//------------------------------//
// Faced with Reality 
// Story: The Velveteen Mask 
// by Crystal Wishes 
//------------------------------//

Velvet's ear flicked as she glanced between the other two mares in the room: Sunbeam, who had her attention focused on the cookies in front of her, and Sandy, who was tapping her chin and deep in thought.  None of them had said anything since Pepper had ushered them into the back room with the promise of some vague 'surprise'.

Her father was terrible at lying.  Like, the worst.  Possibly the literal worst!  Whenever he tried to keep a secret, he grinned way too big and didn't make eye contact with anypony.  It would have been cute, but right then, she just wanted to know what the surprise was.  After all, they had been waiting for about an hour by then.

"You're humming, sweetie," Sunbeam chimed without looking up from her decorating work.  "What's wrong?"

"Isn't it odd?"  Velvet's nose scrunched up.  "Why is Sandy here?"  She glanced over at the mare.  "No offense.  I just dunno what kinda surprise Dad would have that would involve you."

Sandy chuckled.  "None taken.  That's just what I was wondering."  She dropped her forehooves down to the floor and started to wheel over to the door when Pepper stuck his head into the room.

"Sorry for the wait, ladies!"  He gave a big grin as his gaze darted about.  "It'll be ready any time now."

Sandy raised her brow.  "Mr. Ridge, if I may ask—"

Pepper turned his head to look back out into the bakery proper.  "Coming!"  He flashed Sandy a brief smile.  "Sorry, one moment.  Customer!"

"Hmm."  Sandy leaned to the side, peering through the doorway.  "He's being evasive.  Something is definitely up."

Sunbeam giggled, and Velvet frowned.  She knew that giggle.  "Mom..."

"Yes, candysnap?"

Velvet slipped out of her seat and sidled up to her mother.  "Have I told you lately how pretty and smart you are?"  She fluttered her lashes.

Sunbeam waved a hoof, still keeping her gaze fixed on the cookies.  "Oh, sweetums, it's so much more fun to watch my little detectives figure it out."

"Ah-ha!"  Sandy grinned.  "So there is something to figure out."  She started to pace the open space of the kitchen.  "All right, so we have Mr. Ridge trapping us in a room together.  Mrs. Sunbeam, Velvet, and myself.  What do the three of us have in common?"

Sunbeam giggled again.

Velvet rolled her eyes.  "Mom, if you're not going to help, then you could at least keep quiet."

"But it's just too funny!"  Sunbeam finally glanced up, a mischievous glimmer in her eyes.  "Once you figure it out, you'll understand why."

With a derisive snort, Velvet looked back at the pacing Sandy.  "Okay, so ignoring Mrs. Unhelpful, where are we at?"

Sandy stopped, frowned at her, and repeated, "What do the three of us have in common?"

Velvet hummed in thought.  "Well, you come by for sweets a lot with—"

Their eyes widened and they exclaimed together, "Azurite!"

"Yay!"  Sunbeam clapped her hooves.  "I'm so proud of you two!  It only took an hour!"

"Well, I only just started really thinking about it!"  Velvet stuck out her tongue.  "Besides, Sandy's the detective.  How did you figure it out faster than her?"

Sandy shrugged.  "I wasn't really giving it much thought until about ten or so minutes ago, either.  And I'm not really a detective.  I was one."

"Okay, fine."  Velvet grinned.  "Whatever.  Okay.  So Dad and Azu are conspiring.  But what about?"

Sunbeam didn't giggle this time, her expression instead going somber as the smile fell into pursed lips.  "Now that is a good question."

Sandy made her way back over to the decorating table and propped both forelegs up on it to look at Sunbeam's work.  "Knowing Azurite, it could be just about anything.  Mr. Ridge's involvement in it is the only real factor to work from."

Silence returned to the room; the only difference this time was that they were all deep in thought and the cookies were largely ignored, even by Sunbeam.  For as terrible as he was at lying, Pepper hadn't really betrayed anything about why they were there.

"It's not your birthday, is it, Sandy?" Velvet finally asked.

"What?"  Sandy snorted and shook her head.  "If that were it, I think I would have figured it out."

"What about—"  Velvet stopped short when she saw blue out of the corner of her eye, and all three of them turned their heads to see Azurite standing in the doorway.

Nopony said anything at first.  Velvet was just waiting for whatever the surprise was; Sunbeam and Sandy seemed to be doing the same.

Azurite's gaze darted between them before she grinned sheepishly.  "Surprise?"

That was it?  Azurite was the surprise?  Velvet wasn't ashamed to admit she was a little disappointed.  With how long they had been waiting, she was kind of expecting something, well, bigger.  The reality just came up short.  She—okay, perhaps she was starting to hoof the line just a tiny bit too close.

Sandy gave a light shake of her head, her ocean blue mane bouncing some from the movement.  "Sorry, Azurite, but it was sort of obvious that you'd arranged this."

Velvet snorted.  "Even to me... and I'm not a rusty detective."

"So," Sunbeam cut in, sending a light glare Velvet's way, "what is this all about, sugarlump?  Why so secretive?"

After a hesitant pause, Azurite trotted over and took the seat beside Sunbeam.  Her hindlegs swung back and forth as she started, "So, it turns out Sunny was really sad without me.  I went to go give her a piece of my mind, but in reality she had only been pretending to not care."  
Her nose scrunched up.  "She was really good at pretending!  But the truth came out and kinda shocked us both.  So, then we went to talk to Soarin, and he was more upset about me being upset than about her going out with another pony."

When Azurite hesitated again, Sandy prompted, "Okay...  You're killing me here, partner.  What happened?"

Azurite looked at her, then at Velvet, and then at Sunbeam.  A grin sprung to life on her face and she exclaimed, "We're all back together!  All three of us, happily ever after!"

Velvet's eyes widened, Sandy's jaw dropped, and Sunbeam gasped.  Then, in unison, they cheered and drummed their hooves on the table in joyous celebration—but not too loud, of course, since it was still during business hours.

"That is wonderful!"  Sunbeam clasped her hooves to her cheeks.  "A complete turnaround from when I saw you last!"

Velvet could only nod, too dumbstruck to find words.  But, wasn't Azurite happy with Soarin?  Weren't things going well with just the two of them?  Was Sunny really that special?

Sandy clapped Azurite on the shoulder.  "So, all's well that ends well?"

"Yup."  Azurite's ears wiggled.  "Almost."

"Almost?" Velvet repeated, raising one brow.

Azurite started to smile.  It was different from before; the first had been ecstatic and overjoyed, while this one was soft and gentle, like an old mare reflecting on days gone by.  It was kind of weird on her tiny little face.  "Almost.  Thanks to you."

"Me?"  Velvet put a hoof to her chest in half-feigned, half-sincere surprise.  "What did I do?"

Sandy snickered.  "Besides taking Sunny out on a date?"

With a light huff, Velvet corrected, "What did I do besides taking Sunny out on a date?"

Azurite giggled.  "You were a great friend to me, that's what."  She shifted in her seat, ears drooping slightly.  "But I haven't been a good friend to any of you.  Over the last few weeks, I've been so absorbed in the problems I was having with my relationship.  Despite that, all three of you stuck by me and put up with my whining and crying, and even schemed with me.  Why would you do that?"

She sighed and looked at each mare as she addressed them.  "Sandy, you were just my partner at work.  Velvet, you were just the mare who got caught up in my drama.  And Sunbeam... well, you're just a sweet mama mare who saw a hurt filly."

There was the collective sound of breaths taken before speaking, but Azurite cut them off with a raised hoof.  "At least, that's what I thought.  I couldn't see it at first, but somehow, I'd made friends without realizing it.  I just sort of assumed that once this was over, Velvet and Sunbeam would go their own way."

"And me?" Sandy asked quietly, uncertainly.

Azurite shrugged.  "I just kind of assumed we were just therapy buddies, that once we worked out our issues, we'd part ways, too."

"That's awfully sad, honey," Sunbeam murmured.

"I know."  Azurite's nose scrunched up.  "I've never really had friends, so, it was kinda difficult for me to see.  At first, anyway.  Well, for a while, I guess.  But Velvet pointed it out to me the other day."

Velvet nodded.  "Okay, I did do that."

"And then when we were at the Wonderbolts show," Azurite continued, "I realized I rarely paid much attention to your lives.  So, that's why I set this up.  Friendship goes both ways and it's time for me to give instead of just taking."

Her horn lit up and the flap of her saddlebags lifted to reveal three little boxes.  They levitated over to rest on the table, one in front of each mare.

"I don't want to go my own way, and I don't want you girls to, either.  You've been my friends when I've been at my worst.  I'd like you to be my friends when I'm at my best, and I'd like to know about your problems and hopes."

"That goes without saying, Azurite," Sandy said, paying no mind to the box.

Sunbeam nodded.  "Sandy is absolutely right."

Velvet, never one for saying no to free stuff, went right ahead and opened the box in front of her.  There was a pendant inside, made of white gold and shaped into an open heart.  Something glimmered on it.  It was—"Holy Celestia, is this a diamond?"

Both Sunbeam and Sandy blinked in surprise while Azurite just smiled, her tail swishing with excitement as they opened their own boxes.

Sandy's eyes went wide.  "This looks an awful lot like a diamond to me."

"Oh, gumdrop, this is too much."  Sunbeam lifted her own necklace out of the box.  It was made of white gold like Velvet's, but was fashioned into the shape of a cupcake.  Three diamonds were nestled at the top like sprinkles.

"They are diamonds," Azurite said, sounding much too proud of herself as her chest puffed out.  "Just like the three of you."

Velvet tried not to burst into laughter.  For how corny that was, it was also tooth-achingly sweet, and laughing would probably hurt Azurite's feelings.  Instead, she just grinned while Sunbeam sniffled.

"Well."  Sunbeam wiped the corners of her eyes and smiled.  "That is probably one of the sweetest things anypony has ever said to me.  Thank you so much, Azurite."  She wrapped her forelegs around Azurite and pulled her close for a tight hug.

Sandy inclined her chin in toward her chest to admire her own pendant.  It was the City Guard seal with its diamond directly in the center.  Slowly, she started to smile.  "I guess I can't call you partner anymore, huh?"

"Nope," Azurite chirped.  "Friend sounds good, though."

Velvet released a contented sigh as she slipped the necklace around her neck.  "This was the best fight I was almost in."  She grinned.  "I'd have been your friend either way, but the bribe doesn't hurt."

Laughter circled the group and Sunbeam shook her head.  "I swear, she gets her mouth from her father and not me."

Oh, right, sure.  Velvet rolled her eyes, her grin widening.  Pepper's voice called from the front, "I heard that!"

There was more laughter until Azurite said, "Well, just think!  If she hadn't taken Sunny out on a date, then we'd have never been friends and I wouldn't have met you!  So, sassy mouth or not, it all worked out!"  She drummed her hooves against her knees.  "I just have one question, though.  Who sent the singing ponies to Soarin's place?"

Velvet blinked.  When the others remained in confused silence, she asked, "What singing ponies?"

Azurite tilted her head.  "You know, the other night.  A singing telegram showed up to apologize for Sunny after we all agreed to stop sending gifts.  I'm not mad, I'm just curious who sent them."

"Not me." Sandy raised one hoof in filly scouts' honor.

"Me neither," Velvet said.

All eyes turned on Sunbeam and she shook her head.  "Nope."

"Huh...  Well, that is odd."  Azurite smiled.  "Oh well!  I'm glad somepony did.  It made all the difference."

"How is that, honeybun?"  Sunbeam angled herself toward the table to resume her work, but she kept an ear swiveled toward Azurite.

"Because they're why I stormed off to argue with Sunny.  Soarin and I thought she did it, and he got mad about how she couldn't have it both ways.  The whole 'not talking to me but sending an apology' thing...  It made me mad, too, honestly.  But it wasn't her, and she wasn't mad, and it forced us to talk, and since we talked now we're all back together."  She twiddled her hooves.  "If they hadn't shown up, I don't know if any of us would have done anything except miss each other."

Sandy chuckled.  "It's funny how life works out sometimes, isn't it?"

Sunbeam smiled and slid a cookie over to Azurite, who squealed with delight.  "You drew Mr. Peepers?!"

"Mmhm.  I imagine there's just one problem now, isn't there?"  Sunbeam's lips curled into a grin.

Azurite tilted her head as she clutched the cookie with both hooves, mere seconds away from devouring it.  "What?"

Sunbeam waved a hoof.  "Can you really eat it when it stares at you like that?"

After a moment of silence that was filled with Azurite staring at the cookie, she finally frowned and lowered it back to the table.  "No..."

"Oh, don't make that face, sugarsnap."  Sunbeam slid another cookie to her, this one decorated like a yellow flower.  "There, can you eat—"

The cookie was already gone.

Sandy slapped a hoof against the floor, laughing.  "That's a yes!"

Azurite grinned sheepishly as laughter circled the room.  "But Mama Sunbeam's cookies are too good to resist!  It's a compliment!  I swear!"

Mmm...  Cookies.  Food.  She was hungry.  Velvet's stomach rumbled to punctuate that thought and she stretched out her legs.  "Well, if you all will excuse me, I'm going to go show Crystal my bling!  Maybe I'll say it came from a stallion, just to make her jealous at how he got me something better than her silly engagement ring."  She grinned and hugged Azurite.  "Congratulations on getting everything worked out!"  She waved to Sandy and Sunbeam before turning to trot out the door.  "See ya later, everypony!"

Good for Azurite.  Whatever it was Sunny did that Soarin didn't was clearly worth the effort, because Azurite looked so much happier.  It was nice to see her smiling so big after getting used to that sad puppy expression she had been wearing.  She hummed to herself as she trotted along the cobblestone street toward home.

"Velvet?" a soft voice asked, pulling her out of her thoughts.

She stopped and looked over to see Dawn standing there.  Had she almost walked past without even noticing her?  She put on a big grin to cover up her near-mistake.  "Hey, sunshine!"  She turned to face her completely.  "How are you doing?"

"I'm fi—"  Dawn's gaze dipped.  "Oh, wow, that's a stunning necklace!"

"Isn't it?"  Velvet puffed out her chest to show it off, the light catching in the diamond.  "Azurite just got it for me!"

"Azurite?"  There was something in her voice.  It almost sounded like bitterness, but Velvet had never heard Dawn be bitter before, so she couldn't be certain that's what it actually was.  "Of—"  Tears jumped to her eyes and she jerked her head to the side.  "Of course it's from her."

Velvet's pride in the gift deflated as a hundred questions swirled around her mind, but the only one she could ask was, "What?"

Dawn sniffled.  Her ears flicked back, her tail drooped, and her chin trembled.  "I don't—I don't understand," she said, opening her eyes again to look at Velvet.  "I love you, so why are you doing this to me?"