Your Past Doesn’t Define You
“How does it not bother you?”
Violette Rainbow turned around at the sound of Misty’s voice, setting down on the table her cup of hot tea, which was still steaming hot. She had been about to drink before being interrupted, but she didn’t seem to mind in the slightest. Misty was her friend, and what she needed was more important than a beverage she could always drink later. The two unicorns were hanging out in the Crystal Tea Room and enjoying a peaceful day together. The Sun was shining brightly through the windows and illuminated the rustic interior with its beautiful embrace.
The shop was particularly sparse today, nothing like the usual bustling madhouse of the usual workdays. It could be said that they had the place all to themselves, and a calm atmosphere was the perfect time for idle conversations or airing out grievances. Of course, this would not be a normal conversation and Misty knew that all too well. She had been feeling a bit uneasy over the past few days following the Swirlpool Starlight event where she saw her future. The voice had reminded her of her past, something that she had not thought about in a long time. She thought she had moved past Opaline and everything the alicorn put her through, but getting her heart read in the swamp brought it all back to the surface and she relived all of the trauma to the point where she was no longer able to sleep.
Upon Izzy’s request, she decided to hang out with Violette, who was Izzy’s crafting protégé. She trusted the younger mare as she had given her the courage when she needed it most. If anypony was capable of solving the repressed memories problem she had, it would be her. Misty didn’t know if she would understand, but it was worth a try and she was out of options at this point in time. So they sat together and she decided that now was as good of time as any to bring up what had been bothering her this whole time.
“What do you mean?” Violette asked, tilting her head in confusion.
“Oh it’s…” Misty faltered, her eyes lingering on the tea. “I-I see you were about to drink. Sorry, forget I said anything. It’s not important, trust me…”
“You can tell me,” insisted Violette. “Trust me, I can drink this later. It’s boiling hot right now, so I’m just letting off a little steam.” She giggled to herself. “In a literal sense, of course.”
Misty sighed deeply. “How does…how does your past not bother you? What you look like and all that…You knew exactly what to say to me back at the pool. You told me that just because I had a troubled past, it didn’t make me bad. How do you know that? You don’t know me all that well…”
Violette smiled warmly, looking the unicorn straight in the eyes. “Well, I had my own experiences of self-doubt before, so I knew what you were going through. I was bullied for the way I look once, and it haunted me to no end. But Izzy and the others showed me that it isn’t the way I look that matters. It’s who you are on the inside that counts. We may not hang out much, but I can already tell you have a good heart. The universe seems to know that already if your future reading was any indication.”
“But what if it’s wrong?” Misty asked, worried. “I mean…destinies can change. Maybe I’m good now, but anything can happen. What if my heart isn’t as pure as that voice thinks it is? It showed me my past. There has to be a reason why it did that!” She was panicking and though she tried her best to contain most of it, her eyes still reflected her deep insecurities. Even though she had long since proved herself to her friends, she had a feeling deep down that it wouldn’t last forever. One day, she feared she would make a terrible mistake and she would be shunned for the rest of her life for it.
If only she could express how scared she really was. Would Violette understand the extent of what she had done? Would she even still want to be her friend? Looking different from others and committing actual crimes were completely different things, and she didn’t know whether they warranted the same level of forgiveness.
“The pool showed all of us our pasts,” Violette explained. “It’s just how the process works. The universe judges your future based on your past experiences and your potential to do better. It doesn’t mean that it was condemning you.”
“It…doesn’t?”
“No. Look, Misty…I may not know everything you went through and I’m sorry if I’m trivializing anything. But your past doesn’t define you. Sometimes things happen for a reason. You went through all of this hardship so that you could emerge from it a stronger pony. And I know what you’re going through. I know what it’s like to feel like you don’t belong. I tried to change myself so that I would be accepted by others around me. Ponies thought I was weird, that my vitiligo coat was bad luck. But in the end, I learned that…looks are superficial. And the same goes with you. You had a rough life and tried to do all these things so you could feel normal. But like you said, a cutie mark isn’t everything. And you were able to find what made you special even without it. The fact that you did was just the icing on the cake.”
“But doesn’t it still feel weird at all?” Misty asked, shifting slightly in her seat. “The fact that you can’t be like other ponies? I’ll never know so many things in life, nor what it’s like to have a proper fillyhood because Opaline robbed me of that. You’ll never know what it’s like to…be just like everypony else in terms of how you look.”
“It used to feel weird,” Violette admitted. “But it doesn’t anymore. I may sometimes wish that I was exactly like everypony else, that I could conform, and be around certain ponies. But whether it be your physical features or who you once were…it doesn’t define who you are. It is the rest of your story, who you choose to be. I chose to embrace what makes me stand out and be proud of who I am. You may have lost out on so much, but as a result of your experiences, you can understand others and extend your hoof to them. You have a better connection to other ponies because of that. And while what you endured was certainly horrible…there’s a bright side to every bad situation.”
“Really…?”
“Mhm. The reason why the past still bothers you is because you haven’t made peace with it. You’re not that pony anymore. There’s so much more to you than who you once were. Yes, it happened and you’re not proud of it. I’m sure everyone has regrets of some kind or another. But what matters is that you power through it and prove those who doubt you wrong by being yourself. And I can already see that just by talking to you now.“
Misty blinked back tears that were threatening to form. She put a hoof on the table and Violette grasped it with her own in a display of compassion. She understood her. She knew what she was going through and could relate to it in a way that others simply could not. She had a friend, and she wasn’t alone in feeling like an outcast.
“I wish I was as strong as you…” she said softly. “I’ve already conquered my past, but it still bothers me and the Swirlpool just brought it all back to the surface. I don’t think I’ll ever fully get over it.”
“And you don’t have to,” Violette advised her kindly. “It’s unrealistic to expect all of that pain and suffering to disappear overnight. But that’s what your friends are for, and you can tell them anything. Be honest with them. And hey, if you can’t, then that’s okay. You can always talk to me whenever you’re feeling down. It always helps to let your feelings out.”
“Would you…really do that? Nopony’s really understood me the way you do…I just don’t want to feel like a burden on you.”
“You’ll never feel like a burden, Misty. Do you know why? Because you’re my friend, and true friends help those in need. The key difference between ponies who are your real friends and those who aren’t…is that those who truly care about you will always stick by you, even in the most distressing times. I was lucky to have those who truly cared about me in Skye and the other zebras. And…I want to offer you the same sort of reassurance they gave me. Will you take it?”
Misty smiled, taking a shaky breath. She closed her eyes, processing everything she was told. She had been given this advice before, but hearing it from Violette now felt different, almost as if she was hearing it for the first time. She felt heard in a way she hadn’t before and it was at that moment she realized that she was worrying for nothing. The universe had given its judgment for a reason. The deeds of her past were nothing compared to the wonders of her future, and if she didn’t embrace it, then no one would. She had both family and friends who cared about her, and it was time that she truly move on and seize her moment. She had been given a second chance and she wasn’t going to waste it worrying about the past anymore.
“Yes.”
It was then that they heard the sounds of hoofsteps and Alphabittle came walking over to them with a tray in his hooves. He smiled at his daughter, before turning towards Violette and pointing at the tea, which was now cold and no longer in optimal condition to drink.
“Do you need me to reheat that?” he inquired. “I can always get you a spare if you want.”
“I’m okay, Mr. Blossomforth,” Violette responded politely. “I can still drink it. I was just talking to Misty. She hasn’t been feeling like herself lately and I just thought sharing a little bit of my experiences would help.”
Alphabittle gave a slight nod of approval, indicating that he had overheard the conversation between them. “You always know how to say, Violette. I don’t know how you do it, but it is impressive. You should really consider becoming a therapist or something.” He then turned towards Misty. “What about you, Misty? Are you feeling alright?”
Misty turned to look at him, smiling radiantly for the first time in weeks. Her cutie mark was glowing the brightest it ever had and it illuminated the entire room with its powerful aura. She was healed, and she was ready to take on the world with the help of her new friend by her side.
“I am, Dad,” she stated confidently. “In fact…I have never felt more like myself.”