Warning: This FanFic is incredibly sad; readers are advised to consider counseling if symtoms of emo syndrome become severe
MLP: FiM is property of Hasbro and Lauren Faust, this is a non profit FanFic and nothing more
*Knock, knock, knock*
A young earth filly raised her head from making her lunch for school for the day, thinking to herself about who was at the door. Her name was Berry Pinch, she had pink (almost white) coat of fur and a magenta mane and tail which had a streak of light pink. She put down the butter knife in her mouth and checked the wall mounted clock in the kitchen; 7:46 am. Berry Pinch wasn't really expecting anypony to be knocking at the door this early; she shrugged and went to answer the door anyways.
"Oh, hello miss Twilight," Berry Pinch smiled at the unicorn she knew as the Ponyville librarian and a friend of her mother, "If you're looking for my mom, she isn't home right now."
This was really nothing new to Berry Pinch; her mother was known to get drunk almost every other night. She was at least lucky enough that her mother gave up the bottle for the time during her pregnancy with her child. Though it was a bit odd in that her mother had not returned from the night before, she usually had somepony to help her home by at least around 2 in the morning. Today when Berry Pinch had woken up to go to school, her mother wasn't even in her bed like she normally was. Pinchy thought she might have just got taken to one of her friends' house to sleep off the eventual hangover instead.
Twilight shifted uneasily from hoof to hoof, biting down on her lip before she spoke in a low, drawn out tone, "Pinchy, that's actually what I wanted to talk to you about…Is it alright if I come in?"
Berry Pinch thought it was strange how solemnly her mother's friend spoke, but gave a nod to Twilight to come into the house. Twilight shut the door behind her with a bit of magic and flattened her ears against her head as she thought carefully about her next words.
"Berry, you know how your mom gets a little funny when she stays out late at night?"
"It's ok Miss Twilight, I know you mean 'drunk' when you say funny."
"Oh…yes, well…she went to the bar late last night and somepony mentioned that she wandered off about half past eleven."
Berry Pinch wasn't too surprised to hear this. She once found out about a time her mother had wandered off during one of her benders to end up at Mayor Mare's house asking for another 'round' thinking she was still at the bar. The Mayor brought her back home that time which gave Berry Pinch a laugh.
Twilight interrupted Berry Pinch's thoughts by continuing on, "No one could find her until a friend of mine, Zecora, found her out in the Everfree forest."
"That's pretty far off, so when is she getting back?"
Twilight shifted uneasily again, wanting to look anywhere except into the little filly's eyes.
"…Your mother accidentally woke up a Manticore and she…she wound up disturbing its nest"
Berry Pinch gasped, assuming that her mother had gotten hurt and was at the hospital, "Oh my gosh, she'll be alright though, right?"
Twilight shook with a chill after seeing the little glimmer of hope that the filly was giving herself, but told herself that she had to say it…say anything.
Berry Pinch watched as the purple unicorn remained quiet, it was really unnerving. All she asked is if her mother was going to be ok and yet it was taking a lot longer for Twilight to answer than Berry Pinch expected. Soon the uneasiness began to sink into the little filly as the silence continued. She could feel herself begin to lock up with fear as a new realization dawned upon her.
"Tw-Twilight?" Berry Pinch asked in her last bit of control as she choked and became teary eyed.
Twilight hung her head as she had no choice now but to finish, "I'm sorry Pinchy, the doctors said she at least went peacefully."