Colgate Interview
Ruby was content with her life as a little filly in Ponyville. She had friends, her cutie mark, which was 3 red gems, and a loving mother. Sure her mother was a little more protective of her than most other mothers were of their fillies, but Ruby knew she meant well. Although she lived this comfortable life, the young filly sometimes found herself feeling like something was missing. She would usually forget about these feelings by either running off to play, or doing homework for school. Either way, these feelings did not linger for long. However one event between her, and her mother would cement these feelings to the surface, and make them Ruby's prime concern.
It was late into the night. The moon Luna raised was especially bright, as it illuminated everything through the windows of Berry Punch and Ruby's home. The little filly has been asleep for several hours until a noise woke her up. The pink unicorn walked through the moonlit hallway towards where she heard the noise come from. She was nervous as to what she might find in the next room, but she poked her head into the next room and quietly asked, “Mama, is that you?” There in full moonlight was Ruby's mother, looking up to the night sky with an empty glass on the table. She turned around to see who had called her name, it was of course her only daughter, standing in the doorway with a look of relief on her face. “I knew it was you Mama” Ruby said softly as she walked up to her mother and gave her a hug.
“Ruby shweetie, wha...wha..ar....you doing...here.? (*hic*)” Berry Punch managed to say, surprised by her daughters appearance.
“Mama, are you okay? You don't sound too good” Ruby asked as she inspected her mother's face for any signs of sickness.
“Ah...Ah'm fine...ou shilly filly” responded Ruby's mother which only made her more concerned about the state of her mother. As Berry Punch looked at the face of her worried daughter, tears began to swell in her eyes. She then wrapped both her hooves around Ruby, and began to cry. “I....I'm so sorry Ruby!” she cried. “I'm sorry you have to see your mother like this. I...I just get so lonely when you're not around, and becoming like this helps Mama to forget that loneliness.”
“Don't cry Mama” replied Ruby with tears growing in her eyes from seeing her own mother cry. “I'll always be with you.” Berry Punch looked at her daughter with a smile and tears rolling down her face.
“Oh Ruby sweetie, I wish I could find somepony that would love us both, and help protect you.” Ruby's mother said softly as she stroked her daughters frazzled mane. She looked like she was about to say more but all that could escape from her mouth was a hiccup.
“Come on Mama, lets go to bed” Ruby said smiling at her mother. As she turned around and started to make for the hallway she heard something falling to the ground behind her. Berry Punch laid on the ground unable to hold herself up in her drunken stupor. “Upsy daisy Mama” said Ruby as she used her magic to try and hold her mother up as she walked. The little unicorn was able to make her magic last until she placed her mother in bed. Ruby covered her mother with sheets and kissed her goodnight. Before she could leave the room Berry Punch quietly said “I'm going to find that pony, Ruby. For both of us.” Her daughter could only smile as she left the room to go back to bed. You can imagine how tired such a small filly would be from this type of ordeal. The pink unicorn fell asleep the instant she crawled back into bed.
Ruby woke up the next morning a little more tired than normal. After being awake for a few minutes she suddenly started to recollect everything that happened late last night. She then ran to the kitchen, where she hoped she would find her mother. There Berry Punch was, preparing breakfast like usual. She turned and greeted her daughter with a smile. Ruby sat down with her mother and ate breakfast. Everything seemed as if nothing happened last night. “Maybe Mama doesn't remember last night” the young filly thought as she ate, and watched her mother. This troubled Ruby, she did not fully understand what her mom meant by finding somepony. She was happy with how things were now. She loved her life with her mother, and even though she did not have a dad like other fillies, she was fine with that. At least she thought she was fine with it, but as she made her way to school she noticed some other pony families. She saw how pairs of ponies let their fillies walk off to school, and how other pairs of ponies acted romantically with each other. It all then clicked in Ruby's mind. She now understood what her mother was so upset about. “I have to go tell Mama” she thought, as she ran back towards her house, hoping to catch her mother before she went off on her daily errands. As the pink unicorn came within sight of her home, Berry Punch noticed and worry covered her face. The purple earth pony hurried to her daughter out of fear that she was hurt. “Mama” Ruby shouted.
“What is it! Whats Wrong Ruby? Are you okay? You're not hurt are you?” the protective parent asked as she inspected her filly head to hoof for any injuries.
“I'm fine Mama, but are you okay?” asked Ruby in response.
“Am I? Of course I'm fine Ruby sweetie. Why would I not be” said Berry Punch, who sounded confused by the question.
“You want to meet somepony that will make you happy don't you Mama?”
“Why would I need somepony else when I have you Ruby sweetie?” responded Ruby's mother. “Nopony could make me as happy as you do.”
“You don't remember last night do you Mama? I know you want to find somepony that will love you.” As Ruby said these words, shock grew on Berry Punch's face as she began to realize what transpired the night before.
“So that's how I got to my bed last night” Berry Punch said with shame in her voice. “Its true Ruby, I would like to meet a pony I can fall in love with, but you're the most important thing in my life now, and I want to do everything I can to make you happy.”
“If you want to make me happy Mama” Ruby started. “Then find your true love!” Her mother's eyes began to swell up with tears of pride and joy to hear her daughter talk to selflessly. She then hugged her daughter as tight as she could.
“If that's really what you want, I'll do it for both of us” Berry Punch said as tears rolled down her face and onto her daughter. “Now get to school Ruby, you'll be late if you don't hurry.”
“Alright Mama” Ruby said as she wiped the tears from her own eyes. “I'm gonna do my best in school, so you do your best in finding that pony okay?”
“Of course Ruby sweetie, I'll see you after school” Ruby's mother replied after saying goodbye to her daughter for the second time this morning.
Ruby arrived home from school that day to find her mother greeting her with a big smile. Berry Punch had already been able to get her first date. She was excited for it and so was her daughter. At first her mother was skeptical about leaving her home alone, but she was able to convince her that she would be alright by herself for just a few hours. Truthfully the single parent earth pony was nervous, she hadn't been on a real date in years. She hopped she wouldn't make a fool out of herself. The night went on as Ruby eagerly awaited the return of her mother. When Berry Punch returned, her daughter almost immediately asked her how it went. Ruby's mother explained to her that this pony was not the one for her. Although this saddened the small unicorn, her mother told her not to lose hope. She then went on to explain how most ponies never find true love on the first try. This conversation proved to give both Ruby and her mother hope.
A month went by of failed dates. This started to frustrate the young filly. She could not find a good reason why none of these ponies her mother was meeting were not a good fit for her. All the ponies in Ponyville were the nicest ponies you can find in Equestria, so it made no sense to the pink unicorn. Ruby spent her day walking around town trying to figure out the answer to this riddle. She saw how other pony couples dated, why was her mother so different? “The only way shes different from other fillies is that shes got me” Ruby thought to herself. This thought sparked an answer in her mind. It was her. She was the reason her mother couldn't find a pony to like her. “I guess once they find out about me, the ponies Mama dates run away” the young filly said sadly to herself. She returned home, sad and frustrated that she cannot make her mother's situation any better. Berry Punch had almost finished getting ready for another date when she noticed her daughter had come home.
“Hi Ruby sweetie” she said, as she kissed her filly on the head. “I've got another date tonight, are you sure you'll be okay alone?”
“Yes Mama, I'll be fine” Ruby replied. “Mama, you don't have to tell the ponies you date about me you know.”
“Ruby, why would I not tell them about you” Berry Punch asked puzzled.
“I know ponies run away when they hear a pony they're dating have a filly” responded Ruby almost angrily. “I don't want you to miss out on true love because of me.”
“Oh Ruby” were the only words that the loving parent spoke and she wrapped her hooves around her daughter. “Although it would be nice to have true love and another pony who will love and protect you, I am perfectly happy with having one of the most loving little fillies in the world.”
“Mama” Ruby said as she buried herself in her mother's arms.
“The ponies I date have to know about you, since you're the most important thing in my life. I'm not if I'll find a pony who will love both me and you, but I will continue to try” Berry Punch said with a smiling face. With that she was off to her next date, in hopes the result would be what the mother and daughter had been searching for.
Berry Punch returned earlier than usual that evening. When Ruby heard her return she expected the worse. The little filly went to greet and be with her mother, but to her surprise there was another pony next to her, a filly in fact. This pony had a light blue coat, with a smooth dark blue and ice colored mane, that almost resembled toothpaste. She was also a unicorn just like Ruby, and her cutie mark was a golden hourglass. The small pink unicorn just stood there with a dozen questions racing through her head. “Is this the pony Mama is dating?”, “Why is this pony here?”, “What should I say?”, “What should I do, I don't want to ruin Mama's chances for love”. Her troubled thinking was then interrupted by her mother.
“Ruby, this is Romana. Romana this is my wonderful daughter Ruby.” Berry Punch said introducing both fillies to each other.
“Hi Ruby, I'm Romana” the blue unicorn began. “Your mother has told me such wonderful things about you, that I had just had to meet you.” The young filly just stood there stunned for a second, then she composed herself, and replied.
“Hello Romana, nice to meet you” Ruby said. She was unsure how to exactly handle this situation, she never actually got to meet any of the ponies her mom dated before. However her thoughts were interrupted again, but this time by Romana.
“Ruby, would you like to come with us to a movie?” “Romana asked with a hopeful smile on her face. The still confused filly hesitated for a second, but then also looked to her mother who was wearing the same smile.
“I'd love to go” responded Ruby.
“Perfect” Romana simply said, and with a nod from Berry Punch they were off.
The movie was very enjoyable for Ruby. She sat in between her mother and Romana. As the movie went on the pink little unicorn began to feel something. She was not sure what it was but for some reason she knew it felt right. She saw the smiling faces of both her mother of Romana, and was quite happy herself. The night ended and Romana walked Ruby and Berry Punch home. They exchanged goodbyes, and Romana made her way home. That night Ruby prayed to Luna that Romana would want to see her mother again. Although this was not a wish that Luna would need to grant. Romana came back the next day and invited both Berry Punch and Ruby to have breakfast with her.
A few months went by as Romana continued to be a part of Ruby and her mother's lives. It was another night just the like the one months ago, where Ruby found her mother in a state she had never seen before. The moon was bright and beautiful, as it kept the young filly awake. Her attention was then shifted towards the sound of an opening door. “Sounds like it cam from the front door” she thought to herself. Then she heard the voices of both her mother and Romana. After a few short exchanges there was silence for a few seconds, then the next words Ruby heard from Romana were “Will you marry me?” Ruby almost jumped from her bed in excitement, but stopped herself and prayed to Luna once again, in hopes her mother would say yes.
The wedding was truly a sight to behold. All of Ponyville seemed to pitch in to make this wedding one of the best Ponyville has ever seen. Berry Punch and Romana exchanged vows, and exchanged their first kiss as a married couple. With that, the streamers and confetti flew, and the ponies cheered. Nopony in the crowd was as happy as Ruby. She was able to see her mother finding what she had been longing for. It brought tears to her eyes to see her mom so happy. However Berry Punch was not the only one gaining something that day. Although she now had a wife, Ruby now had someone she would call Dad. The feeling that something was missing, that Ruby had felt before meeting Romana was gone as well. The whole sensation was so strange to her. She thought about how her and her mother went from feeling that something was missing, to feeling complete, to being a true family. She could not think of any other way to describe what she felt at this moment. She did know one thing though, that one day she hopes to make a pony and filly at least half as happy as Romana made her mother and her.