THE HEART OF STONE
Chapter Fifty Six: Red Velvet
Written by TheCrimsonDM
The forest was still as the three ponies simply stared at the new unicorn. Nopony seemed to be sure of what exactly to say or do. Red Velvet stood proudly in front of the ponies, her poster told the others that she was brave and strong. Red Velvet gave a small smile to the others and suddenly Trixie felt her heart lift up, something about Red Velvet’s smile reminded Trixie of a certain peaceful and kind pegasus that she knew. Trixie’s eyes wondered around Red Velvet’s slender form, and finally settled on the golden unicorn’s face.
Trixie fished for something to say, some way to start a conversation with the new pony. “You know that you’re named after chocolate cake, right?”This earned a flat stare from the unicorn. Trixie added pathetically, “I guess you get that a lot…”
“Actually nopony has been so forward as to mention it,” Red Velvet said kindly.
Trixie looked at the ground feeling ashamed of herself for saying something that could be taken as rude. Slowly Trixie looked over at Screw Loose and wondered what to do about this situation. Screw Loose barked happily.
“Ah, I see,” Red Velvet said, “There is no need to apologize for your daughter’s words. She did not offend me, I am just not used to dealing with other ponies.”
Trixie looked at Screw Loose, and then at Red Velvet, finally she looked at Maud and said, “What just happened?”
“I think she was talking to your mother,” Maud stated.
“That’s what I thought,” Trixie said before refocusing her attention onto Red Velvet. “Can you really understand what she said?”
“Surely I am not the first pony that you have seen you can understand the language of animals. The surprising thing here is the fact that your mother is so fluent in speaking dog, I have a much harder time with speaking the language,” Red Velvet replied.
“So what, you’re like Fluttershy or something?” Trixie accused.
“Anypony can learn to speak with animals, it just comes more naturally to earth ponies then it does to unicorns or pegasi. Of course I know of a zebra who has learned how to speak with them even better then I, and I’ve seen a pegasus who is amazingly close to animals as well,” Red Velvet explained.
“That would be Fluttershy, she’s one of our friends,” Trixie said. She stared at the unicorn for a moment and a thought began to dawn in her mind. This pony was taller then her, about Twilight’s height, and she was slender, almost like Twilight. Trixie looked at the horn, and the cloak which perfectly covered the ponies back, sides and rump. A suspicion rose in her mind and she couldn’t help but ask, “Are you an alicorn?”
Red Velvet gave out tiny laugh that Trixie found adorable. “No, I am a simple unicorn who just wants to help out. Why would you think that I was an alicorn?”
Trixie almost let out a sigh but stopped herself, she sighed way too much for anypony’s enjoyment. “I saw an alicorn last night, I think that it killed the windigo in town.”
“No, that was me,” Red Velvet said.
“But… you were flying?” Trixie exclaimed.
“Yes, it was a simple spell that was very taxing. The battle was even worse on me, but I survived. Speaking of survival, do you require a guide back to town?” Red Velvet asked.
This was not what Trixie was expecting to hear from the unicorn at all. Trixie looked at the two ponies by her side before looking Red Velvet in the eyes and saying, “So what you are saying is that you are more powerful then Twilight Sparkle and you can speak to animals like Fluttershy? What’s next, being faster than Rainbow Dash?”
This earned an odd look from Red Velvet, and from Maud, and another one from Screw Loose. Red Velvet said kindly, “I do not claim to be more powerful then the princess, nor do I make any such claim to be like other ponies. I am simply as I am. And if you must know, I am only as fast as I need to be to survive.”
Trixie looked away feeling a little worse now, she lowered her head and sighed. “Sorry, I’m just a little paranoid… and for some reason I’ve got this idea that my friends are the best ponies... guess that’s kinda silly now that I think about it. I mean there has to be somepony faster than Rainbow Dash out there, and Twilight couldn’t be as powerful as Starswirl and he was just a unicorn.”
Red Velvet gave a kind smile to Trixie and said, “I hold no ill feelings towards you for this. It is hard to think that there are others out there who are as good or even better than your friends sometimes, but the world of Equestria is a large one indeed. If you still wish it, I can guide you back to the town.”
“That would be nice, thank you,” Trixie said before returning the smile.
Red Velvet took charge and lead the three ponies through the forest slowly. Trixie watched as the pony walked, she carried a slight limp and moved cautiously around obstacles. At some point Red Velvet tripped over her own hooves but caught herself. Trixie was becoming increasingly worried about the unicorn.
“Are you okay?” Trixie asked.
Red Velvet turned her head and gave another smile to Trixie before saying, “I will be fine. This is not the first time I’ve been in this condition. A few days of rest and I shall recover.”
“How long have you been out here in the forest?” Trixie asked. She wanted to get to know the unicorn more, there was an air about Red Velvet that Trixie really enjoyed.
“I’ve been here for almost two years now. The old castle has become a most welcome home for me, and the reading material is wonderful there,” Red Velvet said.
“But if you have lived in that castle for two years how come nopony has seen you? I mean Twilight’s been there at least a half dozen times in the past year,” Trixie asked. She had so many questions for Red Velvet, she wanted to know who she was, how she was so powerful with magic, and most of all, why she hasn’t made herself known to Twilight or the others?
“I have seen other ponies inside before, one night in particular had a group of six ponies running around and scaring each other silly. I did not want to interrupt their fun, so I stayed hidden until they left,” Red Velvet explained while taking careful steps around some large rocks in the earth. Maud eyed the rocks as they walked past.
“Have you been in town a lot?” Trixie asked.
“I visit every few months, mostly to restock on supplies that I cannot find in the wilderness,” Red Velvet explained.
“And what do you do out here?”
“I have been doing research, at one point in time I used to teach magic lessons to ponies who had trouble using their magic.” After a momentary pause Red Velvet added, “I’ve seen a few ponies in your condition before, my apologies.”
Trixie was left in shock after hearing Red Velvet say that, and she stared blankly forward for a few moments. Finally Trixie shook her head violently and asked, “What? How did you know about that?”
“I can sense it, your magical aura is all wrong. It has been corrupted by several sources of dark magic, although it looks to have healed a little on its own. Sadly without proper care, I doubt that it will ever return in full,” Red Velvet explained.
“How do I get proper care?” Trixie asked quickly.
“If I was in better condition I could help, but I need time to recover in peace. Although I might still require several… I’m sorry, I don’t believe that I can help you much,” Red Velvet said sadly.
“What do you need? I can get it, whatever it is,” Trixie offered.
Red Velvet stopped walking and looked back at her, Red Velvet’s eyes looked tired and held much sorrow in them. “I’m afraid that I can’t help you any further. We are back in town now.”
Trixie looked ahead of Red Velvet and saw Ponyville. The sun was still shining brilliantly over the snow laden town, and her heart soared at the sight of the town. Trixie looked back at Red Velvet and her heart sunk a little more. Trixie looked away and said, “You’ve told us your name, but you haven’t asked for ours.”
“That’s because it’s easier for me not to know your names,” Red Velvet said. Red Velvet began walking back into the woods and further away from Trixie.
Trixie stomped her hoof down in frustration at yet another chance of her horn being fixed going away. After Red Velvet was just out of sight Trixie shouted, “My name is Trixie Lulamoon!” Red Velvet stopped and looked back, Trixie could see the sadness in the unicorn’s red eyes. Trixie quickly added, “I’ll come back and visit you sometime, when you’re feeling better that is.” Red Velvet looked away and continued walking, she quickly disappeared into the forest. Trixie wanted to chase after her, and beg to know how to get her horn fixed, but something told her that if she did that now, she would never see Red Velvet again.
On their way back towards town they saw Nurse Red Heart galloping towards them. Trixie waved a friendly hoof at Red Heart as she slid to a stop in front of the three. Screw Loose barked excitedly before pouncing on top of Red Heart and licking her face. Trixie found it hard not to laugh at the sight, Trixie didn’t feel bad about laughing at Nurse Red Heart, after all the white pony had been snickering at her earlier.
Trixie took one last look at the forest behind them and wondered when she would see Red Velvet again, maybe she never would. Trixie felt somepony nuzzling her cheek and she looked over expecting to see Maud, instead she saw Screw Loose looking at her with a sweet expression that Trixie wasn’t used to seeing.
“It looks like she’s truly proud of you, Trixie,” Timequill said from behind Trixie. Trixie turned to see him standing there with a happy smile on his face. Trixie smiled back before looking back at her mother. Timequill then said, “Go on Screw Loose, give her a hug. You would like one wouldn’t you, Trixie?”
Trixie nodded and Screw Loose leaned her head in and nuzzled Trixie’s neck, before wrapping a hoof around Trixie and pulling her into a one legged embrace. Trixie returned the hug and they stayed like this for a long moment, Trixie felt that her mother had returned for once. Feelings of pride and love flooded from Screw Loose and Trixie’s eyes began to water.
“I love you mom,” Trixie said, her voice beginning to crack.
Screw Loose barked but being this close to Screw Loose Trixie could hear her mother’s thoughts with ease. “I’m so proud of you honey, thank you for still tolerating me,” Screw Loose thought.
“I’ll always tolerate you, it’s not your fault that you’re like this,” Trixie whispered, the tears now running down her face.
Screw Loose pulled back from the hug and looked into Trixie’s watery eyes, Screw Loose gave a kind smile to her daughter. Trixie focused on hearing her mother’s thoughts again, this time she heard, “I hope you come visit me more often, and I hope you bring your special somepony as well. I like her.”
Trixie wiped the tears away from her face and said, “Of course I’ll come visit you. Me and Maud will come and spend some time with you soon, okay.”
Screw Loose barked happily, and Trixie felt the connection to her mother’s mind waning. She tried to keep the connection to her mother’s mind, but it slipped away from her. It felt like she had just lost her mom again, but at least this time she knew that even though Screw Loose might be crazy, she was still her mother, and always would be.
“Were you talking to her?” Timequill asked, the slightest hint of worry in his voice.
Trixie gave him a glare and said, “What she’s my mom, I have a unique connection with her.”
Timequill looked like he was considering this for a moment before he shrugged and said, “Well I’ve seen much stranger. If you ever need to talk, you know where to find me.”
Trixie nodded and watched sadly as Timequill and Nurse Red Heart walked Screw Loose away. Screw Loose gave Trixie one last look before they got to far away, and Trixie could see the hopefulness in her mother’s eyes, Trixie vowed to visit her mother again, soon. After that Maud and Trixie walked back towards town although the walk was quiet, Trixie wasn’t feeling very much like talking at the moment.
***
On Trixie’s way back into town she found herself cheering up little by little. She began counting the good things in her life, she had her fiancé, Maud, she also was learning to accept her mother, and knowing that her mother still loved her was a wonderful feeling. Finally she had a small amount of hope for healing her magic, although it looked like Red Velvet was going to be hard to convince to help her.
Trixie continued counting off these things, not really paying attention to her surroundings, until she painfully bumped head first into somepony. Trixie fell back onto her rump and held her head in between her hooves. She looked up to see a teal colored mare, with a light blue and white stripped mane sitting on her rump as well and looking right back at her.
“Lyra!” Trixie exclaimed in surprise.
“Trixie!” the teal unicorn exclaimed back.
Maud looked at both of them with a flat expression.