Crystal Note - Where life leads us

by TalkingToMyself

Velvet Heart - Cotton Ball

In the living room of their home, Glass Slipper and her two little sisters Sweetie Tooth and Velvet Heart sat together on a soft rug in front of the fireplace. A book in front of her and one of the twins on each side, the pale blue teenage pony read out one of their favourite stories as she promised. Both her sisters had behaved well and helped on the chores, so they deserved their reward.

It was the end of a week the fillies spent by themselves in the mansion that had become their home. Usually, the three fillies lived here with Crystal Note who had been there for them ever since the accident that took away their parents. However, the professional musician pony was travelling all over Equestria to give concerts and work with other musicians in other towns. Granted it was not as much as she used to but still frequent enough, so she couldn’t take the three sisters with her all the time, they’d miss out on school if she did.

This time she spent the week in Canterlot, not too far away to be out of reach but a day away by train still. Glass Slipper convinced her guardian to leave her in charge this time and reluctantly, Crystal Note had agreed. Of course, there were Rose Quartz and Opal Waves checking on them from time to time, but Glass Slipper still beamed with pride that the crystal unicorn believed in her. She was determined to prove herself worthy of more responsibility and pay back the trust Crystal Note had put in her, not only for those days but on earlier occasions as well.

Of course, it helped that both her sisters were very well behaved. They’d grown together as a family after losing their parents, the three fillies closer that most siblings and therefore this week passed mostly calm and with only a minimum of sisterly quarrel. They helped each other at schoolwork, chores and cooking, they reminded each other to the rules they had agreed on with Crystal Note, even though the mare wasn’t around to check on them.

Glass Slipper read the last words of the story and smiled when Sweetie Tooth sighed relieved like always when they reached the happy end, even though she knew the story very well and shouldn't be surprised. Velvet Heart just giggled and took the book back to its place in the shelf while Glass Slipper checked on the fireplace. Tonight was no school night so the sisters could stay up a little longer. Normally, Glass Slipper would spend those nights with her friends but this week she preferred staying at home with her little sisters.

As the three were discussing how to spend the rest of the evening, the front door opened and they heard the hoofsteps of a single pony in the hallway. They headed to greet their visitor, and Sweetie Tooth and Velvet Heart squealed and ran ahead when they recognized Crystal Note in the doorway. The silvery white mare smiled and sat back on her haunches, her forehooves spread out to welcome the fillies into a hug. Crystal Note nuzzled the top of their heads and squeezed them gently
“Hello Sweetlings. Have you been good for your sister?”
They nodded and nuzzled back eagerly and Glass Slipper smiled and nodded as well
“Everything went as smooth as new snow while you were gone. How was your trip?”
Crystal Note released the fillies and greeted the oldest of her charges with a hug as well
“Better than I expected. It went so well, I was able to get the early train today even. This is good, because I missed you a lot.”

The fillies giggled and helped Crystal Note with her baggage, Velvet and Sweetie taking one of her instrument cases each while Glass Slipper took hold of the small travel bag. She noticed a small basket that was covered with a red blanket. Crystal Note picked it up with her mouth and carried it to the fireplace when the fillies returned. The crystal unicorn sat down and carefully placed the basket in front of her.
The three fillies gathered around it and watched it curiously when Crystal Note spoke in her soft voice
“In Canterlot, I met my friend Lemon Hearts in the palace. She offered me a little help with something you’ve been asking about.”
Glass Slipper tilted her head and Velvet and Sweetie exchanged an excited glance. Crystal Note continued
“You all showed your best behaviour recently and did well with your chores and your grades. So this time, I took Lemon Hearts’ offer.”

She took a corner of the blanket and carefully pulled it back. Glass Slipper and Sweetie Tooth smiled but Velvet Heart positively squealed and sparkled all over when they saw a tiny kitten curled up in the basket. The little feline was covered with a fluffy orange fur with irregular white stripes in it, only the tiny paws were pure white. The kitten was curled up with its eyes closed and its tail wrapped around itself, the tiny ears folded against its head in a display of peaceful slumber.

Velvet scooted close and reached out to pet the tiny creature, but a look from Crystal Note had her pull back her hoof for now. Sweetie Tooth giggled and Glass Slipper gently nudged her with her muzzle. They knew their sister loved all kinds of animals and critters and that she could barely resist petting whenever she saw one.
Crystal Note knew this as well and gave her one of her kindest smiles
“Lemon Hearts gave me the name of a friend who had to give away some young kittens. This one was born two weeks ago, so she’s still very weak and needs a lot of care.”
“She?”
Crystal Note and Velvet Heart nodded, the filly couldn’t take her eyes off the tiny creature
“She’s so adorable. Just look at how fluffy she is.”

Crystal Note’s smile stayed, but she fixed the three fillies with a stern gaze
“A pet is a great responsibility. A pet needs food, care and love. To take proper care of a pet, you’ll need to sacrifice some of your free time every day. You can’t just forget about it or do it later like with chores.”
Crystal Note looked at each of them
“Do you want to take this sort of responsibility?”
Velvet Heart held that gaze and nodded eagerly. Glass Slipper and Sweetie Tooth followed suit with as much conviction, though a little less excited than her animal-loving sister.

Crystal Note’s smile grew and the sternness faded mostly
“I’m sure you can handle giving this kitten a good home. But since you asked me about a pet, she will be your responsibility first of all. That means you have a lot to learn about taking care of her. Of course I’ll help, but it still needs a lot of dedication.”
Velvet and Sweetie nodded, their faces hovering close to the tiny kitten by now. Glass Slipper watched the sleeping bundle warily, the way Crystal Note explained it made her realize it meant a lot of more work. Since she was the oldest, she had to expect to receive a lion’s share of it.

The tiny kitten suddenly wiggled a little and opened its eyes. A pair of green orbs stared curiously into the world and the tiny ears perked up when she heard the cooing from Velvet Heart. Crystal Note nodded and Velvet reached out to pet the kitten gently. As soon as her hoof touched the orange fur, the kitten closed her eyes with a blissful expression. The kitten sat up to push and rub her head into the touch, the small tail swishing happily. Sweetie reached out to pet her back and the two older ponies watched with a smile.

Crystal Note spoke softly again, at least partially demanding the attention of the fillies back
“A kitten needs warmth, especially when this young. The Crystal Empire is far too cold until she’s grown up, so you need to keep her inside or in a warm blanket. That said, cats are very curious and want to explore everything and anything, so you need to make sure she won’t slip out unnoticed. Or tries out her claws on any of the furniture.”
Crystal Note carefully picked up the kitten by the scruff on its neck and placed her into Velvet’s waiting hooves. The sparkling filly nuzzled the kitten lovingly and the orange ball of fluff appreciated this with an adorable tiny mew, followed by a double “Aww!” from her sisters.

Crystal Note nodded and continued
“A cat has special dietary needs. This young, she’ll need milk most of all. Later, she will need some form of meat. And of course, she’ll need a litter box that needs to be cleaned regularly.”
Glass Slipper sighed but Velvet Heart just nodded. She carefully passed the kitten over to Sweetie Tooth and helped her hold the wiggling critter safely. This gave her an approving nod and smile from Crystal Note. The kitten mewed happily again and nuzzled into the pleasant touches from the twins.

“One thing you need to remember all the time is that cats are very wayward creatures. If she doesn’t want to be petted, she might swipe or hiss at you. When she’s hungry, she wants to be fed right away even if you might be busy elsewhere. You can’t train her like a dog, you’ll need to earn her trust and respect in the right way.”
Sweetie Tooth held the kitten out towards Glass Slipper and gently placed her into her hooves. She looked down at the tiny kitten and it stared back with those green eyes. Glass Slipper couldn’t help but smile at the adorable ball of fluff who easily fitted into her hooves. She started to gently pet the kitten’s tummy and the tiny creature thanked her by wiggling her paws all cutely, rolling on the hoof to present her tummy for more petting.
The twins awwed in unison and Crystal Note laughed kindly
“You also have to name her.”
Glass Slipper smiled and cooed as she caressed the wonderfully soft fur
“She’s so soft. How about Cotton Ball?”
The kitten started to purr and closed her eyes halfway down, her ears folding cutely against her head in a picture of kitten bliss.
The twins giggled and reached to pet as well
“I think she likes it.”
“Hi Cotton Ball! Welcome to the family.”
Glass Slipper joined their smile and whispered
“We’ll take good care of you. Promise.”

---

The weekend passed with Crystal Note and her fillies getting all the things needed to take care of a little kitten. A basket was set up at the end of Velvet Heart’s bed with a soft pillow and a warm blanket. They made sure to have enough food and milk to last a while. The twins insisted on adding in a few pet toys as well. When they made it back home, each of the fillies tried to spend as much time as they could with Cotton Ball so she’d quickly get used to them. Unsurprisingly, Velvet Heart showed the most dedication and Cotton Ball followed her around or rubbed against her legs when she wanted to play.

In the end though, Cotton Ball was still a very young kitten and therefore spend most of the days sleeping. The fillies were disappointed at first but Crystal Note reminded them that they’d all have their hooves full once Cotton Ball was big enough to try and go exploring by herself.
At the third day, they had fallen into a little pattern already. Velvet Heart agreed to take over most of the chores like feeding and cleaning after Cotton Ball while Glass Slipper and Sweetie Tooth shared her usual chores between them. It all worked pretty well so far and the kitten rarely was left alone, at least one of the fillies was always watching over her.

At Monday, school started as usual and after being fed in the morning, Cotton Ball was left in Crystal Note’s care until noon. Glass Slipper had afternoon classes, but Velvet Heart and Sweetie Tooth stormed home as soon as the last bell rang. Luckily, the kitten didn’t seem to mind them doing their homework, Cotton Ball had sprawled out on Velvet’s back for a nap and was purring softly.
Two days later was the first time when things went messy. After Sweetie Tooth told everypony at school about the kitten, Crystal Note found herself confronted with a whole class of fillies and colts at her doorstep. Luckily, Opal Waves had learned about the ‘Cutie Mark Crusader emergency meeting’ from her daughter Ocean and soon arrived to help Crystal Note before the energetic foals disassembled the entire house.
The only one unhappy about all the commotion was Cotton Ball, the tiny kitten found her naps interrupted multiple times and soon fled into the safety of Velvet Heart’s back.

---

A couple of weeks passed and the novelty of having a pet dimmed down. Velvet and her sisters still loved their kitten to bits, but Crystal Note had to remind them of their chores more often with growing sternness and more than once one of the fillies went into groaning before they finally complied.
During the first week of fall, the inevitable happened. Glass Slipper was out after school for her dance lessons at the palace. As usual, she told her sisters she’d be late and meet up with her friends after and wouldn’t come home until dinnertime.
This day however, the Cutie Mark Crusaders decided it was time for another group activity. Violet Haze had gotten her cutie mark in painting and now the foals were convinced to find out if anypony else had a hoof in arts. Velvet Heart and Sweetie Tooth joined the group of excited colts and fillies and soon found themselves partially covered with paint and surrounded by laughter.
Still no cutie mark, but happy nonetheless, the fillies made their way home when the sun was already starting to set.

Halfway home, Velvet’s eyes went wide when she finally realized she had completely forgotten about Cotton Ball. She fell into a canter and raced the distance back home with Sweetie Tooth on her tail.
The door flew open and the fillies stormed into the living room. They sighed in relief and all but slumped on the floor when they saw Cotton Ball curled up in the crook of Crystal Note’s neck while the mare was sitting in front of the fireplace and going through some sheet music.

Crystal Note rose a brow and smiled when she took in the colourful dots of dry paint on the fillies
“Well, looks like you had a lot of fun today.”
She meant no harm with her words, but Velvet Heart took the blame and lost all her sparkling from feeling guilty. With a quick spark of magic, Crystal Note sent her papers back towards her desk and sat down next to the distraught filly. Cotton Ball floated into Velvet’s hooves, surrounded by a soft turquoise glow, and a pair of hooves gently pulled her into a comforting embrace
“I’m not mad, Velvet. Everypony can lose herself in some fun at times and I was at home anyways, so nothing bad happened. Just try and not forget next time, okay?”
Velvet Heart nodded and cuddled Cotton Ball gently in her hooves. The small kitten was oblivious to the filly’s sorrow and just started purring happily. Crystal Note smiled and squeezed the filly once more, before she gently nudged the twins towards the stairs
“Come now, dear. Your sister will be home soon and you two desperately need a bath before dinner.”

Without the usual commotion, the fillies nodded and got cleaned. When Glass Slipper joined them for dinner soon after, she picked up the subdued mood. Crystal Note left it to Sweetie Tooth to explain what had happened and the oldest sister agreed it wasn’t that bad. Velvet Heart wouldn’t let herself be consoled and held Cotton Ball in her hooves the entire time, even when she climbed into her bed for the night.

---

Fall passed and winter came, but for Velvet Heart the days just blended into the next. She’d be up before her sisters to check on Cotton Ball before she went to school and as soon as the last bell rang, she’d be running home. She didn’t take part in any of the Crusader meetings anymore and even when her friends visited her at home, all she did was follow Cotton Ball’s every step.
Soon, the friends stopped visiting, not because they didn’t like being friends anymore, but because they felt in the way. Sweetie Tooth felt lost when her sister just dropped out on all the things they used to do together like chores, homework or simply chatting before they went to sleep. Unsure how to approach her twin sister on it, she waited for her to do the first step only to see Velvet Heart withdraw even further. Glass Slipper and Velvet Heart started to argue more often about mundane things at the same time.

Crystal Note couldn’t do much but watch and console Glass Slipper and Sweetie Tooth since Velvet Heart blocked all of her attempts to approach the filly. After another loud argument that ended with Glass Slipper slamming shut the door to her room and Sweetie Tooth fleeing to the safety of the kitchen, Crystal Note made a decision.
As expected, she found Velvet Heart in the twin’s room with Cotton Ball in her hooves. She noticed how the filly clung on the kitten and heard the soft sniffling. Silently, Crystal Note entered the room and whispered in her softest voice
“Velvet, can we talk dear?”
The filly flinched surprised and released the kitten from her grip. Cotton Ball hopped down on the floor and quickly slipped out through the partially open door. Velvet Heart jumped on her hooves to go after her, but before she could move, a soft glow closed the door behind the kitten. Velvet glared at Crystal Note, but the mare only saw the tears gleaming in her eyes and closed the distance to her charge. She gently pulled the filly into her embrace and waited.

Only moments after, she felt the shivers running down Velvet’s body and heard her shuddering breaths as she started to cry. The taller mare circled around the weeping filly, offering her body to cry into and her warmth to soothe the filly.
Minutes passed and slowly, the sobbing faded into sniffles and the filly calmed enough to dare and look up at Crystal Note, her ears buried deeply into her mane as turquoise eyes met her purple ones.
She expected to receive an angry glare, but instead she saw comforting love mixed with genuine concern shining back at her.
“Feeling better?”
Velvet Heart shook her head and Crystal Note held her softly
“You can tell me anything you need, dear. I’ll never be angry at you.”
There was no pressure behind those words, no obligation to say anything unless the filly was willing to do so by herself. Velvet glanced up at this and sniffled out a few words
“Slipper is mean to me for no reason.”

With a soft sigh, Crystal Note sat back on her haunches, still holding the filly gently and now rubbing a hoof down her back
“What did she do that made you yell at each other?”
“She won’t let me take care of Cotton Ball!”
Crystal Note tilted her head but waited for the filly to continue, trying to help Velvet Heart calm down with her soft back rubs
“She… she told me to not follow Cotton Ball anymore. She told me to leave!”
Crystal Note nuzzled her head very gently when Velvet almost started to cry again
“Shh, it’s okay, dear. I’m sure you just misunderstood each other.”
Velvet said nothing but at least she seemed to listen, so Crystal Note continued
“You’ve been spending an awful lot of time at home, dear. You don’t see your friends anymore. And even at home, you stay away from your sisters and me. We’re just concerned, Velvet. I’m sure Glass Slipper just wanted you to spend some time away from Cotton Ball for a change. It would be good for you and your friends.”

Velvet Heart suddenly pulled out of the hug and walked a few steps away from Crystal Note
“I promised I’d take care of Cotton Ball! I already forgot that once, I can’t do it again. What if I forget her like I forgot them and…”
Velvet stopped abruptly and covered her mouth with her hooves as she slumped on the floor. Slowly and quietly, Crystal Note closed the distance once more and gently put her hoof on the filly's head.
“I’m here for you, Velvet. Whatever there is on your heart, I just want to help. It’s what I promised.”
Velvet clenched her eyes shut but turned around to cling on Crystal Note. The mare held her close and when she saw new tears, she started to hum softly for the filly. The soft rubs on her back and the soothing melody slowly helping Velvet to regain composure.

Crystal Note waited patiently, she knew pushing Velvet Heart at this point wouldn’t help at all. If Velvet trusted her enough, she would open up on her own, if not Crystal Note would still offer her comfort as much as she could.
Luckily, she didn’t have to make this choice when Velvet whispered quietly after a while
“I forgot about them. And now they’re gone because of it. I don’t want to lose Cotton Ball as well.”
Crystal Note froze for a moment when she understood who 'them' was. She recognized that tone in Velvet Heart's voice. She had heard it before and she knew what she needed to do, right away. She gently pulled back so she could look at the poor filly
“Velvet, Dear. Look at me.”
Something in Crystal Note’s voice urged Velvet Heart to raise her head. When she did, she almost immediately felt her eyes draw towards Crystal Note’s turquoise ones. They burned with an unexpected intensity she’d never seen on the mare before. Those eyes held her in place very effectively, but in a good way. She still saw the same kindness and care shining through, only far stronger than before and focused entirely on her. She was so transfixed by this gaze that the next words took her completely by surprise
“It’s not your fault.”

Crystal Note held Velvet’s gaze with her own as a small shudder ran down the filly’s body. She knew and understood, so she said again
“It’s not your fault. What happened in the mine was a terrible accident. And it’s the worst possible thing that your parents had to be in there that day. I know how you feel. You think you could have done something, anything, but that’s not true. There is nothing you could have done. Nothing, you hear me? Nopony could have saved them, not you, not me, not even Princess Cadance. You’re not to blame for anything. You shouldn't feel guilty because it's not your fault, not even a tiny bit. And if you still feel guilty, I won’t let you feel guilty all alone. I’ll be here to tell you every day until you believe me, starting right now: It’s not your fault.”

Velvet stared into Crystal Note’s eyes and at the end of her speech, she clung on them like a drowning pony on a life ring. She nodded, hesitantly. She wanted to believe. The intensity of those eyes told her that Crystal Note meant every word she said with all of her heart.
Crystal Note held her gaze for a moment longer, then nodded as well. The motion seemed to release the filly from her spell and Velvet Heart fled into Crystal Note’s embrace again, her head burying into the downy coat. The silvery mare held her close and safe as she whispered
“I felt this way for the longest time, but I was alone with it. I wouldn’t let anypony close enough, not even my sister. Please Velvet, don’t make the same mistakes I did. Your sisters and I, we love you so much. We want to help you. We want to be there for you. Please let us. Your friends can give you the strength you need, please don’t push them away either.”
Velvet Heart nodded weakly, she didn’t feel like she could talk right now. Crystal Note let her stay as close as she needed and the small filly nearly buried herself completely in her embrace. She picked up the tune she had been humming and gave Velvet this time to feel and let everything sink in.
After a few minutes, a soft mumble reached her ears, shy but also hopeful
“Thank you mommy.”

Crystal Note closed her eyes and instinctively hugged the filly more firmly. She shifted around to cover more of the small body with her own, curling around her daughter-in-heart in a protective cocoon against all the cold and sad of the world. She let her humming grow into a soft song, her voice not carrying any words but filled to the brim with heartfelt love and genuine care for her filly.
They stayed like this for the longest of an hour and Crystal Note felt the small filly slowly relax and lose the tension she had been carrying for the last weeks. She peeked down and found Velvet’s eyes closed and a peaceful smile on her face. As if she’d felt it, the purple eyes opened and met hers, without any tension this time. Both their smiles grew and Crystal Note gently nuzzled the top of Velvet’s head. Reluctantly, she released the filly from her hug and Velvet climbed out of her hooves only to sit down close next to her, leaning to the side to rest her head against the taller mare’s flank.

Crystal Note smiled and took a deep breath which was mimicked by Velvet Heart
“How do you feel about getting some dinner now?”
Velvet pressed against her flank and shook her head
“Can I stay in my room? I don’t want to talk to Glass Slipper and Sweetie Tooth right now.”
“No, dear.”
Velvet tucked her hooves against herself involuntarily as some of the tension returned to her. She gave a pleading look to Crystal Note but saw the mare’s expression had not changed the slightest from the concern and care she’d shown the entire time
“Velvet, I’m not doing this to punish you. You have to talk to them eventually, it’ll only get harder and more uncomfortable the longer you wait. This is something that concerns the three of you equally, your sisters need your help dealing with it as much as you need theirs.”
Velvet blushed and nodded, but she whispered
“I promise I’ll talk to them soon. But not today? Please?”

Crystal Note sighed and tried to wrestle down conflicting emotions inside her head. Her maternal instincts told her to agree, of course, and shelter her daughter from everything bad for the end of time and beyond. She knew that confronting Velvet right now would cause sadness and the mere thought of that was enough to inflict nearly physical pain in her.
The more reasonable part of her mind reminded her that this pain was necessary to heal the wounds fully. Without it, Velvet might feel better now but only hurt more in the long way. She needed to talk about this, while the thoughts and emotions were still fresh and clear inside her. It’d taken Velvet great efforts to open up to Crystal Note to this point, retreating now could mean it would take weeks until she would be ready for the next steps. Crystal Note knew from personal experience that a couple of weeks could feel like eternity and mean a lot of harm not for the filly herself, but for those who had to watch her struggle during that time with no way to help.

Crystal Note stood up and nodded
“Okay Velvet. You don’t have to talk with your sisters tonight. But you need to talk with somepony who can understand you and you have to do it right away. Can we agree on this?”
Velvet got on her hooves as well and nodded. She felt okay to talk with Crystal Note about it, now that she had seen she wasn’t going to be mad at her.
The filly blinked surprised when Crystal Note opened the door with her magic and headed towards the stairs, expecting her to follow.
“But, you said…”
“I said you’re going to talk about it with somepony who understands, so we’re going there now.”
The mare’s voice was filled with that gentle sternness Velvet knew would be pointless to argue with. She tried anyways
“What about Cotton Ball?”

Crystal Note stepped down the stairs with Velvet Heart behind her. She approached the door to the kitchen and they peeked through the crack of the door. Velvet smiled when she saw Glass Slipper had come back downstairs at some point and was now helping Sweetie Tooth with some homework. On the table in front of their books sat Cotton Ball, eagerly lapping from a bowl of sweet cream.
“They’ll be fine, you see? Now go get your scarf and a hat, I’ll be right with you.”
Velvet nodded and went to the front door. She wrapped her favourite scarf around her neck and when she reached out for a woollen hat, Crystal Note had joined her again. No doubt, she’d been telling the others they’d be out.
Crystal Note got a scarf as well with her magic glow and together, the left and headed west towards the fast descending sun.

---

Velvet Heart hesitated when she followed Crystal Note past the last houses and further out of town. Who would be this far out of town that late in the day? The only thing that direction would be…
The filly froze but Crystal Note just kept her steady, if slow pace towards the iron gate of the cemetery. Velvet Heart stood there for a couple of beats, then ran to catch up with her. By now, it was already dark, the winter sun always fast to sink and nights considerably longer so far up north. The silvery-white form of her guardian stood out in the darkness, even in what little light the stars could offer before the rise of the moon.

As soon as they passed the gate, Crystal Note lit up her horn with a spell to provide enough light for them to walk safely along the path. Velvet Heart shuffled a little closer to the mare, the added light helped her not to feel scared, but the mare's presence was what allowed her to clear her mind enough to find words again
“What are we doing here?”
“We’re going to meet somepony who understands you better than anypony else ever could.”
The filly fell silent as they passed the statue of the four tribes in the centre, illuminated by a few dozen candles of all sizes that stood at its base. Crystal Note headed south and Velvet stayed close.

After a minute, they stood in front of two graves that stood out from the others, they still looked fresh compared to the ones surrounding them. Velvet didn’t need to read the names to recognize them
“I don’t wanna be here.”
She shuffled closer to Crystal Note and whispered
“They can’t hear me anyways, right? They’re gone.”

Crystal Note just smiled and started talking in a normal volume, although in the dark and empty place it seemed unnaturally loud to Velvet Heart
“Hello again. I know it’s been a little while since I came to visit but it took some time for everypony to get used to the new house and new daily schedule and everything.”
Velvet stared at Crystal Note as she talked like the two ponies would be right in front of her. She looked at the graves, almost expecting to see them standing there, but of course there was nothing. Crystal Note continued talking anyways
“Glass Slipper and Sweetie Tooth send all their love, but you know that of course. They’re brave little angels and they keep going, but, you know, it’s hard. Some days are harder than others. I’m trying to keep up with my promise but they… no, we miss you a lot.”

Those last words ended in a soft sob and Velvet Heart pressed herself against Crystal Note’s flank. Why would Crystal Note apologize to somepony who was gone? She felt a soft nuzzle and Crystal Note went on
“Velvet Heart is having a very hard time at the moment. We try to help and be there for her. But I think she needs to tell you herself.”
Velvet blinked and stared at the graves, her hooves clinging on Crystal Note’s foreleg
“But… they’re not here.”
“Yes they are. They’re always with you, every second that passes, right here.”
She gently put her hoof on Velvet’s chest were she could feel the filly’s heartbeat
“Their bodies may not be around, but their love is. It will never leave you. They’re so close to you, closer than I can ever be and even closer than Glass Slipper or Sweetie Tooth.”

Velvet Heart stared up at her and suddenly felt… something. She could not place a hoof on it, if there was a word to describe she never learned it. She felt warm most of all, but it was different then warmth from a fireplace. The way she felt when she snuggled with her sisters came close but the feeling right now was… stronger? Like when her mommy was hugging her…
Velvet’s eyes opened wide at the sudden revelation and she turned back to the graves and read the names on them. Mommy and Daddy.

She heard Crystal Note talking again but she barely made sense to the words as she focused on this feeling.
“There are things you feel you can’t tell me. I might not like that, but I know it’s true. There might be things you don’t want to share with anypony, not ever your sisters. But your parents are a part of you, they can understand everything. You can tell them anything. You may not always get an answer but you can be sure they always understand and they always love you.”
Crystal Note carefully pulled her leg out of Velvet’s grip and gently hugged the filly for a moment. With a soft squeeze, she pulled back a step and sighed
“I’ll leave you three alone now. Take as long as you need, Velvet. We all love you.”
Crystal Note turned around and slowly walked away. The orb of light that had been hovering at the tip of her horn floated to Velvet Heart and remained over her head now, a last reminder of the mare’s presence.

For a while, Velvet just sat there and stared ahead. She didn’t understand and she didn’t know what she was supposed to do. Eventually, she just started talking in a whisper
“Hi Mommy. Hi Dad. It’s me. Duh.”
She flicked her ears and looked around nervously, but she was alone in the small halo of light
“I don’t know what to say. We live in the new house now, the one were Crystal Note grew up in when she was a filly. It’s really, really big. Glass Slipper even has her own room now. I’m still sharing a bedroom with Sweetie Tooth. Oh, we have a pet now! Cotton Ball is just the most adorable little kitten in the whole Empire. She’s orange and soft and fluffy, but her paws are white so it’s looks like she’s wearing tiny little boots. You should see how cute she is!”

A smile made its way to Velvet’s face, the first real one of the whole day. It didn’t last too long though when the filly talked to the graves in front of her
“I said I would take care of her, and I did. I love Cotton Ball, I really do. But even so, I forgot about her. Crystal Note had to feed her because I was out playing. And then I realized something. I didn’t just forget Cotton Ball.”
The filly sunk on the cold ground as her legs gave in under her and tears started running down her muzzle
“I forgot about you. At first, I couldn’t stop thinking about you, everything reminded me of you. We moved to the new house and it was okay, you know. I still thought about you a lot, but it didn’t hurt anymore to just sit at the table without you or see your empty bedroom. Every morning, I thought about you as soon as I woke up. And the last thing I did when I was in bed was talk about you with Sweetie Tooth. I saw you in my dreams, I don’t know if you could see it too.”

The filly kept talking despite her tears, now that she had started, the words just seemed to bubble out of her, words she kept hidden for a while now. She even kept them hidden from Sweetie Tooth, although they used to talk about everything and anything.
“Then one day, I went to bed and I realized I hadn’t thought about you for a whole day. I couldn’t say why. Maybe because we were living in a new house. School is getting more fun as well, we learn a lot about plants and animals and history, it’s really neat. But I don’t want to forget about you. I mean, I still love you. I miss you so much, especially at night when it’s dark. Why did I forget? Maybe I don’t love you enough? Or you don’t love me? Is that why you left?”
Another wave of sobs hit her and she struggled with her words
“I don’t remember the last thing you said to me, I guess it was ‘Have fun at school!’ like you always said. I don’t know if we hugged before we left. I hope we did. I miss you so much and I wish you would come back, but I keep forgetting things. I don’t want to forget about you! And I don’t want to forget about Cotton Ball either. But I do! Why?”

Velvet Heart sobbed and repeated this last word over and over. Tears ran down her muzzle and she dug her hooves into the cold ground beneath her. In her bedroom, she held back most of her tears, she didn’t like crying in front of others. Even if Crystal Note was nice and cared about her, sometimes that made it even worse. She had called her mommy. It felt right at that moment, but it made her feel guilty now. She was forgetting about her real mommy and now she was starting to replace her even. No wonder her parents left her all alone.

She sniffled and looked up at the orb of magic light, still floating close to her. Crystal Note wasn’t around, but she still left something to help her. Then she remembered how she felt just minutes ago and immediately that warmth returned. She closed her eyes and could almost feel Mommy’s coat as she held her close and Daddy’s hooves on her shoulders. She saw their smiles, happy and proud. Then a thought crossed her mind. Crystal Note left her something behind when she couldn’t be there. Mommy and Daddy were gone, but maybe they left something too?

The warmth increased and more things came to her mind. One day, they’d all been playing together on a frozen pond just outside of town. Glass Slipper and Daddy taught her how to skate on the ice. Mommy had them led them home and they’d all cuddled up together under a blanket with hot cocoa. Sometime later, Mommy had been with her on her first day of school. She’d been really nervous about meeting so many other fillies and colts, but with Mommy and Sweetie Tooth, it turned out great.

Velvet Heart smiled. She still remembered Mommy and Daddy. Maybe she forgot a few things, but that wasn’t important. She forgot about Cotton Ball once, but she still loved her kitten. Like she still loved her parents. And Crystal Note had been there to help when she had messed up.

Crystal Note, Sweetie Tooth and Glass Slipper. She wasn’t alone even with Mommy and Daddy gone. She missed them but they did too. She frowned. Maybe Sweetie Tooth always talked about Mommy and Daddy in bed because she missed them so much. Now they didn’t talk anymore, but if she still missed them, wouldn’t Sweetie too? Glass Slipper was angry because they didn’t spend time together anymore. Maybe she felt as lonely as Velvet felt herself?

Velvet Heart got back up from the ground and sat on her haunches. She sniffled softly and whispered
“Mommy, Daddy… I think I really messed up. I don’t know if I can fix this again. What should I do?”
At this moment, a breeze blew across the cemetery. The light above her head swayed in the wind and flickered for a moment and Velvet closed her eyes. Somehow that breeze felt warm. She pressed her eyelids shut, and the wind felt like a soft embrace. She turned her head towards it, and she felt a touch on her forehead, like a goodnight kiss from Mommy and Daddy. For the briefest of moments, she smelled berries and vanilla in a very special mix. She couldn’t say if she just imagined it or if it had been really there, but she’d always recognize this scent. Just like Mommy.

Fresh tears ran down her cheeks but happy ones this time. She wasn’t alone. Mommy and Daddy were here, inside her or around her or above or anywhere, but they were with her. And with Glass Slipper and Sweetie Tooth. She wouldn’t let them feel alone any longer. And if she felt lonely, she’d ask them for help. What if they were all lonely at the same time?

Velvet opened her eyes again when she heard hoofsteps behind her. She turned around, lunged towards Crystal Note and buried her muzzle against her coat. For a moment she was afraid, but then hooves wrapped around her and held her close. Crystal Note was there, from the very first moment they knew Mommy and Daddy were gone, up until now. Maybe not all the time, but just like now, she always showed up when they needed her most. Just like a real mommy would. She wasn’t her Mommy, but it was right to call her mommy anyways.
Just before her thoughts went hazy, the warmth she felt, the scent from Mommy and the comforting presence of Crystal Note all blended together for a moment. With a happy sigh, Velvet let go of her worries and fears and drifted into a calm place.

Comments

[EchoWing]

I think you had an 'angles' here when you should've had an 'angels'.

[TalkingToMyself]

9461344
Fixed, and thanks!