Twilight Velvet sat by the hospital bed where her husband way lying unconscious, holding his hoof. It had been a week since they had removed the feeding tube, determining that there was no hope for recovery. She drew his hoof to her chest and wept.

The door opened and she turned her head to see her daughter enter, bags visible under her eyes and mane pointing every which way. She glared at her daughter.

"Where have you been?" Twilight Velvet asked as her daughter's horn glowed violet, then ceased. "I asked you a question, young lady!"

The young alicorn paid her no heed. Instead, she closed her eyes as purple flames shot out of them and they glowed a deep viridian. Twilight Velvet's eyes popped open as she saw a purple column of smoke collect over her daughter's horn.

If I'm not mistaken, that's dark magic... and she's aiming it right at my husband!

Twilight Velvet did the only thing she could think to do; she teleported between her daughter and her husband just as a purple and black ray hit her, then subsumed into her. Her daughter smiled, opened her eyes, then grimaced as her eyes bugged open and wettened.

"What... what did you do?" Twilight Sparkle asked.

"Preventing you from making a huge mistake, Twilight."

"What are you talking about?"

"You were about to cast dark magic on your father, and ineffective dark magic at that."

Tears poured down Twilight Sparkle's face. "Of course it didn't work on you, the spell only works on those at death's door!"

Twilight Velvet took in her daughter's panicked expression. "...what were you trying to do?

"Well," Twilight Sparkle said as she sniffled, "when Dad got into the accident, I immediately went to the Restricted Section of the Royal Library to see if there was any way I could save him. I found one that would."

Twilight Velvet raised an eyebrow, inspired by her daughter's limitless ingenuity. "And I guess you succeeded?"

Twilight nodded, tears streaming down her face."I did... if I was willing to give up my life to do so."

Twilight Velvet snarled, marched over to her daughter, and slapped her in the face. "What is wrong with you? What would make you think I'd rather lose a daughter than a husband?

Twilight Sparkle looked into her mother's eyes, her muzzle stained with tears. "I don't want my daddy to die."