



Twilight fiddled with the hook of her fishing rod, clumsily shoving a wriggling worm onto its end, before making a pathetic attempt at casting it into the water





"See darling, you've got it," Night Light smiled, casting his own rod over the opposite end of the boat. "Remember how we used to do this when you were little? You made a transact line of the exact best places to cast across the entire river! Had it colour coded and everything."





"Yea, yea I remember dad," Twilight chuckled nervously.





"Shame we don't still have it now. Think we might be here for a little while."





Twilight turned to look over her side of the boat. The river was surprisingly calm, with very few currents pushing through. the surrounding water was calm, peaceful, still enough for her to see her own reflection in it. The mare in the reflection stared back, a concerned from on her face.

The longer they sat there in silence, waiting for any sign of a nip, the more fidgety and nervous Twilight became. She glanced occasionally back at her father - who remained peacefully unaware, enjoying the view out across the river. Twilight bit her lip. After a few minutes, she mustered up enough confidence to break through the silence.





"D...Dad...?"





"Yes, sugarplum?"





"I was... wondering if I could talk to you about something."





"Of course you can, what's up?"





"Well uh," Twilight gulped, "I wanted to talk to you about the whole family dinner thing..."





"Aah, right," he frowned. "You know as much as I love you dearest, that probably wasn't the smartest move on your end."





"No, I know, I know. Trust me I've learned my lesson... mom had quite the go at me for it."





"That doesn't surprise me. You know those kind of events are important to her, and it wasn't fair on her for you to ruin it for her."





"Mmm..." Twilight's ears drooped, "I just. I really hate those events, dad."





"As do I sweetie, but we can't always get what we want now, can we?"





"But mom really went off at me this time, she went on about how I have a duty to fulfill, that I always ruin things for her, and she brought up rainbow-"





"Sweetheart, you have to accept that your mother always knows best. It may not be easy to hear, but that's what mothers are for."





"But," Twilight swivelled around "But she told me rainbow couldnt possibly love me, that no one could love me."





Night Light frowned "Twilight, you know what I think of that pegasus friend of yours."





"She's my fiance."





"Right. Well... she's never been much good for you. we've gone over this before."





"I know dad, I know.... but she IS my fiance. and she will be my wife. can you... can you accept that? Do you think mom will ever accept that?"





"I think we'd have both preferred it if you'd married one of the stallion elites she had lined up for you. You'd be much more well of with one of them than with a- mm, well you know."





"Right, no, of course." Twilight sighed, resting her head over the edge of the boat, blinking hard.





"I love you dear, and so does your mother, even if she has a different way of expressing it. We certainly can't stop you from making decisions in your life, all we can do is steer you in the right direction..... now, help me out here real quick, I think I feel a bite."





------------





god i hate those trees please dont look at them thanks





so i personally think night light's take on things and how he acts in this situation, is just as damaging as velvet's. he himself is much more lighter going than velvet, and doesnt care much for the life of an elite (which is much more closer to canon than in velvets case in this au) - but he still supports his wife in all that she does, and thinks what she's doing is right. this attitude of "mother knows best" sows the seed of doubt in twilight's mind for the longest time, that really her mother is right and that she isnt enough, and should be working more. it aids the damage that velvet is doing, and makes it impossible for twilight to dismiss what she says because what IF she's right, what IF she deserves it.







also the whole reason twilight went off the SHITS at that party wasnt rlly intentional. she'd just discovered she was related to trixie, and on top of that the pressure of planning the wedding/having to appear as an elite just all piled up on her and she needed a vice to help her escape and make the evening more bearable, just a little bit. which is definitely not healthy obv, but its not a regular occurence i have to say.





anyhow i think ive got one more drawing in me and then i think i'll drop this for the time being, let it sit, go back to more cutesy fun stuffs. just very excited to keep this going.



