy with the garment they’re buying but I suppose I do need to learn to stand up for the greater good of the creation.”
Aloe slammed her hooves down of Twilight’s back. There was a loud, stomach turning crack and Twilight groaned with orgasmic joy. “That is so much better.” She sighed. “Thank you, Aloe.”
Aloe smiled gleefully and continued massaging at the tension knots in Twilight’s back. Now that the main problem was fixed, she might as well do a full and proper job. “It’s my pleasure, Miss Twilight.”
Velvet, a smile growing on her relaxed face, looked over at Quake, who seemed to be finishing with Rarity. “A nice, strong, skilled, stallion like yourself must be very popular with mares.” She said in a slow, relaxed voice. “But I’ll wager you never met anypony like my daughter. She’s kind, quiet, learned and well read. I’ll wager she’s different from some ponies you meet here every day.”
Quake stopped. Aloe and Lotus stopped. Twilight and Rarity looked up and stared at Velvet in shock and horror.
Quake calmly stepped back from Rarity and walked around the massage tables to stand in front of Velvet. Her glare was so hard it could have been used to cut glass. “I’m a mare.” She said in a voice so cold and harsh, Velvet literally felt a chill run down her spine. Throwing her nose up in the air Quake strode away.
Twilight facehoofed. “I think we should go.”