Chapter One- Hostility and Tea

“Let me get this straight, Aunt Hazel; you want me to help you relearn friendship?”

“Erm -Yes I-”

Hazel sat, fidgeting on the couch that rested in Twilight’s Castle. Across from her, sitting with a cold look on her face, Twilight Sparkle glared at her Aunt. Slowly, the Ruler of Equestria sipped a smooth herbal tea. Nearby stood Starlight, holding a teapot and eagerly pouring a cup for Hazel.

“Why are you so nervous? Are you afraid that I bear some grudge for removing mine and my friends ability to live a normal life? Are you worried that since your magic no longer affects me, I would attack you?”

“The thought had crossed my-”

Twilight took a small sip and set down her cup, looking Hazel in the eyes. “I told you before I would not hurt you. After all, Aunt Hazel surely no pony would ever treat their own family that way, would they? I mean it’s not like you… Oh, I don’t know...excommunicated-”

The teacup Twilight set down made a chink sound as a hairline crack appeared on it. Twilight’s voice remained even, calm almost. Still she continued.

“-Your flesh and blood niece from the realm of existence-”

The crack spider-webbed across the teacup’s surface. Starlight winced as the audible cracking of china came from the cup she was currently filling. Still, Twilight continued maintaining her normal tone. “- and then denied her very blood ties to you, in order to punish her-”

The splintering of wood was heard coming from the coffee table on which the teacup rested. Hazel watched in morbid fascination as the eyes of her niece turned cold as the howling gale of winter.

“-for eternity for a mistake she made...By removing her from the very fabric of existence and forcing her to rebuild the entirety of history. Right, dear Aunt of mine?”

As the Queen of Friendship finished her words, the teacup exploded, as the coffee table blew apart; reduced to splinters. Starlight whimpered as the cup she was pouring into shattered. “Aw, Twilight! Calm down! It took Trixie hours to make those.”

Blinking at the sound of Starlight’s voice, Twilight sighed and without so much as a horn glow to show her spell, the objects began to reassemble themselves. Hazel watched, frozen in fear, as her niece, still staring unblinkingly at her, rebuilt the table. Not looking away even for a second, the Alicorn put the cups together piece by piece; as though she was rewinding the timeline of those objects alone.

After a long, deathly silent pause, Twilight took a deep breath before turning to look at Starlight. Smiling sheepishly, her voice turned warm once more. “Sorry about that Star. Sometimes I can get a bit emotional. Can you do me a favor and go tell Fluttershy to come here?”

Starlight nodded knowingly and gave a slight grin. “At once, your Majesty.”

As Twilight watched her trot off giggling to herself, Twilight allowed herself a small smile. Such a tease. However, as soon as Starlight was out of sight, all the warmth in the room vanished. Hazel shivered as the air around her turned to ice. Twilight’s glare seemed to freeze her in place. Her words were dripping with contempt as she spoke to her Aunt. “I hate you, you know. No, not for what you did to me.”

Images of the past appeared around her as she spoke. “I can understand my punishment...Mostly...But for what you did to them; you haven’t created the torture that amounts to the pain my heart feels. How many times have I had to watch Applejack breakdown; unable to do anything but watch as her parents perished, again, and again? Or being unable to halt Fluttershy’s tears as she was forced to lead the dragons to war with Ponyville? All because she was the only one who could understand and control them.”

Hazel winced. “Perhaps I was a bit...Hasty in my judgement, Daughter of Faust.”

Twilight’s glare hardened for a moment before softening once more. The icy cold that encircled Hazel, vanished. Her tone was one of boredom, almost depression. “Were you any other creature, I would have erased you where you sit currently. You took what was most precious from us. Yes, I hate you in every aspect of the word but-”

Twilight seemed to force a surprisingly natural smile. “You’ve come to me, with what appears to be a genuine want to care again. As much as I may despise you with every fiber of my being, I won’t let my own emotions affect my resolve to help any creature in genuine need. I will help you but don’t think, for even a second; I’ve forgiven you.”

The air grew warm, almost welcoming, once more as the teacup before Hazel began to slowly fill to the brim with herbal tea. Twilight meanwhile, lifted her own; now almost completely filled with the same warm tea, to her lips. Taking a slow sip, she spoke once more. “Isn’t hot tea wonderful? It’s most certainly not my usual brew but let’s share a cup; an olive branch, if you will. It’s almost sinful the way it relaxes me, isn’t it? Not that I mind.”

Staring at her in confusion, Hazel looked at the almost shimmering liquid. Lifting the cup to her nose, she took a gentle sniff; catching the scent of an almost sulfurous smell. Touching the tip of her tongue to it, she felt the familiar sting. “Zaqqum root.”

“Mhm. It was quite the challenge to find, and even harder still to harvest. Especially since magic has no effect on the infernal plant. Though with intense concentration-”

Taking a moment to show Hazel the scorch marks on her forehooves, Twilight smiled. “And some rather painful contact, I made it work. I do hope you appreciate the results of my efforts.”

The Thestral sat there staring at her estranged niece in silence; unsure of what to say. Zaqqum root, was a particularly cursed plant which roots sprouted down to tartarus. For any mortal, the mere touch of the plant, would cause the individual's soul to be destroyed. Mere burns would be the least of their concerns. Still, for Twilight to do that just for her, was almost touching. It was, after all, her favorite type of tea; homegrown and torturous to enjoy. Taking another sip of the burning tea, Hazel muttered weakly. “It’s ni- I mean it’s not bad, tha- Surprised you managed to steep it properly.”

Twilight’s eyelids twitched in annoyance. Forcing herself to give a smile, Twilight spoke in her calm and deliberate tone. “I can see, we have a lot of work ahead of us, don’t we?”

Taking a sip of the infernal brew, her eyes gave off a sharp glint of crimson. “Still, friendship isn’t learned in an instant, a day or even a week. You’ll need to commit to a very special learning curriculum. And I promise your teachers won’t be as patient as myself, and don’t think even for a second your magic will affect them. Tell me, knowing this, will you still pursue such a course?”

Hazel sat frozen in place. She knew her niece was serious and she knew how hard it would truly be. It had been lifetimes since she had let go of her purity, countless years since she wanted to care. Why should I? My creations were ungrateful, selfish- “Hi other mommy!”

Unbidden, her thoughts were hijacked by an image of Starshine introducing her to their daughter. Oh, yeah. That’s why. Looking unblinkingly into Twilight’s eyes, she spoke with absolute certainty. “Whatever it takes!”

Twilight nodded in pleasant approval. “So be it. I wish you the best on your journey, and it would seem your first teacher has finally arrived. Why don’t you turn and greet them?”

Hazel rose from her seat and turned to find herself face to face with an armored Pegasus. The armor resembled hardened lava rock and covered the Pegasus completely. Slowly, the Pegasus reached its hooves up and removed the helmet of volcanic rock. The silky pink hair beneath the helmet swirled around her as she tossed her head. Her voice was melodic and gentle. “Hello a-again, Hazel. M-My name is Fluttershy and I look forward to helping you re-rediscover K-Kindness.”

284 views