(This is just my first story idea for PJ2023 and is not an actual entry)
>She set it ablaze...
>You were worried your face would catch fire but it only extended far enough to blind you
>A party candle in the shape of a 4 hovers in front of you
>"You're awake! That's good, I was quite worried."
>Worried?
>You try to speak but you can only manage a groan
>Now that you remember that you have eyeballs, you also remember that it feels like someone smashed the shit out of your head
>"Oh-no no, don't let your head roll like that! I think you got a concussion. And while magic can help... well... I wanna have a talk with you for a moment."
>Talk with who?
>Who the hell would crack your noggin, put you somewhere dark an-
"...Miss Twilight's Mom?"
>The candle pulls back to show that while you may be seeing double, it is most definitely Twilight's mom
>Something... Velvet?
>Like the cake
>"Hi there, Anon! Yup, it's me. I wish we could have spoken a little less... harshly?"
"Did you do this?"
>What is it with mares always being the violent ones?
>Big Mac nudged you with a cart once and made it up to you by giving you a quantifiable fuckton of deep-freeze pastries
>"Oh no... well. I mean, yes. But I didn't mean to hit you that hard! But that's not important right now."
>What the hell could be so important that it warrants that?!
>Sensing your frustration, she gives you a deceptively warm smile
>"It's about Twilight. I know that her birthday is coming up in two weeks and..."
>She leans forward
>"You're still gonna propose to her... right?"
"W-wha?"
>First off, how did she know you were planning on popping that question?
>Secondly...
>...
>...
>...
>How did she know you weren't going to pop?
>"Ohhh don't mind the "how", Anon. Old mares like me have our ways."
>She got to Spike
>God damn it
>"I know that ever since she became an alicorn, she's been getting... well, well... a little scattered. More so than she usually does. Mothers have to be honest."
>That's putting it one way
>"And she confided in me that you and her... that you don't look at her the same. That isn't true, surely."
>You don't answer
>You could use the main in your skull as an excuse
>But it's true
>Twilight with wings just...
>It's off-putting
>You don't dislike the princesses but you don't find them attractive in any way
>No disrespect meant, naturally
>But your purple smart
>Your beloved
>She seems like a different pony now
>"I see that look in your eye... I know it's hard to accept change, sometimes. But you know it's still her. And she still loves you."
"She doesn't act like she does anymore."
>You answer on gut instinct
>With even the faintest move, you can feel that you can't move your hands
>You're probably tied down to something
>If you could move, you would at least try to hide the sour look on your face
>"Oh, but she does! We talk almost every day now, you know. With her now being a Princess, it's... it's a lot to take in, I'll say so."
>Ms. Twilight's Mom paces around you, the birthday candle following around your head
>"Mercy, I went a little hard... I am sorry, Anon. With you being my son-in-law, I really should have thought twice."
>Or at least asked you normally, like a normal...
>Nevermind
>She stops when she's in view
>"Anyway, I just want to make sure... you are still going to propose to her."
>You roll your eyes
"I mean, you're acting like I've been ignoring her. The last two dates I had planned, she canceled on."
>Miss Purple Mom looks taken aback
>"She did?"
"Yeah! She's going to Canterlot, focused on learning how to fly, she..."
>She hasn't slept at your side ever since it happened, and has been refusing your usual advances
>Quite definitively, at that
"She doesn't make it seem like she wants to remain close anymore."
>"That... she didn't tell me about."
"I'll bet. Did she ever have that conversation that starts out normal but then she stops and alludes to how she'll most likely live for a thousand years and then wander off in a daze?"
>The edge in your voice isn't aggression
>It isn't even frustration
>Without being theatrical, it's despair
>The old mare seems to understand you
>Her expression is familiar
>"Yes... she did. The first night she came to us, all in a flustered mess, she went from excited, to afraid, to excited again, to sad..."
>A smile flickers on and off of her face
>"To... realizing that she's going to outlast me, her father, her brother, that little dragon of hers. Every pony she's ever  known, including those friends of hers."
"...and probably me too."
>Miss Bookhorse's madre nods
>"That's right. And you too. There's truly nothing I could say to help her. As a mother-a parent-it hurts the most when you know you can't help."
>The candle flickers out
>"Oopsie, sorry."
>Another one ignites before you
>Another 4
>"Sorry about that, Anon. These are all I had at the time I thought this up."
"No, it... it's fine."
>You try to wave away the act
>If you could fucking wave
>As if your shit wasn't cracked like an egg
>Despite all of that, you can't find it in you to take offense at this
>Not more than you usually do from the other insane antics that come from ponies
>Not when it comes to Twilight's happiness
"I... I still want to, you know? But I want to know that she'll still have meaning in it. I want to know that she will put herself into it, and not just treat me like an accessory."
>Doesn't help that the mint pony has taken advantage of your being lost and has looped you into mane brushing sessions
>You would never admit it but you like having someone to talk to
>And she has let it be known that she admires your hands
"I can't propose to her just based on momentum. I have to know it will be real."
>Miss Mommy watches your face
>"I don't have an answer for that, I'm afraid."
>Both of you look up at the sound of some sort of knocking
>"Oh horse feathers, that's Twilight."
"It's what?!"
>"She always knocks that way. Listen-she can't know you're here. It might make for a bad time."
"I'm sorry, "might"?"
>"Listen, I'll be right back. But for now I gotta see what she needs. If she sees you here, like this, it might... ah... well. You know."
"Don't do it, lady."
>"I'll be right back, I promise! I'll even bring you some juice!"
"I'm warning you, if you-"
>That was it
>That was hours ago
>You can still hear them talking
>They went from niceties to plans and her upcoming birthday
>And her birthday wish
>Despite everything, your hearing is razor sharp when it comes to your Twilight
>"I hope Anon and I can make up... do you think he still loves me?"
>Twilight's Mom sounds far too loud to be a coincidence
>"Oh, I'm sure he loves you with ALL his heart! In fact, I bet he'll even have a HUGE present for you!"
>"...why are you shouting?"
>"Never you mind that, sweetie."
>That mare is a psycho, plain and simple
>Her daughter may have made the wish
>But she blew out the candle