The day started as any other. The warm spring sun splashed through the window onto the sleeping alicorn’s face, causing her to stir awake as with any other day. She sat up in her bed and yawned; as she did she looked over and did not see the small blue pegasus filly that usually slept next to her. Twilight rubbed the sleep out of her eyes as she heard voices coming from downstairs, and a few crashes of pots and pans as accompaniment.
Twilight used her magic to straighten her mane as she got out of bed; she shuffled downstairs and to the kitchen following the sound of the ruckus. “What’s going on?” She asked as she saw Spike and Rainbow Dash both covered in flower and various pots and pans scattered about.
“We were trying to make you breakfast in bed.” Spike admitted with a blush as Rainbow Dash licked batter off of her nose before she ran up to Twilight and hugged her.
“Happy Mommy’s day, Mommy!” She chirped, subsequently getting flower on the mare. Twilight chuckled a bit. It had been several months since the accident that regressed Rainbow Dash’s brain and fewer still since Princess Celestia cast a spell to match Rainbow’s body to her perceived age. Twilight Sparkle had no choice but to take over as the role of mother to the regressed pegasus.
“Well, I appreciate the gesture.” Twilight smiled, hugging the pegasus back. Rainbow Dash pouted.
“We were gonna make pancakes!” She whined, racing back to Spike and trying to pick up the bowel of batter to show her but Spike pulled it just out of her reach.
Twilight chuckled, knowing how good Spike was at cooking and that Rainbow Dash probably just made a mess of things. “Come on, let’s sit down and let Spike make breakfast.” She encouraged the filly that found this as a better option.
“I get to sit next to Mommy!” She chirped and wiggled up onto a chair. Spike sent a grateful look to Twilight as he peacefully finished breakfast. Twilight smiled back and levitated over a kettle of hot water and a tea bag.
“So are you going to see your mom today?” Spike asked her. Twilight nodded.
“I told her we were coming up today. I already have train tickets.” The ever-prepared alicorn responded.
Rainbow Dash blinked in confusion. “Mommy has a mommy?” She asked, trying to wrap her head around the concept. Spike nodded as he dished up her stack of pancakes.
“Yup, she’d be your grandmother, grandma, grandmommy, whatever you choose to call her.” Spike shrugged as he served up a few pancakes on a separate plate for Twilight and a few more for himself.
Twilight smiled. “Yes, we’re going to Canterlot to meet her Dashie.” Twilight said as she levitated a fork. Rainbow Dash grew a huge smile on her face.
“We goin on a trip?” She asked with syrup already smothered all around her muzzle. Twilight sighed and telekinetically picked up a napkin and wiped Rainbow Dash’s face with it.
“Yes we are.” Twilight said as she finished wiping Rainbow Dash’s face and turned back to her own breakfast. Rainbow Dash’s smile didn’t fade.
“I gonna show her all my colors!” She hopped down off of the chair, leaving her half-eaten pancakes behind.
“Rainbow Dash! Finish your breakfast!” Twilight called out but it was too late for the filly, who had already raced to her room to get her many coloring pages. Twilight rubbed her temples.
“Did you tell your mom about her?” Spike asked with a mouthful of pancake. Twilight nodded.
“Briefly. I explained there was an accident and Rainbow Dash will be coming with us. She knows about what happened.” She sipped her tea.
Rainbow Dash raced downstairs and into the kitchen with her pack on her back. It was bursting with coloring pages and her yellow blanket could be seen hanging out of the side flap. “Ready!” She piped up with a huge grin on her face. “Gonna see Gran’ma!” She bounced up and down with her tiny wings flapping in the air.
Twilight sipped her tea. “We’re not leaving yet. The train doesn’t leave for awhile.” She said, removing the cup from her lips, the filly’s face grew somber.
“But…but I wanna go now…” She whined and stomped her tiny hoof on the floor. Twilight rolled her eyes.
“We’ll leave, but first you need to finish your breakfast and take a bath.” She stated matter-of-factly as she sipped her tea.
Rainbow Dash pouted but returned to the chair and shoveled the rest of the pancake down her throat. Twilight made a mental note to ask Rarity for etiquette lessons. Twilight finished her breakfast and headed upstairs to draw a bath for the filly.
It wasn’t too long before Rainbow Dash joined her in the bathroom. By “joined” in fact she raced into the bathroom and jumped into the water with reckless abandon. She splashed Twilight and got half the bathroom wet in the process.
“Rainbow! What did I say about splashing?” Twilight growled, wiping her face with a towel.
“Sorry Mommy.” Rainbow Dash giggled, pushing her wet and messy mane out of her face. Twilight couldn’t help but smile at the filly’s antics.
“Come on, let’s get you cleaned up.” Twilight went to work cleaning the filly, grooming her fur and shampooing her mane and tail. When she was done Rainbow’s mane was neatly coiffed to resemble something much like how she had her mane at the Grand Galloping Gala. Rainbow Dash pouted.
“I don’t like it.” She complained with her hooves crossed as Twilight dried her off with the towel.
“I don’t care, you’re wearing it like that. Do you know how long it took me to get out all of those tangles?” She scoffed. “Now why don’t you color something nice to give my mother while I get ready.” She suggested to the filly, who thought that was a great idea and she raced to her room.
With Rainbow Dash in her room Twilight finally got some time to herself in the shower. She cleaned herself up and groomed her mane so she looked nice as well.
When she was done, she walked into her room where she found Rainbow Dash coloring. “What have you colored?” She looked over the filly’s shoulder to see that she had colored a few coloring pages of the Wonderbolts.
“Look!” She held a page up to Twilight, the colors were off and she missed the lines in some places. “I wanna fly like them when I grow up!” She proclaimed. Those words struck Twilight like a knife to the gut.
“You will honey.” She stated absentmindedly as she was reminded of who Rainbow Dash used to be.
“Twilight!” Spike called from below, ripping her out of her memories. “The train leaves in 45 minutes!” Twilight shook her head, in attempts to get rid of the memories and smiled at Rainbow Dash.
“Alright, let’s pack your things and we’ll get going.” She told her, trying to forget the old Rainbow Dash.
The filly put the new coloring page among the others in her saddlebag and put it over her back. She raced downstairs where Spike was waiting. Twilight took her saddlebags too and the three of them were off to the train station.
Rainbow Dash had her face glued to the window of the train the entire time they were traveling. She was dazzled by how fast they were going on land and her little wings were buzzing with excitement when they finally made it to the train station in Canterlot.
“Stay close to me.” Twilight instructed to Rainbow Dash as they made their way through the bustling transportation hub. Rainbow Dash was hot on Twilight’s heels as ponies hurried past them. She looked around in wonder as they left the station and onto the streets of Canterlot. Twilight lead them through the heart of the city and to the upper scale homes that were in the shadow of the looming castle, obviously reserved for dignitaries.
Twilight Sparkle knocked on the door of a modest, but well built home. In moments a white unicorn answered the door. Twilight Velvet broke into a smile seeing her youngest daughter here to see her. “Oh Twily!” She wrapped the mare into a hug. “I’m so glad you could make it.” When they pulled apart she hugged Spike as well. “It’s good to see you too.” After pulling away from Spike she set her gaze upon the small pegasus filly who looked curiously up at her. “And this is Rainbow Dash I presume?” She asked with a tweaked eyebrow.
“Yes and she’s brought something for you.” Twilight smiled as she urged the filly forward. Rainbow Dash looked up at the older mare with wonder but was silent.
“Well, please do come in, we have a lot of catching up to do.” Twilight Velvet smiled and ushered the three of them inside her home. “I must say I expected Shiny to have a foal before you Twily.” Twilight Velvet said over her shoulder as she led them into the kitchen.
Twilight was taken aback by her mother’s statement. “Where’s dad at?” She asked trying to avoid any sort of confrontation that answering would bring.
“He’s out getting groceries for dinner tonight. You do plan on staying right?” She asked as she put on a kettle of hot water for them. Twilight looked to Spike and Rainbow Dash.
“We can probably stay for dinner at least.” She said, turning back to her mother who nodded.
“Please, sit down. Tell me everything.” She said, taking a seat herself. Twilight sat and so did Spike, but Rainbow Dash couldn’t contain herself anymore, her previous nerves were gone and she burst into excitement.
“Gran’ma! Look!” Rainbow Dash raced over to Twilight Velvet and held out the coloring page she did earlier of the Wonderbolts.
“You did that?” Twilight Velvet sounded impressed as she took the picture and looked it over. “And is it for me?” Her tone had changed completely to something more high pitch, like when talking to a child or pet. Rainbow Dash nodded vehemently with a wide grin on her face. “Here, I’ll put it on the fridge.” She said, using her magic to levitated the picture onto the refrigerator and stuck a magnet on it.
“Get used to it, my refrigerator is covered in colorings.” Twilight said bemused, as her mother smiled at Rainbow Dash.
“I bet you’re a good colorer when your mane is seven colors of the rainbow!” Twilight Velvet said to Rainbow Dash with certainty. Rainbow Dash nodded.
“Mommy says I’m the best!” She looked to Twilight who felt a pang of nerves when Rainbow Dash referred to her as “mommy”, wondering what her mother’s reaction would be.
“And she’s right too! Here, I have a few papers I’d like you to draw pictures for me so I can fill my fridge up with your drawings!” Twilight Velvet got up and went into her office. She returned with a stack of papers and crayons in her magic. She set them down in front of Rainbow Dash. Twilight could make out the words of some manuscript, probably a copy of a rough draft her mother had made. Rainbow Dash was eager to start drawing and Twilight Velvet poured each of them some water and passed around a tea bag for each. “Now.” Her voice had changed to her normal tone and pitch when she sat down at the table. “Care to tell me how I’m suddenly a grandmother without any kind of announcement?” She asked, dipping her tea bag into the water.
Twilight laughed nervously and Spike looked to Twilight fretfully. “Well, we didn’t think it was permanent. We tried everything we could to get her back but it seemed like her brain was stuck.” Twilight tried to explain as best as she could. “Then when Princess Celestia couldn’t help we adapted as best we could and we tried to move on.”
Twilight Velvet levitated a spoon into the teacup to stir the water. She was silent for a few moments, putting Twilight on edge. “I haven’t seen you since your coronation.” She stated, not looking at her daughter.
“Well, you know, kinda been busy with all the princess stuff…” She tried to explain.
“Too busy for your mother?” Twilight Velvet looked up at Twilight with a hurt expression and the latter mare quickly jumped in to defend herself.
“I don’t mean it like that!” Twilight held her hooves up protectively. Twilight Velvet relinquished her gaze and sighed.
“I suppose I understand.” She said as she lifted the spoon out of the cup with her magic and clinked! it on the side. “What I don’t understand is why I didn’t get to meet this adorable filly until just now.”
Spike nearly choked on his tea, as that wasn’t the answer he was expecting Twilight Velvet to make considering the backhanded comments from before. Twilight Sparkle was equally as dumbfounded. “Come again?” She asked with an eyebrow tweaked up in confusion.
“I would’ve liked at least an announcement, a letter maybe, informing me that my daughter had a foal.” She spoke again as she lifted the tea to her lips.
“I…” Twilight Sparkle was at a loss for words. “I didn’t think you would take it so well…” She said in disbelief. Twilight Velvet sighed as she set the cup down.
“Honey, after raising you, nothing phases me anymore.” She said calmly Twilight Sparkle blushed at that statement while Spike chortled.
Twilight Velvet felt a tug on her arm; she looked down to see Rainbow Dash with a picture in her teeth. Twilight Velvet took it and Rainbow Dash grinned.
“See? That’s me!” She pointed to a small blue blob with rainbow colors standing outside of a shape that somewhat resembled a tree on the page. “That’s Mommy,” She pointed to a similar larger purple blob with a horn and wings. “That’s Spike,” She pointed to a lighter purple and green smudge. “And that’s you!” She finally pointed to a gray and purple blob. She looked up at Twilight Velvet with a smile on her face. “Do you like it?” She asked.
“I love it dear.” Twilight Velvet smiled back. “It’s going to go right here.” She moved a few reminders and magnets aside so that the picture would take center stage on the refrigerator.
It was then that Night Light, Twilight’s father, returned home from his shopping trip with various grocery bags in his magical grasp. “Well hello there Twily!” He smiled as he set the groceries down in the kitchen and hugged his daughter. “It’s good to see you here.”
“Good to see you too dad.” Twilight Sparkle said as they released the hug. Rainbow Dash looked to the new visitor completely bewildered. Her eyebrows were furrowed as if she was trying to process something.
“You must be Rainbow Dash.” He knelt down to her level. She looked curiously at him, not saying a word.
It wasn’t long until Twilight connected everything. “Rainbow.” She said to the filly. “This is your grandpa.” She told her, hoping a title was enough to satisfy the pegasus’ curiosity for now. It was as Rainbow Dash broke out into a grin and hugged Night Light without further questions. Twilight heaved a sigh of relief.
--
Dinner was a pasta dish that made Twilight realize how much she missed her mother’s cooking. Rainbow Dash enjoyed it too, she had sauce all over her face that Twilight had to wipe clean when she was done.
By the time dinner was over it was getting late and Celestia’s sun was setting in the west. “Why don’t you stay here for the night?” Twilight Velvet suggested as her husband cleared dinner away.
“We might as well.” Twilight shrugged. “I assume my old room is still available?” She asked. Her mother nodded.
“You and Rainbow Dash can sleep there. Spike, I’m sure Shining Armor wouldn’t mind if you used his room.” Twilight Velvet suggested. Spike smiled.
“Thank you!” He scurried off to the bedroom. Rainbow Dash yawned, full from dinner and leaning up against Twilight Sparkle.
“We better get to bed.” She said, lifting the filly in her magic and setting her on her back to easily carry her. “Goodnight Mom.” She smiled and kissed her mother’s cheek and hugged her.
“Goodnight Sweetie.” Twilight Velvet responded. Twilight grabbed their saddlebags with her magic.
“Oh, and happy Mother’s Day.” She said before heading to her room.
“Happy Mother’s Day, Twilight.” Her mother winked.