Twilight arrived to the condo where Rarity lived. It was tall and impressive. Its walls were made of glass that looked like a mirror from outside but were transparent from the inside. Outside the revolving door, a doorpony was standing tall and proud, wearing his uniform as if he were a medal-carrying guard. Twilight looked up, trying to see if she could get a glimpse of Rarity's penthouse. She figured she could just have flown to it, but she didn't want to misbehave, so she went inside the tall building.

The doorman acknowledged Twilight's status with a nod. She knew he normally would have had to ask for an identification and for her to register her entrance, but by this time, everybody knew Twilight Sparkle and her standing in Equestria. She walked up to the elevator, pushed the up button, and took the long ride to Rarity's home.

The doors opened and Twilight entered Rarity's penthouse. The floor was covered in velvet of a soft shade of ivory, no doubt difficult to clean. The furniture was made out of bocote wood and each piece had intricate designs formed with the material's stripes. Twilight knew that no other pony in the world but Rarity would have invested the time and the money to create such pieces. They didn't even have that kind of furniture at the castle. But the thing that caught Twilight's attention is that the place seemed empty. Not even her cats were there.

Where is she?

All of a sudden, the doors opened again and a young Earth Pony entered. Twilight didn't recognize her but she assumed it was Rarity's current assistant, one of many she had had over the years. They seemed to last less and less these days.

"Princess Twilight," said the young mare, obviously impressed by the presence of a member of Equestria Royalty, "Miss Fashionista wants you to know that she'll be a little late."

"Oh, no problem, I'll just sit here and look at the view. Thanks for letting me know," Twilight replied, resisting rolling her eyes at the name. The official story was that it was the media who had coined the term. Twilight was convinced that Rarity herself had created it and leaked it, but she was sure the unicorn would never admit it.

The young mare bit her lip while she touched the point of her front hooves repeatedly. "Princess Twilight. I'm not sure how to say this, but I'm a big fan of yours. Furthermore, Miss Fashionista ordered me to prepare dinner for you. She... might be a bit late."

"Oh, thank you. That's very kind of you," replied Twilight Sparkle. "But I'll accept only if you join me at the table."

"Really?" the eyes of the young mare widened as she started to bounce. "I'd be honored, Princess Twilight! I will prepare you some escargots au vin. I've been practicing!"

Twilight sat down at the table, smiling. She prepared herself for a long wait.

*****

It was already dark and Twilight was sitting at the grand piano, bored out of her mind, poking at the keys. She wished she had brought a book, but she had expected to see Rarity. Her assistant had left about two hours ago. Finally, the elevator doors opened with a "ping" and Rarity walked in. She was wearing a purple scarf that matched her plumed hat, and a pair of fancy sunglasses.

"Welcome home, Miss Fashionista," said Twilight, as she tapped the floor and looked at the grandfather clock next to the wall.

"I'm sorry for making you wait for so long, but you really must excuse me, darling," said Rarity as she took off her scarf and hat and placed them on the coat rack next to the elevator's doors. "I had a surprise visit from an important client. You'll never guess who it was. But first, I need a drink." Rarity opened a cupboard with her magic and took out a bottle of champagne and two tall, transparent glasses.

"That Merriam girl is very kind. Did you know that her mother is sick?" asked Twilight as she crossed her forelegs.

"Really?" Rarity poured the champagne in the glasses and handed one to Twilight. "I'll ask Books to write her a bonus check then. Here, you're having a drink too and I won't take no for an answer."

Twilight wondered if after having dinner with Rarity's assistant, she knew more about her than Rarity but she didn't think it was worth arguing about it. She looked at the glass with bubbly liquid in her hoof as she walked to the couch and sat down. "Champagne for supper, hey?"

"It's a special occasion, darling," Rarity sat next to Twilight, inclined her head backwards and smiled. "Where are Fluttershy and Applejack?"

"Fluttershy's colt is sick and Applebloom had a job interview, so she asked Applejack to take care of Apple Pie. You know how those two are. So, what's the big news?"

"They'll miss the biggest news of the decade then. I'm finally getting married!" Rarity grinned and extended her front legs.

Twilight opened her eyes wide and raised her eyebrows, but she immediately recovered and smiled. "Really? Wow, congratulations, Rarity! I'm so happy for you. Who is the lucky guy?" She touched glasses with Rarity, making a little "clink" sound.

"Remember Flam?"

"Flam Swindle? from the Flim Flam Brothers?"

"That one."

"But he's a..." Twilight started to say before covering her mouth with her hoof.

"I know, Twilight. I'm not stupid. I know perfectly well who I'm marrying to."

"I'm terribly sorry," Twilight said as she looked sideways. "That was rude of me."

"You know," Rarity touched Twilight's hoof gently. "I'm not getting any younger. To be honest with you, after the fiasco with Prince Blueblood, I realized I had to lower my expectations."

"That stallion wasn't appropriate for you."

"Nor the one before him, or the one before him, or the one before him. Listen Twilight, I know that Flam is not perfect, but he's changed. That time he and his brother spent on the moon made him realize that he couldn't go on anymore swindling ponies and making get-quick-rich schemes. And now that he's free again, well, I can tell it's going to be different."

"I know you're not like that, but he has no money."

"But I do!" Rarity waved her hoof, as if showing Twilight the opulence of her penthouse. "That's not going to be a problem." The white Unicorn got serious. "Twilight, I had a life of great success. My new client is Pizza Papa."

Twilight couldn't help but gape at the name.

"Yes, that Pizza Papa" continued Rarity. "The famous pop singer. Listen, I've traveled all over Equestria and I've become what I always wanted to be, even if I had to sacrifice some things. I don't regret anything. I'm the pony everypony should know, remember?"

"Well, you seem to have thought about this for a while. And obviously, you're a better expert on your own life than I am. To the happy couple!" Twilight raised her glass again.

"To me! To us!" Rarity clinked her glass with Twilight's again and they both drank until they finished their drinks.

"Where are your cats?" asked Twilight.

"Flam doesn't like cats, so I got rid of them."

This doesn't start well, thought Twilight and served herself more champagne.

*****

"How much longer do I have to walk like this? I'm afraid of bumping into something," asked Twilight Sparkle.

"Don't worry, we're almost there," answered Shining Armor.

"I wish you'd tell me what's going on. What's the mystery?"

"We're here. You can take it off now."

Twilight removed the blindfold from her eyes. She found herself in a small room decorated with balloons and a banner that said "Happy Birthday, Twilight!" On the table, there was a cake with one lit candle.

"Awwww, you're so sweet. Thank you very much," Twilight's eyes watered at the sight of the white cake and her older brother.

Shining Armor embraced his sister and stayed there for a little while. "I love you, sis."

"And I love you too," said Twilight. "I haven't celebrated my birthday in a long time."

"In 23 years, sis," said Shining, still hugging Twilight. "That's the last time we celebrated it. Pinkie Pie organized it, remember?"

"Wow, you kept count? I'm impressed."

After a while, they let go of each other and sat down. Twilight blew out her candle and cut her cake while Shining sang a birthday song.

"It's delicious! Thank you very much," said Twilight as she ate a bite. "You're really my big brother best friend forever," she sang to the tune of her foalhood song.

"And you will always be my little sister," said Shining. Twilight knew he didn't mean it as a comment on her condition, but she was very self-conscious of it when she was with her brother. "This really means a lot to me, you know, sis? I simply wanted to celebrate your birthday with you one more time."

"We can always celebrate it, you silly." Twilight looked around. "Where's Cadance? Where's everypony else?"

Shining's head leaned back as he glanced to the side, "Well, nopony else is coming. It's just you and me."

"Oh, you wanted us to spend some time alone? Like when we were foals?"

Shining Armor's eyes widened, "Ah... yeah."

"That sounds like fun. However, we need to celebrate it again next week, but with all my friends AND Cadance, of course."

"Actually, I think it's better if we don't get anypony else involved."

"Why not?"

"The more ponies we have in a party, the harder it will be to keep it a secret. I don't want to lose my job over this. At my age, it's going to be impossible to find another one."

"What? Why would you lose your job over a birthday party?"

"Because of the prohibition."

"What prohibition?" Twilight tilted her head. "I've seen ponies having birthday parties. In fact, we just went to the birthday party of Applebloom's baby. You were there, remember?"

"You... really don't know?" Shining put his hoof on his chin.

"Know about what?"

"Sis," Shining now put his hoof behind his head. "Haven't you wondered why everypony celebrates their birthday but you?"

Twilight scratched her head. "At first, I assumed ponies just forgot. Later on, I figured they were too busy with their own lives. I finally decided to just not care about it. Is there a specific reason?"

Shining put his hoof on Twilight's shoulder. "Sis, there is a prohibition to celebrate your birthday."

Twilight raised her eyebrows and opened her mouth. "A prohibition? For my birthday? Why?"

"It's a direct order from Princess Celestia. Cadance told me."

"From Princess Celestia? But why? Why me?"

Shining sighed before speaking. "You are an Alicorn now. You don't age anymore. But we do. And as we grow old, those who knew you as a Unicorn, can't help but compare ourselves to you. When we are by ourselves, age and death seem such a natural part of life. But when we are with you, we are reminded of how our bodies are wasted and spent, little by little, every hour of every day."

Twilight looked down. The sight of her brother, now an older pony about to turn 50, was a bit too harsh to look at when she knew she had stopped growing 23 years ago.

Shining continued, "In order to avoid reminding ponies of their short lives and eventual death, Princess Celestia ordered that no Alicorn could have their birthday celebrated. Otherwise, it'd be too much for regular ponies like us to see how each year we change, but yet you look the same. An Alicorn celebrating their birthday would be a reminder that we cannot escape death, but you will; that there is something unnatural about you or us. By not celebrating their birthdays, Alicorns can contribute to the illusion of a permanent, yet normal occurrence. They can become immobile, permanent, unchangeable, like a statue or a painting that talks and moves, but never changes. Tell me, Twilight, has Princess Celestia ever been different from who she is right now? Can you picture her as anything other than the wise and protective Alicorn you've always known?"

Twilight thought for a moment about this. Then she really thought hard about it. Try as she might, she just couldn't see Princess Celestia as other than Princess Celestia. And it wasn't just because it was hard to picture a filly or a baby Celestia, or an old Celestia. It was hard seeing her talking or acting as anything else than who she was.

"No, I can't," said Twilight. She understood. It wasn't just about the way she as an Alicorn looked, but also the concept that other ponies would have of her. As long as time didn't count for her in front of others, she could be among them without bringing old age and death with her. She would be a book, a photograph, a princess.

"I didn't know. Thank you for telling me," said Twilight. "Does everypony else know?"

"You know the answer to that question," replied Shining.

"I do. Even if Princess Celestia didn't personally tell them, she would have arranged it. But if it's forbidden, why are we celebrating my birthday?"

A tear started to roll down Shining's cheek. "Because you're my sister and I love you and this day will always be special for me. Also, because seeing Cadance stay the same and Flurry Heart grow so slowly makes me realize that I am going to be gone one of these days. I don't want to leave without celebrating my sister's birthday at least one more time. We mortal ponies get much less days than you do, so we have to make them count, you know?"

Seeing her brother keep a smile as another tear rolled down his face broke Twilight's heart. She still didn't know why Celestia hadn't told her, but it was not important at the moment. She hugged her brother once more and let her own tears start to roll down.

"It's my birthday, but let's celebrate it in whatever way you want," said Twilight between hiccups.

*****

"Boy, that was quite a baby shower. I reckon I haven't had so much fun in ages," said Applejack as she let herself fall on a chair.

Rarity sat next to her. "You're right, but I'm tired. I'm not up for such activities anymore."

Applejack gave Rarity a little elbow jab. "Yeah, I guess a few decades take their toll, don't they?"

"May I remind you that you're as old as I am, darling?" retorted Rarity, with a sly smile, as she sat next to Applejack. "Actually, you're even older than I am."

"Just by one year," replied Applejack in turn, as she took some chips from the coffee table in front of her.

In the couch in front of them, Fluttershy giggled. She was used to seeing the Earth Pony and the Unicorn tease each other and she appreciated the humor, even if she didn't participate in it. "Girls, in any case, I'm glad that you're here. It really means a lot to me."

"Oh honey, it's the least I could do after neglecting my friends for so long," Rarity reached out and touched Fluttershy's belly. "My, you're already starting to show! Is it going to be a colt or a filly?"

"We don't know. Big Mac and I want to wait until the baby is born, like with the other two," said Fluttershy.

"I bet she's going to be a filly," said Applebloom with a big grin on her face. She was sitting next to Fluttershy, her own filly on her arms, who was drinking from her bottle. "I have a bet with Sweetie Belle. In any case, Fluttershy, I'm amazed at how you're going after the third one, and at your age. I can't even keep up with this one, and she's only 2 years old."

"Oh, that's nuthin' dear," said Applejack. "Wait a few years until she decides to be a Cutie Mark Crusader or somethin'," She winked at the others.

"Gosh, don't say anything about that, pleaaaase," Applebloom covered her eyes with her hoof. "Just thinking of many of the things we did makes me feel dumb. Do you have to bring it up in every single social event, Applejack? Did you really have to tell everyone at our table at Rarity's wedding about our dumb concert? By the way Rarity, I don't think I have ever seen such a beautiful wedding. My hubby said It was even more beautiful than Princess Candance's."

"Why, thank you very much, Applebloom, and sorry for not spending more time with you that night. You know everything that goes on during those things," said Rarity.

Applejack started to sing out of tune on purpose, "We are the Cutie Mark Crusaders, on a quest to find out who we aaaaaare...."

"Stop it, Applejack!" Applebloom covered her face with a paper plate as everypony else laughed. "Gosh, you're never going to let me live it down, are you?"

Twilight approached, hovering a glass with punch with her magic. "What's all that laughter about?"

Applebloom sat up from the couch, "You can sit here Twilight, I need to go change this baby anyway. Hey, aunt Sweetie Belle, your niece needs you!"

From the kitchen, Sweetie Belle's voice came "Again? Didn't we just change her 30 minutes ago?" She walked into the living room with a face of exasperation.

"Auntie Swee!" said Apple Pie, who adored Sweetie Belle. Applebloom had decided that she didn't need any confirmation of Pinkie's relationship to the Apples and had decided to name her filly after the pink pony.

"Take it as training for when you have yours," said Applebloom as she pushed Sweetie Belle into the bedroom.

Twilight sat next to Fluttershy and placed her glass on the table. "I can't believe those two are in their 30s already. I'm so glad they're still close friends. Remember the Pegasus who hanged around with them when they were little? Whatever happened to her?"

"Last time I heard of her, she finally moved in with that griffon. They still say they're good friends and roommates tho. I don't know who they think they're fooling," said Applejack.

"Aha, just like Rainbow Dash and that Spitfire girl," said Twilight.

"But we don't know that for sure," interjected Rarity. "Rainbow Dash always said they were just friends."

"Yeah, and you said you were going to marry Prince Blueblood. Say, don't tell me you are one of those who think it's wrong...." said Applejack, narrowing her eyes at Rarity.

"Of course not!" interrupted Rarity. "In the field I work in? Don't make me laugh."

"Just teasin' you, sugarcube. I know you're not. I wouldn't be friends with you if you were." Applejack put her arm around Rarity's back and gave her a small hug.

Fluttershy pointed at the two mares and said "I didn't know you two..."

Rarity moved away from Applejack, moving her hoofs in front of her frantically. "No, no, no, don't say that. I'm trying to get pregnant too! Don't jinx it! I want to be next!"

Applejack put her hoof behind her head and smile. "Oh, I'd do it, just to say I'm the mare that fucked Miss Fashionista. I can see the headlines in the gossip magazines." She waved her hoof high in front of her, "Miss Fashionista Is Discovered in Bed With Country Mare!"

Rarity laughed "Oh my, how funny! I really missed you girls."

Applejack smiled and looked at the rest while pointing at Rarity. "Girls she says. She still calls us girls at our age."

Twilight couldn't help but uncomfortable, even more so now that she understood what age represented to everypony else and how different she looked. Even Applebloom and Sweetie Belle looked 10 years older than she did. Pushing those thoughts away as best as she could, she smiled.

"So, Fluttershy," said Twilight, trying to lead the conversation elsewhere. "Tell us what happened with Discord." It was a bit of a low blow but she knew that Applejack and Rarity wouldn't resist the bait.

"Yeah, out with it!" said Applejack. Rarity didn't say anything, but she accommodated herself in the chair, obviously preparing herself for the juicy bits.

Knew it, thought Twilight, as she drank from her glass.

"Well," said Fluttershy. "I guess it doesn't matter if I talk about it now. It's been so long." She drank from a cup and continued to talk. "There is nothing much to say really. I've always had a crush on him. Yeah, I know, don't look at me like that. Anyway, when he became a pony and asked me to go out with him, I was ecstatic. It was the kind of feeling that makes you feel you're living a dream. Everyday was so... intense, so full.

"But then, out of a sudden he changed. There was no warning, no signs, he just, became someone else. He was cold and distant. He told mean jokes and made sarcastic comments. He would twist every little thing I said into a mocking or biting comeback. I was afraid to speak for fear of ridicule. He turned back into his original form, claiming that I had forced him to become a pony. It wasn't true, of course. Still, it didn't matter to me. I loved him with all my heart. And then, well, he started to use his magic again. But this time it was beyond chaos. It was hurtful, even more so than the time he betrayed us for Tirek. He took pleasure in making me feel afraid for all the little animals in my care. He..."

"Don't worry, Fluttershy," said Twilight. "He's back in his stone prison now and all the Princesses agree that there is no crisis big enough that will justify ever releasing him."

"Oh, but that's not all, Twilight," Fluttershy looked at her. Applejack and Rarity leaned from their seats, their eyes big and their ears pointing up.

"I was very depressed and sad. I thought I would never love again. But then Big Mac appeared."

Rarity and Applejack were on the edge of their seats, not bothering to conceal their curiosity.

Fluttershy continued. "I don't mean to demean him. He's always been a great guy, but he wasn't exciting or thrilling. He wasn't, well, Discord. But he did reach out to me when I was down on my knees and so I started to go out with him. I could sense that he was hurt too, and that he had gone for years with a big pain in his heart. I saw that he was strong, not only in his body, but in his character, and so I continued to be at his side. I figured that I could use a stable and strong anchor to keep me from drifting away in sorrow. And soon after that, I had my first baby. He had insisted on having a baby as soon as possible and I couldn't resist. He wanted so badly to be a father.

"When I had my filly in my hands, my life was complete again. It was as if an injury had finally stopped bleeding after a long, long time. And then two years later my handsome colt was born. This is why I didn't feel so bad when I had to close the hospital. There were two angels for whom I was the whole world now.

"And you know what? My love for Big Mac wasn't the flash of powder that what I felt for Discord was, but I love him more than anyone else in the world and I just can't imagine my life without him. We have built and worked on a relationship everyday, little by little. We've had fights, but I know that we will be ok at the end of the day. I've learned to accept him as he is, no more, no less. And everyday is now a sweet blessing, knowing that whatever happens, he will be by my side. He is not the flame that Discord was, but he's a sturdy wall that will protect me. A strong, manly, and beautiful wall at that. And I'm a better mare today because of him."

Twilight sighted "Aha, I get it now. That's why you matured so much."

Rarity and Applejack started to laugh.

"Twilight, really?" asked Rarity between laughs "You hadn't realized why she had changed UNTIL NOW? And you're supposed to be the smart one among us!"

Applejack too was holding her stomach. "Oh dear, you know, for a pony that's been chosen by Celestia for her brain, you can be slow in certain things."

Twilight was a bit embarrassed "You guys knew?"

Rarity removed a tear from her face with her right hoof. "Dear, I might not have known all the details, but it didn't take a genius to see why Fluttershy changed soon after she had her babies. Well, they're in their late teens now, so I guess I can't call them babies or Applejack here will make fun of me again. How old are they again?"

Even Fluttershy was laughing a bit. "The filly is 19 and the colt is 17, but they still act like they're both 13."

Rarity sighed "I bet the filly is already making heads turn her way. Just like I did at her age, if I say so myself." She leaned her head back a bit and put a hoof on her chest as she said that.

Applejack winked at everyone else, "Well, maybe you shoulda paid attention to Spike, you know?"

Rarity smiled, "You know what, darling? Maybe I should have."

"What?" exclaimed Fluttershy and Twilight at the same time.

"Why not? If I had waited a bit, the age difference wouldn't have been a big deal and he was always very sweet with me, unlike my husband."

"Relationship problems so soon?" asked Fluttershy, with a worried face.

"The same thing as always," responded Rarity, dropping her ears. "He complains I'm too busy, always working, always away on a business trip. But I know that if I leave the agency in the hooves of another pony, it will just fall apart. I don't mean to sound snobbish, but the reason clients come is because they want me, my designs, my signature."

"I'm still stuck with the image of you and Spike," said Applejack. "That's even weirder than Fluttershy and Discord. Not that there's anything wrong with it, sugarcube." She leaned forward and placed her hoof on Fluttershy's knee.

"No worries, I was thinking the same thing, actually," Fluttershy said forgivingly.

"You must be kidding, all of you!" said Twilight. "He's way too young!"

"Awww," said Fluttershy, putting her hooves on her cheeks. "Mommy Twilight doesn't want her baby to be taken away from her."

"A girl can dream, can't she?" asked Rarity. "How is my Spikey-wikey doing these days?"

"I haven't heard from him in a couple of years." The memory of the young dragon made Twilight's throat hurt a bit. "Last time I heard from him, he was traveling around the world, discovering his true nature, becoming what he was born to be. His words, not mine. His letters have become more sparse as time has passed by."

Rarity stood up. "Well girls, I had the loveliest of times, but I need to go. I can't believe we actually managed to get together, just like old times. I just wish that Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie were here."

"Shucks, don't go yet, Rarity. I've missed you a lot. We never get to see you much anymore," begged Applejack.

"The feeling is mutual, my friend. But I really need to go. I am taking a trip to Mexicolt and I need to prepare for it. Flam and I are trying to have a baby. We think that it will help us become more united as a couple and as a family and we heard there are good clinics for fertility treatment there. It's hard to conceive after a certain age, you know?"

"Except if you're Fluttershy here, who will be able to get pregnant until she's 100, apparently." Applejack extended a hoof towards Fluttershy.

"Well, I have to take care of myself a lot," said Fluttershy. "Being pregnant at 47 is not exactly something I planned."

"Ah, a statistic it was, hey?" said Applejack. "Don't worry sugarcube, I'll help you take care of it. You don't have the energy of a 20 year old anymore. Auntie Applejack will be more than happy to help raise another baby." She stood up and hugged Rarity. "And I look forward to help you with your foal too, my dear friend."

Rarity returned the hug, "And I look forward to seeing more of you all. Let's do a group hug, like Pinkie Pie would have suggested."

Twilight and Fluttershy stood up and joined the Earth Pony and the Unicorn in a group embrace.

"And now, since Rainbow Dash is not here, I'll be the one that says 'I'M AWESOME!'" screamed Twilight at the top of her lungs, feeling the camaraderie of her old friends once again.

From the bedroom, the cries of a baby could be heard as well as the voice of an exasperated Applebloom. "WE HAD JUST MANAGED TO MAKE HER FALL ASLEEP!"

*****

Twilight was reading one of the many books that were scattered around her. There were books on the shelves, on the table, and on the ground. She was supposed to read them, classify them, put them in bookshelves, and take notes of everything that seemed important, but she was bored and her mind was full of thoughts about her life and her work. So, she had decided just to enjoy one of the books and read it slowly, not bothering to evaluate the information in it. But even this required more concentration than she could muster at the moment.

Twilight closed the book and rested her head on her hoof. She thought of how lonely the castle felt now. When she got it, she imagined that her friends would want to move in with her. However, they didn't. They had wanted to do something else with their lives and follow their individual calls. A while later, Owlowiscious mysteriously disappeared. She and Pinkie Pie started an investigation in order to find him, but they never did. Later on, Starlight Glimmer got pregnant with Sunburst's son and left. The last time she had heard of her, the Unicorn had started a school and was a success with little foals.

And here I thought that having a student would mean that I'd have more company, thought Twilight.

Finally, Spike had left. More than all the other's, Spike's departure had been the hardest one to cope with. She had known him since he had been born, literally seeing him hatching from his egg. She had been responsible for raising him and had eventually come to see him like a baby brother, feeding him and tucking him in at night. She had seen him grow in size and weight and eventually obtain his wings, leaving behind the baby body and becoming a teenager and then a young adult. She remembered how he had finally gathered the courage to declare his love to Rarity and how he had spent that night crying in her arms, as he gathered the pieces of his broken heart. She had seen him get over her eventually and start dreaming of traveling around the world. She knew he needed to go and live his own life, but it was hard for her to let him go. She wondered what he was doing and if he even remembered her, not having received a letter from him in ages.

Twilight felt lonely. Now that Pinkie Pie was dead, she understood how important her role had been. When Rainbow Dash died, her role as a hero and champion of Ponyville had been clear. Pinkie Pie's parties had been fun, but Twilight never thought they were terribly important. Ponies still had parties for events or social occasions, but nopony made parties just to gather around, have fun, and bond.

I guess I could throw a party myself, thought Twilight. But could she? She had always had trouble socializing, and partying was not one of her talents, it was Pinkie Pie's. It was the reason for the pink pony's cutie mark.

Well, if I can't throw a party, I can at least be present in the lives of others.

Twilight remembered that Fluttershy was in the hospital. At her age, a pregnancy was risky and she was in observation. She thought about visiting the yellow Pegasus but her sight went immediately to the pile of books that she had to work on. She still had a lot to do and had lost already a lot of time reading absentmindedly.

I'll just push through this and get it over with, then I'll have the weekend free to spend it with my friends.

Two hours later, she could hear hoofs galloping in her castle, approaching her. Soon, the figure of a sweaty Applebloom was in front of her.

"Twilight, I need to speak with you, something horrible just happened!" Applebloom said before having to gasp for air.

Applebloom's expression made Twilight's fear the worst. "Calm down, tell me what happened," she said as she signaled Applebloom a seat. "Do you want some water?"

Applebloom took the glass that Twilight gave her with very shaky hoofs and drank half of it before speaking. "Twilight, there were complications during the baby's birth."

"Oh, God. Is the baby alright?"

Applebloom's lips trembled. "Yes, the baby is alright. It's a colt. But Fluttershy didn't make it."

*****

The funeral had been simple. All the Apples were there, giving words of consolation to Big Mac, who remained stoic and silent. Applejack had told Twilight that he hadn't cried a tear and all he had done was stand strong to show courage his foals. Shy Flower held to her father's neck crying silently while her younger brother Big Flutter, still crying, helped his cousins shovel earth into the grave. Around the casket, a dozen dozen rabbits gathered and sobbed. Applejack was next to her brother, sitting on the ground and holding the newborn baby.

Twilight was standing next to Rarity among the ponies present. She couldn't help but feel uncomfortable at Rarity's appearance, which she considered inappropriate for the occasion. Rarity was wearing a huge hat, a silk scarf, and sunglasses. But what bothered Twilight the most was the flamboyant blond wig. Still, she didn't think it was the time to confront her about it.

Once the grave had been covered and plenty of flowers from family members were placed on top of it, Applejack stood up, handed Big Mac his baby and walked in front of everyone, readying herself to say a few words. However, at the last moment, a strong hoof stopped her.

"Nope."

Applejack looked at her older brother, now in his mid fifties, "You don't want me to say something about Fluttershy?"

Big Mac looked at her, expressionless. "Nope. I.... will say them myself."

Applejack's jaw dropped, and many of the ponies present gasped.

Big Mac walked in front of Applejack still holding his baby and ignoring the small commotion. His other foals somehow knew that they had to stay by their aunt. They had always understood the non-verbal communication of their father.

"I... have never been good with words. When my parents died, I couldn't stand the pain. It hurt... too much. But I knew that I had to be strong and be the stallion of the house, for my little sisters. I stopped talking for fear that my words would show my pain to the world. I decided to speak with actions and work hard to protect and provide for my family."

"When I met Fluttershy, I never thought she'd pay attention to me. But when I saw her in pain, I felt that I could be there for her, so I took a chance. To my surprise, she accepted and we loved each other ever since. Then she had my sweet Shy Flower and later my wonderful Big Flutter. I had always wanted to be a father because I had grown without parents and Fluttershy made my dream come true. She made me the happiest stallion in the world. When she asked me to leave the farm to help her with her hospital, I didn't hesitate. I would have done anything for her."

"But now she's gone and I realize that I can't stay silent anymore. I have two marvelous foals and a baby that will need a parent to talk to. Someone to sooth their fears and guide them through life until the moment they're ready to gallop on their own. I can't help but feel bad that my youngest son will grow up motherless and I can't make up for it." His deep voice started to break. "That... makes me... sad."

He couldn't continue anymore. He started to sob uncontrollably. His foals came next to him and held him, also crying.

Twilight closed her eyes and thought about her friend. She finally understood why it was better for everypony to live their own lives. Rainbow Dash had been the hope and the admiration of the whole town. Pinkie Pie had been the soul and the heart of her friends. Fluttershy had been the caring hand and the embrace of her family and the animals she had taken care of. Twilight regretted spending time doing work instead of being at the hospital, but she found it easier to forgive herself this time, unlike when Pikie Pie died. She sent her thoughts and her heart to the family and wished them strength to cope with their loss.

Good-bye Fluttershy. You were a great friend, a loving wife, and a caring mother.

After the funeral, Rarity asked Twilight to accompany her back to the train station. They said good-bye to everypony else and left. As they walked by, Rarity talked about how lucky Fluttershy had been to have met Big Mac and how fulfilling her life had been. Twilight had trouble getting into the conversation, still bothered by Rarity's look.

"I'm sorry," said Twilight at last. "But I just can't understand what you were thinking coming to a funeral dressed like this. I mean, what's with the stupid wig?" Twilight was seldom this harsh but she thought Rarity had been incredibly rude and couldn't contain herself.

Rarity was taken aback. "Darling, it's the only thing I could get with so little time. I literally grabbed it on my way out as soon as I heard the news."

"Then you shouldn't have worn anything. We're ponies, for crying out loud!"

Rarity's eyes dropped. "I can't go out just like that."

"And why not?"

Rarity stayed silent for almost a minute, then she took off her hat, her wig, and her sunglasses.

Twilight opened her eyes and gave a little cry. Rarity's mane was gone and her eyes were red.

"The chemotherapy did it," said Rarity in a quiet voice. "They discovered it at the fertility clinic; it's in the ovaries."