Product of Friendship (My Little Pony)

2 The Key Ingredient for Devil's Dust (6/7)

Wist proved herself to be a fast learner as she went through a dozen spells that morning. Poison would give her snide comments, but deep down, Wist knew that Poison was proud of her. She could give Wist all the salty words she wanted, but her feelings were nakedly exposed to the nymph's senses.

"Why are you so eager to learn all of these spells?" Poison asked as she packed fresh new piles of devil's dust into zip-lock plastic bags.

"It's because I want to be a witch," Wist answered as she helped her mother store the piles of dust into bags. "Just like you."

"Yeah, I get that. But why?"

"Why not? There's no other better pony I want to be like. I don't know any other creature who's cooler than you?"

"So you think I'm cool, huh?" A weak smile was plastered upon the mare. She then turned her head and mumbled, "you could do so much more for yourself than follow my example?"

"Hm?" Wist craned her head to Poison. "Is it snack time already?"

"No, you stupid leech." Poison sneered. "You know what, I need some fresh air. You keep packing the dust."

"Aw, but there's so many."

"What did I say about making—" Before Poison could finish her words, she paused at the front door as a spark briefly lit upon her horn. Her eyes widened as she gasped, "What? But...why are royal guards..."

Poison looked to Wist, who pouted as she continued packing the dust. Her head craned back and forth between the door and her child. A moment passed as she then gritted her teeth and approached her daughter. "Wist, I need you to go out and find more ingredients for me."

"Why?" Wist tilted her head. "Haven't we already made enough?"

"No...no, we haven't. Uh...I just remembered that the client actually needs at least one more box. This much won't cut it."

"So what? One less box isn't going to hurt him."

"What did I tell you, Wist," Poison voiced. "You can't make any room for mistakes, else you risk ruining everything."

"Fine," Wist groaned as she left the table and lit her horn to whisk her saddlebag onto her. "I'll go get some more."

"Good," Poison smiled. "And don't rush, I want all of it neatly organized."

"Okay, okay, I got it," Wist said as she made her way for the front door. But before she left, she felt her mother's hooves wrap around her from behind. "I thought you said it wasn't snack time."

"Take it for the road," Poison said. "Take as much as you like. But be quick about it." Poison felt her body get heavy as she felt the intense emotions in her body soak inside to her daughter.

"Mom, why do you feel sad?"

"Because," Poison's voice suddenly broke, but then she grunted and tried to voice her words out again. "Because I feel so ashamed for this mix-up. You know how much of a perfectionist I am."

"Sure..."

"Hey, you know I love you, right?"

Wist perked her ears as a smile suddenly raised upon her face. "What was that?"

"Ugh, it figures you would do that."

"But mom, I didn't hear it quite clearly. You're going to have to speak up."

"I love you, Wist," Poison finally admitted. "There, are you satisfied now?"

"I knew it," Wist couldn't hold back the big smile she had on her face. After many times to goad her mother to say those words while not drugged, to hear them come out her mouth made her feel so validated. Validated that she was indeed loved.

"Now go on," Poison prodded her daughter to the door. "And go through the back, okay?"

"Yes mom," Wist giggled as she exited the hut. Poison followed her daughter's movement through the window as she sighed in relief that Wist went through the back as she instructed.

Poison walked back to the table and gazed at the piles of dust that she created with her daughter's blood. This stuff has made her a fortune, yet she did not risk using the bits anywhere. A rich pony is bound to get attention and she wouldn't risk that for anything.

There was also no way for her to have neighbors. She would attract too much attention because of the daughter she was raising.

The only life she could have was here in this lone forest with her daughter. But she had to admit, it was a very eventful one. That mischievous little brat had a talent for creating so much chaos, so much profit, and so much cherishable memories.

A tear inevitably escaped the mare. Wist would never have a normal life if they knew she was her daughter. She missed out on so many things because the career Poison chose for herself. She never got to show her hometown that Wist was so eager to know about. She never got to show her the giant cities in Equestria that Wist could only ogle at through posters that Poison brought back from her stealthy travels. She never even got her to make a friend. Celestia knew that she should've at least found her one. That may be her biggest regret.

Poison perked her ears as she rushed to peer through the windows. There they were, just as the perception spell she set miles around her home had shown her. A group of royal guards stepped out of the woods to the front of her hut. She didn't know how they found her, but they will find that she won't be going anywhere without a fight.

Poison retreated to the table and glared at the pile of dust. She doesn't know how much she can handle, but regardless of what happens, the first thing that she must do is get rid of all of the dust along with everything in this room. She can't give them a single trace of Wist's existence.

Poison grabbed a hoof-full of the dust and breathed it into her nose. "Destroy everything," she said. "Destroy everything, destroy everything, destroy everything." She repeated like it was a mantra. A heavy amount of tears fell from her eyes as her voice cracked more and more.

"Destroy everything, *hic* destroy everything, destroy everything," Her sad face then lifted to a smile and then to a burst of frantic laughter. Her eyes then gleamed bright green like her daughter's mane, as a disturbing smile grew upon the mare. "Destroy everything!"