The Funeral of Derpy Hooves

Chapters

Monday Morning: Death of a Mailpony
Monday Afternoon: Those Left to Mourn
Monday Evening: The Worst Kind of News
Tuesday: Shadows and Sighs
Wednesday: The Weak and Strong
Thursday Morning: Of Truth and Tears
Thursday Afternoon: The Funeral of Derpy Hooves
Thursday Evening: In the Wake of a Wake

Monday Morning: Death of a Mailpony

"Can I please get those darn stamps here already?!" Rainbow Dash's voice carried angrily beyond the bustling back counter of the lofty post office. "I've been waiting here forever!"

"What do you mean you've been waiting here forever?" growled a disgruntled pegasus mare. She adjusted her bifocals with a frown and leaned against the condensed cloud that made up the inner furnishing of the floating parcel center. "Just who's paying for this delivery, eh?!"

"Look, ma'am, I'm sorry..." Rainbow Dash adjusted a big bright nametag with the word "VOLUNTEER" plastered across the surface. "But it's the start of the business week and we're already overburdened with packages and—"

"You think that's any concern of mine?!" the lady harumphed. She slapped a graying hoof over the cardboard box while a thick line of waiting pegasi groaned and fidgeted impatiently behind her. "I've gotta get this stuff sent to my daughter in Los Pegasus by next Tuesday or she's gonna think I've grown neglectful!"

Rainbow Dash muttered under her breath, "Boy, would she be broken-hearted..."

"What was that?"

"Uhhh... What I meant to say was—" Just then, Blossomforth breathlessly flew in from the back room with a fresh package of stamps. "There!" Rainbow Dash victoriously grasped the roll, grinning wide. "Just in the nick of time!"

"The nick of time would have been five minutes ago," the mare grumbled.

"Yeah yeah..." Rainbow Dash turned to glare at Blossomforth. "Tell the morons in the back to snap to it!"

"I-I'm sorry, Rainbow!" Blossomforth stammered. "I'm used to cloud kicking, not this!" She gulped and pointed towards a clock hanging off a cloudy wall. "Plus, the main workforce won’t be here for another forty minutes!"

"Don't they know there's a flu going around?!" Rainbow Dash hissed aside while sealing up the old lady's package atop the counter. "Who's bright idea was it to call in the weather team for volunteer backup?"

"Uhm... Feathersong, the assistant manager."

"And just where is that bird-brain?"

Blossomforth blushed. "She... uh... she caught the flu. Same as all the others. Remember?"

"Unnngh..." Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and grumbled, "Just two more years of Wonderbolts Academy training and I am so out of here." She slapped a final stamp over the package and heaved it into a box hanging from four bright red balloons behind her. "There. Off to Stratopolis it goes. That'll be four bits, please."

"You're lucky to be getting a single one, Miss Grumpy-Pants," the lady said as she fiddled with her bit bag. "Would it kill ya to show some enthusiasm?"

"Don't be silly," Rainbow Dash robotically retorted through a plastic grin. "This is 'service with a smile.'"

"Meh," the lady sighed and tossed the bits onto the cloudy counter.

Rainbow Dash snatched them up before they could sink through the dense mist. "If I only didn't have a flippin' cider hangover, this all would be a lot less head-splitting."

A stallion hovered forward with an expensive vase. "Maybe if you just tried improving your disposition, lady."

"Maybe if you tried to grab a Celestia-forsaken shipping box from the waiting area like every frickin' sign within eyesight tells you to!" Rainbow Dash barked, forcing the stallion to shake in his horseshoes. She craned her flustered neck and snarled at the frightened crowd behind him. "Seriously?! How many pegasi in line actually grabbed a box like they were supposed to?! Huh?! Show of hooves!"

Several equines gulped and shuffled until they were in the back of the line. They grabbed boxes for their items and tried to hide their shivers.

"Now that's more like it!" Rainbow Dash yanked the vase out of the gasping stallion's hooves and started folding a box of her own. "You have an address where you wanna ship this hunk-o-junk to?"

"Uhm... uhhh... uhhh..."

"Yes or no?"

"Y-yes!"

"Good." Rainbow slapped a sheet of sticker paper down with several black lines. "Write the address here. And try to keep it legible." As she began slathering bubble wrap around the fragile vase, she rubbed her head, groaned, and muttered, "I swear, anypony who actually likes Mondays has got to be wrong in the head..."

Derpy Hooves gasped, her googly eyes reflecting plumes of smoke billowing all around her.

"My kitchen is on fire!" the mare shouted with a flounce of her blonde mane.

Derpy's voice reverberated off soot-stained tile. Flames spat out from her stove-top and ignited the drapes hanging alongside the kitchen windows.

"Heeheehee!" Derpy stomped her hooves and grinned towards the opposite walls. "It's a great day to be alive!"

THE FUNERAL OF DERPY HOOVES

"Unnngh..." A gray unicorn foal trotted down the steps of the condominium, entering the hazy kitchen with teetering, twitching eyes. "Mmmmf... Mommy? I smelled smoke. Is everything alright?"

"Just one second, muffin! I'll let you know right after I deal with a little something!" Derpy sing-songed, then promptly yanked the pin out from a fire extinguisher’s handle. The mare licked her lips as she let loose a frothing fountain of white mist, bathing one end of the kitchen entirely with the flame retardant material. The air rang with cacophonous salvos, and at last the pegasus slumped to her hooves. "Ah, there we go! Huh. Funny, it still feels warm in here."

"Uhm, Mom?" Dinky pointed nervously at the enormous blaze immediately to the mare's left. "I think you sprayed the wrong half of the kitchen."

"Huh?" Derpy's head jerked to the side, her pupils making a rattling sound. She blushed deeply. "Whoops! Heehee! Mommy forgot to close one eye!" She waved the extinguisher around like a giant pepper shaker and dove in for the kill. "Don't worry! I got it!" She slipped on the filmy tile floor. "Whoah!" Derpy's body plunged straight into the billowing inferno.

Dinky slid forward just in time to block the mare's forward legs with her body, halting her momentum. "Here, Mommy!" The filly smiled brightly. "Just aim over my tail!"

"Wilco Roger!" Derpy stuck her tongue out while launching a snow-white volley over her daughter's flank. In no time at all, the flames dissipated, leaving the stove covered completely in white and black soot. "Whew! Well, that's the last time I try making an omelette this early!"

"But Mommy..." Dinky gazed up at her mother as the two tried standing straight on the slippery floor. "We don't have any eggs to fry! You were gonna go to the store tomorrow, remember?"

"Huh?" Derpy's eyes rolled until she went cross-eyed. "Then what was I trying to make breakfast with?" She picked up an empty cardboard box missing a dozen light bulbs. "Hmmmm..." She scratched her head, then tossed the box behind her with a shrug. "Oh well! Who's for Pony Tarts?"

Dinky bounced up and down. "Hoooooray!"

Dinky sat at the kitchen table, munching happily on her steaming-hot pastry while her mother mopped up the flame retardant muck around her. After gulping a morsel down, the child said, "I thought you had to be at work soon."

"Not for another hourrrrrrr!" Derpy sang as she pivoted the mop, scraping the handle against the tile while inadvertently slapping the mop-end against a cuckoo clock hanging on the wall. "My boss said I'm having to make up for the extra hours I worked overtime last week!"

"Oh yeah..." Dinky took another bite, swallowed, and scrunched up her face. "Just why you were home so late Thursday afternoon anyways?"

"Beats me! It was evening by the time I made it out of the last client's front lawn hedge maze!" With the crashing of clock parts, Derpy propped herself into a standing position against the mop. "Heehee! That's the last time I deliver to a minotaur's residence without bringing a ball of yarn!"

"Oh! I get it!" Dinky beamed. "So you can find your way out, right?"

"Actually, it's to get the cats off me. Though why the cats were wearing horns and headsets, I'll never know." Derpy looked at her watch and gasped. "Oh dear Celestia! It's L minutes past Zero!"

"Mmmmfff..." Dinky swallowed the last of her pastry and leaned over. She quietly pivoted Derpy's forelimb around.

"Oh! Okay..." Derpy gave a blushing, cock-eyed grin. "Mommy's still got sixty minutes left to go!" She spun around. "If only I knew what happened to the Cuckoo Clock. I know I can always trust on it to—Waaah!" She slipped on the said chronometer's parts, spilling sprockets and gears everywhere. Her fragile skull went sailing towards the hard kitchen floor. "Ooof!"

"Mommy!" Dinky dove down by the mare's side, sprawled out on her back. "Are you alright?"

"I see stars..." Derpy's eyes rolled in opposite directions, but her smile remained true. "And one of them looks like my muffin!"

"Heeee..." Dinky leaned in and nuzzled the crook of her mother's fuzzy neck. "Look at you, Mommy. Now you gotta wash up all over again!"

"Pfft! You think that's a problem? I forgot to bring my toboggan!" Derpy suddenly gripped Dinky in a bear-hug and kicked off the kitchen cabinets. Together, the two slid through the muck and froth piled across the tile floor. "Look! A winter wonderland! Weeee!"

Dinky giggled and spread her limbs out wide as she and her mother slid jubilantly across the kitchen floor.

"Ha ha! Don't try catching any of the snowflakes on your tongue, though! Ahem... I'll explain later..."

Minutes later, Derpy was upstairs, taking a warm bath. She scrubbed herself with a soft brush, rinsing her mane thoroughly and washing out the last of the smoke and soot stains. As she made the waves bounce along the edges of the tub, soap suds kissed the air, tickling her grinning muzzle.

"Ahhhh... I really love bubbles." She blinked. "I don't know why!" She smiled, then blinked, then smiled again.

Dinky strolled into view beyond the open bathroom door. "Hey! Mom! I cleaned the rest of the kitchen floor! Where should I put the mop?"

"In the downstairs closet!" Derpy said as she climbed out of the tub and reached for a towel. "Somewhere so that the dog won't get to it!"

"But we don't have a dog!"

"Then how come it's always whining at night right above the staircase?"

"Oh! I think you mean the radiator, Mommy!"

"Huh... No wonder it never wants to go out into the yard." Derpy shrugged as she wrapped the towel around herself and approached the bathroom sink. "Mommy still needs to freshen up some! Why don't you go get packed up for school?"

"Mommmmmm!" Dinky stifled a giggle. "It's summer vacation, remember?"

"Really? I thought it was winter."

"Nah, that was just the kitchen."

"Oh, well then." Derpy smiled as she pulled a bulky hair drier out from the nearest cabinet. "Make sure you do your homework!"

"Heehee..." Dinky smiled rosily at her mother and trotted away with a wink. "Sure thing, Mom. I'll get your stuff for the post office!"

"Hmmmm..." Derpy plugged the hair drier in. The outlet sparked a bit, lighting up her lopsided eyes. "I'm so lucky to have such a wonderful daughter that loves me. I should get her something for Hearth's Warming now that it's winter time—"

Derpy's legs slipped on the slick tile floor.

"Whoah!"

The hair drier flew from her grasp. She reached for it, unwittingly juggling the electrified device through the moist air.

"Whoah... wh-whoah... whoahhhh!"

The hair drier flew towards the full bathtub. Derpy flew along with it, her hooves finally grabbing the humming appliance to her chest like a hoofball. The basin's water reflected her plummeting flank.

Just then, the cord pulled taut.

Derpy hung at a forty-five degree angle over the wet rippling water of the sudsy bath.

She breathed... breathed again... then gasped. "Oooh! I know! Ice skates!" Derpy leaned forward just milliseconds before the cable snapped loose from its socket. She plugged it back in and began blowing at her mane with a contented smile. "That's the best Hearth's Warming gift for a little filly!"

Derpy stood at the door to her condominium in a blue postal worker jacket. After buttoning the cuffs of her long sleeves, she fumbled through her saddlebag with a worried expression. "Hmmmm... nope... nope... nuh uh..." Her gray face grew more and more distraught as she plowed through envelopes, stamps, and other miscellaneous bric-a-brac of postage. "What in Celestia's name did I do with—?"

A cute whistle sounded off below her. Depy looked down, blinking, then smiled warmly.

Dinky held a sparkly clean blue mailpony hat in her tiny mouth. Her lips curved on either side of where her petite muzzle gripped it.

"You always know when to save Mommy's day, my little muffin," Derpy said, snatching the hat and planting it on her skull. "Tadaaaa!"

"Heehee..." Dinky grinned. "I even shined it for you!"

"I know!" Derpy chirped. "I can hear it!"

"Pssst..." Dinky leaned in, pointing at her own nose, then at Derpy's.

Derpy blinked, then blushed. "Smell it. Smell it is what Mommy meant."

Dinky chuckled breathily, then leaned in, nuzzling the mare's legs. "I wish you wouldn't have to be gone all dayyyyy."

"Sorry, bits. Mommy's gotta earn the muffins somehow—er..." Derpy winced. "Uhm... You know what I mean, right?"

"I always do, Mommy." Dinky smiled. "I always do."

"Especially, uhhh..." Derpy gulped and rubbed her hooves together in a pensive manner. "Especially wh-when Mommy tells you that she loves you?"

"Mmmhmmm..." Dinky nodded with a calm grin. "Most especially."

"Wow! I didn't know you could attach a 'most' to that!" Derpy flung her hoof forward to ruffle the filly's hair, catching nothing but wind. "What a smart mare you're growing into!"

"Yes, well..." Dinky stealthily side-stepped so that her mane was in the right spot to be ruffled. She happily weathered the endearing gesture. "I learn from the best."

Derpy turned to leave. Her clopping hooves shook through the front door's foundation. A heavy brick with a murderously jagged edge wobbled directly overhead.

"You'll be careful today at work, won't you?" Dinky asked with a long face. "I get lonely every time you leave these days."

"But we worked a way around that, didn't we?" Derpy turned back with a grin. Milliseconds later, the skull-crushing brick landed directly behind her, smashing to bits along the front two panels of the front yard sidewalk. "Remember that trip we made to Zecora's in the Everforest Free?"

"Oooh! The stone!" Dinky's voice jubilantly cracked as she dashed into the living room. "Of course! Be right back!"

The daughter was only gone for a few seconds, during which Derpy enjoyed the chirping of birds, the sprinkle of morning dew, and the curiously missing space in the upper half of her doorframe.

Soon, Dinky returned, sliding back on waddling hooves. "Check it out!" She flung both forelimbs forward, holding a round blue shard that glowed in the shadow of the condominium's doorframe. "I think it's still enchanted!"

"Well, of course it is!" Derpy winked to both the ceiling and the floor around Dinky at once. "A zebra wouldn't lie, would she?"

"I keep an eye on this at all times!" Dinky said, then allowed her jaw to drop. "Don't you too?"

"Oh, jee!" Derpy faked a gasp. "What ever did I do with my half of the sound stones?"

Dinky folded her forelimbs with an amused glare. "Mommmmm."

Derpy smiled, then reached deep into her saddlebag. With a rustling of envelopes, she produced an even larger blue shard, this time affixed to a thin gold chain. "Look what Mommy decided to get for it."

Dinky gasped. "You turned it into a necklace?"

"Yup!" Derpy grinned wide as she hung the glittering thing over her neck. "That way, I always have you close to my heart! See?" She lifted a length of chain and spoke into it. "Pilot to navigator!"

Dinky tried not to giggle. Clearing her throat, she stood on her rear limbs and swung the necklace around so that the stone hung appropriately before the mare's chest. "There. Try it now, Mommy."

"Uhhh... eheh... I almost got it right that time."

The mare's voice echoed with magical feedback through Dinky's small stone: "Crkk! Almost got it right that time..."

"Mommy, as far as I'm concerned, you always get it right." She leaned in and nuzzled her mother's fuzzy chest. "You allowed me to be born, after all."

"Awwwww..." Derpy sniffled and leaned into her daughter's embrace, only to wince. "Owie! The horn, muffin! The horn!"

"Crkk! The horn, muffin! The horn!"

"Whoops!" Blushing, Dinky stepped back and rubbed a hoof over the pointed end of her skull. "My bad."

"Remember!" Derpy tightened the blue hat on her head and spread her wings in the doorway. "If ever you get lonely, just give Mommy a call! But don't smother her while she's at work, okay?" She winked. "That's Mommy's job, after all!" With that said, she flew off.

"So long, Mommy!" Dinky waved her hoof. "Fly safely! Don't forget about the clothesline!"

"What clothesline?!" A loud thud. "Ooof! Hey! Dinky! Your bridle is dry! Anyways, see ya this afternoon!"

"Heeheehee..." Dinky sighed happily and trotted back into the house, closing the door behind her. "I have the best Mommy ever..."

TIME OF DEATH: MONDAY MORNING

"Doo Doo Doo Doooooo..." Derpy hummed to herself as she trotted gaily down Ponyville's Main Street. "Am I really all the things that are outside of meeeeee..." She looked aside and waved towards a line of construction workers. "Good morning there! What are you working on? Another bird feeder?!"

"Uhhhh..." Several grizzled stallions paused in cement mixing together an eight foot tall mausoleum from the other side of a fenced-in cemetery. "It's more of a worm feeder, actually..."

"It looks cozy in there!" Derpy said as she blindly trotted through a yellow-taped off area surrounding a downed power line. "I bet you could fit me and all of my belongings in there if you left it hollow enough!"

She giggled, her hooves barely skipping over bright blue sparks spitting out of the loosely dangling cable.

"Try not to work up too much of a sweat!" Derpy exclaimed. "I hear dehydration is both painful and annoying! Heehee—Ow!" She had just bonked her muzzle against a rusted ladder. "Where'd you come from? It's not even hardware season!" She whistled to herself as she trotted directly under the ladder and past a black cat shrieking at a shadow looming around her.

"Heads up!" a worker's voice shouted from above. A giant neon 8-ball swung down from a snapped cord, missing Derpy by a hair's inch and smashing into the window of a novelty games shop. A stack of poker decks fell loose, raining aces of spades across the sidewalk, which Derpy promptly trotted over as she made her way to a busy intersection of blazing stagecoaches.

Derpy pressed one hoof out into oncoming traffic.

"Oh! Miss Hooves! Wait right there!"

"Huh?" Derpy spun around. A speeding horse-drawn wagon full of anvils blurred by so swiftly it flicked at her blonde tail hairs. "Oooh! Miss Cake! How are you this morning?"

Cup Cake ran up from the kitchen door to Sugarcube Corner, panting from the short distance sprint. "You're headed to the post office right now, aren't you?"

"Yupperooni!" Derpy smiled wide as traffic whizzed back and forth behind her. "Gotta make my morning rounds! Just right after I package things up for Long-Distance Intercontinental Pegasus Speedy Delivery!"

"Well, I-I sent my neighbor Candy Mane there an hour ago, since... uhm... I couldn't go up there myself."

"Why, they have a post box on the ground for you to deliver stuff through, Miss Cake!"

"I know, but I need this to get to Pinkie Pie's mother and father really quickly, and the long duration... erm..."

"Long-Distance Intercontinental Pegasus Speedy Delivery!"

"Yes. Uhm... That's the quickest known way to get things shipped around in Equestria, but when Candy Mane went to make the delivery, the line was extremely long, and they had to rely on the weather team to act as volunteer backup." Mrs. Cake gulped. "Rainbow Dash was there, and she didn't seem very cheerful, according to Ms. Mane."

"Wuh oh!" Derpy gasped. "It sounds like somepony's got the flu!"

"I know it's probably asking you to work outside of the postal service's policy... but... uhh..." Mrs. Cake blushed. "Would you terribly mind taking these yourself before it's too late? I'll pay you extra!"

"Awwww, Mrs. Cake." Derpy smiled, grasped the package, and leaned forward to nuzzle the mare. "I'd be happy to! And the only payment I need is the wonderful muffins you bake for me and my daughter every week."

The older mare smiled back, a little misty-eyed. "I don't know what we'd all do without you, Ms. Hooves. You truly make us all so extremely lucky here in Ponyville."

"Hey! Lucky is my middle name!" Derpy grinned. She adjusted her hat and spun towards the blurring intersection. "Whelp, off to deliver the mail!"

"Derpy, wait!"

Derpy spun before a mule-driven carriage full of rusted horseshoes could crush her into gray goop. "Hmmm? Something else on your mind?"

"Little Dinky..." Mrs. Cake smiled. "I'd be rude if I didn't ask how she was doing."

"Oh, my muffin? She's happy as ever!" Derpy sing-songed. Behind her, a wagon full of red metal barrels hit a ditch. The stallion drawing it gasped as he went plunging into the muddy road. The wagon behind him crashed, spillings its bubbly chemical contents and starting a fire. "She really makes every single day so bright and cheery! I'm lucky to have a daughter such as her!" Another wagon skidded to a stop, its front wheels shattering. A full crate of TNT spilled loose and grinded to a stop just inches away from the flames. "Why do you ask? Hmmm?"

"Uhhhh..." Mrs. Cake blinked awkwardly at the traffic accident behind Derpy.

"What? Cat got your tongue?"

Mrs. Cake gulped and said, "It's just that you're a busy mare, Miss Hooves, and having to take care of both your job with the postal service and a little filly can't be too easy."

"Oh, I manage," Derpy said with a smile. Shrieking stallions scrambled behind her to put out the fire as it crept a thin, blazing line towards the dense stacks of TNT. "I just live each day, one morning at a time, counting my blessings and not fretting about what tomorrow brings! Y'know?"

"If ever you need a foalsitter to take care of her, I'll volunteer anytime," Mrs. Cake said with a warm smile. "I'll even have Pinkie Pie visit to make her laugh!"

"Well, that sounds terrific!" Derpy tipped her bird-gunked hat as the flames built up around her. Smoke billowed over the stacks of TNT. "I'll have a talk with my little muffin about that! I mean, what else are we doing on this planet but to enjoy life to the fullest?!" That said, she turned around and trotted directly into the blaze. With a flap of her wings, she redirected the wind, causing the flames to go out just centimeters before catching up with the TNT. "So long, Mrs. Cake! Keep baking what you bake besssst!" In a gray streak, she flew through a murder of crows, banked north, and headed towards the floating post office in the sky.

"Doo doo dooooo... I just want four walls and adobe slabs for my girrrrrls..."

Derpy landed on the cloudy stoop of the floating post office and strolled through the front door. A bell jingled above her as she trotted into the bustling waiting area.

"Good morning, everypony!" she sang with a grin.

"Ungh, blow it out your plothole," a stallion grunted as he marched furiously past her. "Worst service ever, this place, I swear."

"Hmmm... I think I will blow! Much appreciated" Derpy chuckled light-heartedly. "Nice to know that I'm not the only pony who likes bubbles!"

She merrily made her way past a line full of red-faced, grumbling, irascible clients. At last, Derpy walked past the back counter and trotted through a fluffy doorframe with hanging plastic sheets. The smell of paper, cardboard, and hydraulics lit her nose. Behind the front desk area was an elaborate sea of conveyor belts hanging from countless balloons. The floating platforms transported packages, crates, and boxes of all sizes through a complex assembly process.

All of the containers eventually rolled towards an open, breezy loading dock at the back of the center, where uniformed pegasi affixed to chariots rolled up and waited for the mechanized process to load a fresh batch of cartons into their steel reinforced wagons. These vehicles were fitted with dry fuel rockets welded to the frames, so that when it came time for the pegasi to make the trip for Cloudsdale and abroad, they would gallop along the cloudbed, pull the vehicles off the edge, and jump into the cockpit in time for the rockets to blast off. With waves of booming thunder, the mailponies expediently piloted the parcels off into the wild blue yonder, making room for the next wave of deliverers to roll up in their empty chariots and continue the mechanical process.

This system would have been a marvel to behold to most ponies. Derpy, however, was busy trying to stamp her card.

"Nnnnngh!" The mare grunted and strained as she shoved, shoved, shoved the card into the slot. "Why... won't... it... go... in...?"

A blue hoof yanked her forelimb back and pushed the mare towards another station four feet away. "Because that was the water cooler, Derpy," Rainbow Dash grunted.

Derpy blushed under the sound of the time stamp taking her card. "Whoops. My bad."

"Ungh! No time for apologies!" Rainbow Dash's fuzzy body was covered randomly from head to hoof with errant stickers, twine, and bubble wrap. "Is this it? Are you the mid-morning workload?!"

"Well, I certainly have a load of work to do!" Derpy said, grinning from googly eye to googly eye. "And it's..." She glanced at her watch. "...eight minutes past zero! On the dot!"

"Unnngh..." Rainbow Dash face-hoofed. "Whatever. Look..." She pointed towards the front of the center. "I've got Blossomforth and Raindrops doing customer service while I try to salvage what's left of this goddess-awful backstock of unfinished packages back here. I don't care how much you tend to live up to your name; I need somepony with experience to help me get stuff processed back here or else we'll be up to our ankles in envelopes and customer complaints!"

"You know, they have an ointment for that!"

"But... it... you... Augh!" Rainbow Dash growled, "You know what? Less gabbin' and more gruntwork. Sound good?"

"I played quarterback in high school before the earth hit me between the eyes!"

"Good enough." Rainbow Dash pivoted the mare around and shoved her towards a stalled conveyor belt full of open crates. "See that assembly line towards the southwest edge of the center? It looks busted, and none of the volunteers from the weather team know how to work it. Think you can get it purring again?"

"Like a rattlesnake!" Derpy flew a zig-zagged line towards the conveyor belt in question, dodging the floating platforms' balloons with greater and lesser success. "Don't you worry your paint buckety head none, Mister Dash! I'll get it jiffed in a fix!"

"Just how the heck do you stay so... so... cheerful all of the time?" Rainbow Dash asked, then promptly frowned. "And it's Miss Dash to you!"

"I can't pretend to understand how things work or fall apart half the time!" Derpy floated besides the conveyor belt, pulled a wrench from her satchel, and began banging the gears at random. "I just smile in between the clouds and some way or another, the sun shines through!" The assembly parts rattled, hissed, smoked, and began whirring back to life. "Ha! See?! Good as new, Dashbow Rain!"

Rainbow sighed, wiping her brow. "Well, that's one nut cracked." She spun around, only to run into Blossomforth's distraught face.

"Miss Dash! We have a problem!"

"Unnngh..." Rainbow rolled her eyes and drifted after the mare. "What now?!"

In the meantime, Derpy floated over the slowly rolling assembly line. She blinked, her eyes rolling until they focused on a bunch of loose items that had spilled over the surface of the conveyor belt.

"Hello hello. What's this?" Derpy hovered down, squinting closely at two bags: a sack of tomatoes and a sack of polished black rocks. "Hmmm, they must have fallen loose from their crates when the assembly line stopped. How cute!" She hefted the bag of tomatoes over her shoulder and tried lifting the bag of rocks as well. Her whole body jolted, and she nearly plummeted into the rolling conveyor belt. "Ooof! Wow, you're a heavy bunch of puppies, aren't ya? Heehee! Hmmm..."

Derpy looked closely at the bag of rocks. The shards were dark and glossy, and like chunks of magnetic rocks they randomly attracted and repelled one another, only with tiny splashes of strange aquamarine light.

"Woooo... well if that isn't magical! I bet it's Canterlot bound!"

Straining, she pulled and yanked at the bag until she successfully lifted it over the shoulder opposite from the tomatoes. Then, in a lingering flight pattern, she buzzed past the empty crates until she found one large crate marked for the Equestrian capital. She took a close look at the shipping details.

"Hmmm... 'Void Rocks.'" She glanced at the heavy bag of black, sparkling stones. "Well, they certainly look 'voidy!' I wonder if somepony's thinking of planting a farm with these? Heheheh... Now just to put you where you belong—"

A random metal lever from the assembly line smacked into Derpy's skull from behind.

"Ooof!" Her blue hat fell off as her body flew hard into the open crate marked for Canterlot. In seconds flat, Derpy was drowning in shipping popcorn, all the while she wheezed from the unexpected blow. The bag of tomatoes and the bag of void rocks landed on either side of her. "Owie zowie... Was it s-something I said?"

Before Derpy could so much as climb out, a mechanical arm swung around and slapped a hard lid down onto the top of the crate, sealing it shut from the outside. Several nails were hammered in, and soon the box was rolled towards the back of a waiting chariot, along with an empty container marked with "Fresh Tomatoes" bound for "East Zebrahara."

The Canterlot-bound box rattled a bit, dripping gray feathers through the cracks while a muffled voice shouted unheard things from deep inside. Soon, it was conveyed into the nearest rocket-powered wagon. A bell rang, signifying that the chariot was full. Hearing his cue, the stallion pegasus folded away the issue of Maredevil that he was reading, slipped on his goggles, and kicked away at the cloud.

Pulling the chariot over the edge, he plunged it into the sky, then hopped into the pilot's seat just as the rockets ignited. With a clap of thunder, the aircraft roared off, piloted northeast towards the Cloudsdale distribution center, carrying the hapless Derpy along with it.

ONE MINUTE AND THIRTY SECONDS AGO

"Miss Dash!" Blossomforth stammered. "We have a problem!"

"Unnngh..." Rainbow rolled her eyes and floated after the mare. "What now?!"

The two of them floated away from Derpy and towards the front of the distribution center. "Well, it's the Sheriff of the Ponyville police."

"What about him?"

"He's waiting up front to speak with the current supervisor." Blossomforth gulped. "I'm afraid that means you."

"Ewww... What for?" Rainbow Dash's face made a scowling expression. "Were we robbed an hour ago without me knowing about it?"

"Not quite. The sheriff says that he thinks somepony might be shipping some stolen effects through the mail: a bunch of rare tomatoes from the Everfree Forest, supposedly. The stuff was reported stolen just yesterday afternoon."

"Great. Just the icing on the cake." Rainbow Dash folded her forelimbs and glared across the assembly line. "What makes him so darn sure they somehow ended up here?"

"I dunno, but he wants to speak with you so that the two of you can go over the recent mail orders so that we might apprehend the suspect."

"Can we even do that? I mean, I bet I gotta fill out a confiscation report and go through all the paperwork from today's packaging, which means halting the front room service until I can grab everything and—Ungh!" Rainbow Dash facehoofed once again. "Why me? Why today of all days?"

"I-I really don't think we should be keeping him waiting for long, Miss Dash."

"When I said I wanted more exciting things to happen in Ponyville," Rainbow Dash grumbled, looking up across the assembly line. "What I really wanted was something a bit more spectacular than this."

Just then, Derpy's body was pummeled into an open crate. Her blue hat flew loose as a mechanical arm swung over and sealed the box shut.

Rainbow Dash gasped, "Oh horseapples!"

"Not horseapples, Miss Dash, tomatoes—"

"Screw that!" Rainbow Dash shoved Blossomforth out of the way and blurred across the conveyor belts and mechanical platforms. "Somepony derp'd! Derp'd big time!"

She flew forward like a blue bolt of lightning. Still, she couldn't stop the crate littered with gray feathers from being loaded onto the empty chariot. The stallion put away his comic book and began drawing the wagon off the cloud top.

"Hey!" Rainbow Dash cupped a pair of hooves over her windblown muzzle. "Hey! You! Idiot! Stop! Don't—"

It was too late. The stallion plunged over the side, along with the wagon. After a few seconds crumbled away, the rockets ignited, blowing Rainbow Dash backwards with its explosive salvo.

"Gaaaah!" Rainbow Dash bounced off like a living pinball. She plowed through two walls of cloudy mist and smashed across a table full of shipping tools in the post office's waiting area. Several customers stumbled aside, gasping in fright.

"You!" An old mare with mottled wings pointed. "Are you the supervisor?! I wanna have a word with you!"

"Nnnngh!" Rainbow Dash kicked up to her hooves and gritted her teeth. "Stuff it!" A pocket of air exploded around her as the nimble pegasus kicked off the floor and propelled herself through the holes in the wall, pursuing the rocketing chariot at breakneck speeds.

"Hello?" Derpy huddled in the darkness, spitting up shipping popcorn. "Helllllloooo?!" Her head rattled between tomatoes, the lid of the box, and sparkling void rocks. "Ooof! Uhm... anypony out there?!"

She slapped the wooden surface a few times with a long-sleeved hoof. She was answered only with the dull roar of blaring rockets.

"You know, I always wanted to visit Canterlot!" She chuckled, sweating. "But not in the winter time! Hello?! Can somepony let me out? I'm kind of sort of on the clock! It's not break time yet!"

Just then, the blue shard around her neck lit up.

"Crkkk! Mommy? Mommy, you there?"

"Oooh! Hiya, Muffin!" Derpy's head hit the sack of tomatoes again. "Owie!"

"You okay, Mommy?"

"Mommy's in a box, honey! How are you?"

"Just fine. Is now a bad time?"

"Not at all, my Muffin! What's up?"

"The fire detector fell off the wall. I was going to nail it back in place, but I can't find the hammer."

"Oh, I left the hammer atop the ironing board last time I used it!"

"Uhhh... I'm looking at the ironing board right now, Mommy. The only thing on top of it is an umbrella."

"Oh... uhm..." Derpy fidgeted in the dark, her blue-lit face scrunching up. "Oh dear. No wonder none of the nails would go in when I hit them."

"Heehee! It's okay! I'll go check the umbrella stand!"

"That's my Muffin!" Derpy smiled wide as she shook and rattled. "So smart!"

"You doing okay? You need me to do anything before you get home?"

"I... uhhh..." Derpy's eyes rolled between the jostling bags on either side of her.

"Yes, Mommy?"

"Nope! I'm okay! You get at least one nap in before I get home, alright?"

"Awwww..."

"No whining, my Muffin! Sweet dreams!"

As the light went out and the broadcasted voice went silent, the bag of tomatoes mushed itself up against Derpy's face.

"Ooof! Mmmm!" She sniffed the bag of produce. "It sure is a ripe time for apples!" Her gray muzzle scrunched up. "Come to think of it, I should buy a farm. That would be so... so... cozy..."

"Fricking... frigging... stupid... flipping... muffin guzzling... wall-eyed... smiling idiot!" Rainbow Dash grunted as she flew harder and harder against the wind, the air making putty out of her sweat-slick face. Ahead of her, the rocketing chariot loomed, the only thing in her courageous sight. Beating the odds, Rainbow flapped her wings beyond their limit, gradually catching up with the runaway vessel.

Ten minutes into the speedy pursuit, the pegasus and her target had easily cleared the northeastern city limits of Ponyville. They were currently skirting the southern edge of Ghastly Gorge, slicing past the high mountain ridges immediately surrounding the misty canyon.

Rainbow Dash wasn't in the mood to sight-see. She levitated until she was at an even level with the rear-view mirrors of the chariot ahead of her. Once she could see the reflection of the stallion pilot's goggled face, she began flailing her forelimbs wildly.

"Hey! Heeeey! You!"

The stallion hummed to a radio he was listening to, oblivious to the voice cracking figure behind him.

"Hey! Featherbrain!" Rainbow Dash dove down, side-swiped a fir tree, and snatched a pair of pinecones from their branches. Propelling herself skyward like a missile, she spun and flung both objects angrily at the front of the chariot ahead of her. "Look at me!"

One pine cone missed, but the other managed to bounce off the rear-view mirror and ricochet into the chariot's cockpit. The stallion yelped in surprise at the sudden pinecone in his lap. He immediately cut the radio and looked into the mirror.

Rainbow's angry reflection waved angrily at him. "Pull over! Do it! Now!"

The stallion panicked. He glanced out the window at her then returned to his cockpit controls. With floundering hooves, he found the emergency breaks, then yanked at them.

Somehow, Rainbow Dash instinctually sensed it, and she shrieked. "Wait! Just slow down! Don't completely cut off the—"

The rockets died instantly. The wagon stalled, jerked,and lost altitude.

Rainbow Dash gasped. She flew forward, attempting to brace the rear of the descending craft.

It was too late. The wagon struck the peak of a passing mountain top. Sparks flew as the metal framework busted open. Rainbow Dash watched in horror as one particular crate, plastered with gray feathers, fell like an anvil into the belly of Ghastly Gorge below.

The chariot was half a second away from plunging into a mountainside. Rainbow heard the distressed shrieks of the pilot inside. Without a second thought, she dashed forward and lifted the rear of the craft. The vehicle flung clear of the rockface and avoided an explosive end, instead rolling to a rattling stop atop a steep cliff.

Breathless, Rainbow Dash peered down, squinting into Ghastly Gorge.

Her heart stopped, for she had caught sight of the supply crate colliding with a canyon wall. It imploded, spilling shipping popcorn and gray feathers everywhere. It didn't stop there; the thing rolled down a cleft of rock, smashed against a branch of thorny briars, and spilled a clump of debris into a lower abyss. The mass of unrecognizable junk rolled over a few times and looked like it was about to come to a stop. However, just then, four quarry eels thrusted out from a series of deep holes. With loud hisses, they bit onto opposite ends of the smashed crate, twisted the contents in their razor-toothed maws, and pulled the mess apart. There was a flash, like aquamarine lightning caught in the blink of Rainbow's horrified eyes, and then all she saw was a splatter of hot red juices staining the belly of the gorge.

Finally, all was silent.

Rainbow Dash whimpered something unintelligible. With drooping ears, drooping wings, and a drooping tail, she fell to a slump along the cliff's edge, her fuzzy blue chest heaving with labored breaths.

At last, the stallion pilot climbed his way out of the chariot and raised his goggles. "Whew!" He gawked at the wrecked wagon. "That was a close one!" He smirked at Rainbow. "Well, look at the bright side! At least nopony was hurt!"

Rainbow Dash's face swiveled icily towards the pony.

Twilight Sparkle dropped a stack of books as her wings fell limp.

"D-dead?!"

"Crushed, imploded, mangled to bits by quarry eels..." Rainbow Dash gulped as her body slid down the front door to the Ponyville library. "...but mostly dead." A pale expression washed over her as she ran her hoof shakily through her colorful mane. "I... I watched it happen inside Ghastly Gorge, Twilight. I had to give the police report and everything."

"And then you just flew h-here?" Twilight remarked. "Why?"

"I dunno!" Rainbow barked, tossing her head. "It's all so flippin' crazy! I feel like I'm in a dream!" She stood up and paced around in a tight circle. "Like, I tried stopping the chariot that was carrying Derpy. I flew as fast as I could! She was trapped inside a shipping box from the post office that was on board the thing. But as soon as I tried to pull the vehicle over, well..." Rainbow Dash squirmed, her ruby eyes dull. "The stallion driving the chariot stalled, hit a mountaintop, and down into the gorge Derpy went." She sighed, hanging her head even further. "There wasn't even a single scrap of her left. All was blood and feathers."

Twilight's mouth hung open. She held a hoof over her gaping mouth as moisture lined the edges of her eyes. "That's... that's... so t-terrible! I... I don't know what to say..." She gulped and glanced aside at Spike.

The dragon stood a few feet away, playing pensively with his tail. His eyes implored something from Twilight that the alicorn could not give.

Fidgeting, Twilight rubbed a hoof across her cheek, drying it. In a quiet shuffle, she trotted over to Rainbow’s side and placed a forelimb on her shoulder. "That... that couldn't have been a pleasant thing for you to have gone through." She gulped, trying to keep her composure. "But, from the sound of it, you did everything in your power to save Derpy from... such a terrible end."

"You kidding?" Rainbow Dash glared at her. "It's my darn fault she got into such a place to begin with!"

"But... how..." Twilight's face grimaced. "How could you say that, Rainbow Dash?! You weren't the one who caused such a crazy mishap!"

"But I sent a fool to do a genius' errand!" Rainbow Dash growled, lightly shoving Twilight's hoof off. "I was the one who made her go into the processing center to fix the assembly line! Ungh!" She began pacing again. "Figures! The one time I try to treat her as a smart... intelligent... c-competent mare, things go to Tartarus!"

She came to a stop before a library window. Spike and Twilight looked on as Rainbow Dash sighed into the dust of the room.

"She was always just so... so friggin' cheerful!" Rainbow Dash grumbled. "She seemed happy to whatever job you asked of her. It was my mistake to take advantage of that. I should have made her stay up front and deal with clients instead! I... I-I should have been prepared for this kind of decision making! It's just that this morning was so hectic and everything was happening so fast and—"

"The last thing you need to be doing right now is blaming yourself, Rainbow," Twilight said.

Rainbow turned around, sighed, and closed her eyes. "Maybe. Maybe not. One thing's for sure..." She gazed at Twilight with a hollow expression. "There's one job I gotta do right now, and I'd better not mess this one up too."

"What job is that?" Spike asked.

Twilight looked at Spike, then back at Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow Dash fidgeted, rubbing her leg with the other as she gazed nervously at the floor.

Twilight gulped. "Oh dear..."

MONDAY AFTERNOON

Rainbow Dash stood before the front gate to Derpy's front lawn and condominium. Music was playing inside, and through the window a petite unicorn filly could be seen dancing to the tune as she did housework. Dinky's eyes sparkled with the daylight wafting in through the front foyer, and her cheeks were rosy with life.

A grimace ran through Rainbow's face. She shuddered from mane to tail, then hung her head with a prolonged sigh.

"Whelp... You're an awesome, brave pony, Rainbow Dash." She gulped. "Get it together. One way or another, you gotta do this."

With lonesome clops, she trotted up the path, and pressed her hoof to the front gate.

Somewhere...

Far away...

Along the mountainous edge to a craggy stone plane drowning in eerie green light...

The plateau lit up with a splash of aquamarine light. A mass of wooden debris, shipping popcorn, and gray feathers fell to the black rockface with a thud. In the center was an upside down pegasus mare, her body tangled with two netted bags.

"Ooof!" Derpy Hooves thrashed about like an overturned tortoise. She stood up, covered all over with seeping red tomato juice. "Unnngh! Pew-wee! Apples don't smell so good on the inside, now do they?!"

She flung her hoof several times until the bag of mushed-up tomatoes flew loose from her forelimb. Pivoting about, she squinted at the heavy sack of void rocks.

"Well, at least you're in one piece! Heeheehee—"

With a blue spark, one shard was magnetically repelled so that it flew loose from the netting and smacked her upside the head.

"Ow! Grrrr..." With a lopsided frown, Derpy Hooves blindly snatched the loose rock from mid-air and shook it in the crook of her hoof. "Naughty stone! Be nice like your brothers and sisters!"

With a grunt, she thrusted the rock back into the bag. Hard.

All of the void rocks rattled together. The sparks between them lit up in a chain reaction, and soon she was covered with an aquamarine glow.

Then, just as swiftly as the pulse of light began, it vanished, along with the rocks... and Derpy Hooves.

The desert valley lay empty beneath green cosmic nebulae.

Monday Afternoon: Those Left to Mourn

EARLY MONDAY MORNING

"'The burning sun rose over the purple mountains with shimmering tendrils of effluent gold light. The air was crisp and brimming with the reinvigorated life of a fresh dawn. In Ponyville, in the apple of Equestria's illustrious eye, the royal subjects of Princess Celestia's glow were waking up, one by one, charismatically imbued with the desire to make life sweet and joyous and harmonious for themselves and their fellow neighbors. As the golden brightness in the east melted over each rustic rooftop and bouncing boughs of luscious trees, the illustrious equines consumed their morning sustenance, nuzzled their loved ones dearly, and proceeded to embark upon their separate professions, as 'tis the duty of Equestrian citizens everywhere—'"

"Ungh!" Sweetie Belle's voice ripped its way into the tranquil parlor to Carousel Boutique. "Rarity! Will you stop that racket?!" She stood in the doorway, frowning as she held an ornate comb in the crook of her hoof. "Between the constant tapping noises and your endless rambling, I can't concentrate on getting the tangles out of my mane!"

Rarity cringed, then slumped over her magically glowing typewriter with a sigh. "Sweetie Belle! For goodness' sake, darling!" She adjusted her pink robe and glared over her shoulder at her younger sibling. "It's not as if you own this place, now is it? I'm proud of you for beautifying your mane so early in the morning, but if the sound of my creative expression displeases you so, then why can't you go through the motions on the opposite side of the Boutique?"

"Because you're louder than Apple Bloom's big brother kicking a dead tree!" Sweetie's voice cracked as she brushed and frowned and brushed and frowned. "For your information, the only reason I'm awake is because you suddenly decided to give a speech through the walls!" She stomped her tiny hooves. "I could hear you from the third floor!"

"Well, my personal memoirs certainly aren't going to write themselves!" Rarity said, turning her nose up to the white-washed ceiling. "And if it's a crime that I can only hone in on my literary inspiration by reciting my paragraphs out loud, then I'll proudly hang by the gallows! Furthermore—" She suddenly gasped, tossing a double-take in the foal's direction. "Sweeite Belle! Is that... m-my antique Canterlotlian porcelain comb?"

"Uhhhh..." The foal blushed.

"Grrrrr!" Rarity wobbled angrily on the stool before her typewriter. "How many times have I told you not to go through my personal things?!" She shook her hoof in the early morning light. "Do you have any idea how expensive that thing is?! It was a personal payment from Sapphire Shores for a commission that I had done for her, and you're using its fragile needles to... nnngh... loosen your tangled bed hair?"

"Well, it's not like you have your name on it or anything!" It was Sweetie Belle's turn to upturn her nose. "Every time I so much as sneeze or breathe in this place, I'm somehow messing up something that's precious to you!"

"That's what happens when you spend the week at a home that isn't yours! You should learn to be more courteous and less impulsive!" Rarity groaned as she adjusted the sheet roller of the typewriter. "Prancing around as if you own the place! Hmmmph! Didn't Mother and Father teach you better etiquette for sleeping over at another pony's house?"

"Uunnh!" Sweetie Belle's jaw dropped as her eyes quivered. "But you're my big sister! It's not like I'm being sea quested at some stranger's apartment!"

"It's 'sequestered,' darling."

Sweetie stomped her hoof again. "I know what I said!" her voice cracked. "I'm not dumb, y'know!"

"Mmmm..." Rarity mumbled under tight white lips. "The jury's still out on that one."

"What did you say?"

"Eheheh..." Rarity tossed her a poster grin. "Nothing."

"Grrrr! I'm tired of you treating me as if I shouldn't exist!"

"Oh, Sweetie Belle, darling, don't go on being so dramatic."

"Stop calling me 'darling.' You only ever say that when you're mad!"

"I most certainly I do not!"

"You do too! I wonder why Mom and Dad ever bother dropping me off at your place if you're always so grumpy and selfish every minute of the day!"

"Hmmm... The thought has crossed my mind as well."

"Nnnnnnngh!" Sweetie Belle growled until her white coat turned red. On angrily waddling hooves, she stormed out of the room and tore down the adjacent hallway. "Fine! Be that way! I'm going to go brush my hair someplace where I won't bother you! Like in a lion's den!"

"Not with my precious comb, you won't!" Rarity blindly shouted back. "Be a good dear and put it back where you found it!" She was answered by the distant slamming of the parlor door. "Unnngh..." She ran a slipper'd hoof over her face. "Mother... Father... why this week? Why not the next or the one after that?"

As the vibrations of the shouting contest came to a halt, Rarity took several calm breaths. She straightened her mane and curved her lips into a delicate smile.

"Now, where were we?"

Her horn shimmered, covering the typewriter once more with violet-blue telekinesis. One after another, the typewriter keys clicked in place, following the dance of her tongue as she dictated her thoughts to the walls.

"'Harmony: for such was the importance of that little town. It shone like a jewel in the navel of ponydom, and all thanks to the qualities of kindness, honesty, loyalty, laughter, magic, and generosity that defined it. I, in particular, was a bearer of the lattermost quality, most commonly witnessed in the manner with which I bequeathed my creativity to the populace around me, and with such a liberal deluge of artistry too. My name is Rarity, or 'Lady Rarity' if you so desire to be formal. It is my greatest desire to spread elegance and beauty throughout this land, but it all started in a humble town... with humble ponies... all of whom loved each other very dearly...'"

Applejack sat at the kitchen table inside the Apple Family home. She held a spoon limply in the crook of her hoof, digging randomly and lethargically into a steaming bowl of porridge. Her hatless mane was tussled, with frayed edges to the bangs from the residual vestiges of sleep. Nevertheless, her eyes were as awake as ever, and they carved dull lines into the tabletop below her.

The silence was broken only by the clatter of utensils against bowls, as well as the occasional gulping sound.

Applejack exhaled heavily. She glanced up, gazing quietly across the table.

Granny Smith sipped from some tea, her bleary old eyes pouring over an unfolded newspaper before her. Big Macintosh was nibbling at the last of his meal: a large slice of buttered toast. Apple Bloom sat on a high stool, ravenously scarfing away at her bowl of porridge. In the silky gold light of dawn, nopony returned Applejack's glance.

Applejack's body rose and fell slowly with steady breaths. At last, she cleared her throat—like thunder across the kitchen linoleum—and put on a tiny smile. "So, Big Mac, you've got yerself the West Fields to harvest today, huh?"

"Eeyup," Big Mac muttered before lifting a glass of apple juice to his lips.

Applejack blinked. She squirmed a bit, clattering listlessly at her bowl. "You... uh... got quite a lot of work cut out for you. I'm ahead of my chores for the week, oddly enough. Think you'll need my help gettin' all the apples bucked?"

"Eenope," Big Mac replied, bearing a calm smile.

"So..." Applejack fidgeted. "You got everythang planned out all good and proper, I reckon."

"Eeyup..."

"Eheh... of course ya do..." Applejack cracked a toothy grin. "Yer big and strong. You really don't need yer lil' sis nearby, fumblin' around in the way of yer work."

"Eenope..." Big Mac got up, placed his dishes in the kitchen sink, and paused to pat Applejack on the head. He trotted smoothly away.

"Oh, Big Macintosh!" Granny Smith suddenly called out from beyond the pages of her newspaper. "Keep an eye out around dem bushes along the west fence! I saw a rattler slitherin' about last week while I was gardenin'!"

"Eeyup!" With a creak and slap of the kitchen screen door, Big Mac was gone. His heavy hoofsteps could be heard thundering off into the orchards outside, serenaded by Winona's random barks.

Applejack glanced over at Granny Smith. "That's mighty respectable of ya, Granny, lookin' after Big Mac's safety and all."

"I—er—wh-what..?" Granny blinked blearily at Applejack. She then gave a wrinkly smile, "Oh, shucks, I just figured that if he spots one of dem snakes, he could toss it in a bucket and throw it someplace where it could get rid of the farm's rat problem!"

Applejack's ears drooped a little. "Oh... well... th-that's what you call thinkin' with experience, Granny."

"Sure, sure, whatever..." Granny folded her newspaper, sipped the last of her tea, and stood up from the table. "Well, I'd better go grab me my bonnet. I'm headed into town to talk to Filthy Rich and then swing by the ol' marketplace for some fresh kitchen fix'ems!"

"Oh! Uhm... Won't you let me go with ya, Granny?" Applejack stood up from her chair and leaned forward. "It's such a long walk n'all. No need to wear yerself down."

"Ohhhh, Applejack. Don't be such a fuss-budge-it." Granny winked as she patted Applejack's forelimb. "I'm not nearly as run-down as you think I am."

"I... I didn't mean nothin' by it, Granny! I just wanted to help."

"And ya did help me, fillygirl! Ya paid the bits to fix my hip a few months back, now didn't ya?" Granny wheezed forth a laugh. "Heeeh heeeh heeeh! All those early years of teachin' ya hard work really paid off in the end! I'm really enjoyin' these mornin' walks!"

"Yes... I'm..." Applejack sat back down in her chair. "...mighty happy to have lent a hoof."

"That's cuz yer always so dependable, darlin'." Granny made her way slowly towards the opposite end of the house. "Now, don't forget to clean out the barn's hayloft! And also, the well needs that new bucket attached, assumin' the hogs haven't gotten to it and all!"

"But Granny, we're so caught up this week!" Applejack called forth. "Why can't we... I dunno... relax and have a picnic?! Or maybe chat over apple cider or somethin'? You ain't gonna be gone all day!"

"Now now, Applejack, that's not like you! You know very well this here farm's not gonna take care of itself. We gotta keep up a good work ethic!"

Applejack sighed as the front door opened and shut. "I know, Granny. I know."

A loud belching sound echoed across the kitchen.

Smirking, Applejack squinted aside. "Whoah, slow down there, AB! No sense in ya chokin' on yer vittles."

"Nope!" Apple Bloom wiped her mouth and hopped down from the empty bowl. "That's because I'm done!" She lifted the dish onto her head and carried it swiftly to the sink. "Thanks for the breakfast, big sis! You always make the best oatmeal!"

"Only c-cuz I have the best family," Applejack said with a soft smile. "Ahem. So, where you off to in such a hurry?"

"I gotta get to the clubhouse pronto! Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle will be there this afternoon, and they're countin' on me to build a new balcony on the south side of the shack!"

"A balcony, huh?" Applejack leaned against the table with a warm smirk. "Reckon I should take ya by the hardware store to fetch ya plenty of wood and nails and—?"

"I already did that!"

Applejack did a double-take. "Ya did?"

"Yup! Just yesterday!" Apple Bloom spun from the sink and smiled at her sister. "Me and Scootaloo went by Hayhoof's Hardware and Surplus! We bought a whole bunch of stuff to build the balcony with!"

"Where in tarnation did you get all the money?"

"We painted fences around town!" Apple Bloom gestured stroking movements with her hoof. "All them brushstroke techniques ya taught me as a lil' filly really came in handy! Not to mention my fancy Kung Fu moves! Hiiii-ya!" She performed a vicious uppercut to the air, then smirked. "We were rollin' in the bits in no time!"

"Ya don't say." Applejack gulped and trotted over to her with a gentle smile. "Well, how'd you reckon me givin' you another helpin' hoof today? You and I can work on that balcony together! Like sisters!"

"Heehee... That's really nice of you and all, Applejack, but I had it planned just right all along." Apple Bloom galloped off towards the screen door. "I even made blueprints! Havin' you around might... I dunno... mess up the grand design!"

Applejack tried not to wince. "Ya sure you don't want me to help? Luggin' around planks of wood sounds awful tiresome."

"Applejaaaaack..." Apple Bloom rolled her eyes and smiled back at her from the doorway. "I'm not a baby anymore! Besides, of course I gotta do this by myself! What if my talent is actually balcony-makin'? I can't have you stealin' all the thunder!"

"Er... no, I-I reckon not."

"Later, AJ!" Apple Bloom's voice rang back as she galloped beyond the clapping screen door. "Try not to work too hard today!"

"Oh, I... I won't..."

Alone, Applejack sat at the empty kitchen table. There, she picked up a glass of apple juice, swirled it around in the crook of her hoof, and eventually took a quiet, bitter sip.

The morning sunrise was still burning its way over the eastern mountains when the golden chariot flew into downtown Ponyville for a landing. Four muscled pegasus stallions made contact with the soft earth, galloping swiftly in order to land the vehicle with as little turbulence as possible. At last, they came to a stop, only lightly jostling the violet mane of the lone alicorn squatting in the chariot's plush seat.

Princess Twilight Sparkle blinked tiredly. With a sigh, she adjusted her crown and stepped gingerly out of the chariot.

"Your Majesty!" One of the stallions detached from the chariot's riggings and rushed to her side. "Allow me to assist you."

"It's quite fine, sir," Twilight muttered to the guard. "I think I remember how to trot."

"My apologies for the length of time it took for us to make a comfortable landing," he said, bowing low. "We had to circle around twice. There was a great deal of dense air traffic around the town's floating post office for some inexplicable reason."

"Nothing to be sorry about."

"It's our duty to bring you back safely from the Royal Conference, and you must be terribly exhausted from all the deliberations with Princess Celestia and Luna and—"

"All the reason for me to make swiftly for my home," Twilight droned. "My real home. Thanks for flying me back, sirs. But I can handle it from here."

"Are you certain, Your Highness?" The guard squirmed where he stood. "We can see many strange ponies roaming around these parts. There's no need for you to walk all by yourself."

"I've survived rampaging Ursa Minors, parasprite swarms, and a flamboyant dragonequs—all in this same town." Twilight smiled tiredly. "I think I can deal with a simple morning walk. Thank you, good sirs, but you're dismissed."

All four of the stallions bowed humbly. "As you wish, Your Majesty." They returned to the chariot, fitted themselves to the rigging, and galloped away.

Twilight paused and turned around. She watched the chariot as it took off and flew a wide arc around the city limits. The stallions made eye contact with the alicorn one last time, saluted, then rocketed back towards the hazy bowers of Canterlot in the far east. At last, they were beyond sight.

With a deep exhale, Twilight levitated her crown off and slid it discretely into her saddlebag. Zipping the thing shut, she trudged her way lethargically towards the heart of town. As she trotted along, several bright-eyed citizens paused to wave at her. Many of them bowed low, jittering nervously in her presence. Twilight smiled habitually at them, twitching when she saw familiar ponies curtsying with the same extreme show of humility. At last, she reached the front door to her treehouse library, and her hooves sprinted the last remaining district.

With a burst of air, she threw the door open, tossed herself inside, and slammed the thing shut behind. Twilight slumped to her knees, her wings drooping on either side of her as she let out the mother of all sighs. After a sniffling sound, her face twitched and her eyes began to water—

"Twilight!" Spike bounded down the steps with a wide grin. "Alright! You're back!"

Twilight shot up straight, rubbing her cheek dry and standing prim and proper. "Ahem. Yes, Spike," she said in a dull tone. "The Royal Conference is over."

"Woohoo! That means you've knocked out your quota early this month!" Spike pumped a fist and held his scaly palm out. "Princess High Hoof! Eh? Eh?!"

Twilight's nostrils flared. She trotted coldly past the whelp. "Yes. It is a good thing..."

Spike blinked, his emerald eyes glossy. "But... but..." He looked down at his hanging palm, then pointed at it. "You're ahead of schedule. Shouldn't that be a reason to celebrate?"

"I'm tired, Spike," Twilight Sparkle muttered as she trudged up the stairs. "And I really don't feel like celebrating at the moment."

"Why not?" Spike shrugged at the base of the steps. "Did something happen at the Royal Conference that's gotten you all... I dunno... moody?"

"What?!" Twilight gasped. She spun around with a knifing scowl. "No! I never said that! What would make you think that?!"

"I... uh..." Spike leaned back from her distant frown, sweating. "Jee, I don't know. Maybe a little lavender b-bird told me?"

"I've had very little sleep, Spike." With a sigh, Twilight resumed trotting up the steps. "So forgive me if I'm not exactly peachy."

"Are they forcing you to move out of Ponyville? Or... are they making you wear a fru-fru gown twenty-four seven?" Spike toyed with his claws as he spoke Suddenly, his purple features paled. "Oh no!" He pulled at the scaled edges of his face. "We're going to war with another kingdom!"

"Ungh! We are not, Spike!"

"Who is it?! The Griffon Dominion?! The Changeling Hive? The Colts in Gardez?! United Arabuck Emeroats?!"

"Spike, the only one I'd be going to war with is you if you don't let me enjoy some peace and quiet around here! I mean it!" She stormed up the last few steps. "I'll be in my room! Preferably asleep!"

The door slammed shut.

Spike limply pointed. "I-I made your bed and tidied your bookcase for you," he whimpered in a distant voice. A few seconds dripped by, and then he folded his arms. "Harumph. You're welcome." He kicked at the dusty floor and waddled off. "Princess Grumpy Saddle..."

"Now now, Angel," Fluttershy cooed as she finished tucking the tiny piece of living fluff into a matching-sized bed with a matching-sized quilt. "No more fussing about! What you need is some good bed rest and plenty of fluids!" She smiled dearly from where she crouched in the corner of her sunlit cottage. "That way, you'll be all better in no time!"

Angel sported the frown of the century. His ears were flattened by an icepack while a thermometer stuck its way out from beside his bucked teeth.

"There's a nasty bug going around, and I heard you coughing earlier while you were chewing on your breakfast carrot!" Fluttershy waved a hoof. "But Momma Fluttershy isn't going to let you catch the flu that easily!"

The bunny's forehead burned as his body shook with anger.

"Oh dear!" Fluttershy gasped, reaching a hoof to his reddened coat. "You've already got a fever, haven't you?! Ohhhhh! I knew this would happen!"

With a disgruntled squeak, the rabbit spat the thermometer away like a torpedo and flung the icepack down onto the floor beside his bed.

Fluttershy frowned. "Why are you doing this, Angel?! Don't you see that I just want to make sure you don't get any sicker than you already are?"

Angel sat up in bed, firing forth a salvo of breathy hisses and grunts, all the while gesturing madly with his paws.

"Well, you know what they say!" Fluttershy smiled nervously. "The first symptom of the common cold is denial!"

Angel blinked at her, then thunderously facepawed.

"Now just rest up, Angel..." Fluttershy laid him back down and tucked the quilt over his fluffy body. "It's not going to be so bad. You'll see." She gestured across the cottage full of tranquil rodents and critters milling about. "This is the absolute best place in all of Equestria to enjoy some nice peace and quiet."

A hoof pounded murderously on the cottage door. "Fluttershy! Open up! Ponyville emergency!"

"Gaaah!" Fluttershy shot up like a yellow comet, clutching up-side down to a swinging birdhouse as her body rattled from the inside out. She clenched her teeth shut and flung a frightened glance towards the door. "Rainbow... D-Dash...?"

"I know you're in there, Fluttershy! Come on out! I wanna have a word with ya! Pronto!"

"Just a second!" Fluttershy limply glided down to Angel's tiny bed. She stuck the ice pack back on his head. She cleaned the thermometer off and put it back in his mouth. She fluffed his pillow and she folded the quilt back over his body and she straightened his ears—

"Nnnngh! Fluttershyyyyyyy!"

"C-coming!" Fluttershy flitted over to the door, unlatched four sets of locks one by one, and slowly opened it up. She peered through with bright, blinking eyes. "Uhm... wh-what is it?"

"Fluttershy, what gives?!" A very frazzled, extremely breathless Rainbow Dash hovered before her door. Her mane was a mess and two saddlebags full of envelopes hung from each flank. "I first knocked on the door over a minute ago! Are your hooves made out of molasses or what?"

"But it's so early in the morning, and..." Fluttershy squinted at the letters falling out of Rainbow's bags. "Are you... carrying the mail?"

"Ungh! And how!" Rainbow snatched the crumpled sheets up and shoved them back into her satchels. "I'm up to my flanks in packages and parcels! There's a big problem here in Ponyville!"

"Oh n-no!" Fluttershy trembled, her ears instantly folding back. "Is it Queen Chrysalis? The Spirit of King Sombra? Rabid chipmunks?!"

"No, we've got a severe shortage in the—" Rainbow Dash did a double-take. She spun her head from her saddlebags and squinted at Fluttershy. "Chipmunks? Really?"

Fluttershy gulped and smiled. "They're rather grumpy this time of year."

"Never mind. Look, there's a shortage of workers at the Ponyville Post Office. Tons of pegasi are sick with the pony flu."

"Oh, I heard about that. Isn't—?"

"And they're calling all available pegasi to fill in for volunteer work to make sure the postal deliveries go through!" Rainbow Dash grumbled as she fidgeted with the heavy satchels hanging off her body. "As you can see, I've been tasked with commandeering the weather team into mailpony mode! And we're still short on workhooves! I'm having to knock door to door while delivering the mail to see if any winged pony is able and willing to help out! It's a total disaster area at the post office! It's killing me to spend another hour away from supervising the place just to make these stupid rounds!"

"Oh dear..."

"Yours in the last house on my morning route. Come on, Fluttershy! You gotta help us out!" Rainbow Dash stammered. "Every bit of assistance we can get would be a goddess-send!"

"I would love to, Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy said with a nod. "Honestly, I would. But..." She sighed. "I'm afraid that I can't right now."

"Ungh!" Rainbow tossed her rolling eyes. "Well, this had better be good!" She leaned forward with a frown. "Because if your only excuse is that you have a severe phobia of licking envelopes, then I swear—"

"No no no!" Fluttershy leaned back, blushing. "Though, th-that is also true, it's n-nothing like that! I do have a good excuse this time!" She gulped and opened the door wide enough to reveal a pouting bunny rabbit in his bed. "It's Angel! The poor thing is coming down with something! I-I'm afraid to leave his side for a second! Much less for a whole day!" Fluttershy sighed. "I'm sorry, Rainbow Dash. But, as you can see, I'm having a little emergency of my own here."

Rainbow Dash squinted into the cottage, her ruby eyes reflecting Angel's frowning face. "Why, he doesn't look all that sick to me," the pegasus muttered, glaring aside at Fluttershy. "You sure you're not just imagining things, Fluttershy?"

"Why, Rainbow Dash!" Fluttershy gave a breathy gasp. "How could you say such a thing! Don't I know my animals?"

Rainbow gazed lethargically at the veritable herd of furry things bouncing all around the cottage. "I know that you love on ‘em somethin' hard."

"I keep an eye on each and every one of them with utmost care!" Fluttershy tilted her nose up. "Why, just this morning, I realized Angel was coming down with something when he started coughing non stop!"

"Was it while he was having breakfast?"

"Uhm..." Fluttershy's cheeks went rosy. "Yes."

"Aren't you always telling me and the girls how frustrated you are with him chewing on his carrots too quickly? He probably got some of the crap lodged in his throat and was trying to cough it up!"

"Still, I can't take any chances!" Fluttershy exclaimed. "There's a flu going around, after all. You of all ponies should know that."

"Ungh! But Fluttershyyyyy..." Rainbow Dash's mailbags jostled as she barked, "It's the pony flu! Rabbits can't catch that, now can they?!"

"Well... uhm..."

"See, this is something you gotta work on, Fluttershy!" Rainbow Dash pointed at her house full of animals. "It's okay to love on these critters of yours, but I think you do it a bit too much! You're a worrywort!"

"A worry... wort...?"

"You fret over every little thing! You've taken good care of these animals. Don't you think it's time you let them take care of themselves?"

"But... they need me!" Fluttershy dug at the floor with a soft yellow hoof. "Without my care, they're so frail and vulnerable and defenseless..." An ice pack ricocheted off her skull, and she frowned towards the tiny bed.

"Well, help them learn not to be so much! I mean... you can't be taking care of Angel and the rest forever, can you?"

Fluttershy opened her mouth, but a pale sheen washed over her lips. She stared pensively into the corner of the cottage.

"Unnngh. Fine. Whatever. Look." Rainbow Dash held her two hooves out. "The Ponyville Post Office is important. But the local wildlife of this town is important too. Besides, who am I to tell you how you should or shouldn't take care of these guys?"

"You're... uh... you're my fr-friend, Rainbow Dash—"

"Just make sure none of them get sick. For real, okay?" Rainbow Dash hovered out the door and lifted off towards the sky. "Now that I think about it, this is a lucky break. You really wouldn't want anything to do with this volunteer mess. Think of this as a ticket to freedom, Fluttershy. Not that you owe me or anything but... ungh... I've got a lot of stupid, crazy work ahead of me." And, in a flurry of envelopes, she was gone.

Fluttershy gulped and leaned on the door, slowly shutting the noisy, frightening outside world away. "Take good care of yourself..."

"Omigosh! Omigosh!" Pinkie Pie gasped, leaning her pastel self towards the high-chair where Pumpkin Cake sat with an infantile grin across her face. "Is that a tooth?! Huh?! Is that a tooth?!" She stood up on her hind legs and shouted through an invisible bullhorn. "I think I see a tooth!"

"Ungh! Pinkie Pie! For goodness' sake!" Cup Cake trotted across the kitchen and wiped Pumpkin's giggling face clean before spooning her some more baby food. "So maybe it is or maybe it isn't. There's no need to wake the neighbors over something so—"

But the bouncing earth pony had already gotten her hooves on a bass drum and was busy bounding across the linoleum floor with two sticks thundering away. "A tooth! A tooth! Forsooth she's got a tooth!"

"Pinkie!" Cup Cake snarled, turning bluer in the face.

"It's not a roof or a sleuth! But a Celestia darn toooooth—" Her drum ran smack-dab into Mrs. Cake's outstretched hoof. "Whoah!" Pinkie blinked over her heavy percussion instrument. "Mrs. Cake, that wasn't the part where you're supposed to join in! Besides, where are your cymbals?"

"I'm afraid the symphony has to stop early, Pinkie!" Cup Cake panted while her foals giggled from their high chairs behind her. "It's still the wee hours of the morning!"

"I see plenty of sunlight!" Pinkie tossed the drum behind her with a thud and grinned through the crashing noise. "The day's young! Plenty of hours left to celebrate baby's teeth!"

"I'm afraid I don't have much time for that, Pinkie. I've got several dozen doughnuts to bake, two wedding cakes to prepare, and I've still got to find out a way to make a delivery to the post office after Candy Mane came back. From what she’s told me, it sounds like that place is a greater mess than this kitchen is!"

Suddenly, Mr. Cake stuck his head in from the lobby to Sugarcube Corner. "What's all the noise?" he asked in a frenzied tone. "Are the bombs finally dropping?"

"Pumpkin's got her first tooth, Mr. Cake!" Pinkie beamed. She suddenly whipped a trumpet out of nowhere. "You're just in time to join the wind section!"

"Uhm..." Cup Cake leaned in and snatched the instrument from Pinkie's grasp. "Let's put a hold on the orchestra, dear."

"But... but..." Pinkie pouted sadly with folded ears. "How else am I going to practice for the Happy Potty Training Celebration Day?"

"Believe me, when the day comes, my hubby and I will be the ones celebrating." Mrs. Cake looked over at the stallion. "Carrot, honeybun, how's the lobby?"

"Almost sparkly clean, Cup. I'll be joining you with the baking shortly."

"Oh, it'd be wonderful if we can get at least a dozen doughnuts baked before opening the shop!" Cup Cake trotted hurriedly across the kitchen while Carrot retreated once more into the front room. "Between taking care of the children and making sure all the ingredients are in order, I've about pulled my mane out twice!"

"Ooh! Ooh!" Pinkie bounced. "Lemme help! Huh huh? I can bring that stress of yours down to sea level so that you can cuddle with starfish!"

"Oh, no need, dearie," Cup Cake said with a nervous smile. "You've been up all night. Why not catch some shut-eye upstairs?"

Pinkie's face stretched with confusion. "The only reason I was up all night was because I was busy figuring out party plans for the foals' upcoming birthday! They'll be one year old! I still need to find one thousand candles!"

"Good heavens, no!" Cup Cake gasped while feeding Pound another spoonful and wiping his muzzle clean. "We don't want Sugarcube Corner going up in smoke!"

"Heehee! Silly filly! Don't you trust me?"

"I... trust that you will... k-keep the spirits up around this place all well and fine," the mare fumbled to say.

"Well, that's what I'm here for, isn't it?" Pinkie said with a happy bounce. "Mom and Dad were smiling so much around me, their faces nearly fell off! So that's why they sent me to Ponyville years ago! So that I could spread the cheer around here instead!"

Cup Cake fidgeted, silent.

Pinkie grinned wider than the moon. "Right?"

Just then, Mr. Cake stuck his head into the kitchen again. "Don't look now, sweet cakes, but I think I see Miss Hooves walking just outside!"

"Oooh! Goodness me!" Cup Cake placed down the baby food and rushed across the kitchen to where a package rested on a counter. "This may be my one chance! I'd better catch her!"

"Catch Derpy?" Pinkie spun about, blinking. "What for? Is she being pitched to home plate?"

"Hardly anything of the sort!" Mrs. Cake balanced the box on her shoulders and bounded for the door. "I've gotta get this package sent out, and Candy Mane couldn't get through the line at the post office earlier! Maybe Miss Hooves can help out!"

"Better hurry!" Carrot Cake exclaimed. "You know how much your brother hates it when he receives important stuff late."

"Shhh!" Mrs. Cake hissed across the kitchen at him.

But it was too late; Pinkie inhaled a hurricane through her mouth before gasping, "This is a package for Daddy?! Oooh! Lemme deliver it!"

"Pinkie..."

She bounced around the mare as she chirped, "I can take it through the post office! I'll just strap a bunch of balloons to my tail and fly on up there and do the official stamp-a-roo!"

"Pinkie, please..."

"I could maybe even find time to slip in a postcard and a packet of sprinkles and a Haymark Card—"

"No need, dear." Cup Cake forced Pinkie still with a firm hoof to her shoulder. She gulped and smiled nervously. "I think it's best that... th-that I deliver this package to your folks. Don't you fret a thing."

Pinkie's blue eyes blinked. "But I'm not fretting at all, Mrs. Cake!" She leaned her head gently aside. "Don't Mom and Dad wanna hear back from me?"

Cup Cake bit her lip. After a few seconds of fidgeting, she cracked a smile and said, "They're certainly hearing about you, Pinkie. I make sure to write them every month."

Pinkie's bright brow furrowed. "But... but..."

"Oh, cinnamon sticks! She's about to fly off!" Cup Cake galloped away. "Sorry, but I gotta go! Be right back! Carrot, will you hold the fort, darling?"

"I always do, cuddlebuns!"

"Oh! Miss Hooves! Wait right there!"

The kitchen door swung back on its own, slapping shut in Pinkie's quiet, contemplative face.

Spike hummed to himself, sweeping a broom across the library's wooden floor while the noonday light from the windows swam across the rustic interior. As he filled a dustpan, he heard a series of clops and looked up. With a blink, he stood and waved his free hand.

"Twilight! You're up!" He smiled. "Did you have a good morning nap?"

"Mmmmmfff..." Shadows hung under Twilight's eyes as she shuffled down the steps and approached the nearest line of books. "I've got some... st-studying to do..."

Spike emptied the dust pan into the trash, all the while squinting suspiciously in Twilight's direction. "You... didn't get any sleep, did you?"

"Meh..." Twilight stood up on her rear hooves, wobbling from the odd weight of her royal wings. "It doesn't matter."

"Of course it matters!" Spike exclaimed. He placed the dustpan down and waddled towards her, shrugging. "What's on your mind? Maybe you and I can talk about it!"

"There's nothing to talk about," Twilight muttered as she levitated a stack of books down from various shelves. "Only reading."

Spike craned his neck to glance at the titles while they whizzed by. "'History of Equestrian Biology.' 'The Lasting Legacy of Starswirl.' 'The Age of Equestrian Feudalism.'" He scratched his head with a lone claw. "What the heck could you possibly be studying now?"

Twilight turned, blinking wearily at him. With a breath she said, "You've done a good job cleaning this place while I was gone at the Conference. Why don't you take the rest of the day off?"

"Rest... of the day?" Spike looked out the window. "But, it's barely twelve o'clock! You've only been back home for a few hours! Why don't you just chill and let me tidy the place up a bit more?"

"Don't you want to go outside, Spike?" Twilight muttered, trotting across the room with the floating books in tow. "Enjoy some sunlight? Maybe dig up a few gemstones? We all know how you like doing that."

Spike folded his arms with a frown. "It almost sounds like you just wanna get rid of me."

"Really, though..." Twilight grumbled into the dust of the place. "I could... just use some time alone right now."

"What for?" Spike shrugged. "Can't we talk about it?"

"Please, Spike. Just leave me be for a while. I mean it."

"Twilight, I don't get it!" He planted his hands on his hips. "This isn't like you! I mean, ever since you moved to Ponyville, you've hated being alone!"

"There's a time for friendship and there's a time for solitude."

"Funny." Spike pointed. "I thought it was friendship that got you those silly wings to begin with."

Twilight tried not to snarl; she failed. Frowning, she spun about to rebuke spike—

But just then, the front door flew open. Rainbow Dash blurred in and slammed the thing shut behind her. She was a panting, sweaty, disheveled mess.

"Whoah!" Spike jumped back.

Twilight swiveled to face her. Her expression immediately paled with concern. "Rainbow Dash?" She trotted closer. "You look horrible! What's wrong?"

Rainbow Dash gulped and braced herself against the door. She clenched her lips tight, but eventually blurted, "Derpy Hooves is dead."

The room fell silent.

Twilight Sparkle dropped her stack of books as her wings fell limp.

"D-dead?!"

MONDAY AFTERNOON

Rainbow Dash stood before the front gate to Derpy's front lawn and condominium. She could see Dinky dancing as the little filly cleaned up the home while listening to happy music inside.

"Whelp... You're an awesome, brave pony, Rainbow Dash." The pegasus murmured to herself. "Get it together. One way or another, you gotta do this."

With lonesome clops, she trotted up the path, and pressed her hoof to the front gate.

A lavender forelimb rested directly on top of hers.

"Not by yourself, you're don't."

Rainbow turned and blinked over her shoulder. "Twilight...?"

The alicorn clenched her jaw tight and nodded. "This is a sad turn of events that affects all of Ponyville. As a newly-crowned Princess of this land, it is my place to make sure that everypony is taken care of."

"Twilight, you hardly even know this kid!" Rainbow Dash hoarsely retorted.

"Does it matter?" Twilight leaned in with a sympathetic expression. "Tragedies like this just don't happen everyday. Derpy Hooves—from all we know about her—was a single mother! This child—this Dinky—she has no surviving father or aunt or uncle or any adult guardian to take care of her—"

"You think I don't frickin' know that, Twilight?!" Rainbow hissed, knocking the alicorn's hoof away. She stomped her hooves on the ground and barked, "It's my fault her mother croaked in the first place! I was the one who sent her to her death!"

"Rainbow Dash, you didn't—"

"I did." Rainbow frowned. "I should have had the foresight and common sense to know that Derpy would have only screwed up and gotten herself hurt when I sent her to fix the broken assembly line! But I was too self-absorbed in my own frustrations and stress of this morning, and I didn't bother to think! Now Derpy is dead, and it's all because of me!"

"But Rainbow, if you try to claim responsibility for every horrible thing that happens, you're never gonna live with yourself peacefully!"

"I get what I deserve in life," Rainbow Dash grunted. "Anything good or bad that happens, it's 'cuz I earn it. Not all of us can get ahead of the curve by inventing a magic spell and earning new wings, Twilight."

Twilight frowned. "You think that anything I've gone through since I've become a Princess has been easy?"

"Heck, no!" Rainbow Dash spoke in earnest. "But I expect you to have the good sense to know what you're capable of handling!"

Twilight exhaled with a shudder, staring down at her hooves.

"Don't you fret about me, Twilight," Rainbow muttered as she stared at the path leading up to the lone condominium door. "I'm not gonna fret over every bump in the road before or behind me. Besides, that's Fluttershy's job." She sighed and placed her hoof against the gate door again. "I just know for a fact that I'm responsible for today's tragedy, and if you respect the element of friendship that I represent, then you'll let me act on that responsibility."

Twilight slowly nodded. "I understand, Rainbow. But, even still..." She leaned forward. "It doesn't mean you have to be alone."

"Why do you wanna be here so badly, anyways?" Rainbow asked in a quiet tone. "As soon as I open that door and trot in, it's gonna be a super sad day."

"Because I just have to be there too, that's all," Twilight said, teetering slightly.

Rainbow blinked. "Are you feeling okay, Twilight? You look kind of... I dunno.. exhausted."

"I've had a lot on my mind, but with the news of Miss Hooves—I've got even more on my heart." Twilight motioned towards the apartment. "Go on ahead, Rainbow Dash. I'll just be in the shadows. I promise that I won't steal the spotlight."

Rainbow sighed and pushed the door open. "Yeah..."

"And if you need me to rush in at any time and help out by saying anything poetically—"

"Yeah yeah..."

Dinky squatted on the couch as the record player continued playing music in the background. She stared out the window with squinting amber eyes. A broom and a mop rested against the couch behind her. The filly's little tail flicked back and forth.

Suddenly, a blue shard on an endtable glittered. The sound of bells magically rang through the room. Dinky reached over and picked the enchanted sound stone up.

"Hello?"

"Crkk—Muffin?"

"Hiya, Mommy!" Dinky sing-songed.

"My Muffin! Mommy's so glad to hear your voice! I just wondered—" The voice paused, then crackled back into existence. "Is that Mareweather Post Pavillion?"

"Yup!" Dinky smiled against her reflection as the record spun in the background. "You listen to really weird music, Mommy!"

"Well, how are you liking it, Muffin?"

"It's got a nice beat and you can canter to it!"

"Jee, that's so swell! What are you up to today?"

"Ohhh..." Dinky shrugged. "Cleaning the house. Dancing. Watching Rainbow Dash and Princess Twilight Sparkle have an argument in our front yard."

"Yeah. Heheh. That sounds great. Say, Muffin, could you do me a favor?"

Dinky turned away from staring at the lavender and blue blobs from beyond the front gate. "What is it, Mom?"

"Could you take a look around the house and tell me if you see any giant mushrooms?"

Dinky's face scrunched up. She trotted into the main hallway, gazing left and right. "Not seeing anything..."

"None? No fungus whatsoever?"

"I'm afraid not, Mommy."

Derpy dangled the blue necklace before her as she stood in a swampy bog somewhere, surrounded by forty-foot tall mushrooms stretching into an ethereal azure mist. Giant dragonflies and flickering lantern bugs buzzed around her.

"Then that settles it!" Derpy smiled to the north and the south at the same time. "Mommy's not in Ponyville anymore!"

"Is everything alright, Mommy?"

"Oh, just peachy, my Muffin!" Derpy sniffed, then held a gray hoof over a scrunchy face. "Though it certainly doesn't smell it..."

"Mommmmmm..." Dinky's voice giggled. "Did you fly off course again?"

"Hey!" Derpy sputtered. "This is nothing like that one Winter Wrap-Up with the southern birds!"

"Heehee! I never said it was, Mommy!"

"Anyway, Mommy needs to... do a few things before she gets home..." Derpy lifted a hoof, squinting at a giant centipede clinging to her fetlock. With a few easy jerks, she tossed the creature back into the swampy muck. "Hopefully it won't be too long. But just in case, you know where the oatmeal mix is, right?"

"Inside the pantry, third shelf from the bottom, left side."

"Heeeee!" Derpy blushed as a giant black widow dangled overhead from a single silken strand. She blindly side-stepped before the venomous arachnid's pedipalps could grasp onto her blonde mane. "That's a smart muffin! I raised you good, didn't I?"

"I learn from the best, Mommy. Oooh! I think the Princess and Rainbow Dash are visiting!"

"Fancy that! Be a good hostess and offer them some ice water! Mares love ice water!" Derpy raised the sack of void stones in her grasp. "It... uh... it might be a while before I can talk to you again! Everytime I jump around, the sound stone undergoes interference!"

"Jump around? Are you at a dance club?"

"Now now, we've been through this, Muffin. Mommy quit dance clubs. Just like she quit base jumping."

"Heeheehee! Anyways, I gotta talk to you later, Mommy! They're at the door! Have a safe trip home!"

"I always try to! And remember to take your nap, Muffin!"

"Yes, Mommy." And the foalish voice faded, along with the glow to the blue shard.

Derpy let the necklace dangle again as she plodded across the swampy bog, fumbling with her tattered mailpony uniform and the void stones hanging from it. "Now which one of you potatoes do I have to kick in order to get the bad smell away? It was rather fragrant earlier in that place with all the potted petunias!"

She whistled to herself, meanwhile a big, black, shelled thing with two scorpion tails stalked her from behind.

"Hmmm-hmmm-hmmm... What would I want? Sky! What would I want? Sky!—" She gave the bag a firm kick. The stones within rattled together with aquamarine light.

Just as the two scorpion stingers lashed, the pegasus had vanished.

"Did... did you ring the doorbell?" Twilight asked.

"Yes, Twilight," Rainbow Dash muttered, fidgeting intensely upon the front stoop to the Hooves residence. "Twice."

Twilight bit her lip. "Maybe a third time will do."

"Look, we're here to share bad news," Rainbow Dash grumbled. "Not bad manners."

"She was playing loud music earlier, maybe you should just be a bit more assertive."

"Do you forget who you're talking to?"

"I'm just saying—"

"Maybe..." Rainbow Dash shrugged. "...Derpy's kid is deaf."

"Deaf?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"Huh?"

"Why would you think that Dinky is deaf?"

"Well, you know, because her mother was so... so..."

"So what?"

"I dunno."

"If you don't know, then why were you about to say something so presumptuous to begin with?"

"Look, it's not like I ask why your big brother looks so dog-eyed all the time..."

"True... true..." Twilight nodded. She then did a double-take. "Wait, you think that Shining Armor has dog-eyes?"

"Erm..."

"What in Tartarus is that supposed to—?"

With a squeak, Dinky opened the door. She waddled up to the front stoop, grinning widely. "Hello there, Miss Dash!" She turned and curtsied low to Twilight. "Greetings, Your Majesty!" She then bounced in place. "How can I help you two today?"

Twilight's jaw clamped shut. She looked at Rainbow.

Rainbow stood in dead silence. Her entire throat was embroiled with a nasty battle against a huge lump. She did her best to avoid the foal's gaze, but failed. After a few seconds, she cleared her throat. "HiyaDinkymaywecomein?" It sounded like a dolphin trying to squeak through a blowhole stuffed with cheese.

Twilight did her best not to perform a royal facehoof.

"Why, sure!" Dinky waddled backwards, gesturing into the interior with a stout limb. "Like my Mom always says! Polite guests deserve a polite house!"

Twilight squeaked through tight lips. Rainbow hissed at her, and the princess took a deep breath for strength. Together, like stiff undertakers, the twin mares marched into the domain.

Dinky closed the door behind them and galloped towards the kitchen. "Just make yourselves comfy in the living room! I'll fetch you some ice water!"

"Oh, well, th-that sounds lovely, Dinky—" Twilight began, only to have a blue hoof shoved into her lips.

"That won't be necessary, girl," Rainbow Dash said in a low tone. "Look, can we—I dunno—find a place to sit down?"

Dinky spun about with sparkly blue eyes. "You don't want ice water?" the filly asked with a cute, quivering lip.

Twilight squeaked again, shivering and squirming.

Rainbow sighed and brought her hoof down from Twilight's muzzle. "For real. Let's just go someplace quiet."

"Well, okay then!" Dinky grinned wide as she led them both into the sunlit living room. "Funny you should ask for that! My mom really likes the peace and quiet, when she's not listening to music, that is."

"Uh huh..." Rainbow Dash muttered, each hoofstep like a cane plodding through wet concrete.

"In fact, if she had her way, she'd be quiet all the time!" Dinky sing-songed. "Like, forever!"

"Mmmm!" Twilight was misty-eyed at this point. Rainbow flung her a glare.

"In fact, she once joked about building this sound proof chamber and digging a hole in the ground so she could lie there and—"

Twilight immediately broke into sobs. Rainbow Dash flung a blue wing up to cover her face and cleared her throat dramatically to mask the sound. "Ahem. Look, Dingy, was it?"

"Dinky."

"Right. Dinky Hooves. Daughter to... uh... Derpy Hooves..." She gulped. "Residents of Ponyville... which is in Equestria... which is in the world." She blinked, twitching. "Light side."

"Oh Celestiaaaaaaa!" Twilight cracked, covering her face and hissing into her forelimb. "It'ssoterribllllle..." She produced muffled sob after muffled sob.

Dinky blinked at Twilight, then back at Rainbow. "I don't get it. Is this place a mess? I cleaned up just a moment ago! Mommy always loves it when she comes back to a clean house!"

"Mraaaaaa-haaa-haaaaaaugh!" Twilight bellowed into her hooves, her coat soaked with tears.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. Her entire body sagged to the carpet with a heavy sigh. "Look. Just... just sit down for a moment, will ya, kid?"

Dinky slowly nodded, slowly sat in a chair, slowly gave Rainbow her avid attention.

Rainbow paced around a few times, her shuffling hooves forming percussion to Twilight's muted cries. At last, she spun to face Dinky, bearing down on the filly like the edge of a blue thunderstorm. "Dinky Hooves, this morning... th-there was an accident at the post office."

"An... accident...?" Dinky stammered.

"Yes. It started at the assembly line... with your mother, Derpy. And... sh-she got mixed up with a package that was supposed to be carried across Equestria."

"My... mother...?" Dinky mewled.

"And... and the chariot carrying your mother crashed. The package that she was in fell into Ghastly Gorge. I... uh... I was there, Dinky... and... uh..." Rainbow took a deep, deep breath and finally said, "She's dead, Dinky. Your mother passed away this morning. She's gone. I... I'm so very sorry."

Dinky blinked. She blinked again. Then she broke into outrageous giggles. "Heeheeheehee!"

Twilight's face yanked up, her puffy eyes exploding in shock.

Rainbow's mouth had about fallen to the floor. She exchanged looks with Twilight, then gawked at Dinky. "Hey... Hey kid. Are you... uh... are you alright?"

"Hahahaha..." Dinky wiped the edges of her eyes dry. "My Mommy? Dead?"

"I'm afraid so, kid."

"That's impossible!"

Rainbow Dash winced. "She fell from hundreds of feet, ricocheted off the canyon walls, and... uh... kinda sorta became quarry eel food." Twilight smacked her in the back. Rainbow snarled, "Look, that's how it friggin' happened, okay?! It ain't pretty, but I was there and I tried to stop it but it was too late and... and..." Rainbow sighed once again. "I'm so sorry, kid. But she's really, truly gone."

"No, she isn't!" Dinky giggled again. "I just talked with her three minutes ago!"

Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow. "Wat."

Twilight leaned in. "She... she was here?!" Her tears instantly vanished, replaced by a gaping smile. "In this very house?"

"Nope!" Dinky hopped down from the chair and waddled over to the end table. She pulled the sound stone off in her teeth. "Ptooie!" She spat it into her hoof and held the blue shard high. "Through this! See?!"

Rainbow Dash grimaced, inching away from the small rock as if it was radioactive. "Uhhh... I see a shiny blue turd..."

"It's a sound stone, silly!" Dinky grinned even wider. "We used it to talk to each other all the time!"

"You and your Mom?"

"Yup!"

"Like... instantaneous communication...?"

"Yup yup!"

Rainbow Dash glanced over her shoulder at Twilight. Twilight shrugged, then leaned forward. "Could you... uhm... talk to her right now?"

"Sure! Just listen!" Dinky held the shard in two hooves and began rubbing it like a lamp. "Mommy! Dinky to Mommy! Hello?" She brought the dull thing to her ear. Nothing happened. The filly frowned and began rubbing it more vigorously. "Come in, Mommy! It's Dinky! It's your Muffin! Come onnnn! Talk to me!"

Twilight Sparkle was chewing on the end of her hoof at this point. With a twitch of her wings, she gazed sadly at Rainbow Dash. Rainbow was simply shrugging the whole time.

"Funny..." Dinky paused to tap the tip of her chin in thought. "Why isn't it working?" She then gasped. "Oh, duhhh!" She bopped herself in the horn. "Heehee! She flew somewhere off course, and the long distance travel is messing with the signal! Of course! Well... I was talking with her a few moments ago. I'm pretty sure she'll call me again later, on her own time of course. Heehee. You know, for such a good mailpony, she really doesn't know when to time stuff well!" Dinky winked. "Good thing I'm always around to look after her. Heehee! I love my Mommy so much!"

"Wow. You sound... uh... really attached, kid."

"Rainbow, shhh!"

Rainbow turned to frown at Twilight. "What?"

Twilight cleared her throat and trotted forward. "So, you were talking to her?" she asked the foal. "To your mother? Just now?"

"Uh huh uh huh..." Dinky nodded and nodded again. "Right when the signal was still good. I really don't know what's happening right now. But, like I said, she'll probably ring me up later. We've got matching stones, y'know! Very rare!"

"And these... talking stones—"

"Sound stones."

"Right... did they tell you where your mother was?"

"Well, no, but she described a bunch of super tall mushrooms!"

Rainbow Dash's eyes were thin. "Mushrooms."

"Yup! Isn't the life of a mailpony awesome?" Dinky hopped around the two flabbergasted mares. "When I grow up, I wanna travel the world just like her! Maybe I'll get to see giant mushrooms too! Isn't that exciting?" She skidded to a stop on gray hooves. "Oh! Darn! Where are my manners? I told Mommy that you two were trotting up to the front door, and she suggested I make you some ice water! Let me get right on that." She curtsied while trotting backwards. "Rainbow Dash... Your Highness..." She turned and skipped happily into the kitchen.

"Huh..." Rainbow rubbed her chin. "You know any place in Equestria that has huge mushrooms?"

Twilight bopped Rainbow on the head.

"Ow ow ow..." Rainbow winced.

"Rainbow, don't you get it?" Twilight scowled. She leaned in to whisper tightly in Rainbow's ear. "The poor little filly is in denial!"

"Denial?"

"She can't bear the weight of the truth," Twilight said in a heavy breath. "The poor thing would be crushed by the pain of loneliness she'd be facing. This whole... 'sound stone' thing is her way of coping."

"Ah jeez..." Rainbow Dash's ears instantly folded. "That sucks."

"Besides, have you ever seen a filly that darn happy before?"

"I dunno. I mean, I've never been around Derpy's kid all that much."

"Even still, this is at unnatural levels of joy."

"Okay, so... like... what the hay?" Rainbow Dash exclaimed hoarsely as the sound of running water echoed from the kitchen. "Since when did kids act that crazy? I mean, heck, I've lived through two parents' deaths, Twilight, and on both occasions I just took the truth when it was given to me, no matter how hard it was. I didn't make up some crazy mushroom fantasy on the spot!"

"Who said it was all on the spot?" Twilight thought out loud.

"Huh?"

Twilight sighed. "Rainbow, think about it. Ponyville's a small town. How do we know that word of Derpy's death didn't reach Dinky before we did?"

"Oh jeez..." Rainbow winced. Heavily. "You don't suppose the little scamp heard the wrong thing before we even came here to do the right thing?"

"It would make a lot of sense, don't you think?" Twilight pointed towards the kitchen. "And now that she's got two adults positively confirming it..."

"Gnnnngh!" Rainbow Dash slapped her own forehead. "I'm so stupid! I should have flown straight here and done what I was supposed to instead of speeding towards your treehouse and venting like a coward!"

"Rainbow, you're my friend!" Twilight exclaimed. "There's no shame in wanting to share the load!"

"But it was mine to bear and bear alone! Ugh!" Rainbow slumped to her hooves. "Why do I suck so badly today?! First I let Derpy down, and now Dinky..."

"Rainbow. Rainbow!" Twilight gripped the pegasus' shoulders as the running water cut off across the condo. "Listen to me. Now's not the time to be thinking about ourselves. Whether or not we've made mistakes in the past is not important. We have to focus on the here and now."

"How so? We've still got to break the news to Dinky!"

"Right, and we should go about it carefully."

"You mean...?"

Twilight nodded. "Let's play along with this 'sound stone' business."

Rainbow frowned. "You've gotta be kidding me."

"Absolutely not!" Twilight hissed as the little gray shape bounded closer. "This is for Dinky's own good! The softer we can let the dark truth sink in, the better she'll be able to handle it in the long run!"

"But Twilight—!"

"The entire rest of her young adult life is going to be shaped by what happens this very moment!" Twilight hissed. "Let's not blow it!" Clearing her throat, she stood up in time to curtsey before Dinky's offering. "Why thank you, Miss Hooves!" She telekinetically lifted the glass of water. "What a kind little hostess, you are!"

"Just call me 'Dinky,' your Highness!" The foal curtsied back and then offered a glass to the pegasus. "Rainbow?"

"Uh... jee... th-thanks..." Rainbow took the cup in a rattling hoof and wheezed, "Wow! Water! My favorite!"

"Would you like to wait around until my mother calls again?" Dinky asked with a wide grin. "I'm sure we have lots to talk about! You two are the most awesome ponies in this town, after all!"

"Oh, absolutely!" Twilight said in her most princessy tone ever. "Isn't that simply divine?"

"Totally radical!" Rainbow said through grinning teeth. "Ponies who are awesome... and alive..." The cheek beneath her left eye twitched. "Like your m-mom!"

"Heeheehee!"

Monday Evening: The Worst Kind of News

There was a knock on Fluttershy's front door.

"Now, do like I told you, Angel," Fluttershy said, smiling as she stood up from the tiny bed where the bored rabbit lay sulking. A tiny tray with an even tinier bowl of steamy soup was propped up before him. "Drink every last drop. That'll open your nasal cavities right up and allow you to breathe better!"

Angel sighed. He plucked a floating carrot slice from the broth and nibbled on it with a dull expression.

The knocking sound repeated, firmer this time.

"Just a minute!" Fluttershy glided over to the front of the cottage. She fumbled with each lock, one at a time, finally opening the door after much fuss. "Breathe lightly!" she said in a firm yet playful tone, all the while opening the door with a smile. "We have sick bunny rabbits in here! We don't want you to catch a—" Her mouth hung open, and she blinked. "...bug?"

Spike stood on her stoop, his purple scales glinting in the sunset. He avoided Fluttershy's eyes while wringing his tiny dragon's tail.

"Why... Spike!" Fluttershy opened the door wider and leaned through the frame. "You look awful! Is something the matter?"

"Twilight... uhm... sent me to ask if you might be willing to come over."

"Come over?"

"To... erm... Dinky's condominium." Spike gulped. "You seem to have the magic touch when dealing with young foals, sooooo, she'd figured you'd be best suited for lifting Dinky's spirits. At least for a little while. In the meantime, Twilight and I have to try and find this written manuscript in the house and—"

"Dinky... Dinky..." Fluttershy tongued the inside of her mouth. She gasped with a bright smile. "Oh! You mean Miss Hooves' daughter!" She giggled lightly. "Oh, what a wonderfully cute, polite, and well-mannered child. She's a bundle of joy every time... that I... see... her..." Her brow furrowed in concern.

Spike was biting his lip. He wrung his tail harder in two palms.

Fluttershy pursed her lips. "Spike? What... wh-what's wrong?" She gulped. "What happened?"

Upon hearing that, his eyes twitched. He gazed up at her in shock. "You mean... y-you didn't hear?"

She merely gawked at him. As the whelp began to speak, a pale expression wafted over Fluttershy's face. She brought a hoof up to her gasping mouth as tears formed in the corners of her eye.

MONDAY AFTERNOON

"Oh my goodness!" Bon Bon squeaked through a sharp inhale. She bit her lip as a tear ran down her cheek. "That is such horrible... horrible news!"

"I know, right?" Lyra sighed, leaning lethargically against the patio table as ponies trotted back and forth beside the outdoor restaurant. "I found out through word of muzzle while buying new strings at the music store. Apparently, it all happened at Ghastly Gorge."

"But..." Bon Bon sniffled, clasping her forelimbs together as she leaned forward. "She's a single mother! Doesn't she still have a child that needs taking care of?"

"From what I hear, the kid doesn't even have her cutie mark yet," Lyra said in a sad tone. "Can you imagine what it'd be like to lose your mother at such an age?"

"It's..." Bon Bon's voice wavered as she stared down at the table before her. "It's unbearable! And Derpy was such a good, sweet-hearted pony, too!"

Upon hearing that, a pair of ponies shuffled to a stop along the sidewalk and gawked at the two mares. "Wait a s-second! Did you just say that Miss Hooves died?!"

"Ripped to shreds by Quarry Eels," Caramel muttered as he lifted a box of apples onto a wagon while unpacking his produce shop for the evening. "All that was left was blood and feathers."

"Celestia almighty!" Time Turner exclaimed. He fidgeted in his saddlebag full of science reports, all the while staring at his fellow stallions who were milling about in the middle of the street. "Talk about an unfitting end! That mare didn't deserve such a fate! Not even in the least!"

"Eeeenope," Big Macintosh gravely said while assisting Caramel.

"What I want to know is how she found herself in the company of such horrible beasts to begin with!" Time Turner remarked.

"It was the most freakish of accidents, from what I heard," Caramel explained. "Rumor is she fell into a shipping box and was sent like normal parcel to Cloudsdale."

"But what the heck happened along the way to screw things up that badly?!"

"I don't know, but Rainbow Dash tr-tried her best to stop the chariot," Blossomforth murmured. Her eyes watered as she hung her head. "But it was too late."

"You mean our weather captain was there?" Flitter asked.

Cloud Chaser leaned in with a shocked expression. "But Rainbow Dash is always saving ponies in the nick of time! She never leaves any of us hanging!"

"Apparently this was a situation so bad, even Rainbow Dash couldn't make things right," Thunderlane said, gently stroking Blossomforth's shoulder as they sat under the shade of a tree in the park. "As horrible as it sounds, I really don't think anypony could have prevented this."

"Couldn't we have, though?" Blossomforth sniffled. "I-I was there, Thunderlane..." Her voice cracked as a sob came out of her throat. "I was the one wh-who distracted Rainbow Dash with the sheriff situation! If I hadn't kept her eyes off of Miss Hooves, then m-maybe she'd still be alive right now! Maybe sh-she wouldn't be torn to bits at the bottom of a gorge!"

"Hey. Hey!" Thunderlane gripped her shoulders and leaned in. "Listen to me! This is nopony's fault! You hear? This was simply a horrible accident that no one could have predicted!"

"Yeah, Blossomforth!" Flitter spoke with a fragile smile, though her own eyes were suitably misty. "Don't go blaming yourself for something you didn't have anything to do with."

"Besides, we all knew Derpy," Cloud Chaser said, though she fidgeted slightly. "Well, we kinda did. Anyways, she always struck me as a super happy mare, and the last thing she'd want ponies like us to do is beat ourselves over nothing!"

Blossomforth hid her face in her forelimbs. "It's just so awful! She had a little filly and everything! H-how's that kid gonna grow up now, y'know? I've never h-had anything like this happen to a p-pony I knew! It's so horrible... so very, very horrible..."

As she sobbed, Thunderlane leaned in and nuzzled her, casting a sad look at the other mares.

They hung their heads, powerless to say anything. A cold wind blew over the nearby hillside, scattering leaves into the sunset.

Sweeping up his front lawn, Cranky Doodle turned to grumble at a pair of old stallions. "To be perfectly honest, I always found the mare to be a total nuisance!"

"Cranky, you find every mare to be a total nuisance!" one of them grumbled. "Ya cantankerous mule! You even complain about Matilda's cooking from time to time!"

"Will ya let me finish, ya dried up old windbag?" Cranky grumbled as he continued sweeping his rake across the yard. "Ahem. But that said, I did find that Miss Hooves had a certain... charm to her."

"Ah... charming..." The other stallion adjusted his scarf and nodded with a thin-eyed smile. "She was very humble."

"'Sincere' was the word I was tryin' to dig up," Cranky said. "I don't think she ever said a dishonest sentence in her life! I don't think she even had it in her!"

"She was also very punctual too!" the first old pony said. "Always on time!"

"Eh? With what?"

"Delivering the mail, you senile fool!"

"Oh, is that what she did?"

"Yes! What did you think?"

"I always smelled muffins when she was around," Cranky uttered with a shrug. "I figured she was a baker."

"Goes to show how much you pay attention."

The stallion with the scarf said, "Do we ever, ever truly notice a pony these days until they're gone?"

A collective sigh oozed through the trio.

"Right you are."

"Ain't it the truth?"

"Abso-darn-lutely."

"The last time I saw her, it was not a pleasant exchange," Cheerilee said in a muted tone as she stood on the front patio to her house. Her dull eyes were locked on the horizon beyond the bend in the road. "She had flown for the third consecutive time through the schoolhouse window. Now, I understand that she always dealt with... challenges, to say the least, but it was starting to eat away at the Ponyville educational funds, and... I-I was at my wit's end."

"Who can blame you?" Amethyst Star remarked with an awkward smirk.

"But... I went about it so unprofessionally," Cheerilee murmured. "I took Miss Hooves aside..." The mare gulped. "And I-I told her that with a daughter as bright and respectful as hers, the least she could do was be a responsible example and learn to fly right!"

Amethyst winced slightly. "Yowsers. And what did she say to that?"

"She didn't say anything." Cheerilee sniffed and smiled bitterly. "Instead, she got a second job and worked night shifts four weeks in a row until she earned the bits to pay for the schoolhouse window herself." The teacher's face contorted in pain, and she brought a hoof up to dry her eyes. "She was a single mother. So kind, loving, and full of life. She didn't need any coaching to be a good source of inspiration for her daughter, most especially from a petty, angry mare like myself! And yet, without complaining or without trying to tell me how mean-spirited I was, she simply took the matter into her own hooves and took care of it! I j-just know she had the schoolfoals in mind the entire time too. She wanted to make up for something that she was convinced was her fault."

"Sounds like she cleared things up in the end," Amethyst Star said.

"But don't you see?" Cheerilee looked up, a tear trickling down her face. "That all ended barely a week ago! And... I-I allowed myself to get busy—to get distracted with all my schoolwork and trivial pursuits." She sniffled. "I never... n-never got the opportunity to properly thank her." She clenched her moist eyes shut. "Or apologize to her."

"Awwww, Cheerilee." Amethyst leaned in and nuzzled the mare before sweeping her into a tender hug. "We all make mistakes. How were you to know that something this terrible was going to happen?"

"I-I shouldn't have to bother with kn-knowing!" Cheerilee stammered. "I should know better th-than to be so bitter and cold to a pony that only meant well! I don't think Derpy was ever m-mad at a single pony in her life! And h-how did I repay her?!" She sobbed, burying her face in Amethyst's shoulder. "How am I going to repay her daughter?"

"Shhh..." Amethyst patted her friend's shoulder. "Let it out. It's okay." She smiled softly. "Someway, somehow, we are going to make it through this. Let's let past mistakes be past mistakes, and figure out how to make the future better, safer, and happier for Dinky." She giggled slightly and patted Cheerilee again. "And for all the schoolfoals who love you just like Derpy loved everypony."

"If only I could just turn back the clock... undo the tr-tragedy that has happened... maybe talk to Derpy one last t-time..."

"I'd tell her how sorry I am about the jokes I used to make," Noteworthy said in a mumbling tone as he leaned against the entrance to Sugarcube Corner. "Especially the ones where I... mmmf... compared her eyes to magic 8-balls."

Ace looked up from where he was adjusting his tennis racquet bag. "I'm pretty sure she never heard you, buddy. Her ears were nearly as bad as her eyes, from what I heard."

"Still..." Noteworthy spoke through the corner of his limp lips. "It wasn't very nice of me. I'd take it all back in a heartbeat."

"Well, maybe you'll have a chance to."

"Hmmm?"

"Well, they're bound to have a funeral for the poor thing!" Ace remarked as a stallion trotted tiredly up the front steps to the bakery. "I mean, from all the buzz this town's been having over her death, it seems like a total shoe-in!"

"Wait a m-minute, fellas." Carrot Cake spun about, adjusting his hat with a gaping expression. "Who are you t-talking about?" he stammered. "Who died?!"

"Aaaaaand twelve salt-shakers!" Pinkie Pie chanted in a nasally tone. In the middle of the kitchen, she stood precariously atop one rear hoof, balancing a dozen containers of salt on top of one another, with the bottom one perched upon the tip of her muzzle. "Do I hear thirteen, fillies and gentlecolts?!"

Pumpkin and Pound squealed and clapped their hooves together. The infant siblings watched from where they sat in the corner of the kitchen with many giggles shared between them.

"Annnnnd—Zoop!" Pinkie tossed a salt-shaker up, catching it expertly on the topmost container of the pillar perched on her nose. "Ta-daaaa! Almost a world's record! Whew!" She grinned maniacally as her body wobbled back and forth, causing the column of containers to sway wildly above her. "Good thing I didn't choose pepper or I would have lost the game six bottles ago!"

The babies filled Sugarcube Corner with giggles once more.

"So..." Pinkie Pie licked her lips while reaching blindly towards the kitchen counter behind her. "Should I go for fifteen?" She snatched one bottle up, then another. "Or maybe—gasp!—sixteen? Who wants to wager? Eh? Ehh? Salty bet, anypony?!"

Cup Cake trotted through the swinging doors, carrying a stack of dirty plates to the sink. "Honestly, Pinkie..." She rolled her eyes with a motherly smirk. "If you make another winter wonderland in here, it'll be you staying up all night to clean it. Not me!"

"Wuh oh, kiddies!" Pinkie chirped out the side of her mouth as she juggled the two remaining salt shakers. "Did you hear that?! Should Pinkie put her nose where Momma's mouth is?"

The foals only drooled in confusion.

"Ungh, Pinkie, must you?"

"Here we go, ladies and germs!" Pinkie Prepared to toss the last two bottles up. "Real match! No potatoes!"

At that precise moment, Carrot Cake burst in through the door. As soon as he entered, he slumped to the tile with a deep sigh.

"Good heavens!" Cup Cake spun about with a concerned expression. "Is everything alright, cuddlebumps? You look like you've just seen a ghost!"

"Whoah-whoah-whoah—ackies!" Pinkie fell flat on her chest. Hissing through her teeth, she agilely shot her tail up over her spine like a fluffy umbrella, miraculously catching each of the fourteen containers. "Whew... I think I hear the collective sigh of a thousand thankful pretzels!"

Cup Cake frowned at Pinkie, then turned to gaze at her husband yet again. "Carrot, darling, what is it?"

He gulped and said, "I wish I had seen a ghost, sweetybuns. That would have been a great deal better than what I just found out."

"Would you just tell me already?!"

Carrot Cake opened his mouth. He blinked, glancing nervously over at Pinkie Pie.

The young mare blinked back.

Clearing his throat, the husband leaned in and whispered into Cup Cake's ear. The aged pony listened, suddenly gasping as her body went limp. She pressed a hoof over her mouth as her eyes instantly watered. "Oh no... oh no oh no oh no! You c-can't be serious!"

Carrot's face remained grave.

Cup Cake bit her lip. "I... I-I don't understand! I just saw her th-this morning! I just... j-just..."

She shuddered a few times, then leaned forward into her husband's embrace, sobbing uncontrollably. Carrot wrapped his forelimbs around her, holding her tight while rubbing tiny circles into her shoulders. Two tiny shapes waddled over, brushing at their mother's flank with worried little forelimbs. Soon, both parents scooped Pound and Pumpkin up, sharing a group hug as Mrs. Cake let out an even greater fountain of tears.

Pinkie merely stared from a distance, her lips pursed. She looked at the multiple salt shakers, then blinked confusedly at the melancholic family. "Nope. I sure didn't drop a bunch of onions. What gives?"

Adjusting the bifocals on the end of her muzzle, Rarity concentrated mana through her glowing horn. She continued telekinetically clapping away at the keys to her typewriter as she spoke out loud to the darkening windows of her parlor.

"'Ever vigilant, ever valiant, my companions and I marched up the rest of the mountain, scaling cliff and gorge and ravine, until finally we stood upon the brink of the dragon's lair. Up until that point, our dear companion Futtershy—a darling creature defined by both her meekness and her compassion—had gone through every known stage of panic. We had thought her reticence to approach the dragon to be a failure, but little did we know that fate was to put our Elements of Harmony to the test, and hers was about to shine most gloriously, urged on by the dragon's unbecoming wrath, and imbued with the righteous desire to protect the friends most dear to her...'"

Just then, the front door to the Boutique opened and shut with a slamming thud. Rarity could hear four petite hooves plodding across the tile floor.

"Unngh..." Rarity broke from her paragraph with a rolling of her eyes. "Sweetie Belle, must you make such a racket when you return home?!" She adjusted the typewriter's paper roll while shouting over her shoulder. "Though you've already shattered my concentration, the least you can do is wipe your hooves off at the front door like a lady and then trot to your room with a modicum of silence!"

She was answered with nothing less than a sniffling, panting series of labored breaths.

Rarity raised an eyebrow. She turned to look over her shoulder. "Sweetie Belle? Why the hysterics? Surely you didn't run all the way home? We've talked about this!"

"Just leave me alone," Sweetie Belle muttered. As she finally passed by the doorway to Rarity's parlor, the fashionista could spot a reflective sheen of tears on her little sister's cheek.

Rarity blinked. "Good heavens! You didn't fall and hurt yourself again, did you?"

"Why should you care, h-huh?!" Sweetie Belle spun about, stomping her hooves as her puffy face went puffier. She fought through a hiccuping sob and threw her older sibling a frown. "All that m-matters to you is that dumb b-book you're writing or your... st-stupid dresses!"

"Uh!" Rarity planted a hoof over her chest as if she was dealt a knife wound. "Well, I can definitely see that you're distraught, darling, but that certainly gives you no right to treat me like some sort of vagabond!"

"So what if I do?! It's not like you're ever g-gonna feel anything! It's no loss of diamonds or jewels to you, now is it?" Sweetie Belle wiped her face and frowned. "Face it! I'd drop off the face of the earth, and you wouldn't even sneeze!"

"Oh, please, don't be so dramatic." Rarity sighed and returned to her typewriter. "Forgive a lady for asking a kind-hearted question. When you're done having your little tantrum, feel free to come back and just maybe we can talk rationally."

"It's not going to do any good!" Sweetie Belle shook her face, seething. "Nothing's gonna change!"

"Will you simply tell me what's bothering you, Sweetie Belle? Honestly..."

The filly gulped, her lips quivering as she stared into the tile floor. "Dinky's mom passed away today."

Rarity froze in place. Her lips pursed as she slowly pivoted away from her half-written page. "Miss... Hooves?"

"And now Dinky is all alone and I d-don't know what to s-say to her!" Sweetie whimpered. "I t-told my friends as soon as I heard about it, and... and Apple Bloom didn't even cry! Then Scootaloo just up and left us! I don't understand!" She clenched her eyes shut and shook her head. "I don't understand anything anymore! Aren't they sad?! Why do I feel like I'm the only pony torn up inside about this?!"

"You're not... I-I mean, it..." Rarity fumbled for words. Her breath left her in cold bursts as she glanced nervously into the walls. Her eyes darted back and forth as she tried to process the information. In a sudden sweat, she blurted, "How... wh-when and where did this happen?"

"Look, I-I don't want to talk about it anymore!" Sweetie Belle spun about in a furious breath. Her saddlebags swung, and Rarity's precious antique comb clattered to the floor. The fashionista, for once, said nothing. "And it's obvious to me that you don't want to talk about it either!" Sweetie's voice cracked as she waddled off to her room. "So, j-just go back to your stupid book!" The door slammed shut in the distance.

Rarity was chewing on her bottom lip. She limped off her stool, trotting over towards the doorframe. She pretended to be looking at the fallen comb, but she knew better. Suddenly, her body jolted, and her heart rate picked up. Without a second breath, Rarity galloped towards the front entrance of the Boutique. Along the way, she scooped a coat and scarf off a nearby wrack and donned them before bursting forth into the breezy evening air.

MONDAY NIGHT

In the center of town, before the front steps to Ponyville's Town Hall, dozens of equines gathered by the minute. Soon, an entire crowd of murmuring, long-faced ponies had huddled about, all of them facing a lone wooden podium positioned at the building's entrance.

At last, Mayor Mare trotted before the group, accompanied by a somber-looking Filthy Rich and the elder members of the city council. Once she stood at the podium, the crowd fell into hushed silence, their bright bodies reduced to dull shades beneath the falling curtain of night. She didn't even need to plead for their quiet attention.

"Thank you for assembling so late and with such little notice, my little ponies," the Mayor said. "Ahem..." She fidgeted, clenching her jaw so that the next few sentences could come out with as little stuttering as possible. "As you all may have heard, we have suffered a great loss today. What may have sounded as a gross rumor is, in fact, terribly true. It is my sad responsibility to announce that Miss Derpy Hooves of Ponyville passed away this morning in Ghastly Gorge, the result of a terrible accident involving a rocket-propelled chariot and a collapsed crate of shipping parcel."

Several ponies gasped sharply, drinking in the unthinkable. A few crying breaths echoed over the crowd. Mares leaned into their coltfriends, sobbing quietly while their significant others patted them reassuringly.

The Mayor went on. "Miss Hooves was thirty-two years old, the single mother to Dinky Hooves. Dinky, Miss Hooves' only surviving family member, is a sweet little child of seven winters, and she is currently in the gentle care of some of Ponyville's finest citizens." The pony swallowed a lump down her throat as she shifted her weight against the podium. "Our thoughts go out to her, as well as to all the friends and neighbors who knew Derpy dearly."

Several ponies fidgeted where they stood, trying to contain their confused and pained tears. Many of them failed.

"As you may expect, the city intends to memorialize the life of this precious citizen of ours, a pony who faithfully and happily performed her duties to her fellow equines. On that note, I am proud to announce that our very own beloved regal Ponyvillean, Princess Twilight Sparkle, has volunteered to oversee the funeral arrangements in Derpy’s honor. Plans are currently very tentative, but if everything falls through, we expect to perform the Funeral of Derpy Hooves right here in this very building, Town Hall, on Thursday Evening at 5pm. There will be an impromptu holiday for the town that day, so—please—plan accordingly."

"I... I s-suppose that she had written something down in regards to her passing," Golden Harvest stammered. "But, she never talked about it much. As you can imagine, it wasn't a topic that came up often... if at all..."

The mare leaned anxiously against the lamppost beside the sidewalk in front of Derpy's condominium. Behind her, several ponies had gathered in tight clusters, mingling about as they carried on melancholic conversations, their eyes cast solemnly towards the face of the two-story building under starlight.

"In truth, Derpy and I didn't chat too often." Golden Harvest gulped, her eyes moist. "Isn't that so s-sad? I was the next door neighbor to that mare for over three years. I'd watch her playing with her daughter in the front yard while I tended to my carrot garden. And in all that time..." Her voice squeaked as a tear rolled down her cheek. "I barely even said a single word to her..."

"Hey, it's okay," Twilight Sparkle said with a calm smile. "You couldn't possibly have expected what would happen... t-to happen." After a quiet moment, she asked, "Are you certain she never talked about where she kept her personal effects?"

"Well, she once spoke about keeping most of her valuables upstairs," Golden Harvest said, drying her cheek with a yellow forelimb. "I was once part of the neighborhood watch, and she trusted me with the knowledge, I guess for in case robbers ever tried to break in through her second story window or something. That way, I'd be prepared to alert the Ponyville police to the right place."

"I suppose that makes sense."

"Have you bothered asking her family?" Golden Harvest asked with a pained expression. "Shouldn't they be here? If anypony should be looking through her personal effects, it's them."

Twilight Sparkle winced. "That's... just it. From what we've learned, Derpy Hooves didn't even have any surviving family members."

"Good heavens..." Golden Harvest held a hoof over her chest. "That's horrible!"

"Her parents passed away years ago, and she has no known siblings or aunts or uncles." Twilight shuddered as she glanced at the random ponies gathered at a distance to pay their respects. "City records confirm this. I don't even think Derpy has any cousins, for that matter."

"That comes as a surprise to me," Golden Harvest said. "I-I mean, her being a pegasus and all." A flippant giggle escaped her lips. "I mean, everypony knows they breed like winged jackrabbits."

Twilight shared the chuckle with her.

Suddenly, Golden Harvest blushed. "Oh, I-I'm so sorry..." She winced. "That's a really inappropriate joke to say in front of a Princess, and especially after wh-what has happened today..."

"No. No, it's okay..." Twilight placed a reassuring hoof on the mare's shoulder. "Really. We shouldn't consider it a crime to laugh or smile. I'm sure Miss Hooves would have wanted it this way."

Golden Harvest bit on her lip, then glanced meekly up at the Princess. "I just can't believe it, you know? It almost makes me wish I knew her more. She just seemed... so happy, all of the time."

Twilight nodded. "Believe me, I share your feelings. But, the best we can do right now is make sure we celebrate her memory in a way that is both respectable and fitting."

Golden fidgeted as she shot a quick look towards the condominium. "And... and wh-what of her daughter? If she has no aunts or uncles or grandparents...?"

Twilight Sparkle winced. "Trust me. That's the next thing I'll be working on."

"I have no doubt you'll find a way to reach out to her, Your Highness," Golden said with a gentle smile. "You know, we are truly, truly lucky to have you here in Ponyville."

"Yes, well, I made my friends here," Twilight said with a smile. "I wouldn't see myself anywhere else."

"I mean it," Golden Harvest said, curtseying again. "It's an honor to have been able to speak with you. I swear, your name will last forever in the legacy of this place."

Twilight Sparkle's pupils shrank as she nodded shakily. "Yeah... Yeah, maybe so."

The alicorn parted ways with Golden Harvest, trotting lonesomely back towards the entrance to Derpy's condo. She reached the lawn's front gate, but paused there, sighing heavily. As she opened it with a squeak and passed on through, she returned to Spike and Fluttershy who were standing at the front stoop.

"So, what did she say?" Spike asked, gesturing with waving dragon palms. "Did she give us anything to go on?"

Twilight shook her head. "No. Apparently she barely talked to Derpy while she lived here."

"Yeesh!" Spike facepalmed. "You gotta be kidding me! Did anypony know this poor mare?"

Fluttershy whimpered. "Apparently not..."

Twilight tilted her head up towards the second story. "Golden Harvest did mention one thing. If Derpy had anything valuable, she likely would have kept it on the second floor."

"Isn't that—like—where Dinky said her mom's room was?" Spike asked.

"It's something to go on, at least."

"Wait..." Spike's eyes were thin. "You don't mean...?"

"I told the Mayor that the funeral would be a go for Thursday," Twilight said. "There's really no reason to waste time. If there's a will to be found, upstairs in Derpy's condo is the best place to search for it."

"But..." Spike shuddered from a cold chill. "I really don't like the idea of looking through a pony's private stuff! Especially a few hours after she totally bit the dust!"

"Spike!" Twilight hissed, glancing over her shoulders as if to see if the distant ponies heard. "Don't talk about her death like that, okay?" She sighed. "Besides, either you help me, or I somehow have to force Fluttershy to lend me a hoof."

"Uhm..." Fluttershy gulped. "I would very much rather stay close by Dinky's side, if that's alright with you."

"It totally is, Fluttershy." Twilight cast her a calm smile. "That's what I asked you to come over for, after all. I can't thank you enough."

"I'm more than happy to spend time with Dinky," Fluttershy said, smiling back. However, that grin swiftly faded. "Still, I'm a little confused. Has she not been told about her mother's death?"

"No, Fluttershy, she has," Twilight said, albeit in a hushed tone as she glanced through the cracked front door. "But she instantly showed clear signs of denial. I have reason to think she heard about what happened to Derpy before we got to share the news with her formally."

"Oh dear..." Fluttershy's ears folded back. "That's awful!"

"Totally," Spike added in a dull tone.

"As you can see, we can't just force her to bear the news overnight," Twilight said. "It would crush her spirit! We need to wait until Dinky is ready to face the truth, and then break it to her gradually."

"I completely understand, Twilight," Fluttershy said with a nod. "I'll make sure she receives plenty of kindness and attention in the meantime." She brushed a hoof horizontally across her own chest. "I swear on my own Element."

"Ungh! For the love of Celestia!" A voice cracked from overhead. "That is, by far, the dumbest idea possible!"

Twilight frowned, her eyes darting up up. "Rainbow. Come on. We've been over this."

"I know!" Rainbow Dash frowned, folding her forelimbs from where she reclined on a tree branch in the starlight above the group. "And forgive me, Your Highness." She glared down. "But I still think it's a load of horse hockey!"

"Why's that, Rainbow?" Fluttershy asked.

"Why?!" Rainbow Dash leapt down with a miniature burst of thunder, landing hard before the gasping mares' hooves. "I'll tell you why!" She leaned forward and sneered in Fluttershy's face. "Because Dinky ain't gonna get her Mommy back, and the last thing we should be doing is letting her live in some stupid world of make-believe!"

"But it's not like that, Rainbow!" Twilight exclaimed.

Rainbow spun. "Isn't it?"

"No!" Twilight frowned. "If you've been paying any attention at all, you'd realize that Dinky was going through classic stages of psychological denial! Her constantly happy demeanor, her willingness to follow all of Derpy's rules, her constructed fantasy of communicating with Derpy all day through these 'sound stones': they're all signs of a young foal who comprehends the news of her mother's death but isn't yet willing to deal with it!"

"Duh!" Rainbow tossed her bangs out of her face. "I get it! It's like a sickness! And we should be curing the source instead of feeding the symptoms! She slapped one hoof against another. "We gotta break it through to her! Short. Simple. Blunt. Truthful! What's the friggin' use in beating around the bush?!"

Twilight sighed. "Rainbow..."

"Look, you're the Princess, not to mention the brains around these parts, but—darn it!" Rainbow folded her forelimbs, glaring into the starlight. "Don't think that I don't care for the little scamp! After all, I totally did not go through Tartarus and back only to lose her mother and then lose the opportunity to take responsibility for her kid all in one day!"

"Nopony said you lost an opportunity to help out Dinky!"

"That's why if I had my way, we'd put this stupid little charade to an end right here and now!" Rainbow Dash growled. "Haven't I ruined things for her enough?!"

"Please, Rainbow," Fluttershy said. "You must stop blaming yourself for all the horrible things that happened today." She smiled. "Really, you need to relax. Just leave Dinky to Twilight and myself. We'll take care of her."

Rainbow blinked at Fluttershy.

Spike was wringing his scaly hands together, glancing nervously from one mare to another.

Gradually, a renewed frown formed on Rainbow's muzzle. "Fine. Whatever." She hovered up in a huff. "You two hold hooves and have your little tea party of smoke and mirrors. I'll be up in the clouds, flying around so I can get some fresh air... which the two of you really need."

"Please, Rainbow," Twilight sighed again. "Don't do this."

"What? Keep it real?" She leaned down with a bitter scowl. "You know, I may be a bit rough around the edges, at least compared to you two. But I got here on my own... and without having to make any silly little fantasies about how my folks died."

With a gust of air, Rainbow Dash was gone, becoming a dull blue speck against the heavens.

Twilight and Fluttershy fidgeted in silence.

"You think she's got a point there?" Spike asked. "I mean, it does feel kind of... weird not leveling with Dinky, ya think?"

"Everypony is different, Spike," Twilight said.

"Not everyone can be as strong as Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy added, her face gazing off somewhere distant.

Spike noticed it. He opened his mouth to speak—

"Come on, Spike." Twilight nudged him as she opened the door to the condominium. "We've got a will and testament to find. Fluttershy?"

"Don't worry." She floated right behind them. "I'll make sure that Dinky is happy, healthy, and—most importantly—not dwelling on the fact that her mother is now silent forever."

"Oooooooooh..." Derpy cooed loudly, coming to a stop at the top of a hill. A forest of crystal-dangling trees twinkled around her as she slung the bag of void rocks over her shoulder and gazed upon an immense valley, in the center of which stood a tall pyramid city with a glowing summit piercing the gray soupy heavens above with effluent tendrils of light. "Pretttttty!"

"Crkkk! What are you seeing now, Mommy?"

"It's hard to explain, Muffin!" Derpy raised her necklace to her lips, smiling towards the opposite ends of the forest. "Crystal trees! Soupy skies full of glowy things! Uhhh... and a big pointy building. You ever looked through that scrapbook I made of my vacation in Cairoats?"

"Ooh! Ooh! Are they worshipping cats there?"

"Well, no." Derpy blinked aside in time to see the thudding foot of a four-story crystal spider impacting the ground. The giant arachnid crawled off towards a field of bones, laced with spectral figures of otherworldly effluence. "But I wouldn't doubt if this is where cat litter is made."

"Heehee. So I'm guessing you're gonna be super, super late after all."

Derpy sighed, her face pouting defeatedly. "I'm so... so very sorry, dear muffin. But each time I take a turn, there are three more twists ahead of me and I can't seem to figure out up from down."

"You aren't delivering to the minotaurs again, are you?"

"Heehee! I wish! Ahem..." Derpy dug at the floor while a glowing serpent flew randomly overhead. "Muffin, precious, you might wanna consider making yourself some dinner."

"Oh, don't worry! Fluttershy already made me some tomato soup!"

"Oh?" Derpy's eyebrows waggle above rotating pupils. "You mean we still have company?"

"Yeah..."

Dinky sat halfway up the stairs, her legs dangling as she clutched the glowing blue shard before her smiling muzzle. "She and Princess Twilight have been super kind to me!" Her tiny face scrunched up. "Only..."

"Crkk! Only what, Muffin?"

"Well, they seem awfully confused about stuff," Dinky said as she playfully flicked her stubby little tail. "Like, they keep talking to Miss Harvest and a bunch of other ponies outside the house. Oh, and according to them, you died… or something."

"Did I, now?"

"I guess..."

"Heh, well, that's news to me! Was it a bunch of rabid chipmunks?"

"Mommmmyyyyy..."

"Heehee. I kid, Muffin. I kid. Whoops!"

Dinky's gray brow furrowed. "What is it, Mommy?"

"I think—Crkk!—I may be—Crkkk!—fading out here—Crkk!—try to get back to you—Crkk!"

"Well, you just take care of yourself, Mommy!" Dinky said with a bright grin. "And don't forget to get some rest! You've been wandering around an awful lot!"

"I was about to say the—Crkkk!—the same to you! Crkkk!—It must be getting close to bed time—Crkkk!"

"Uhhh... what's that, Mommy?" Dinky rolled her eyes with a mischievous smirk. "You're breaking up! Too bad I couldn't hear that last part!"

"Ohhhh you silly—Crkk!—muffin you—Crkkk!—snkkt!" The signal cut off.

"Heeheehee..." Dinky clutched herself as her cheeks went rosy. The light of her shard dimmed right as Twilight, Spike, and Fluttershy entered the condo, looking up to see Dinky on the stares. "Oh! Fluttershy! Spike! Your Majesty!" Dinky trotted excitedly down the stairs and waved the dull stone about. "I just got done talking to Mommy!"

Spike winced. Twilight twitched. Fluttershy, however, leaned in and spoke in a soft voice, "But of c-course you did, little angel."

"She was in this special place that looked like Cairoats, only they weren't worshipping cats there, and she was happy to hear that you had made me tomato soup and—"

"Dinky, honey, why don't we talk all about it in the living room, huh?" Fluttershy asked, gently nudging the foal in that direction. "Let's let Twilight and Spike... uhm... do some special housework upstairs."

"Huh? What for?" Dinky blinked as Fluttershy ushered her into the next room. "I tidied up around the house earlier! Just like Mommy asked me to!"

"Oh, and what a nice, respectable young lady you are for following your mother's wishes!" Fluttershy said. "Why, when I was your age, I would have done anything to make my mother proud of me. Only, well, I-I had several older brothers and sisters in the way. But, uhm, at least my h-heart was in the right place, and I can see your heart is in the right place too!"

"Awwww. That's so sweet of you, Miss Fluttershy. Hey! M-maybe we could pretend that we're sisters, that way we can make Mommy happy together without much competition!"

"I... I..." Fluttershy sucked in her breath to keep from randomly sobbing. "I would absolutely adore that, Dinky."

Twilight winced, rubbing one hoof against another as she muttered to the stairs. "I wonder if I'm doing the right thing."

"Do you ever not wonder?" Spike asked. He poked her royal flank and pointed up the stairs. "Come on. If we're gonna do this, let's get it over with quickly, huh?"

Twilight shuddered as she trotted up the stairs. "You're right, Spike. Let's go. I don't want to spend any more time doing this than you do."

"Then, if you don't mind me asking," Spike said as he waddled up the steps after the alicorn. "Why did you volunteer so quickly for this?"

"What do you mean 'this?'" Twilight opened the door to Derpy's room.

"Y'know, this!" Spike shrugged as he followed her, flipping on a light to the curiously well-organized place. "The whole thing with the Mayor. Volunteering to oversee the funeral. Personally making sure we find and follow through with Derpy's will and testament."

"I'm no longer just some random librarian writing a report on friendship every week, Spike," Twilight muttered as she hesitantly opened the drawers to a dresser and began looking through each shelf, one at a time. "I'm an Equestrian Princess, and it's my responsibility to contribute to the community as much as I can."

"Right, I'll buy that," Spike said. "Heck, I won't even challenge it. But, if you ask me, aren't you kind of rushing this funeral thing a bit?"

Twilight sighed, turning to glance lethargically at him. "Now what is that supposed to mean?"

"Well, it's obvious that Dinky needs time to cope. I'm pretty sure most of the ponies around town are super bummed." Spike opened a wardrobe, squinting at the many hanging coats. "Maybe we should, I dunno, space it out some more?"

"There's no time like the present, Spike," Twilight said in a quiet voice. She abandoned the dresser and approached a vanity with a looking glass. "I'd rather not waste an opportunity to pay respects to Derpy's legacy while memories of her are fresh in our minds."

"But we're not talking about some book report or a project for Princess Celestia, Twilight!" Spike said. "What's it benefit anypony to hurry through this?"

"And for the last time, I'm not hurrying anything," Twilight said. She paused in fidgeting with the vanity to glance at her jaded reflection in the mirror. "That's the absolute last thing I'd want to do. Everypony is... so quick to go about their lives, as if they're in a big hurry over nothing. And before they know it, all that matters... all that truly matters is faded and gone, and they find that they don't have memories fresh enough to cherish or treasure."

"You don't say?"

"It's just... just so sad..." Twilight sighed, hanging her head. "Such a waste."

Spike turned around from the wardrobe, squinting at her. "Does... this have anything to do with the funk you were in this morning when you came back from Canterlot?"

Twilight snapped out of it, her eyes blinking wide. "H-huh?"

"I'm just saying—"

"Spike, please!" She spun to frown at him. "Could we not talk about that? I was perfectly fine! I mean, I will be perfectly fine! I mean—"

"Yeesh, Twilight. What gives? I didn't mean to fluster you."

"Ungh. Just... can we be quiet for a little bit while we look for Derpy's will?!" Twilight fumed as she marched across the bedroom to Derpy's writing desk. "Seriously, we're getting nowhere at this rate."

"Hmmph..." Spike brooded as he wandered off to the opposite side of the room. "Maybe you can find your marbles while you're at it."

"I'm proud of Mommy for being a mailpony and all, and though I wouldn't mind doing the kind of really cool things she does someday, I really wanna be a firefighter when I grow up!" Dinky smiled brightly from where she leaned over a table, drawing a gray equine shape across a sheet of paper, floating upside down in a sea of colored pencil muffins. "Firefighters are so cool! They do the same thing Mommy does—they go door to door and bring smiles to ponies. Only, they do it by saving lives instead of just delivering the mail! Heehee. Mommy says she would have been a firefighter herself, only her vision was never too good. But I don't think she ever had a problem with her eyes. I mean, whenever she comes home, she has no problem finding me and giving me a hug! Or, y'know, it could be just that she hears me really well. Mommy says that she can hear me in my sleep and wake up at a moment's notice to take care of any of my problems. And you know what? She's right! This one winter, I was really, really sick, and she stayed by my side all week. I don't know where I'd be if it weren't for her. I really like it when she laughs." Dinky looked up from her drawing. "Don't you?"

Fluttershy was biting her lip, nearly producing blood. "Mmmmm..." She stifled an intense whimpering noise. "Yes." She sniffled, producing the most painful of smiles. "I most certainly do adore her laughter, D-Dinky."

"I'm glad to hear that." Dinky smiled brighter. She returned to her drawing. "You're a really nice pony, Fluttershy. You should hang out with my Mom someday. I bet you could teach her a thing or two about making tomato soup. Not that my Mom's a bad cook, but she could use some coaching from somepony who isn't her daughter. Heehee... she loves me so very much, but sometimes I think she'd take a compliment better if it came from somepony else. You understand, right?"

"I..." Fluttershy bit her lip briefly. "I think I do. I, uhm..."

"What, did your mother have an easier time listening to you say nice things to her?"

Fluttershy cleared her throat and instead said, "I happen to be the Element of Kindness, Dinky, and I can sense a great deal of genuine, sincere kindness in you." She smiled as she reached over to caress the foal's blonde bangs. "Your mother raised you with gentleness and adoration. It shows in every single word you have to say."

Dinky giggled. "Awwwww, Miss Fluttershy!" Her cheeks were red. "I'm burning up."

"Oh no!" Fluttershy gasped, standing up straight in the parlor with twitching wings. "Are you coming down with something?! There's a horrible flu going around! Why, even my bunny Angel is—"

"Nah, I'm feeling great this evening," Dinky said, grinning up at her. "It must be the soup you made for me."

"Oh. Uhm. Right..." Fluttershy sat back down, coiling her wings tight at her side. "I do my best to put love and kindness into everything I make."

"So does Mommy," Dinky said. "Though she doesn't give herself enough credit. I tell her everyday that I love her, and that I'm really thankful for all she does to protect me and keep me safe, but sometimes I think she could use more convincing somehow." Suddenly, Dinky sighed, her face turning dull. "I almost wish she was here right now. I'd tell her everything I feel about her all over again. It's just... difficult, with her away from home and all."

Fluttershy's face flexed painfully. She stared at Dinky with sad eyes, gulped a lump down her throat, and swiftly came to the rescue with: "I will take care of you, Dinky."

"Huh?" Dinky glanced over at Fluttershy.

"You... you can come over to my cottage," Fluttershy said in a squeaky voice, nevertheless delivered with a fragile smile. "I'll introduce you to Angel and to the rest of my cuddly little animals. You can even help me take care of them, if you like."

"Awwwww, Miss Fluttershy..." Dinky giggled. "That's too kind of you. But I can't."

Fluttershy pouted. "Why not?"

"Well, I promised Mommy I'd look after the place while she was gone," Dinky said. "I don't want to be a bad daughter."

"You're nothing of the sort!" Fluttershy exclaimed. "And, uhm, as for this place—I'm pretty sure Princess Twilight is going to look after it for a while."

"Oh really?"

"Uh huh."

"Why?"

"Because..." Fluttershy fidgeted. "Because... because..." She blinked. "We're... th-throwing a celebration!"

"A celebration?" Dinky asked.

"In your mother's honor."

"Oh! Cool!" Dinky sat up straight with a bright smile. "You mean like a party?! She'd love that!"

"Well, no, not quite... l-like that..." Fluttershy rubbed one hoof over the other as she avoided Dinky's expression. "It's a bit more formal, I g-guess."

"Ohhhhh..." Dinky winked. "Well, if the Princess is involved, that would make some sense, huh?"

"Oh! Sure! You b-bet!"

"Well, then I guess I'd better not get in her way at all."

"That's why I'm extending an invitation," Fluttershy said, daring to stare Dinky in the face again. "I mean it, dear. Please... stay at my place. I will take care of you."

"Until Mommy comes back?"

Fluttershy took a deep breath and nodded. "Until you are ready to be with her again, yes, Dinky. It would be an honor."

Dinky giggled and launched across the table, giving Fluttershy a dear hug.

The pegasus gasped, finding herself suddenly embracing the petite little foal in her forelimbs.

"You're so thoughtful and generous, Miss Fluttershy." Dinky nuzzled the mare. "I'll tell Mommy all about it the next time she calls me through the sound stone."

Fluttershy sniffled, nevertheless patting Dinky's shoulders lovingly. "Remember to tell her that I think she raised an absolute angel."

"I will. I will..."

At that moment, the front door opened, causing a fresh breeze to blow through place. Fluttershy put Dinky down, turning towards the entrance with a shocked expression. "Now who on earth could that be?" She trotted nervously around the edge the edge of the parlor. "Twilight? Spike? Did we invite the Mayor or somepony?"

What Fluttershy found instead was a frazzled pale unicorn in a cloak. Rarity's eyes darted about the place. She bit onto one of her hooves until she spun and saw her friend. "Fluttershy!"

"Rarity...?"

"Oh, darling! I looked everywhere!" Rarity rushed forward with a ripple of her scarf. "I should have known to come here first! I swear, it's like I couldn't find you or any of the other girls anywhere! A part of me almost feared that something terrible had also happened... to..." She stopped suddenly, biting her lip.

"What is it, Rarity?"

"Erhm..." Rarity fidgeted. "Where is she? The poor little darling, I mean? After all, I heard what happened—a little too late after every other pony, granted—and I wanted to... that is, I only desired... unngh..." She ran a hoof over her brow, sighing. "I'm terribly sorry. This was most uncouth of me, barging in as if I somehow wasn't a total stranger in this place."

"No no, Rarity." Fluttershy smiled gently as she caressed the unicorn's shoulder. "It's okay. Twilight and Spike are here."

"Oh? Are they truly?"

Fluttershy nodded. "They're upstairs, attempting... uhm..."

"Let me guess," Rarity spoke with a raspy breath. "Attempting to sort through Miss Hooves' personal effects in hope of finding a personally written ledger that would bear her will and testament?"

"Something to that extent, yes."

"Well, that's fine." Rarity gulped, staring up the nearby stairs. "That's quite fine. Though I do not envy the task set before them, I am deeply proud of Twilight for stepping up to the occasion—" She froze upon hearing a cute, yawning noise. Her face bore a pale expression as it swiveled to meet Fluttershy's sight again. "Is... Oh d-dear, is that...?"

Fluttershy quietly nodded, then motioned her head towards the parlor.

Rarity took a deep breath. With a great deal of poise, she turned about and trotted firmly into the living room. There, she spotted Dinky curling up into a little gray ball on the edge of the couch.

"Dinky, precious," Fluttershy said in a motherly tone. "We have a visitor. This is Rarity, my very dear friend."

"Hmmm?" Dinky looked up, then smiled from where she lay on the couch. "Oh, hello, Lady Rarity."

The unicorn's lips pursed. "'Lady Rarity?'" She produced an airy laugh. "Why, what a marvelously charming title! How might you have learned such a thing, darling?"

"Mommy calls you that all the time," Dinky said with a tired giggle. "She comes home once a week saying 'I just delivered a bunch of jewels to Lady Rarity's place, and it smelled like flowers and rich ponies!'" Dinky winked. "I think Mommy likes how fancy you are. She'd love to dress and talk like an elegant pony herself someday."

Rarity's face contorted with grief. "You poor little thing. It... it pains me very deeply to hear about what happened today, and I just wanted to see you personally and say—"

Fluttershy jerked. With a swish of her feathers, she dashed to Rarity's side and spoke hushedly into the mare's ear.

Rarity listened. Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped. She turned and squeaked at her friend. "Is Twilight serious?"

Fluttershy bit her lip and nodded.

Rarity was at a loss for words. As a matter of fact, she looked almost ready to vomit.

"Were you..." Dinky yawned, flexed her mouth, and murmured, "Were you about to s-say something, Lady Rarity?"

"I... ehrm..."

"Miss Fluttershy invited me to stay at her cottage for a little while," Dinky said with a warm expression. "Isn't that nice of her?"

"Oh. Yes..." Rarity sniffled and nodded with a soft smile. "It is extraordinarily kind of the mare."

"It's only until Mommy comes back, though." Dinky closed her eyes, smiling. "I don't think she'd want anypony stealing me, no matter how kind."

"It's... quite the tempting thought." Rarity chuckled through her throat and reached a hoof to caress the child's bangs. "I mean that in jest, darling. We will make your mother proud. That, I promise you."

"Mmmmhmmm..." Dinky curled tighter against the couch.

"I take it that you're exhausted, dear."

"Oh. No..." Dinky slowly shook her head against the cushions. "I'm not even remotely tired."

"Oh? But you look ready to sleep."

"I'm only 'napping,'" Dinky cooed. "I promised Mommy that I would. She's such a nice pony, I'd hate to let her down."

Rarity's eyes watered. She shuddered, clearing her throat before mewling, "I do not believe that you will have anything to fear in that regard, precious."

"I'm sorry, Lady Rarity," Dinky murmured as her breaths grew more and more even. "Maybe we can talk about Mommy another time?"

"I... I would very much love that, Dinky," Rarity said. Fumbling, she stood up. "Rest assured. You will be in my thoughts, just as you will be in the hearts of every pony in this town."

"Hmmm... that's nice..." And Dinky drifted off.

Fluttershy trotted over, grasping an afghan in her muzzle. She draped it over the slumbering foal, taking time to gaze lovingly at her in the starlight. After a few breaths, she turned about—only to freeze.

Rarity was gone. Beyond the edge of the parlor, a shadow shifted near the entrance to the condo.

Fluttershy quietly trotted away from Dinky's still figure. When she entered the next room, she found Rarity slumped up against a wall, her body heaving. "Rarity...?" With a concerned expression, Fluttershy approached the unicorn from behind and laid a hoof on her cloaked shoulder. "Rarity, speak to me. Are you okay?"

"How... h-how could she be so at peace?" Rarity's voice wavered between sniffing sounds. She rubbed her cheek with a forelimb and glanced towards a wall full of photographs, each showing the foal in a close embrace with her mother. "She's lost so much, and it's like she doesn't even know it..."

"That's because she's not willing to believe it, Rarity," Fluttershy said in a defeated tone. "That's why we have to be extra careful not to do or say anything insensitive about her until she's willing to come to her—"

"No, it's not that." Rarity shook her head, stifling a sob. "It's s-something else. Something stronger."

"How do you mean?"

"I... I can't explain it, darling," Rarity shuddered, staring into the dimly-lit corner. "It's something I haven't felt in a long time, and I only have myself to blame."

"Huh...?"

Rarity gulped, her tearful eyes sparkling. "I... I think I must speak with Twilight. Not now, but before whatever funeral we happen to arrange for Miss Hooves. She deserves a proper sendoff. A respectable ceremony. A..." She suddenly winced, a flash of anger flowing through her otherwise melting expression. "Why? Why of all flowers, did he have to adore lilies? I can't stand the smell of them! How will I be of any use now?"

"Rarity?" Fluttershy trotted around until the two were facing again. "You're not m-making any sense!"

Rarity sniffled, frowning in Fluttershy's direction. "I did absolutely nothing today, Fluttershy. I sat down on my dainty posterior for hours on end, throwing words around like mere spittle, and what did I even accomplish? What love and sincerity did I contribute to this world? Surely not the same thing that resonates such warmth like that little cherub sleeping in the next room."

"None of us could have expected what happened today, Rarity. We were all living our own lives, after all."

"For me to believe that, I have to put the emphasis on 'living,'" Rarity muttered as she trotted to the door. "And suddenly, even that is up to debate."

"Where are you going?"

"Somewhere. Nowhere. I just..." Rarity seethed. "I just need to think."

"Please, Rarity. Stay a little while longer. Talk to me." Fluttershy leaned in. "Share with me what's on your mind."

Rarity gulped tightly. "It's not my mind that I'm concerned about."

Fluttershy blinked confusedly.

"You're doing a noble thing with the child, Fluttershy." Rarity wiped away a final tear and trotted off. "All of you are..."

"Rarity..."

But, with a flurry of hooves, the unicorn was gone.

Shuddering, Rarity stood outside the front stoop to Derpy's condo. She took several seconds to collect her breaths, tightening the scarf around her neck with a tug of magic. Then, after adjusting the folds of her cloak, she made to trot her brisk way home.

"Rarity! Hey there! Ho there!" Pinkie Pie jumped into view suddenly.

"Waaaaaie!" Rarity shrieked far too loudly for her own good. She flung a panicked look towards the parlor windows, as if horrified at the prospect of seeing a little foal startled awake beyond the dark glass. After a relieve sigh, she turned to glare at the fluffy mare in the starlight. "Pinkie Pie, there are ponies with a good sense of timing, and then there is you, darling."

"I've been looking for my friends all day!" Pinkie chirped, wobbling back and forth on her bright hooves. "All I've seen are sad ponies, but none of my bestest of best buds! Until now!"

"Hmmph. In case you haven't lifted your face for a full minute from out of a bowl of flour, you'll have noticed that there's a distinct reason for that this day."

"Yeah. Everypony seems down in the dumps..." Pinkie pouted, then grinned. "But how about we fix that?! You and me?"

"I don't think I quite read you..."

"I've been itching for hours to cheer somepony up!" Pinkie swooped Rarity into a vicious hug. "Squeeee! And this is your lucky day! Cuz that pony is you!"

"Mmmffnnghh... Pinkie..."

"Let's go hit the soda fountain or the milk bar or go skipping stones atop the crystal pond—"

"Pinkie...!"

"Oooh! Or we could go watch old slides of my vacation with the Cakes to Bitaly last year!" Pinkie Pie gasped wide and ecstatically barked, "Did you know that they have over thirty statues of that one stallion who wrote The Equine Comedy?"

"Pinkie!" Rarity shoved the pony off of her and frowned. "Do you possess a single ounce of dignity?!"

"Uhhh..." Pinkie fidgeted nervously. "Is that anything like two teaspoons of sobriety?"

"A very, very terrible thing happened today!" Rarity snarled, a fresh tear running down her cheek. "An innocent pony died in a calamitous accident and her poor, darling daughter is having to live without a mother! There is nothing about any of this that is even remotely worth celebrating! Most especially at this present moment in time!"

"But..." Pinkie's lips quivered. "You and I are both alive, r-right? Isn't that something worth celebrating?"

"Hmmmph!" Rarity tossed her mane and brushed swiftly past Pinkie Pie. "Sometimes I wonder just to what extent your parents ever bothered to teach you manners. I'm sorry, Pinkie, but the last thing I want to do right now is party. And until you understand just how serious this situation is, I would very much desire you to give me and the rest of our friends some much-needed space!"

Pinkie gawked at Rarity as the fashionista trotted off. "But... but..." She sighed, plopping down to her haunches as she sat like a lone statue in Derpy's front lawn. "...I just want everypony to be happy. Why do we have to have boring, stuffy space instead?"

Silence.

Pinkie's face scrunched up. "And... they never t-taught me anything." Her voice was lost to the wind. "I think they liked it even less than having parties."

She exhaled heavily, her mane dangling like a lead weight off the side of her head. She pivoted in the starlight, gazing dully towards the dark face of the condominium.

"Uhhhh... hey!" Spike brightened, lifting a manila envelope into the lamplight. "I think I found something!"

Twilight gasped. Turning around, she galloped across the upstairs bedroom and telekinetically plucked the object from Spike's grasp. "Spike, you're a life-saver!"

"Eww..." The whelp winced. "Wrong choice of words today, ya think?"

Twilight bit her lip, but ultimately shrugged it off. With delicate magic, she untied the package and slid several sheets of hoof-written paper out. Her violet eyes squinted as she ran her gaze across the ornate sheets. "Mmmmm... mmmmhmmmm..." She flipped from one page to another. "Mmmmmmm-hmmmmm..."

"Well?" Spike jumped and jumped on the scaled heels of his feet. "Is it what we thought it was?"

"Oh, yes, Spike. Yes, it's what we were looking for. It's just... uh..."

"What?" Spike leaned forward. "What is it?"

Twilight grimaced slightly. Her eyes shrank as she dropped the sheets back into the envelope, glanced at Spike, and gulped. "Apparently, we're gonna need a lot—and I do mean a lot of muffin mix..."

"Buh?"

The crickets had formed a dense chorus against the fabric of night by the time Applejack unloaded the last barrel of apples into the barn of Sweet Apple Acres.

"Whew-wee!" She slumped back against an empty wagon, wiping the copious drops of sweat from her brow as she lazed briefly in the light of a moth-fluttering lamp. "That's the biggest load of apples I've ever lugged around in a single day! Wouldn't you agree, Big Mac?"

"Eeeyup..." Big Mac trotted out of the barn, similarly sweaty as he dragged an empty crate out and slapped it onto a pile of wooden containers lining the edge of the building.

"For a moment there, I thought I was takin' on too heavy of a load!" Applejack grinned her brother's way. "Thank ya kindly for lendin' a hoof, Macky. If it weren't for y'all, I'd be havin' to explain to Filthy Rich why we were behind in the latest apple supply tomorrow mornin'!"

"Hnnngh!" Big Mac wheezed as he shoved the heavy doors to the barn shut all on his lonesome. He gestured towards Applejack, and the mare rushed forward in time to latch the large entrance shut.

"Come to think of it, I thought it was yer turn to sell apples at the town market today!" Applejack flung a curious glance aside as she fanned herself with her hat. "What brought you home so early? Was it a bad day for sales or somethin'?"

"Eenope."

"Reckon I don't get it." Applejack blinked. "What got you home so early?"

"Didn't ya hear?" Apple Bloom trotted up from the farm house, carrying a lamp atop her spine. "The market and shops closed early today! The whole town's all hushed and quiet-like!"

"Oh?" Applejack raised her hat back up to her head. "What for?"

"Beats me. Could have somethin' to do with some mailpony passin' away."

Applejack let go of her hat and it completely missed her head. She stood frozen still, gawking. "I beg yer pardon...?"

"Yeah..." Apple Bloom nodded, tapping her chin in thought. "Whatshername? Dopey? Droopy?"

Applejack's breath left her. "Derpy Hooves?! D-Derpy Hooves—the mailpony—is a g-goner?!"

"Yeah!" Apple Bloom smiled. "That's her name!"

"But... but..." Applejack's green eyes bore confused little circles in the rich earth of Sweet Apple Acres. "When did this happen?! How did it h-happen?!"

"I dunno. I heard somepony sayin' somethin' about a chariot crashin' north of town early this mornin'. Also hungry Quarry Eels... or somethin' like that." Apple Bloom shrugged before turning to face Big Mac. "Granny sent me to say that supper's ready! Hope you like potato soup! Again! Heehee!" She giggled, drawing a chuckle or two from her big brother as well.

Applejack gawked at him. "Big Macintosh, didja know anythang about this?"

"Eeyup." Without looking at Applejack, he patted Apple Bloom on the head and headed towards the lit house with a leisurely trot.

"Race ya to the house, big brother!" Apple Bloom sang out.

"Wait just a gul-durn minute!" Applejack stammered, stretching a hoof out towards her distant siblings. "How come y'all didn't say a single word about this earlier?!"

Apple Bloom and Big Mac paused to blink back at her. "Didn't ya have a whole heapin' lot of apples to buck today?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Well, yes! I reckon I did, but—"

"We couldn't let Filthy Rich down, could we?" Apple Bloom smiled. "I know how much you hate bein' late with a harvest for the ol' stallion."

Applejack bit her lip.

"Come on, AJ!" Apple Bloom gestured as she waddled towards the house after her big brother. "You'll want to eat up and bed down so you can get up bright and early tomorrow! Still lots of work to be done, right?"

"Sure, but... but..."

"Hey! Big Mac! No fair!" Apple Bloom's voice giggled. "You've got a big stride! How the hay am I supposed to keep up?!"

He chuckled over the sound of his own thudding hoofsteps.

Applejack remained alone, her sad eyes reflecting the pale starlight. After a minute or two, she slumped back against the barn, sitting limply beside her hat in the dark dust.

Tuesday: Shadows and Sighs

Soft hoofsteps creaked through the upper floors of Sugarcube Corner. A plump shadow wandered down the steps, shuffling lethargically into the confectionery’s large kitchen. With a snapping sound, a light switch flipped on, casting a pale glow across the weary face of Cup Cake. Blue bags formed beneath her eyes, and the curlers in her hairs hung loose and threadbare, denoting a restless night of tossing and turning.

With a sigh, Cup Cake shuffled in her slippers across the kitchen tile, making her way towards one of several refrigerators. Her hoof fumbled a few times before grasping a handle and opening it softly. She reached her other hoof in and pulled out a tray of muffins. With a clatter, she dropped the thing onto the counter and stared at it with sad, bleary eyes.

All six baked treats were a day old, and the refrigeration had cast a wet sheen over a note written on a tiny plastic sheet: "For Miss Hooves. Thank you for delivering my package through express air mail for me. Here's a few little rewards, free of charge. Enjoy, darling. {>"

Cup Cake took a deep breath, her sad face taking on a scathing frown. With a few brisk steps, she carried the tray over to a trash can, swung it wide open, and dumped the muffins in, one at a time. Upon tipping over the last treat, however, she froze, her hoof lingering over the cold surface of the breaded texture.

A tiny whimper escaped her lips. She placed the tray onto the counter and raised the muffin closer to her face as tears welled up in her eyes.

"Such a waste."

The mare choked on a sob, leaning in to nuzzle the dessert item like it was a baby duckling.

"Such an awful, awful waste."

"A happy super duperiffic morning to youuuuuuuuuuu!" Pinkie dove in with a blaring accordion from behind.

"Gaaaaaaaaah!" Cup Cake literally jumped out of her slippers, pratfalling across the kitchen floor.

Pinkie did a merry jig around the collapsed mare, casting streamers about as she filled the whole house with organ-generated cacophony. "A dreamy dawn to you and your kinnnnnn!"

"Unnngh!" Mrs. Cake stood up, limping from side to side as she clutched her aching skull. "For heaven's sake! Pinkie!"

"May your noon be full of smiles and giggles and fragrant winnnnnd!"

Thinking impulsively, Cup Cake grabbed a random spatula from a drawer and repeatedly bopped the young mare over the head with it. "Stop! Stop! Stop! Stop! Stop!"

Pinkie froze in place, the organ deflating between her hooves like a wounded snake. She blinked. "What? Did I mess up the chorus?!"

"What in Equestria's name has gotten into you?!" Cup Cake stammered, breathless.

"Just wishing you a good and happy and wonderiffic morning, Mrs. Cake!" Pinkie beamed. She spun about, then came to a stop, seemingly producing a candle-lit cupcake out of thin-air. "Look! Blue frosting! Your favorite!"

"I... I..." Mrs. Cake flinched at the sound of woken infants wailing somewhere upstairs. "Oh bother!"

"Isn't it a great day for us to be alive?!" Pinkie grinned wide. "You're healthy, beautiful, and full of bounce-bounce! Lick it up! The frosting, I mean! Snkkkt-heeheehee!" She giggle-snorted.

A frenzied, wide-eyed Carrot Cake flung his head around the stairway corner. "What is it?! Are we being bombed again?!"

"No, honeybuttons." Mrs. Cake blinked blearily. "It's just... just..."

"Right." Mr. Cake's ears drooped. "Pinkie Pie." He scratched his five o'clock shadow, sighed, and trotted limply upstairs towards the wailing voices. "Don't worry, honey. I'll take care of the little'uns."

"Thank you, Carrot." Cup Cake exhaled as she slumped against the refrigerator.

"Wow! I can smell the morning dew already!" Pinkie Pie inhaled deeply along the nearby window pane. "Isn't it amazing that we survived?! It's like an airbag saved our lives!"

"Pinkie..."

"In an interstellar burst, we're back to save the universe—!"

"Pinkie!" Cup Cake snatched the treat from her hooves with a frown. "Do you have any idea—" She tried blowing out the candle. "What time it—" The candle re-lit, so she blew it again. "What time it—" It went out; she reblew it. "What time it is?!" The candle exploded with confetti and sparks in her plump face. "Augh! Goddess bless it!"

"It's time to enjoy every waking minute!" Pinkie Pie leaned forward with a grin. "What do you wanna do first?! Huh?! Start a baby photo collage of Pumpkin and Pound?! Oooh! What about we plan a second trip to Bitaly?! We could pay Veronoats another visit! Only this time with less rain, bicycles, and grumpy old stallions saying how fruity our manes look!"

"Enough!" Cup’s voice literally boomed, shaking the young mare to the core. "Pinkie, I understand that you always want to keep a cheerful disposition, but this is the worst possible time! Don't... d-don't you understand that?"

Pinkie blinked, her face dull with confusion. "I... understand... that we've got... a lot to be happy about." She gulped, then smiled painfully. "I mean, don't we?"

"I most certainly wouldn't argue with that, dearie—"

"Then let's spend the day doing something totally fun!" Pinkie bounced in place. "Don't you deserve it?"

"That's not the issue here."

"Wait. There's an issue here?"

"This is a bad week, Pinkie!" Cup Cake growled. "A bad, horrible, tragic week! I can appreciate your enthusiasm on most occasions—but not now! Not when a pony so close to us has died!"

"But..." Pinkie blinked. "We're not dead. Can't we be cheerful?"

"No..." Cup sighed as she wandered over to the trash can and hesitantly dropped the last muffin in, along with Pinkie's morning treat. "We can't. At least... n-not right now, darling."

"But... But..." Pinkie rubbed her muzzle. "I don't understand..."

"And, quite frankly, I don't expect you to."

Pinkie's face jerked up to squint at her. "Huh?"

Cup Cake winced. Sighing, she rubbed a hoof over her face. "Pinkie, look, I'm terribly sorry. It's just that all I did last evening was weep for a dear friend of mine. I didn't get any sleep last night. Quite frankly, I don't know what to do with myself today. Everything's so... so... so horrible..."

"But, I thought I already made a suggestion for what we could do today."

"And it's the wrong suggestion," she grumbled as she trotted out of the kitchen.

"But..." Pinkie reached out to her. "Mrs. Cake—"

"Just give me some space!" the older mare blurted, trudging her way back up the stairs.

Pinkie slumped in the corner of the kitchen. Alone. "Why is 'space' all that anypony wants all of the sudden?"

TUESDAY MORNING

Rainbow Dash took long, deep breaths, her feathered wings twitching from waves of moisture rising up over their sapphiric contours. Toasty sunlight rolled over her fuzzy coat, outlining the folds that had formed across her muzzle after a long night with very little sleep.

"Uhm... Miss Dash?"

She tilted her head up, quietly drinking in the warmth of the blossoming dawn. However, try as she might, she couldn't fight off an errant shiver or two ricocheting through her lithe body. The discomfort brought an aggravated grimace to her face.

"Miss Dash?"

Her ruby eyes flickered open. She turned and glared across the cloud bed.

A dozen pegasi were seated on the fluffy patch of moisture behind her. Several of them flinched upon receiving her glance. One stallion towards the front gulped. "We've... uh... we've been waiting for half an hour. Are... are you g-gonna give us our sections of the sky to clear, Captain?"

"Didn't I already tell you?" Rainbow Dash grumbled.

The stallions and mares exchanged confused glances. They looked back at her. "Tell us what, ma'am?"

Rainbow sighed. "Go home. You all get the day off."

They all gave her surprised double-takes. "Huh?! The day off?! All of us?!"

"You heard me."

"Miss Dash... Captain Dash, we know that the Mayor has declared an upcoming holiday and all, but we c-can't just put off cloud kicking altogether! It's mandatory by Equestrian law! Why... if the Cloudsdale Weather Committee was to find out—"

"Who said it wasn't getting done?" Rainbow frowned as she slid a pair of goggles down. "I got this. You guys can go on home."

The pegasi murmured with greater nervousness. A mare trotted forward across the cloud. "You... you can't be serious! You're going to do it all by yourself?"

"I'm totally sure I just said that," the mare grunted, flapping her wings until she broke into a low hover. "Do you have frozen dew in your ears?"

"Well... er... no..."

"Then scram!" Rainbow Dash said. "Be with your friends and family and all that jazz. I've got work to do."

"But there's so many tasks to do!" A stallion exclaimed. "Plus, the Cloudsdalian scouts spoke of a storm front rolling in from the western mountains earlier—"

Rainbow suddenly spun around, her goggles magnifying her angry eyes. "You saying that I don't have what it takes to kick a stupid little stormcloud to shreds?!"

"What?—No!"

"You think I don't care about my fellow ponies?!" Rainbow Dash flew into his face, hissing like a cobra. "You think I'd just let everyone down?! Like I’m weak or stupid?!"

"I-I didn't say anything like that, Captain Dash! Honest!" The stallion exclaimed, shivering.

"Ponyville needs me. It always has!" Rainbow flung an angry hoof towards the stratosphere. "The moment I can't live up to my daily tasks as this town's lead weather flier is the day I should turn in my wings! Now, if anypony would like to disagree, raise your hoof!"

Everypony sat on their own limbs.

"Good! We'll continue things as scheduled next week. You all just... I dunno..." Rainbow sighed while darting off towards the western cloud banks. "Get ready for the big event on Thursday."

After she left in a burst of shattered clouds, the remaining ponies stood, blinking at one another.

"Celestia almighty, she's going to kill herself!"

"You wonder if that's what she's trying to do?"

"Erm... anypony here wanna tell her she’s nuts to her face?"

Silence.

"Let's... uh... g-go grab some cider instead!"

"Oh! Uh... sure!"

"Sounds like a good plan!"

Spike stretched his pudgy little arms with a warm, whelpish yawn. One scaled foot after another, he waddled down the stairs and onto the first floor of the town library. He barely made two steps towards the kitchen when he tripped over a stack of dusty, moldy books.

"Gaaah!" He landed hard on his chest. "Unnngh..."

"Careful there, Spike," muttered a tired voice.

"Yeah, thanks, Twilight." He grumbled as he performed a slow, trembling push-up. "A little bit... nnnngh... late there." He blinked, cross-eyed, then snapped his gaze towards the lavender shape in question. "What the...? Just how early did you get up?"

Twilight turned the page of a massive tome in front of her with glowing telekinesis. She had her wings draped around her like a fluffy duvet. "That presumes that I ever lied down to begin with."

"Ah jeez, I knew it." Spike stood up with a groan. "You were awake all night, weren't you?"

"Sleep doesn't matter much these days," she droned, almost entirely lost in the words unraveling before her eyes. "Not like it used to."

Spike's scaled face scrunched up. "What in the heck is that supposed to mean?"

She sighed, leaning closer towards the thick texts before her. "Never mind. Forget I said anything, Spike."

"Y'know, when you outright tell me to do that..." He let his own words dissolve into a pointless chuckle. Then, with a double-take, he crawled around the stacks of books, reading each title one after another: 'History of Equestrian Biology.' 'Mortal Ponydom: the Art of Honoring the Dead.' 'The Lasting Legacy of Starswirl.' 'The Mass Graves of Whinniepeg?'"

"Not exactly morning reading material, I know," Twilight droned as she flipped another page. "Whatever the case, don't let me keep you from enjoying your breakfast topaz, Spike."

"Why in the wide world of Equestria are you reading these grim things?"

Twilight sighed. "If you must know, it started with me wondering how to go about setting up a proper funeral. So I started perusing 'A Sociological Sketch of Equestrian Undertaking.' And then I got diverted by a reference to 'The Tartarusian Treatise,' which then inspired me to read a chapter or two on 'A History of Celestial Tributes' as well as a theological commentary on the eschatological implications of 'The Book of Saros.'" She took a deep breath, turned a page, and muttered, "And now... well... I'm back to perusing the 'Equestrian Almanac of Gravekeeping.'"

"So, what you're telling me..." Spike gestured towards the monolithic forest of books surrounding his tiny body. "...is that this is all about figuring out how to prepare a proper funeral for Derpy Hooves?"

"That's the long and short of it. Yes."

"Bite your tongue!" Spike frowned, planting his hands on his hips. "Half of this junk is the same stuff you were trying to read yesterday morning! Y'know, when you were all down in the dumps!"

"Well, forgive me if I'm not exactly chipper at the moment either, Spike." Her eyes burned venomously into him. "Yesterday was anything but a romp through the roses."

"There's more to this than what happened to Dinky's mom and you know it." Spike knelt before her with a sad expression. "I'm just worried about you, Twilight! You... seem distant somehow, as if you've got the weight of the world on your shoulders or something."

"Spike..."

"And don't even pretend that I'm not able to notice that kind of stuff about you!"

She sighed again, avoiding his gaze as she dove deeper and deeper into the book. "I just gotta get this funeral right, Spike." She gulped. "That's all that matters right now. This means more than me doing my duty as a newly crowned princess. Miss Hooves deserves nothing less than the absolute best memorial, and I'm dedicated to seeing that happen."

"But is it worth going through all of this crazy research?!"

"I don't want to mess anything up."

"Twilight, you read the will to me," Spike managed a slight smirk. "Aside from entrusting all her possessions to Dinky, Derpy simply asked for a wave."

"A 'wake,'" Twilight corrected.

"Right." Spike nodded. "You know what a wake involves, don'tcha?"

"It's a tad bit hard to have an open casket when there's no piece of Derpy left to lie in it."

"Still." Spike shrugged. "I read Derpy's last rites with you. All she wants is for her close friends to chillax and eat loads and loads of muffins around her body while chatting it up about memories—preferably the good ones!"." He chuckled. "If you ask me, you shouldn't be the one doing all the hard work. More than likely, Mrs. And Mr. Cake should! What... with all the baking they gotta do. Heh..."

"This is no laughing matter, Spike," Twilight muttered, her eyes somewhat glossy. "I just... I Just want to make sure that nopony forgets who Derpy is, or what kind of an impact she's had on this whole town." She swallowed hard. "She deserves a legacy. Everypony does."

Spike squinted at her, leaning in. "Twilight, are you gonna tell me what happened at that royal conference?"

Twilight bit her lip.

Just then, there was a heavy knock on the door, startling them both. Twilight gasped while Spike jumped to his feet.

"Uhhh... eheh..." Spike brushed his spines straight and waddled to the front. "I'll get it."

"No, Spike." Twilight flapped her wings and awkwardly hovered to her hooves. "Allow me."

"You sure?"

"Absolutely." She stood on stiff limbs, wincing only slightly. "Besides, it wouldn't hurt for me to stretch my legs a bit."

"Now that's the spirit."

"Meh." Twilight opened the door with a creak. "Helllllo there..." She tried to smile, only to blink in surprise. "Applejack!"

The cowfilly was panting, lowering her hat with an apologetic expression. "Oh, Twilight. I'm mighty sorry. I knocked on the door a tad bit too loud this time of day, didn't I?"

"No, it's... it's alright, I just didn't expect to see you in town so early in the morning and—" She froze, squinting curiously at her blonde friend. "Applejack, did you just gallop here?"

Applejack breathed, gulped, and breathed again. "Maybe..." Her freckles drowned in a sea of blush.

Twilight studied her friend anxiously. Her wings coiled to her side as she glanced over her flank.

Spike cleared his throat and twirled towards the kitchen. "I think I'm gonna... uh... have some of that milk and topaz now!" He waddled off. "AJ, you want anything?"

"No thanks, Spike, but I thank you kindly for the offer."

"You don't have to just stand there!" Twilight smiled as she gestured towards the front room. "Come on in!"

"Oh... uhm... right..." Applejack stumbled into the library, still holding her hat before her.

"AJ..." Twilight sighed, closing the door behind them before casting her a placid grin. "How many times have we been over this? We both know that I'm a princess now, but we also both know that we're best friends first."

"Oh... uhm... right..." Applejack cleared her throat and placed her hat neatly back onto her scalp. "I beg yer pardon." She fidgeted, glancing curiously at the stacks of books laying around them like a paper minefield. "Whew-wee. I figured that once you were coronated, you'd give up reading books for writing 'em instead."

"Yes, well, some habits are harder to kick than others." Twilight turned and used her telekinesis to slide all the books together into a neat little cluster of pillars. "But, I assure you, it's for a good cause this particular morning."

"I reckon it is." Applejack bit her lip.

Twilight turned towards her. "Is... there something you wanted to get off your chest, Applejack? I usually don't see you this early in the morning. Don't you have work to do on the farm?"

"Funny you should ask. I'm all caught up as of last night. In fact, I was workin' from dawn 'til dusk, which is... uhm... which is why..." She grimaced as if something was trying to burst through her teeth.

Twilight's brow furrowed with concern.

"Well, I just want you to know that... that I know. That is, I know what you know... y'know..."

Twilight's ear twitched. "About...?"

Applejack gulped. "Poor ol' Derpy, the sweet darlin'."

Twilight nodded.

"But I didn't find out until last night!" Applejack blurted, her eyes wide. "I know it's hard to believe, and awful shameful to admit, but I plum didn't hear a single darn thang until it was after sundown! And by then, most sensible ponies were already fast asleep, and I'm sure you and the other girls were mournin' the whole situation somethin' fierce, and... and—"

"Whoa there, Applejack!" Twilight reached a hoof out, caressing the mare's shoulder. "Slow down. It's okay." She smiled. "I know you're a busy pony, and you don't exactly live within earshot of everything that goes down in downtown Ponyville. It's okay, really."

"I... I don't just wanna be busy, Twilight," Applejack said in a wavering tone. "I care for my friends. And not just y'all, but everypony in this here town, and when something bad like this happens... well... it tears me up somethin' terrible!"

"It affects us all, Applejack," Twilight said. "We may not have been close to Derpy, but somehow we were all blessed by her presence amongst us."

"You... uh... you d-do believe me, don'tcha, sugarcube?" Applejack bit her lip. "When I say how awful I f-feel about Derpy's passin'?"

"Why..." Twilight's face flexed with confusion. "Why of course I do, Applejack. Why wouldn't I?"

The cow filly fidgeted.

"AJ...?"

Applejack sighed. She removed her hat once more and paced about the library on three hooves. After a few frenzied laps around the book stacks, she scuffled about and stared earnestly at the alicorn. "Twilight, do you remember the last time you ever cried?"

Twilight blinked.

Applejack waved both hooves. "B-before yesterday, I mean!" She winced. "I d-didn't mean nothin' cross by that."

"I know you didn't. It's just that... uhm..." Twilight rubbed her chin. "I... I guess, if you must know, it was right when I was coronated, and I saw all of you—my dear friends—standing before me on the balcony." She smiled sweetly into the gentle sunlight wafting through the eastern windows. "Everypony thinks that it's such a big deal that I became a princess, but it's really not that amazing an accomplishment. I mean—sure—it was, but I don't have myself alone to thank." She sniffled slightly and turned towards Applejack with an even bigger grin. "You and the other girls... you mean everything to me, and I wouldn't have accomplished nearly as much in my life if it wasn't for all that you've done, for all that you've been. for all of the support and the love and the dedication..."

"Heh..." Applejack's lips curved slightly. "We do make a pretty fancy team, huh?"

Twilight rubbed the corners of her eyes and sighed warmly. "Yeah, I guess you could put it that way." She cleared her throat, suddenly blinking at Applejack with a curious expression. "Why... uhm... would you ask that? Not that I'm offended or anything. I'm just wondering."

Applejack stared down at the floor. "I guess there was no point in askin'. I kind of figured that that would have been your answer."

Twilight rubbed her chin in thought. She blinked, then glanced sideways at the mare. "When was the last time you cried, Applejack?"

The mare immediately winced. "I... I reckon that's not an easy thang for me to answer myself." She gulped. "But... I do remember the last time I wanted to cry."

"Wanted... to...?"

Applejack gazed softly at Twilight. "Not that long ago, when you helped me and the gals fetch our talents back with the Elements of Harmony, there was this one moment—a pretty dang scary moment—when I could have sworn you had been blasted to bits, sugarcube."

Twilight bit her lip. Her eyes unconsciously darted towards a patch of wooden floor covered by a conspicuous rug, right in front of the room's center table. The black band of a hidden "star" peaked out from beyond the edge of the woolen fabric.

"You weren't, of course. Celestia was simply passin' on the alicorn torch in some far-off place. Heh... we just didn't know it at the time." Applejack gulped. "Pinkie Pie was panicking somethin' fierce. Rainbow Dash searched all around town like an albatross with its head cut off. And then Fluttershy and Rarity..."

Twilight blinked, her lips pursing.

"Well..." Applejack clenched her jaw. "They outright sobbed for you, Twilight. I don't think I've ever seen a single mare—much less two of them—shed that many tears. They were convinced that you were dead. I couldn't blame them, because I was crumblin' all apart on the inside myself. I stuck by them the whole time, tellin' them that it was just a matter of time before Rainbow found you n'all. Of course, I didn't know whether or not there was any point in havin' faith in that, myself, but it was the only thing I could do to calm them down."

"I..." Twilight slumped back on her haunches. Her wings drooped on either side of her as she exhaled in tight little bursts. "I... h-had no idea it was that bad."

"That's because their spirits had collected a bit by the time you came back with yer... uhm... fancy new royal wings." Applejack smiled awkwardly. "And it was a good thang too. At the rate at which Rarity was bawlin', I'm sure she would have drowned her in tears."

Twilight gave a bittersweet chuckle. "Well, that is Rarity, given most situations."

"Heh. Reckon so." Applejack tried to laugh, but her breath came out in a tense wheeze. She bit her lip.

Twilight gazed fixedly at her.

Swallowing a lump down her throat, Applejack returned the look. "But I didn't cry, Twilight. Not a single tear."

"But..." Twilight squinted. "You wanted to."

"I just want you to know that." Applejack trotted closer. "I mean, I know t'ain't proper to try and force other ponies to believe things, but please, understand that I do... truly care for you and the rest of the gals, Twilight." She took a deep breath. "I just wish I could... I dunno... show it more."

"I've never doubted that for one second, Applejack!" Twilight placed a hoof on her shoulder again, smiling dearly. "You're the Element of Honesty, after all! You don't have to use words to convince me! Your integrity shows through your actions. And that's more than enough!"

"But it ain't!" Applejack suddenly growled, her teeth showing. "I... I-I shouldn't have to be rigid like a hard metal plow all the dang time! What would it hurt for me to crack a bit at the edges, huh?! I mean... I can, y'know! I just... I guess I just don't choose to..."

"Applejack...?" Twilight's face hung in confusion. "I don't think I understand. What are you getting at?"

"I... I don't know!" Applejack trotted about until she was staring out the window towards the streets full of bustling morning villagers. "I guess sometimes... sometimes..." She shuddered. "I wanna be like Rarity... or Fluttershy... or even you." She froze, then sighed with slumping shoulders. "That didn't come out right. I'm sorry. Forget that last part."

"No..." Twilight trotted towards her. "I don't think I should. And for your information, I'm not offended." She looked closely at her friend. "There really isn't anything wrong with showing some emotion, Applejack. Everypony's entitled, especially when... when..." She sighed, gazing back at her stacks of books with a long face. "...we've lost somepony very special to us."

"I really wanna show how sad I am over Derpy's passin'. I want to really badly." Applejack gulped. "But, I'm startin' to think that maybe..." She gazed sadly at Twilight. "I don't know how."

Twilight blinked back, then stood up straight. "Well, I know how you can get an opportunity to do it, Applejack."

"I'm all ears, Twilight."

"Well, you can practice being all words... or even tears..." Twilight leaned in and nuzzled the cow filly. "Come to the funeral on Thursday. You and your whole family are invited, but somehow I bet you knew that already."

"Me... and my family...." Applejack droned as she stared out the window again.

Twilight raised an eyebrow. "Is something wrong with that?"

The mare sighed, then plopped the hat back onto her hat. "Reckon yer right about one thing." Applejack trotted lonesomely towards the front door. "I sure gotta practice some things, but t’ain’t just words."

Twilight watched her mutely as the door open and shut.

With a creak, Fluttershy opened the front entrance to her cottage. "Here we arrrrrre!" she said in a melodic tone.

Dinky waddled in after the mare, a satchel hanging off one flank and a sleeping bag off the other. Her amber eyes widened, sparkling with the reflection of over a dozen furry bodies. "Awwwww..." She cooed as several rodents and critters flocked to Fluttershy's soft golden fetlocks. "They even greet you when you return home! They're sooooo cuuuuute!"

"Mmmmhmmm..." Fluttershy leaned down and nuzzled one squirrel and chipmunk after another. "And I love each and every one of them tenderly, as if they were my own children. And they treat their Momma just right." She turned and smiled at a fluffy white shape in a tiny bed. "Isn't that right, Angel?" An ice pack flew savagely across the room and ricocheted like a stone off Fluttershy's skull.

"Whooops!" Dinky covered her mouth and broke into a giggling fit.

"Uhm..." Fluttershy smiled nervously, rubbing the fresh whelt on her golden brow. "Don't mind him. He's sick."

"Yeah... heehee..." Dinky trotted into the center of the room. "In more ways than one." She tilted her face up, up, up towards the rafters of the rustic place, marveling at the wooden planks, birdhouses, and walkways filling the interior. "Wowwww! It's like a miniature zoo in this place!"

"I like to think it's more like a halfway home for living fluffiness." Fluttershy scooped up a ferret and hugged it to her chest with a warm smile. "So close to the Everfree Forest, this is the one place where these little creatures can be guaranteed a safe place to live and eat without fear of predators!"

"Well, you're awfully nice to offer them such a home, Miss Fluttershy."

"I can't help it." Fluttershy placed the ferret back down and lovingly patted its head. "They're just begging for a loving caretaker."

"Is it okay if I pet one or two of them?"

"Oh, absolutely!" Fluttershy grinned across the way as she hovered towards a locked cabinet. "Just be sure to wash your hooves after handling the frogs. Uhm... I'll t-tell you why later."

Dinky knelt low before a family of squeaking, nose-wriggling house mice. "Hi! My name is Dinky!" She reached a hoof out. "Pleased to meet you this fine morning!" One or two of them crawled hesitantly towards her, giving her forelimb a friendly sniff. "Heehee!"

"Don't mind me, Dinky," Fluttershy said as she pulled loose a bag of feed and began filling dish after dish. "It's the regularly scheduled feeding time. It should only take a minute. Feel free to park your things over in the corner. Uhm... preferably not the one with the smelly litter boxes. I'll... uh... get to those in a few minutes. I promise."

"Y'know, to be honest..." Dinky obediently dragged her personal belongings towards the far end of the cottage. "It really doesn't smell all that bad in here!" She paused to stare down the beak of an inquisitive flamingo. "I mean, considering all the stuff with feathers and fur in this place."

"That's because I give them all baths daily!" Fluttershy winked in the middle of laying crumbs before a gaggle of goslings. "Rarity sometimes likes to say that if weren't for me, the shampoo store in downtown would go out of business." She gave her best dainty laugh.

Dinky smiled. "Yes, well, you don't have to worry about me," Dinky said as she opened her satchel and dug around it. "Mommy's away from the house most of the time, so she taught me a long... long time ago how to bathe myself." She paused to toss a smile across the cottage. "I even scrub behind my ears!"

"And as we all know, the most important part of a pony's body are her ears," Fluttershy said, though she paused to squint at the ceiling with a perplexed face. "Or maybe that's 'the daintiest part.'" The pegasus shrugged and filled the last of the dishes. "Oh well. Sometimes I think the only interesting things I have to say are the things I picked up from Rarity."

"Don't sell yourself short, Miss Fluttershy, I think this cottage is the most interesting thing I've seen all week!"

"Hmmmm!" Fluttershy stifled a squeal. "I'm so happy you think so!" Her soft wings fluttered faster. "I just know we're going to have such a happy time together! We can brush bunny rabbit tails and teach ducklings how to swim and then make sandwiches and have tea parties and share bedtime stories—"

"Aaaaand speaking of ears!" Dinky went on, pulling a conspicuously blue object out from her satchel and clutching it between two hooves. "I haven't heard a peep from Mommy yet this morning. But I bet I could fix that!"

Fluttershy dropped her bag of feed, inexplicably exploding brown pellets across the cottage room floorboards. "Eep! Oh my..." She batted away a cluster of rabid squirrels and fumbled to scoop the stuff back into her pouch. "Uhm... I... h-hadn't realized that you had..." She gulped. "...br-brought that with you from your condominium."

"Well, of course I did!" Dinky grinned as she turned the sound stone over and over in her petite forelimbs. "I wouldn't be a very good daughter if I ignored any word from my Mom! Who knows? Maybe she's in a new place—a magical place—with even crazier stuff than crystal trees or giant mushrooms!"

"Uhm..."

"Come onnnn!" Dinky licked her lips as she shook and shook the sound stone. "Come onnnn, Mommy!" Her face scrunched up. "Huh... weird. Why isn't it glowing yet? A lot of time has passed by..."

"Maaaaaaybe—" Fluttershy drifted over and grasped her hoof over the stone in Dinky's grip. "—you should give the thing a rest for a little while, huh, Dinky?"

Dinky gazed up at Fluttershy with a half-pouting expression. "Really? What for?"

"Well... uhm..." Fluttershy fidgeted, avoiding the foal's gaze. "It's... it's an enchanted crystal, right?"

"Right..."

"And... enchanted crystals... uhm... are pr-pretty fragile!" She produced a sweaty smile. "And you never know how much handling they can take before they m-might start to break!"

"Break?!" Dinky gasped, hugging the thing close to her chest. "Oh no! I would never!"

"I didn't mean to suggest that you would mean to, dear..."

"Huh. I never thought that much about it." Dinky gazed at her multiple reflections in the jagged surface of the shard. "I guess this thing is pretty brittle. Mom would be sad if I accidentally broke it before she had a chance to contact me again."

"The key thing is to be patient, don't you think?" Fluttershy's teeth glistened in the window light. "After all, she's been the one to call you, r-right?"

"Well, you do have a point there." Dinky turned the shard over one last time, then smiled up at the pegasus. "Jee, you really do know a lot about crystals, don't you, Miss Fluttershy?"

Fluttershy tilted her head up with a proud expression. "Well, I only happened to have met several ponies made of the stuff! Twilight's brother and a pretty pink princess are living in their kingdom as we speak!"

"Ooooh!" Dinky hopped up and down. "Would you tell me about them?"

"Sure! How about over another warm bowl of tomato soup?"

"Oh, I would love some, Miss Fluttershy!"

"Well, first thing's first." Fluttershy reached over and carefully pried the sound stone from Dinky's hooves. "Let's... put this someplace safe and secure, shall we?"

"Oh... uh..." Dinky blinked, but gave an awkward smile. "Alright. If you think it's for the best."

"I most certainly do," the mare said, hovering up and planting the crystal on the top of a tall tall bookshelf. "There! It should be perfectly fine here!"

"That's... kind of..." Dinky's face scrunched up. "High."

"Well... all the further away from mischievous little paws and tails, don'tcha think?" Fluttershy smiled nervously.

"Uhhhhhh... I guess?"

"Come along, precious!" Fluttershy nudged the confused little foal forward, ushering her into the kitchen. "I'll show you the proper way to slice tomatoes!"

"S-sure thing..."

"Well, maybe I'll just demonstrate it for you."

"Right..."

"Come to think of it, knives are kind of sharp and dangerous. How about a salad instead?"

"I... uh... would be happy with whatever you think is b-best, Miss Fluttershy!"

"Awwwwwww... you're such a dear."

As Dinky trotted into the kitchen, she cast one last look towards where the crystal lay on the tall shelf. She sighed with folded ears. "I just hope I don't miss a call from Mommy." She turned and waddled after Fluttershy. "She'd better be alright..."

With thundering hooves, the massive ten-ton rhinoceros stormed across a plain full of waving tall grass.

Derpy Hooves sat still, smiling, gazing towards either side of the charging creature. Her tattered mailpony cloak billowed in the wind. Streams of otherworldly light swam beyond floating chunks of earth high above her.

With snorting nostrils, the massive creature swung its skull forward, aiming a jagged horn towards Derpy’s gut. The ground shook to the breaking point as it bore down on the pegasus.

At the very last second, Derpy licked her lips and jumped to the side. “Hutt!” She bit her jaws seemingly into naked air, only to clasp onto a massive thorn that had been lodged in the immense beast’s snout. The sheer speed with which the giant rhinoceros was roaring past Derpy allowed the mare to pluck the foreign object easily from its tough flesh.

Once the deed was done, the beast stopped stomping. It grinded to a stop just before the edge of a giant white meteor that had been lodged into the earth. It turned around, rubbing its muzzle against the ground, relishing in the absence of the bloodied thorn.

“There!” Derpy smiled, waving the offensive object around in the crook of her hoof. “It worked! Just like I told you it would, Mr. Buffalo!” She stuck the horn into the pocket of her suit and giggled into the fragrant, blistery winds of the grassland. “Now, be a good boy and don’t give apple ranchers such a hard time, ya hear?”

The rhinoceros roared, then emitted what could best be described as a deep bass purring noise. It stomped forward, opened its snout, and licked Derpy all over with a leviathan’s wet tongue.

“Heeheeheeeeee—Quit ittttt!” Derpy playfully swatted the creature’s nose away. “I gotta look and smell clean for when I return home to my muffin! I’m sure she’s been behaving while I’m gone. Don’t you have family members that you miss from time to time?”

The hulking thing snorted, its glossy eyes reflecting the vibrant colors of massive planetoids hanging high in the nebulous sky.

“Now now. Don’t be sad.” Derpy hovered into a lopsided flight, nevertheless leaning forward to nuzzle the thing between the eyes. “Life’s a gift, after all, and we’ve got plenty of years to eat muffins, make friends, and eat more muffins! I bet you could eat a whole restaurant full of muffins and make an entire hoofball field full of friends!”

The rhinoceros slapped its tail up and down and panted like a huge, happy dog.

“There ya go! Some happy thoughts to graze on!” Derpy patted its horn. “Whelp, I must be off.” She swooped down, picked up the bag of void rocks, and soared towards the air full of floating rock clusters above. “It was a pleasant surprise to show up in this strange place, but I gotta find my home! You understand, don’t ya?”

It merely snorted, letting loose a melodic whimper.

“Hey! Good idea!” Derpy smiled as she stuck a hoof deep into her bag of void stones. “I’ll sing a song while I travel!” Sticking her tongue out, she finally snatched a polished black shard in her hoof and hummed aloud. “Make a monkey wretch. Eh. Eh. Eh. Make a monkey rich. Eh. Eh. Eh.”

With a grunt, she broke her song long enough to smash a void stone against a floating island. With a flash of aquamarine life, she vanished, replaced by a cold gust of wind.

TUESDAY AFTERNOON

Rarity sat dead-still on her stool in the center of her parlor. Her mane hung in unkempt ribbons around her head, and the mare's robe barely clung to her body. She stared at the one thing that had been devouring her attention for hours on end, the same infernal contraption that had refused to budge or make a noise, even for a single tick.

The latest page dangled out the top of the typewriter, a fresh white wall of complete nothing.

Rarity's lips hung open. She didn't realize until swallowing just how dry she had allowed her mouth to get. She rubbed her cheek, sighed for the umpteenth time that day, and gazed beyond the writing tool.

Outside, birds fluttered from tree branch to tree branch. The sunny sky was buzzing with insects, all relishing the heat and vibrance of summer.

Even still, the unicorn shuddered. She tilted her head icily back so that she was gawking at the typewriter again. Achingly, one of her muscles twitched, as if she was about to move, dance, sob, collapse, explode, or simply just whimper.

Nothing came out. Nothing.

Her mind swam the same circles they had done for hours, until she realized that she had stumbled upon the same uncreative thought that had first drawn her—limping—straight out of bed and into that lonely room of diamonds, dust, and shadows. She contemplated starting the next chapter of her memoirs with a metaphor related to her work, something to do with fabrics and sewing and stitching. The very clump of words tasted stale in her mouth, and yet she enchanted her horn, forcing the mess of text to come out onto the page with a clatter that resembled gunshots.

"'Silk is...'"

And then she stopped completely.

Rarity tongued the inside of her mouth, fidgeting in her seat. She cracked the joints in her neck, ripped the paper out, stuck a new one in, and began telekinetically typing with renewed vigor.

"'Silk is... ...'"

Once again, her brain put on the brakes, and she hung off the edge of the stool like a rotted old tree leaning precariously over a cliff. With a sigh, she slumped back, flicking her slipper off so that she could rub a pale hoof over her face, eyelids, and brow. A heavy lump was forming in her throat, and soon a deeply sour sensation had overcome the ache of frustration that was then clearing in her mind. What filled Rarity's head instead was visions of a tiny gray ball—an adorable filly lying on a couch, her face smiling contentedly into the pale starlight as she drifted off into slumber.

For the moment, Rarity couldn't remember ever smiling so happily herself.

She heard a rustling sound from the far end of the Boutique. Pulling at the skin of her muzzle, she lowered her hoof and stared over her shoulder with a quivering mouth.

Sweetie Belle limped into view, trotting across the hallway with an invisible cloud hanging over her head.

"Sweetie..." Rarity realized she was whispering. With a feminine grunt, she dismounted from the stool and trotted swiftly over towards the foal. "Sweetie, darling, where are you off to?"

"Out," the filly muttered.

"Out?" Rarity's brow furrowed. "Out where, pray tell?"

"Why?" Sweetie frowned and looked up at her older sister. "You gonna give me another lecture about wearing proper hoofwear or—?" She did a double-take. "Yeesh, Rarity! You look like a stagecoach wreck!"

"Yes... well... erhm..."

"You know, it's kind of sad."

Rarity took a deep breath. "Yes, Sweetie Belle. I know that what happened yesterday was awful, and I think—"

"I mean, you make such a huge fuss about me beautifying my mane?!" Sweetie Belle pointed bitterly at the mare's head. "Just look at that mess! Heh... guess proper etiquette only works both ways during business hours, huh?"

"Wh-what?!" Rarity leaned back as if a serpent was springing into her face. She scowled, "Why, of all the—" She clenched her eyes shut, took a few deep breaths, and calmly said, "I simply wished to know how you were managing after what happened yesterday."

"Meh..." Sweetie Belle shrugged. "What's it matter?"

"What's it matter?!" Rarity gawked. "Why, Miss Hooves was a very prominent mare in this town!" She fidgeted, her eyes darting aside. "Granted, not many of us woke up to this fact until she was suddenly and tragically missing from our ranks, but nevertheless, her death has left quite a gaping hole in all of our hearts, and it would be even more tragic if we didn't make attempts to mourn her passing together—"

"Oh, so now you wanna be all sad and stuff over her death, huh?!" Sweetie Belle leaned back with a venomous expression. "Where was the 'caring and passionate lady' last night, huh? Oh, wait!" Sweetie Belle produced a fake grin. "She was drowning in her own personal words! How's that novel treating you, big sister?"

"It's not a novel, darling. It's a series of memoirs."

"Whatever. A book's a book. A dictionary's a dictionary. Who cares?"

"I do! I mean... erm..." Rarity facehoofed, rolled her eyes, and grunted, "Not about the books, but about Derpy! And her... her..." She sighed. "Her precious little sibling."

"Uh... don't you mean daughter?"

Rarity jerked. "Oh my. What did I j-just say right now?"

"See?! You don't even pay attention to what you say! I swear!" Sweetie Belle brushed past her in an angry trot. "Not to me, and definitely not to the poor ponies of this town! You only care about yourself and your stupid career!"

"That... th-that's certainly not true!" Rarity stammered. "I mean, I do care about you!" She bit her lip. "You and everypony, I-I mean. You... do believe that, don't you?"

"Rarity, it's never about believing anything with you," Sweetie Belle paused to grumble. "It's all about me getting out of your way, not tracking mud into the Boutique, or having all of my sleepovers elsewhere. All of them! I still haven't had a single chance to show Apple Bloom or Scootaloo the wardrobe that you made for me in the guest room!"

"Sweetie Belle, darling..." Rarity sighed, trying to toss the angry huffs out of her breath. "Let's not talk about me for the time being."

"Ha! That would be a first!"

Rarity frowned, but nevertheless said, "Don't you wish to talk about what's going on? Don't you wish to get some things off your chest? Dinky is a... fellow schoofoal of yours, so surely this must be quite trying for you."

"Eh. I'm alright."

Rarity raised an eyebrow. "'Alright?' Really?" She gestured towards the door to Sweetie's guest room. "You were bawling your eyes out like a damsel in distress last night. Most dramatic."

"And who do you think I learned that from?!" Sweetie spun to frown at her, but then upturned her nose in a haughty manner. "I'll have you know that I got out all the tears that I needed to. I'm okay now."

"You are... certain of this?"

"Why shouldn't I be?" Sweetie shrugged. "I still have Mom and Dad as an example, after all."

"You talked to them since last night?"

"Pfft! No! But I know that they'd take something like this in stride. That's how they've come to be strong business ponies after all."

Rarity sat back on her haunches, glaring into the edges of the hallway beside her. "Mother and Father aren't... entirely right about everything, Sweetie Belle."

"What, and you are?" Sweetie Belle stomped towards her. "What's with all this talk about me? Maybe it's really you who has to get something off her chest, huh? How about it?"

Rarity leaned back from the filly, her eyes shrinking as if she was staring at an oncoming stagecoach. The shine of Sweetie’s coat glimmered in the sunlight like freshly watered lilies, and it made a foalish voice inside the older sister whimper instantly. "I... I-I..."

"Hmmph!" Sweetie Belle spun about and trotted firmly towards the door. "Just as I thought. I'm gonna go try and find the girls and see if they're doing okay."

"Sweetie Belle..."

"Go back to your writing, Rarity," Sweetie Belle muttered as she opened the door. "Everypony knows you're best at words when you take the time to make them all up!" She slammed the Boutique shut behind her.

Rarity shuddered, gazing down at the floor. She ran a hoof through her messy hair and sighed all the harder. In a limp gait, she trotted back into the parlor, mounted the stool, and stared at the sheet of paper with bleary eyes.

"'Silk is... ... ...'"

The unicorn's cheeks burned. She gritted her teeth, fumed, and yanked the page straight out of the typewriter. Crumpling it up into an angry little ball, she tossed the thing against the sunlit window and brought two hooves to her face, shuddering breathily into the lonesome shadows of the Boutique.

"Everyponyyyy!" A voice cracked through the heavens. "Look out below!"

In the heart of downtown Ponyville, several mares and stallions froze in their tracks and looked up. Gasping, they jumped for cover, diving out of the way as a blue bolt plummeted from the sky.

"Guhhhhh-Augh!" Rainbow Dash slammed into the ground, tumbled, and slid, carving a long fresh ditch through the dirt road. She came to a stop with her rear legs propped above her like radio antennae. "Unnnngh... d-darn it!" she hissed into the settling plume of dust.

"Rainbow Dash!" Blossomforth darted in, accompanied by Thunderlane and several other concerned ponies. The streets filled with equines, all tightly gathered around the impact sight. "Miss Dash, are you okay?"

"Ugghh..." Rainbow Dash lay on her back, rubbing her aching head. "Friggin' downdraft! Where the hay did that come from?"

Thunderlane blinked down at Rainbow Dash, then squinted up at a dark thundercloud looming towards the northwest of town. "I didn't believe it when I first heard it..." He gulped and stared at her in disbelief. "But you really are trying to kick all the clouds in the sky by yourself today, aren't you?!"

"Yeah?" Rainbow Dash flailed, trying to pry herself out of the ditch she was in. "What of it?"

"So, no wonder you're getting tossed around!" Thunderlane trotted cautiously forward. "Not to ruffle your feathers, Miss Dash, but that's a Level Three Anvil Cloud you're trying to clear! It's supposed to take five ponies to kick that thing to submission! Much less one!" He leaned down to offer her a helping hoof. "Why don't we go get the rest of the weather team on it?"

"No... No!" Rainbow Dash batted his hoof away, frowning. "I totally got this!" With a grunt, she flexed her wings against the ground. Her body backflipped and landed outside of the ditch. "Unnngh..." She shook the dirt off her body with flapping feathers. "I just gotta fly at it harder and look out for descending air currents!" She spat into the ground and cracked her joints. "I never met a thundercloud I couldn't show who's boss, and things sure as heck aren't about to change today!"

"Even if it kills you?!" Thunderlane barked. "Miss Dash, we already lost one mare this week! We don't need to lose another!"

"And nopony's going to, Thunderlane," Rainbow Dash said as she angrily brushed past him. "I'm tough. I said I got this and I do."

By this point, Blossomforth was practically trembling. She finally got the nerve to blurt, "Please, Rainbow Dash, let me and Thunderlane help you. We may not be the best weather flying material, but we could at least try and spot some lightning for you so that you can do this job better."

"For the love of Celestia, will you let it rest?" Rainbow Dash flapped her wings and took off. "You guys can totally sit this one out—"

"No! We c-can't!" Blossomforth grasped Rainbow's tail in two hooves, anchoring her to the ground. "Please, Rainbow! I..." She sniffled, a tear trickling down her cheek. "I'm sorry, okay? I-I'm sorry for what happened yesterday. I was j-just doing my job by taking you aside in the post office and telling you about the issue with the sheriff." She clenched her eyes shut and shook her head. "B-but it's all my fault! If I-I hadn't distracted you, then you c-could have caught up with Derpy faster! You... you could have saved her!"

Rainbow Dash's face blanched. She wheezed a painful breath, but swiftly chased the grimacing expression away with a snarl. Her tail flicked savagely.

"Gah!" Blossomforth teetered back. Thunderlane rushed in to catch her, but both ponies found themselves being stared down by an angry blue face.

"You saying that I'm slow?! Huh?!" Rainbow Dash hissed. "You're saying that I'm lazy?! That I've slacked off and now I can't outfly a flock of sparrows or a preying falcon?!"

"What?!" Blossomforth gasped, her teary face wincing. "No! I-I'm not saying that at all!"

"The chariot Derpy was stuck in had rockets, okay?!" Rainbow Dash sneered. "That stuff can loop around Canterlot in under forty seconds! I nearly ripped my wings out trying to catch up with it! I would have outflown the darn thing, but I had to think about the 'precious' cargo inside! A sonic rainboom would have just shattered the mailwagon to bits!"

"Rainbow, we all know that you did your best—"

"So my best isn't good enough; is that what you’re saying?!" Rainbow was red in the face by this point. "Has it occurred to everypony that Derpy died the same way that she lived?! Has any of you stopped to think that she would still be alive today if she wasn't such a darn idiot?!"

Several ponies sharply gasped. Wide eyes reflected Rainbow's hovering figure as she jerked about, gawking at their shocked expressions.

"What.... oh, really?!" She shrugged her hooves. "So now you're all mad at me for stating the obvious?! Grrrghh!" She clutched her head and blurted, "She shouldn't have been in mailing and shipping to begin with! How many windows had she flown through during her time here?! How many packages had she delivered to Tartarus and back—and all of them at the wrong addresses?! This was an accident waiting to happen! If you wanna blame somepony, go take your sad eyes to the post office! I've got enough on my plate!"

"Well, you're certainly not helping anything," Thunderlane said with a frown.

"Not here, I'm not!" Rainbow flung an angry hoof towards the darkening sky. "In case you haven't noticed, I've still got a stinkin' thunderstorm to take care of and—" She blinked, her ears twitching at the sound of a sobbing voice. "Darn it!" She frowned down at Blossomforth. "Stop your crying!"

"She w-wouldn't hate you f-for anything, Rainbow Dash..." Blossomforth wept, rubbing her face with a shaking forelimb. "Don't you know that? She loved you. She loved all of us."

"She was weak and she was foolish!" Rainbow Dash's voice cracked. "I'm surprised more ponies didn't die from her fumbling around!" Blossomforth's sobs didn't cease, so the pegasus rolled her eyes and groaned, "Will everypony just chillax and move on?! And don't fret about the storm!" She soared skyward. "I got this! You can trust me on that!"

Rainbow Dash disappeared into the heavens above. Meanwhile, the ponies gathered below murmured in unsettled voices, eventually trotting their separate ways from the intersection.

Thunderlane held Blossomforth close, gazing up at the sky as he patted her soft shoulder.

"Why's she so angry?!" Blossomforth stammered between hiccuping breaths. "It's just so tragic... so sad. She's blaming me for this! I know she is!"

"You're not the pony she's blaming, Blossomforth," Thunderlane muttered. "Don't pay any attention to her."

"But... but sh-she's so upset—"

"I don't care how bothered she is." He frowned as he led the mare away. "A jerk is a jerk."

TUESDAY EVENING

"And so..." Twilight Sparkle leaned over the Mayor's shoulder from where the old pony sat at her desk. "I've narrowed it down to three basic models. Miss Hooves never specified the details that she would have preferred, but—judging from what we know about her—earth brown and bright gold are easily her favorite colors."

"Wow..." The Mayor shuffled through three photographs of casket models. The day had grown dark outside the windows to her office, and a lone lamp illuminated the conference she was having with Ponyville's resident princess. "What extensive research you've done! Did Miss Hooves write about her favorite colors in her journals or something?"

"Not exactly..." Twilight fidgeted slightly. "She... uh... she really, really loved muffins, and..." She scratched the back of her neck with a nervous blush. "They kind of resemble the look of golden, toasted bread. So..."

The Mayor smiled gently. "I think it's a wonderful sentiment, Your Highness. Very well done." She flipped through the photos once more. "I must say, though, that these are a great deal more extravagant than I had anticipated. Were these at the top of the catalogue?"

"Absolutely."

"I... uh..." The Mayor adjusted her collar, sweating slightly. "I'm certain the town council can handle it. It's just that—"

"Don't you worry in the least, Mayor," Twilight said. "I told you that I would oversee the ceremony on Thursday night, and that's what I intend to do."

She turned to look at the unicorn. "How do you mean?"

Twilight took a breath and said, "This is coming out of the Royal Treasury."

"Princess, no!" The Mayor recoiled. "Surely there are far grander things of national importance to put your fortune towards!"

"I came to the place where I am now all thanks to close friends, much like Miss Hooves," Twilight said, gazing down at the photos. "I'm not about to go crazy overboard, of course, but I don't think any expense should be spared in ensuring that Derpy gets the memorial that she deserves."

"Well, I must say, I find that rather noble of you, Your Majesty."

"I think she would approve," Twilight said in a neutral tone. Clearing her throat, she pointed at the three images. "Still, I would very much like your input as well. Which do you think will be the most aesthetically pleasing for the ponies in attendance?"

"Well, they're all absolutely marvelous." The Mayor adjusted her bifocals and ultimately pointed at one of the three images. "Here. I do believe this one is the least... erm... flashy of the trio. I think it'll serve to represent Miss Hooves' humble spirit."

Twilight nodded. "I couldn't agree more." She telekinetically lifted the three photo sheets and shuffled them in midair. "I'll make an order right away and have Spike send them to Canterlot."

"Though, I must inquire..." The Mayor lowered her spectacles and leaned back in her chair. "Apparently Derpy requested a 'wake' in her will." She rubbed her eyes and squinted at Twilight. "I'm only vaguely familiar with tradition, but won't that be rather difficult without a body?"

Twilight fidgeted, glancing at the floor. "Well, we do have her mailpony hat," she said, gesturing with her hooves. "It's the last surviving effect from yesterday's... tr-tragic event. Uhm... I think I can come up with something that's symbolic."

The Mayor nodded with a smile. "I have no doubt that whatever you come up with will be utterly fantastic." Her expression dulled over. "What, may I ask, is being done about her orphaned daughter?"

"Dinky is... in the company of my good friend Fluttershy," Twilight said. "She's taken her cottage for the time being. We all agreed that it would do the foal some good to distance herself from her mother's home for a while."

"Oh?"

"Yes. She's..." Twilight winced slightly. "...in denial, it would seem."

"You mean she doesn't believe that her very own mother is d-dead?!" the Mayor exclaimed.

"She hasn't admitted it yet," Twilight said. "And the whole time, her disposition hasn't changed." She sighed and ran a hoof across her bangs. "She's still as happy, cheerful, and carefree as she was when Derpy was alive."

"I must admit that my child psychology is limited," the Mayor stated. "I take it this isn't exactly as good a sign as one pony might think?"

"It's worrying," Twilight said. "And there's no telling how damaging it may be if we were to force Dinky—against her will—to accept the truth overnight."

"So you're attempting to break it to her slowly?"

"That's the idea. Fluttershy, in the meantime, is keeping her comfortable. Personally, I suspect Dinky will come around to what's already been told her, and Fluttershy's more than equipped to deal with the filly when that happens."

"She does have a way of providing comfort to a soul in need."

"And Dinky is going to need a great deal of comfort and more." Twilight gulped. "From all of us."

"Are one of you thinking of adopting her?"

Twilight glanced out the window, her expression blank. At some point, the barest hint of a curve came to her lips. "Celestia did tell me that—at some point or another—I would want to take on an apprentice, just like she fostered me."

The Mayor smiled. "Now, if that isn't a pleasant thought."

"Hmmm... I'd rather call it 'fitting,'" Twilight said. "I could certainly use a pony to carry on my thoughts and ideas, especially as I... get... older..." Her words trailed off.

The Mayor stared at her curiously. "Your Highness...?"

Twilight cleared her throat and turned from the window. "But enough about me. This is about Dinky... and her late mother, of course. I feel that it is everypony's right to be remembered, and Derpy is no exception. Caskets and funerals aside, the next generation of Ponyville and the generation after that will remember Derpy for her joyful contributions to this village. Of that, you can rest assured."

"Oh, you bet!" Pinkie Pie popped up, slapping down a folder onto the desk. Photographs of balloons and party favors spilled onto the Mayor's lap. "And I got all the fixings to make Thursday night the most memorable, happy night ever!"

"Gah!" The Mayor nearly fell off her stool.

"Pinkie?!" Twilight stammered. "What are you doing here?!"

"I knew you were gonna talk to Mayor Mare about how we're gonna celebrate Derpy's life!" Pinkie said, beaming. "So I figured I'd show up here and give Double-M my own two bits!" She spun towards the town leader, holding up a few photographs in particular. "See?! Muffin shaped balloons! Muffin shape! They're so realistic looking, you'll be burping up helium before you realize what you bit into!"

"I... this... it..." The Mayor went cross-eyed behind her bifocals. "Pinkamena Diane Pie! I do believe you have the wrong idea!"

"What?!" Pinkie recoiled with a crooked smile. "You'd rather fill them with hydrogen?" She rolled her eyes. "Pffft! M-Squared, please! Everypony knows what happened to the Haydenburg!"

"No, child! I meant... unghhh..." The Mayor exhaustedly headdesk'd.

"Pinkie, how'd you even get inside here?!" Twilight asked.

"Well, at first I tried the front door, but the secretary said that 'the Mayor was seeing the Princess.' And I said 'I see the Princess all the time too! Sometimes with her mane wet! Have you ever been to the lake house?!'"

"Uhhh..."

"And so after they threw me out, I tried the back door to Town Hall, but it was locked. So I tried the windows, but they were locked too. I almost tried the chimney, but I figured it was full of bats, and you know how scared I am of bats, especially during summer vacation—"

"Pinkie..."

"And so I saw this big metal thing on top of the building and went 'Duhhhh! The air conditioning vents!' Whew! Tell you what, good thing we're such tiny horses or else that would have been a super tight squeeze!"

"At least that explains why it's so stuffy in here," the Mayor muttered directly into the desktop.

"Pinkie Pie, I know you only want to cheer ponies up after Derpy's passing, but this isn't the way to go about doing it!"

"Why not?" Pinkie Pie gawked at Twilight. "Aren't you trying to do the same thing?"

"I... I..." Twilight's face scrunched up. "Well, yes, but—"

"So why not make it more festive?!" Pinkie pointed at the photos. "I snipped all of these from the Canterlot Carnival Catalogue! I used Mrs. Cake's dress shears." She winked. "Pssst. Don't tell her."

"Pinkie, please..."

"See? The muffin shaped balloons can float above the big overpriced wooden thing!"

"...you mean the casket?"

"Righto! And on the side of the room we can have a table full of baked treats and fruit punch and then—after the eulogy is given—we can all play 'pin the rabid yard dog on the mailpony!'"

The Mayor lifted her head with an exasperated expression. "I'm not certain how much more of this I can take."

"Mayor Mare, if you would excuse me." Twilight's horn started to glow.

"It's been an honor, Your Majesty."

"Wait! Wait!" Pinkie Pie scrambled to pick up and show off several more pictures. "You didn't get to look at the cherry-filled cinnamon tombstones!"

Twilight and Pinkie Pie vanished in a burst of lavender light...

...and materialized on a street corner outside Town Hall.

"Awwwww! Twiliiiiiight!" Pinkie pouted, then blinked as she fluffed her mane. "Hey! She was right! It was stuffy in there! Heeeheeeheee!"

"Pinkie..." Twilight frowned into the red haze of the sunset. "You do get the point of a funeral. Don't you?!"

"It's to remember the life and times of a pony who made us all happy, right?!" Pinkie hopped in place. "And that's a cause for celebration in my book!"

"There's sharing good memories, Pinkie, and then there's going overboard!" Twilight exclaimed. "You just can't go around shoving ideas for funeral party favors in other ponies faces! You might... y-you might offend somepony!"

Pinkie's face twisted in sincere thought before she ultimately blurted. "Why?"

Twilight nearly pratfalled right then and there. "Do I really have to explain it to you?!"

"Explain what?" Pinkie blinked. "That a funeral has to be boring, unhappy, and dull when it's trying to honor a pony who was none of those things?"

Twilight opened her mouth to speak, but suddenly stumbled. Her brow furrowed as she gazed into the sunset. "I... uh... well..."

"See?!" Pinkie pointed, grinning wide "You're speechless! Heehee! Hope the cat gives your tongue back when it's time to deliver the eulogy!"

"Pinkie, the point of a funeral is to honor a pony's life! To turn it into a foal's birthday party would be... well... it would be disrespectful and downright immature!"

"And just who wrote the book on that, huh?"

"Nopony wrote any book on that! It's just the way things are!"

"Well, you're a Princess now! And if anypony could write a book on it, you could!"

"Pinkie..." Twilight frowned, pointing at herself. "I'm doing my best to try and set up an event that is solemn enough that everypony can equally pay our respects to Derpy's memories in peace! Not many mares and stallions would like to dance the night away! In fact, almost everypony in town is beside themselves with tears over how tragic yesterday was!"

"Yeah. What's up with that?!" Pinkie's face twisted. "Derpy was a cheerful pony! She wouldn't want tears!"

"Pinkie, I—nngh..." Twilight facehoofed, sighing long and hard. "Sometimes..." She muttered into her own forelimb. "Sometimes I think you don't know what it means to feel sad."

Pinkie's smile slowly, slowly faded. Her eyes fluttered, and she spoke in an eerily quiet voice. "Why, of course I do, Twilight."

"Really, Pinkie?" Twilight stared fixedly at her. "Do you?"

"I just prefer being happy all the time instead. Is... is that so wrong?"

"Sometimes I wonder, Pinkie."

Pinkie frowned. "Yeah, well... if I don't know how to feel sad, I think somepony doesn't know how to feel happy."

"Oh yeah, who?"

Pinkie winked.

Twilight did a double-take. "Me?!"

"Thou who felt it, dealt it, Your Hineyness! Hehehe!"

"I... that's..." Twilight shook her head. "That's not true!" her voice cracked.

"You sure, Twi-Twi?" Pinkie cocked her fluffy mane to the side. "You've been really mopey in the muzzle, lately. You stay in your library all the time—"

"Pinkie, I'm always staying in my library."

"Yeah, only now you do it a super lot. And whenever the girls and I ask you to hang out, you tell us that you've got 'Princess Duties' to attend."

"I am very busy these days, Pinkie."

"With what? Sighing? Staring into the corner of a room? Lying awake in bed and sulking?" Pinkie bounced. "That's why I got you that very special treat last week! To cheer you up!"

"What very special treat?"

"Oh! Uhm..." Pinkie stood on her hind legs. "Wh-what I meant to say was..." She thrusted her forelimbs into her mane and pulled out a plastic box. "Ta-daaaa! Here ya go, Twilight! A very special treat!"

Twilight blinked and levitated the object closer to her eyes. "It's a tiara..."

"Nooooooo... it's a chocolate tiara!" Pinkie turned her head upside down and grinned. "Now you'll have an excuse to stay alone inside the library! Cuz it'll melt if you try eating it outside!"

"It..." Twilight grimaced as she opened the box. "It has some hairs on it..."

"Er... yeah, well..." Pinkie blushed as she fluffed her mane. "Just close your eyes and pretend that they're sprinkles."

"Pinkie..." Twilight closed her eyes as she floated the box away. "I need you to promise me something." She gulped and then gazed at her. "Promise that you will leave all of the funeral arrangements to me."

"But I thought the point of celebrating Derpy's life was—"

"If you want to party to respect her memories, then I won't stop you! Just... do it on your own time, Pinkie. This funeral is a formality, and it needs to be treated as such, so I’m going to ask you to pass up decoration duties this time."

Pinkie blinked. "But I thought this funeral was for Derpy's friends. What's the point in making ourselves sadder than we are already?"

"You just don't understand, Pinkie."

"I understand that Derpy is dead, Twilight," Pinkie said in a dull tone, though she tried to throw in a smile to spice it up. "But we're alive, aren't we?"

"I know that we're alive—"

"And shouldn't we be enjoying life now that Derpy isn't able to? Wouldn't that make her happy?"

Suddenly, Twilight snapped, "Well maybe living isn't all that it's cracked up to be! Have you ever thought of that?!"

Pinkie recoiled from Twilight's angry face, slowly shaking her head. "Why... n-no, Twilight! I never have!"

Twilight stood back, panting slightly.

"Have... h-have you?" Pinkie asked.

"It's... it's been a long day..." Twilight rubbed her face and turned around. "I just need to go home and rest..."

Pinkie stamped her hoof. "But Twiliiiiiight! That's all you do these days!"

"Yeah, well, things change, Pinkie!" Twilight grumbled. "Maybe you should too!"

"Twilight..."

"You're not a foal anymore!" And, with a burst of lavender light, Twilight was gone, leaving Pinkie once more alone with confusion and shadows.

TUESDAY NIGHT

"But... But Fluttershyyyyyy?" Dinky looked up with a worried expression. "I brought my own sleeping bag! You don't have to go through all this trouble!"

"Oh no, but I insist!" Fluttershy smiled as she tucked the filly into her own upstairs bed. "I wouldn't bother having a guest over unless I wanted them to be as comfortable as possible, especially such a kind, deserving foal as you."

"Awwwww..." Dinky nuzzled Fluttershy's hoof as it trailed by her cheek. "You're so kind to me lately, Fluttershy." She stifled a yawn and settled deeper against the pillow behind her. "Everypony's been extra super nice around me. Is it because they're worried about Mommy?"

Fluttershy bit the edge of her lip. "No, Dinky. They're..." She fidgeted, then stared out the starlit window.

"They're what, Fluttershy?"

"They're... th-they're worried about you, Dinky."

"Me?" The foal blinked tiredly. "Why would they be worried about me?"

"Because you're so young. So sweet." Fluttershy sat down beside the bed, her golden face aglow in the soft candlelight. "And yet... so vulnerable..."

"I feel safe around you, Fluttershy," Dinky said. "I feel safe and happy around everypony in Ponyville."

"That's... j-just the thing, Dinky," Fluttershy said. "Happiness is certainly something you can feel in life." She exhaled through her nostrils. "Safety, however, isn't necessarily guaranteed."

"Oh, I know!" Dinky turned over, smiling warmly into the fragrant covers of the bed. "Last year, I fractured my hoof playing in the backyard."

"Oh dear. That must have hurt very badly."

"Well..." Dinky bit her lip. "I cried a lot." She then smiled. "But Mommy was there. She flew me to the hospital. They put my leg into a cast and everything. Not long after, I got all better. I have Mommy to thank for that."

"You must feel... very secure to have your mother around you at all times."

"And I know that it makes her feel very, very special too," Dinky said. "Most Mommies have a Daddy around to keep them company. I think I mean a lot to Mom—a lot more than most foals mean to their Mommies. Not that I'm better than them, of course. Heehee..."

"Of course." Fluttershy nodded. She brushed her pink mane aside and murmured, "Dinky...?"

"Yes, Fluttershy?"

"Do you ever wonder what ever happened to your Daddy?"

Dinky blinked. "Mommy says that he left Equestria a long time ago. Way before I was born." She frowned slightly. "He wasn't a very good pony."

"Oh? Oh... uhm..." Fluttershy blushed slightly. "Let me rephrase that. Ahem. Do you ever wonder what happened to your Mommy's mommy?"

"You mean Grandma?"

"Yes."

"I... never met her."

"And why's that?"

"Well, she passed away," Dinky said. "She was very old. Old ponies don't live forever."

"And do you think your Mommy felt happy when her mommy passed away?"

"I really don't think so," Dinky said, shaking her head. "I bet she was very sad."

"And yet your Mommy is happy these days. Isn't she?"

"Yes..." Dinky smiled, fighting another yawn. "Because we have each other."

"Have you ever thought that... that maybe your Mommy will be a Grandma herself someday too?" Fluttershy gulped. "That she will also be old?"

Dinky blinked. Her eyes wandered Fluttershy's bedroom, then fell back onto the pegasus. "Everypony dies, Fluttershy."

"You know this...?"

"Well, of course I do!" Dinky shrugged against the covers. "I'm not a baby, y'know."

"No..." Fluttershy chuckled and shook her head. "You're not."

"But I'm happy to be young and alive," Dinky said with a grin. The grin became wider: "And to spend that time with Mommy when I can."

"And you must be very sad that she's away."

"Mmmm..." Dinky shrugged. "So long as she comes back home safely, I'm fine."

"And... if she doesn't?"

Dinky's face was blank for a while, but ultimately smiled. "Then I'll be glad that she taught me all the things she did, so that I can spread that same happiness when I become a Mommy myself someday."

Fluttershy's lips pursed. Her brow furrowed as she bowed her head slightly.

"Fluttershy?" Dinky blinked tiredly. "Are you okay?"

"I'm more th-than okay..." Sniffling, the mare looked up with a fragile smile. The candlelight glinted off a pair of glossy eyes. "And you are a very, very special filly, Dinky."

"Awwwww..." Dinky yawned. "You have to stop saying that. Mommy says such things could make my head even bigger."

"Heaven forbid!"

"Heehee!"

Silence.

"Miss Fluttershy?"

"Yes, Dinky?"

Dinky closed her eyes. "Do you know any bedtime stories?"

"Bedtime... stories...?"

"Mmmm... M-Mommy usually has one or two to tell me, but... sh-she's not here..."

"Oh, well... uhm..." Fluttershy fidgeted slightly. At last, she took a breath and began: "There once was a mare who loved reading books. She lived in this poor provincial town—"

"I've heard that one."

Fluttershy blinked. "You have?"

"She falls in love with a beastly dragon, right?"

"Oh... uh... I suppose you have." Fluttershy tapped her chin. "How about this. Ahem. In the middle of a valley, there was a tall, tall tower where a mare lived with a long blonde mane—"

"Heard that one too."

"Really?"

"Heehee! Yup."

Fluttershy squinted. "What about the chicken that traveled through time?"

"Pffft." Dinky rolled her eyes and smiled. "Everypony's tired of that one."

"Oh, well..." Fluttershy searched the corner of her room—and her mind—with darting eyes. At last, she stood up straight and said, "There once was this tiny, delicate filly, about your age. Unlike you, though, she wasn't an only child. She had lots and lots of brothers and sisters, and it was a little difficult growing up with them, but she tried her best. After all, she wanted to make her family proud and prove that she could have a super special talent just like the rest of the colts and fillies in the household."

"Mmmhmmmm..."

"And... and she tried several things to learn her talent, but no matter how hard she tried, nothing would change. She was still very fragile, still very shy, and so... oh so very skittish." Fluttershy gulped. "In fact, she was... uhm... so fearful of so many things that she had a hard time going out of the front door to her house. She thought the world would fall out from underneath her—it would sometimes paralyze the filly with fear."

"Awwww... what a poor pony," Dinky murmured with her eyes shut. "Did she ever find her talent?"

"Funny you should ask that," Fluttershy said. "One day, when she was out and about, she fell from a great height. It was her worst fear come true, and she thought she was a goner. But then a miracle happened. Several woodland creatures came to her rescue. They caught her, and then they gave her company. And, as it turns out, they enjoyed her company too. She found that she could make them happy, drive their fears away, and even protect them. Suddenly, she was no longer quite so weak and fragile. Her life changed for the better, and she found each day to be full of promise and joy and... and the chance to help other creatures around her find their own feet, just like she was able to finally put her hooves on the ground."

"Mmmmm... sounds... v-very nice..." The foal murmured, drifting in and out of consciousness.

"Yes. She was... is very nice." Fluttershy gulped. "Or at least she tries to be. To this day, she's made lots of friends, and is excited to see what the world reveals to her with each sunrise."

"Fluttershy...?"

"Yes, Dinky?"

"Did you ever get over your skittishness, though?"

The pegasus gasped, her face as red as a beet. "I... I..."

But Dinky was silent, her body rising and falling against the covers. Her eyes fluttered slightly, and there was a lingering smile to her lips.

Fluttershy blinked. She let out a heavy sigh. After a few seconds, she blew the candle out, caressed Dinky's mane, and trotted lonesomely down the stairs.

Once she was on the first floor of her cottage, she stood still, staring at the windows with a dazed expression.

A voice could be heard clearing from the side.

Fluttershy looked over, then down.

Angel lay in his bed, folding his paws angrily while an icepack lay on his crown. He pointed indignantly at the thermometer that had been left in his mouth.

Fluttershy sighed. In one liquid motion, she trotted over, lifted the ice pack from his head, and plucked the thermometer from his lips. She didn't even look at the instrument as she said, "You're perfectly healthy, Angel."

Angel blinked. The bunny hadn't expected that.

"You don't deserve to be cooped up in here for no g-good reason," she said with a wavery tone as she limped her way towards a cushioned couch and curled up on it like a little foal. "This is s-supposed to be a home, not a pr-prison." That said, her shoulders shook in quiet little heaves.

Angel stood up, his whiskers flinching. A worried expression fell over his face, and his long ears folded back. With tiny little hops, he approached the couch, tugging on her tail.

Fluttershy wept.

Angel hopped up and nuzzled her side. At last, she turned over, cuddling him close, clenching her moist eyes shut.

"I'm s-so sorry, Angel. I... I-I just don't know how to stop..." She hissed through her teeth as wave after wave of quiet sobs rolled through her. "She's so sweet, so innocent, and yet so strong. I wish s-somepony would t-tell me how to st-stop being so afraid..."

Angel could only hug her back, trying to dry her tears with his paws.

Up above them both, masked by the shadows of night, a lone blue shard lay atop a shelf, adding a sliver of color to the dimly-lit cottage.

Wednesday: The Weak and Strong

The last stars of night glittered overhead in the gray haze of an approaching dawn. Lying on a lone cloud, Rainbow Dash curled from head to tail, her wings tightly coiled by her side. A brisk wind blew, rustling her disheveled mane. Her muzzle twitched, slowly forming a grimace as her hooves kicked at the misty bed beneath her.

"Mmmm... mmmmmff... n-no... no, get back... don't... don't go there..." Her brow furrowed. Another gust of air hit, and she began shivering. "Guys... I mean it... it's d-dangerous... don't... don't..."

Her tail twitched and her wings unfolded. A sharp spasm ran from her eyelids to her muzzle and back.

"Please... I-I got you! Stop fr-freaking out! Come on, guys! I got you—No... No!"

With a sudden jerk, Rainbow shot up, tossing her head and mane.

"Gaaaugh! Twilight! Applejack! Pinkie—!" Her ruby eyes flashed open with shrunken pupils quivering in cold pools. Her mouth hung open as she stared in confusion at the sky around her. Several seconds passed by, during which Rainbow Dash panted like a marathon runner. At last, the shivers in her body turned to an angry rumble. She gnashed her teeth and kicked the cloud bed beneath her. "Grrgggh!"

When the mists around her had been smashed to bits, she hovered in the clear space leftover, fuming. Bringing a pair of hooves up to her muzzle, she buried her face with shaking shoulders. At last, her body calmed, hanging slack from her flapping wings. When she finally lowered her hooves, the mother of all glares was brandished across her features. With a suppressed growl, Rainbow twirled about and flew like a missile towards the northeast. The distant clouds were abysmally gray, and they rumbled with thunder and lightning, challenging the golden glow of the rising sun to Rainbow's right.

WEDNESDAY MORNING

Applejack stared at her bowl of porridge. She sat on her stool in a tired slump, holding a spoon limply in the crook of her hoof.

Across the breakfast table from her, the rest of the Apple Family dug at their bowls, filling the air with clinks and clatters.

"I'm about halfway through fixin' up the new balcony to the clubhouse!" Apple Bloom said between scarfing muzzle-fulls. "Mmmmf... While I was hammerin' the planks together, I realized that the north edge was the perfect place to put a snazzy tire swing! There's this thick branch of the tree that hangs over the new balcony's edge, and it'd make for a purdy swell drop off point!"

"Now where in tarnation are ya gonna fetch yerself a tire, lil' darlin'?" Granny Smith smiled over her newspaper. "This ain't Manehattan, ya know."

"Well, the way I figure it, I could get Babs Seed to bring one in the next time she visits!"

"Now that's thinkin' with yer noggin! I'll never fancy myself visitin' that big ol' city again in my lifetime, but I sure don't mind gettin' souvenirs from time to time. You'd better tell Babs Seed to bring one of them cute little replicas of the Stirrup of Liberty while she's at it!"

"Heheh. Sure thang, Granny. I'll see what I can muster up."

Applejack's green eyes darted calmly between the other three ponies.

"Big Macintosh?" Granny spoke.

"Eeyup...?"

"While we're on the topic of wheels, didja fix the squeaky front end of the cross-country wagon?"

"Eeeyup."

"Good, cuz Filthy Rich is thinkin' that we might be able to expand the business to Trottingham soon. He's pretty clever with all his businessin' and all, so I figured we might spend a week carryin’ a few bushels of golden delicious to that city and see if all the high pollutin' ponies around them parts take a likin' to something on the kitchen table that doesn't taste like tea."

Big Macintosh chuckled at that before taking another bite of oatmeal.

"Say, that reminds me!" Apple Bloom spoke up. "Aren't we lookin' to have a surplus for cider season this year?"

"Considerin' all the extra apples we've grown, I'd say we just might have a couple more barrels to spare!"

"Well, Granny, maybe we could try combinin' tea and cider! Y'know..." Apple Bloom waved a hoof. "Somethin' that might attract the super rich crowd. Y'all know how finicky they can get."

"Why, that's not half a bad idea, ya clever lil' sprout!" Granny smirked. "Apple Flavored Tea... it could just possibly take off!"

"Eeyup."

"I'll try and send a letter to our distant cousins who live in Canterlot. Well, once the post office is open again."

"Yeah." Apple Bloom nodded. "Reckon you'll have to wait until all the formalities in town blow over."

"Sounds like a mighty good plan to me."

"Nnnngh!" Applejack slammed her spoon down and shot up. "So, is this it, then?!" she snapped.

Startled, all three family members blinked up at her. "Is what it, sis?" Apple Bloom asked.

"This is all we're itchin' to talk about?!" Applejack frowned venomously. "Tire swings and apple tea and vacations to Trottingham?!"

"The work here on the farm never changes, Applejack," Granny Smith said, her wrinkled face vexed with confusion. "You know that, sweet pea. What else you reckon we should talk about?"

"A pony died in town this week!" Applejack shouted. "A pony we all loved and cared about! Or—at least I thought we all loved and cared about her!"

Big Mac's brow furrowed. Apple Bloom leaned in and said, "Yerrrrr... talkin' about Dinky's mom, r-right?"

"Derpy!" Applejack yelled. "Derpy Hooves! Our mailpony?! We only saw her every weekday mornin'! She was even there everytime we trotted into town to sell our produce!"

"Applejack..." Apple Bloom smiled nervously. "Ain't ya overreactin' just a tad? I mean, sure we saw her a lot, but it's not like we all knew the mare."

"Eenope."

"Didn't we?!" Applejack frowned, her teeth showing. "Weren't we supposed to?! Somepony here tell me who is the oldest, strongest, and most dependable family in this here town! Huh?! Who's the gul-durn backbone of Ponyville?!"

"Why..." Granny Smith squinted, shivering slightly from Applejack's outburst. "We are, darlin'—"

"Then why are we just sittin' here on our flanks?!" Applejack pointed. "Readin' the paper?! Stuffin' our faces with oatmeal like we don't have to share in anypony else's business?! Well, t'ain't proper! T'ain't proper in the least!"

"Well, jeez, Applejack..." Apple Bloom held her hooves up like a criminal in the spotlight. "What do you reckon we should be doin'?"

Applejack pointed viciously out the sunlit kitchen window. "There are ponies in that town who are bawlin' their eyes out! They're feelin' hurt, painful, and downright devastated! They need ponies whom they can lean on! They need ponies who can share their feelings! Ponies who can feel what they're feelin' and show 'em how to move on!"

"Applejack, what yer sayin' is downright noble," Granny Smith said. She gulped and added, "But... we can't rightly be expected to drop what we're doin' and abandon this here farm!"

Big Mac nodded with a shuddering "Eenope..."

"We've got livestock to feed. Apples to buck. Produce to deliver—"

Applejack's hoof banged against the edge of the table once again. "Darn it! This farm ain't everythang!" That summoned a gasp from the rest of the table, but the mare nevertheless continued. "We have a family! And it's not just here, but it's out there in that town! They're our family too! Why do we gotta treat 'em all like they're strangers?!"

"Applejack, who said we were?!" Apple Bloom gawked.

"Just what do you want from us, honey?" Granny Smith asked.

"I want us to... to..." Applejack seethed. "To feel! To mourn! To maybe even cry a little! Is that too hard to bend our noggin's around?"

"What?" Apple Bloom blinked. "You mean at the funeral tomorrow evening? Cuz you can bet we'll be there—"

"No, I mean here!" Applejack was stammering at this point. "In our home! At our table!" She gestured around the kitchen. "Because this is just... just... plum stupid! Have we gotten so cold that when a mare dies, we shrug it off and continue buckin' apples like the rest of the world don't mean a pile of fertilizer to us?!"

The room was silent for a dead, dull minute.

"Applejack..." Granny slowly shook her head. "Bein' cold has nothin' to do with it, sugarcube."

"Yeah, AJ." Apple Bloom stared at her with a frightened expression. "We were just... y'know..."

"What?!"

The filly gulped. "You've always been an example for us to follow. We admire yer strength... and how faithful and dependable you always are. Yer always tellin' us to go the extra mile to get the job done, to weather the storm, and it helps. It really does." She fidgeted with her red mane. "I mean, ever since Ma and Pa died—"

"But they wouldn't have wanted this!" Applejack exclaimed.

"Ya sure about that?"

"Yes, I am sure, Apple Bloom! I'm sorry, but yer a tad bit too young to remember the way they were! How they talked to their neighbors like they were all siblings! How they visited old stallions and mares at their death beds! How they would h-hold me and yer older brother at night and... and..." Applejack stumbled back, holding a hoof over her muzzle as her eyes watered.

The other three stared back at her.

Applejack gulped hard and spoke in a wavering tone. "I'm sorry, y'all. I'm so sorry... but bein' strong ain't everythang. We've got the b-best farm in town, the m-most delicious apples in all of Equestria. But th-there's so few of us, and even fewer with each passin' year. And it's just... it's just so..." She quivered, slumping down on her haunches as she bowed her head. "It's... it's my fault. Ma and Pa wanted me to look after the family, and I failed. I-I failed them and I failed you, because this sure as heck ain't what th-they would have wanted!" She turned around.

"Applejack..." Granny Smith stood up.

Hissing through clenched teeth, Applejack stormed out of the kitchen, kicked the screen door open, and bolted for the distant orchards.

"Applejack!" Granny Smith limped forward, only to be caught in Big Mac's strong forelimbs. She panted a few times, then hung her head with a sigh. Apple Bloom stared at her porridge while Big Mac fidgeted in place.

The house remained dead silent.

With a clatter of her fast-action sewing machine, Rarity finished attaching a sleeve to the body of a plain black blouse. She switched the machine off and telekinetically lifted the fabric up before her. The unicorn's tired eyes narrowed in the morning light, studying every stitch and fold. There was no pride in her expression; only professional contemplation and study. It was very mechanical, like the devices that had put the dress of mourning together—that had put everything in her Boutique together.

Rarity sighed.

She stood up, trotting over to the edge of the fitting room where one of several ponyquins waited in the shadows. She slipped the dress over it and examined the gown from all sides, marking places to be adjusted with pins of all shapes.

Minutes later, she was trotting across the Boutique in order to fetch some more black fabric. As she did so, she glanced through a parlor door halfway down the central hall. A typewriter stood before the window, alone and silent in the dust-laden beams of a morning spotlight.

Rarity wrenched her gaze away and continued trotting towards the far end of the building. She fetched the fabric from her closet and slowly returned the way she came. Once she passed the parlor door, she paused again, coming to a complete stop this time.

A sheet of paper lay in the typewriter, its surface glinting with a pale sheen.

Rarity's jaws went tight. She pivoted towards the far end of the hallway, levitated the fabric before her, and resumed her canter.

More minutes past.

With softly clopping hooves, Rarity limply returned to the parlor. Like a leaf surrendering to gravity, she drifted towards the typewriter until she stood before it with dull eyes. Several cold breaths funneled through the mare, causing the edges of the paper sheet to flutter.

At last, with an inward sigh, Rarity levitated a stool over and sat before the typewriter. She folded her limbs delicately beneath her and sent an enchanted beam of magic through her horn. With surprising ease, she began plodding away at the keys to the instruments. Her lips moved, pronouncing the words of the page aloud while they manifested before her.

"'Silk is the most delicate and precious of fabrics, capable of making supremely exquisite gowns that even a princess would envy. As Ponyville's resident expert on fashion, I've have the pleasure of working with the material all of my life, and even to this day I am alarmed to find an endless catalogue of creative and fabulous ensembles to make with it. But, for all its scarcity, silk isn't nearly as precious as something that has surrounded me in great abundance everyday, something that I now realize I have sorely taken for granted...

In a playground on the edge of town, several foals skipped from one place to another, playing games of tag and tossing their laughter into the sunny sky. Along the edge of the park, parents watched their children from a distance. They sat, bunched together on benches, sharing intimate and melancholic conversations. From far away, Sweetie Belle squatted beneath the shade of a tree in the morning hours. As dozens of fillies and colts laughed and played before her, she simply lay there, resting her chin on her forelimbs, choosing to stare at the dull and occasionally tearful faces of the adults as they continued discussing the upcoming funeral. With a sigh, Sweetie Belle closed her eyes and fought a shudder or two as they ripped through her tiny figure.

"'Friends and family: they are just as exquisite, if not more so, and yet they are infinitely more delicate. There is nothing more fragile than lives that are lived together, that are required to bond together. It makes for an existence that is downright abrasive at times, but the cost is more than affordable, for the rewards are too delightful to ever bother giving up...

Immersed in the dimness of her bedroom, Twilight sat before an array of books spread across her mattress. She wasn't reading a single one of them. Instead, her dull eyes stared out the nearest window, her horn drifting amidst the dust of the gray shadows all around. A deep breath poured out of her, and her ears drooped as moisture lined the edges of her eyes. To her side, a plastic box lay with a chocolate tiara contained within. The princess didn't bother looking at it; she couldn’t even smile.

"'You can live your life alone, just like you can make a dress without silk. But how plain and unfabulous that sort of an existence would be, devoid of the warmth that makes us who we are. After all, we are more than the sum of our own lonely selves. Together, we multiply our strengths and our aspirations, and we produce beautiful poetry...

Behind the cottage, Fluttershy hoofed Dinky some lettuce. Under the pegasus' guidance, the filly trotted nervously towards the edge of a stream. Her face scrunched up as the first of several turtles bobbed to the surface. Dinky glanced back with a quivering lip, but Fluttershy urged her along. Gulping, the filly trotted forward... then extended the lettuce at forelimb's length. The turtle eyed her, then opened its mouth, chomping onto the lettuce and yanking it from Dinky's grip. The filly yelped slightly, but immediately broke into breathy giggles as she proudly pointed at the feat. Fluttershy clapped and lent her more lettuce. She watched silently as Dinky continued the caretaking, although a nervous sigh escaped the mare's lips.

"'Ponies are social creatures. We love life... and we love loving life. But this is best experienced when we are together, when we have a chance to commune with both our hopes and our fears combined so that we can find meaning—a catharsis, if you will—that may bring comfort where it cannot bring contemplation. By these means do we survive in a turbulent world that requires our commitment to maintain harmony...

Pinkie trotted slowly, lonesomely through the hallways of Sugarcube Corner. The shop was closed for the week, and most of the bright lamps that typically illuminated the place were switched off. She fumbled about in the shadows, ultimately slumping down the stairs and making her way into the kitchen. There, she paused, blinking as she saw Mr. and Mrs. Cake in the corner, finishing up the last of some much-needed cleanup. As Mrs. Cake paused to look at the sparkly clean counters, Mr. Cake placed a hoof on her shoulder. Something inside the aged mare collapsed, and she started to shake uncontrollably. Carrot drew Cup Cake into a dear hug, and she sobbed quietly into her husband's embrace while the two drifted together. From afar, Pinkie leaned against the hallway doorframe, her blank face attempting to process the moment, but failing.

"'How incredibly devastating it is, then, when death strikes at the core of what we are, when it rips holes in the fabric of our communion like a foolish customer might tear a fine sheet of silk. Death consumes us regularly, and oftentimes at random, but must we define ourselves by death? Nay, I would argue that death only solidifies the way in which life categorizes us—as creatures of incredibly good fortune, capable of experiencing warmth... and feeling...

Applejack galloped breathlessly towards the top of a steep hill overlooking Sweet Apple Acres. She stumbled a few times, but picked herself back up—something she was incredibly good at. When she approached a lone apple tree at the top of the hill, however, her hooves lurched into a slow trot. Soon, she stood beside the tree, gazing down at the rows upon rows of orchards. In the pale morning light, they almost resembled headstones. At last, Applejack slumped down, gazing at the ample harvest her family had prepared all around her. It was a sea of deliciousness, and yet staring at it made her shatter from the inside out. The first of many starved tears ran down her freckled face, and with a sniffling sound Applejack collapsed on all fours, hiding her quietly sobbing muzzle into her forelimbs.

"'We do not feel only to experience pain. There is joy, as well, sandwiched between the mountains of darkness, but it is most palpable there, there where it is hidden, where only creatures as delightfully unique and complicated as us can relish the flavors of emotion prepared for our hearts and our hearts alone. And with such an immense feast set for such an infinitesimal period of time, I no longer shall allow myself to skim the table like a finicky critic. I shall devour that which is on my plate, and share wholeheartedly with those around me...

Rarity slowly plodded away at the typewriter, her eyes warm and vibrant for the first time in days. Her voice had taken a honeyed tone by this time, almost like the lyrics to a song as she melodically canceled out the noise of the machine translating the words before her.

"'I shall share truth and beauty and love, for generosity is the one quality that makes us greater than death, that allows us to outshine its dark, selfish vacuum. And even if tomorrow my name is to vanish in the cold breath of that harrowing night, somepony out there will have known—and will know forever—that I reached out and touched you, that I cherished you, and I have and shall always... love you forevermore...

"For in life or in death, we are both the same, and nothing will ever... ever change that.'"

A thick, rumbling thundercloud loomed high above Rainbow Dash's mane. She sat on the edge of a stony cliff, hugging herself. After a shuddering breath, she lifted her head towards the landscape below... and she lifted it with a steely frown.

Ghastly Gorge stretched out before her like a geological scab wound. The briar patch in the middle of it blended with the shadows of the passing storm overhead. None of the noonday light pierced the viscous haze.

But that was alright; Rainbow Dash didn't need a spotlight.

Thunder boomed. As if that was her cue, the pegasus stood up, stretching and flexing her legs. She stared at Ghastly Gorge and Ghastly Gorge stared back. Channeling her breath through a sneer, the fast flier darted forward, galloped, and plunged clear off the edge of the cliff.

Her wings spread, and she soared so swiftly towards the heart of the abyss that her ears rang from the whistling winds. Layers of sundered landscape blurred past her, piling the shadows on thick and thicker as she plummeted, threaded her way effortlessly through the briarpatch, and sailed on to a steep ravine filled with holes on either side.

A patch of red-stained stone littered the ground beneath her, flanked by splintery pieces of a smashed cargo container. But Rainbow Dash flew past this, hurdling her blue body towards the mess of tiny caves in the rock beyond.

"You think you're tough?!" Rainbow Dash hissed into the darkness. "You think you like eating pegasi for breakfast?"

Lightning flickered high above. From where Rainbow Dash flew, a savage slit of exposed sky turned hot silver and disappeared. The holes to her left and right strobed in and out of existence, but she knew that they were still there, surrounding her, watching her.

"Where are ya?! Huh?!" Rainbow's voice cracked through the growl she had been mustering since she first took off. "Show your ugly faces! You're not so strong! Let's have it out! Right here! Right now!"

Again, lightning flickered. Again, there was nothing but darkness in the holes.

Rainbow Dash's fury reached its peak. "I'm not some weak, bumbling idiot!" Rainbow howled against the cascading throes of thunder. "You wanna take on a pony?! Then take me! I'm the best there is, and I'll make this your worst day ever!"

Despite all her fuming, nothing happened.

So, with an agonized shout, Rainbow Dash pulled up, backflipped, came about, and twirled like a living drill through one of the many holes, diving straight in. The wind died completely as she barreled down a deep, deep tunnel that reeked of slime, stench, and humidity.

"Here I am!" she shouted, flying dead-straight into the nothingness. Somepony was panting, and she pushed it all away with her loudest voice. "What are you afraid of?! Huh?! Come out and face me!"

Darkness and darkness. Her ears stopped ringing, and she could now hear her flapping wings like an infant's heartbeat all around her.

"I said..." Rainbow spat. "What are you afraid of?!"

Something flew back at Rainbow, numbing her. It was an echo, deep and haunting, and it carried with it the same question. Only this time it resonated with the magnitude of five voices, and Rainbow gasped, for she knew each one of them.

She came to a stop, hyperventilating. A cold sweat ran down her body. She tried speaking, but all that came out now were errant squeaks. It wasn't terror, but something far more devastating. As a result, she was almost blind to the harrowing sight of multiple pairs of slitted eyes opening up in the darkness and suddenly thrusting at her.

"Guhh!" Rainbow spun about, kicked off the walls, and soared straight back the way which she came. She bumped and ricocheted stupidly off the slimy walls. Far ahead, flashes of lightning announced her exit, but she was too busy trembling from the loud claps of iron jaws snapping just behind her flailing tail hairs.

At last, the pegasus burst out of the tunnel, and the tangled snouts of four Quarry Eels surged after her. They hissed and snarled, taking savage bites of the air.

Rainbow grunted, twisting and turning in mid-air. Several pairs of jaws snapped just inches from her scalp. A few threads of her mane were even ripped out. With a shout, she kicked off the nose of one eel, spun through a strobe of lightning, and shot skyward into the thunder. She panted, glancing behind her as the gigantic serpents angrily hissed into the air before slowly, darkly slinking back into their abysmal habitats.

A cold shudder ran through Rainbow, and it grounded her. She came to a clumsy, stumbling stop along the edge of a mountain. There, she curled into a ball, hugging herself tightly as her lips quivered.

"What... what... wh-what am I d-doing...?" She foalishly whimpered. But then the same growl as before caught up with her, and she was banging her forehead multiple times with an angry hoof. "Idiot! Stupid, mule-headed, worthless idiot!" She sat up, still hyperventilating as she gazed in disbelief at the Gorge below. "What the h-hay was I thinking?!"

It only took a few seconds of meditating on it, and Rainbow didn't like the answer. Her face hung in a painful lurch between confusion and shame. At last, she hugged herself, rocking back and forth as the storm boiled overhead. She silently wished that the noise would drown out her aching thoughts. She would be disappointed.

WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON

Spike looked up from the library's first floor room. He immediately slapped a book shut and hid it behind his back. "Th-there you are! Finally! Did you... did you get all the preparations done?"

Twilight nodded as she slowly trotted down the stairs. "They are all in order, Spike." She paused just a few steps above the bottom floor. "I just need to pay the Mayor at least one more visit and then I'll have you send a final message to Canterlot just like I had you send the casket order."

"Oh, uh, I got a response to that, by the way," he said, waddling across the room and picking up a note from a table. "Looks like they'll be making a speedy delivery by this afternoon! That's certainly ahead of schedule, isn't it?"

"Who's 'they,' Spike?"

Spike turned the scroll sideways, squinting at it. "It says here... 'the Capital Air Mail Service.'"

"Aren't they privately operated?" Twilight asked. "Usually a company like that takes at least two days to deliver."

"I bet that all changed when they saw the official seal of the Princess on the request I sent them." Spike smiled with wagging eyecrests. "Eh? Ehh?"

Twilight's nostrils flared. Emotionlessly, she trotted down the last few steps until she was at even level with the whelp. "Spike, you know I didn't ask you to use my official seal for this request."

"Perhaps not." He pointed. "But you gotta admit, it certainly made sure we got the casket in time for the funeral, huh?"

"Yes..." She slowly nodded. "Still, I'm... not that sure I'm ready to be given the royal treatment for just about everything. It all seems so... unfair."

"You know, Twilight, I can think of at least two dozen ponies who would die for a chance to sport a tiara like yours." He winced. "Okay... uh... bad choice of words."

"I get it, Spike," she droned as she trotted towards a bookcase and started straightening a few uneven tomes. "I'm just not in a joking mood, I guess."

"But it wasn't a joke." He gulped and held a hand up. "Honest."

"If you say so."

Spike fidgeted, his eyes sweeping across the floor as he rocked on the heels of his scaled feet. At last, he blurted, "I read it, y'know."

"Hmmm? Read what?"

"That book on Starswirl the Bearded that you kept around for the last two days and pretended not to be reading along with all the funeral stuff."

Twilight froze. Quietly, unblinking, she swiveled about to face him. Her face was neither sad nor angry.

Spike took that as an opportunity to continue. "You know, I always wondered why he never became an alicorn," he said. "I always thought... heheh..." He smirked. "That it's because a burly unicorn with a thick beard wouldn't have wanted to be called a 'princess.' Heheh... get it? See, this time it was a joke."

"Princess Celestia told me that Starswirl the Bearded could never invent magic," Twilight remarked. She stared at the book in Spike's grip. "He was always enhancing spells, transfiguring and empowering them, but he could never invent magic. He was always lacking something."

Spike tilted his head aside. "Friends?"

Twilight fidgeted. "I was going to say 'creativity.' But... well... we all know how I became an alicorn."

Spike pointed at the book. "It says here that at some point in his life, Starswirl just... disappeared."

"Well, he died, Spike."

"No, I mean before that. He just left all his servants, hoofed Clover the Clever all his materials, and took off like a hermit for the mountains. He didn't even say goodbye to his family!"

"He was always concentrated on his work, first and foremost."

"Yeah, but how would living the rest of his years alone accomplish anything for the school of magic, huh?" Spike shrugged. "The book has accounts of ponies who knew him at the time. They say that he... just got really sullen and quiet all the time. It's like... it's like he just gave up."

Twilight shook her head. "Starswirl's legacy is not about his end days, Spike. Throughout his service to the three nations of Proto-Equestria, he practiced a philosophical ambition that to this day has not been matched. If it weren't for his dedicated works, magic today would be weak and useless, because he bridged the gap through the dark ages of our history."

"Yeah, but even after all of that..." Spike rubbed the spines along his head. "He gave it all up to live in seclusion and misery?"

"We don't know that he was miserable, Spike."

"But he gave up on having friends and family around! I mean... th-that sounds pretty miserable..." Spike leaned forward. "Don't you think?"

Twilight sighed. She turned and resumed setting books in place. "I really don't know what you're getting at, Spike. As much as I'd love to speculate on history, I have things to do, and I really can't afford to—" Her body jostled from a tiny weight. With blinking eyes, she glanced down.

Spike had dropped the book and was presently hugging her side. "Please, Twilight..." He spoke in a shaky voice. "Don't ever give up. You've done amazing things, but that doesn't mean you have to be super serious or alone for the rest of your life."

"Spike?! I'm..." She shook her head. "Who said I was g-going to be alone? I just... I-I just have some serious work to do, okay?"

"I know. I always know that." He looked up at her with glossy eyes, nevertheless smiling. "I will always be there for you, You know that, r-right?"

Twilight sighed. "Oh, Spike..." She brought a hoof down and caressed his chin while nuzzling the top of his head. "Of c-course I do."

"I just... I just want to make sure..." He gulped and murmured, "Before anything that m-might happen... does happen..."

To that, Twilight said nothing. She merely stared into the distance as she slowly caressed the little whelp’s shoulder.

Rarity sat on a park bench, a scarf hanging tightly around her delicate neck. Her hooves were daintily folded beneath her, and she spent the lonely minutes staring into the clearing haze of a distant thunderstorm to the northeast.

For all the thunder and rumbling in the distance, it was the quietest of sounds—or more appropriately the author of the quietest of sounds—that startled her.

"Uhm... Rarity?"

The unicorn jumped in place, then glanced aside. "Pinkie! I didn't expect you to be here so far away from Sugarcube Corner—" She looked forward again, froze in place, and flashed the mare a shocked expression. "Pinkie Pie? Are... are you feeling alright, darling?"

Pinkie Pie didn't immediately answer. She hardly even moved. As the seconds ticked by after Rarity's question, she simply kneaded the dirt road with the tips of her hooves and murmured, "Maybe. Maybe not. I don't know if I'm allowed to say anymore."

"What do you mean 'allowed to say?'" Rarity smirked helplessly. "You are yourself, are you not?"

Pinkie simply bit her lip.

Rarity blinked at that. Clearing her throat, she patted the bench beside her with a polite smile. "Perhaps you would like to sit still by my side?"

Pinkie nodded, lethargically climbing onto the bench and squatting on folded limbs besides Rarity.

The fashionista gawked at that. "Oh my, you do wish to 'sit still.'" She gulped and stared back towards the stormy horizon. "Well, this most certainly is distressing."

"If I'm bothering you, it's okay." Pinkie made to climb back down. "I'll leave ahead of time."

"Huh? What? No!" Rarity held the mare's shoulder still. "Perish the thought! Why, you are one of my best friends, and I wouldn't wish to pass up an opportunity to chew the fat, as t'were."

"You sure about that?" Pinkie's ears folded on either side of her head. "None of my friends seem to want me around them, even if there is some fat that's worth chewing!"

"Now, you know that certainly isn't true, Pinkie." Rarity patted one of her hooves. "This has... simply been a harrowing week, all in all. I dare say we haven't exactly been our normal selves."

"But why is that, you think?" Pinkie murmured with a foalish, pouting expression. "None of this is like any of the other crazy stuff you and me and the girls go through!"

"Oh?"

"We've kicked the holey butts of changelings and stared down angry dragons and reformed a giant living serpent goat thing with the voice of that one guy who once played a letter of the alphabet—"

"I get your point, darling." Rarity fidgeted. "Or... at least I-I think I do."

Pinkie sighed, slumping her chin down onto her forelimbs. "All of the zany adventures and scary stuff we've been through have somehow gotten us close together! But this week—one really sweet and adorable pony dies—and suddenly none of my friends want anything to do with me!"

"It's not nearly as simple as that, Pinkie Pie," Rarity said, adjusting the length of her scarf. "We all need our space because... because..." She shifted in her seat. "Well, to be perfectly frank, a death among friends or family isn't quite the same as battling some horrible miscreant with the Elements of Harmony. It's so... tragic, and yet it's so commonplace. It's a pivotal piece of our existence as ponies that we cannot defeat, nor can we deny. When one faces death in the face, it... well... it has an impact on all of us, and it affects us all differently. Sometimes that's not so easy to weather together as a group. We function together as a unit, yes, but more often than not we feel the need to process the information separately, so that we can know how to present it to an open forum when necessary time permits."

Pinkie's face scrunched up. "You make preparing a funeral sound like going to court."

Rarity chuckled slightly. "Yes, I do believe I tend to stretch the issue out into far too many words." She chuckled again.

Pinkie's face lit up briefly. "I... I-I made you laugh?"

Rarity cleared her throat. "Now, there's the rub, dear. You seem rather desperate to console somepony you care about. You have to realize, though, that the solution isn't always through laughter."

"I guess..." Pinkie sighed as she slumped back down again. "But it's my only solution."

Rarity glanced at her, tapped her chin in thought, and ultimately said, "Personally, I would beg to differ."

"Huh?"

"You're not a pony defined by simply one thing, Pinkie Pie," Rarity said. "It's not so much laughter or jocularity that embodies you. You are—beyond the shadow of a doubt—the very pinnacle of optimism. It is as though every fiber of your being is wired to seek that which is good, rosy, and warm about life. I imagine all of that must be terribly hard to do when so many ponies around you are determined to be miserable."

"I know, r-right?" Pinkie gulped, staring at the grass beneath the spaces of the bench's wooden beams. "When I tried cheering up Mrs. Cake, she got outright angry with me. Twilight started acting all weird when I dropped in on her and the Mayor. And... and..." She fumbled. "Well, even you wanted to bite my head off, Rarity, and not because my mane is so cotton candy delicious!"

Rarity winced. "You're... you're right, Pinkie, and I am terribly sorry. Truly, I am. It's just that..." She blinked, then sighed. "No. There is no need for excusing things anymore. I was wrong, Pinkie. I was wrong to have been so short with you the other night in front of Dinky's house. I am sorry for that. From the bottom of my heart, I apologize."

"I totally forgive you! But, still, I don't get it!" Pinkie stared at her. "Just what do you have a glittery bag of sorries for?"

"Because I haven't been up front with you, Pinkie," Rarity said. "I haven't been frankly honest with anypony. And if you ask me, I do believe that is the problem with all of us right now." She gulped before clarifying, "What's happened is so tragic and unexpected that it's thrown us all into our separate little corners, afraid to bridge the gap of this... this abyss that has formed beneath us. I know I can't speak for the others, but I know that I can speak for myself."

Pinkie's eyes darted left and right. She sat up straight beside Rarity and said, "Well, maybe it would help you to tell me about it! If I can't make you laugh, at least maybe I could... uh... help you get back in contact with the warm fuzzies of life?" She grinned hopefully with soft eyes. "Okie dokie lokie?"

Rarity looked at her, misty-eyed. She gave a tiny nod. "I... I-I do believe I would appreciate that, Pinkie."

Pinkie smiled back. She took the opportunity to gently clasp onto Rarity's hooves.

The fashionista sighed, gazing painfully into the windswept park grass as she said, "When I found out about Derpy passing away, I instantly thought about her child. I was simply, absolutely compelled to go visit her. And when I saw the foal with my own eyes—so blissfully happy in spite of what had happened to her mother—well, I suppose it opened up an old wound from a time long passed, a dark secret that I've kept along with my family. It is something that—in a new and reinvigorated light—I now regret ever casting into darkness to begin with, for it has done so much to dirty my soul, and to stifle the love I could have had to share with ponies so close to me." She gulped. "Namely, Sweetie Belle."

"Your lil' sister?" Pinkie Pie asked in a breathless tone. "But... what could possibly be so terrible a secret that it'd hurt you and her?"

Rarity inhaled sharply, fighting back tears. "You must promise me, Pinkie. You must promise not to tell until I have finally mustered up the courage to share it whom I care about myself."

"Oh, you know it!" Pinkie then blushed. "I... uh... would Pinkie Pie swear, but I'm kinda sorta holding hoofsies with you at the moment. Eheheh..."

Rarity cracked a grin. "I trust you, darling. I trust you." She then grimaced. "I just... h-hope that you still think of me in the same way after today..."

"Well, who wouldn't, ya big perfumed marshmallow?! Now spill it, gurrrl!"

"Did you see how easily those blue jays trusted me?!" Dinky hopped in a cute little circle around the center of Fluttershy's cottage. "It's like they were willing to eat right out of my hoof! I've never gotten so close to little birdies before!"

Fluttershy chuckled breathily as she packed a bag of feed back into a wooden cabinet. "You're a natural, Dinky. I bet you could run your own aviary at a zoo if you wanted to!"

"You think I'll get to feed a lot of birds once I grow up to be a firefighter?!"

"I... uh..." Fluttershy winced slightly. "I don't know." She gave a hopeful smile. "Unless, perhaps, you ran into a phoenix or two."

"What do phoenixes eat?"

"Um... sm-smaller... phoenixes...?" Fluttershy shrugged. Just then, there was a knock on her door. "Oh! Uhm... would you look at that! Company!"

"Maybe somepony else wants to feed the birds."

"Who knows. Maybe?" Fluttershy hummed as she made her way towards the front door. "I sure hope you don't mind."

Dinky shrugged with a smile. "It's your dreamy cottage paradise, Miss Fluttershy. Not mine."

Fluttershy smiled nervously as she undid the multiple locks along the doorframe. When she finally swung the entrance open, her eyes opened with surprise. "R-Rainbow Dash! What... how..." Her brow furrowed. "Why are you so wet?"

Rainbow Dash stood on the stoop, fidgeting. The pegasus' body was soaked through to her mane and feathers. "Uh... hi."

"Erm... hello?"

"I was wondering if... if..." Rainbow Dash blinked, then craned her neck to squint over the caretaker's shoulder. "Ah jeez. You have her here?"

"Hiya, Miss Rainbow Dash!" Dinky waved a gray hoof while smiling. "Miss Fluttershy gave me the bird! Actually, many of them!"

"I'm sure she did."

"Eheheh..." Fluttershy blushed. "She means that figuratively. Such a witty child."

"Yeah. Uh huh. Say Fluttershy..." Rainbow Dash looked fixedly at her. "Could we chat for a moment?"

"Chat?"

"A quick gab. I promise I won't take too much of your 'lying-to-the-cute-and-innocent-time.'"

"Oh. But of course." Fluttershy gulped and turned back towards Dinky. "I need to have a word with Rainbow Dash for a moment, Dinky. Don't go anywhere, okay?"

"I won't move an inch from this cottage, Miss Fluttershy!" Dinky saluted as little rodents and critters scurried behind her.

"Hmmmm..." Fluttershy trotted out the door with her prismatic friend. "Such a polite, obedient child." She closed the door softly behind her.

Dinky stood alone, rocking back and forth on her hooves as she hummed to herself. She smiled at the creatures scampering past her in opposite directions. Just then, she heard something—like a tiny chirping noise from above. Her head tilted up in time to see the blue shard atop its high shelf flashing.

"Huh?"

The sound stone strobed on and off, producing a familiar voice with an otherworldly echo.

"Crkkk! Muffin? My muffin? Are you there?"

Dinky hopped in place. "M-Mommy?!" She grinned wide. "Mommy, is that you?"

"Whew! You're rather quiet today! Heheheh. You didn't stay up late, did you?"

"I'm right here Mommy!" Dinky hopped in place, waving emphatically. "Down here!"

"Whoops! I know—You're probably asleep. Well, I'm your Mommy, not an alarm clock! I should try another time. Besides, I've got some busy-busy things to do at the moment."

"Wait! No! Mommy, wait!" Dinky panicked, running up to the wall and hopping in futility. The stone was so high up, the filly couldn't even bother with tossing something at it to knock the thing down. Breathless, she looked around, then saw a pile of boxes containing animal grooming products. Desperate, she dashed over and grabbed one. Rushing back to the wall in quick bursts, Dinky started constructing an elaborate tower of containers, boxes, and furniture pieces. "Just hold up, Mommy! I'm coming!"

"In case you hear this in your dreams, you take care of yourself, okay...?"

“Mommy loves you and is going to cook you a super scrumptious dinner when she gets home, okay?!” Derpy smiled into her blue necklace. She blinked a few times into perpetual starlight. “Muffin?” Silence. “Oh well. Sleep tight, darling! Mommy’s gotta go!”

As she slid the pendant back down the neck of her jacket, a voice above her spoke in a gravelly tone, “Is there something amiss, brave one?”

“Noperooni!” Derpy cleared her throat, slid a bronze helmet over her head, and narrowed her googly eyes with menace. “Alright, Mister Broken One! Let’s do this!”

“Absolutely!” A cloaked biped with gnarled flesh waved a sickle high in the air above where he straddled the armored pegasus. “Brothers! Sisters! Tonight, we and the Harbinger of Bubbles fight for the remnants of our sacred homeland!”

Flanking Derpy on either side were similar creatures riding giant elephants, clad in azure armor and studded with glimmering jewels. These enraged spearmen lined up along the edge of a craggy mountain cliff, overlooking a valley of dark slade and burning obsidian. Plumes of scarlet flame spat up into the cosmos as the creature riding Derpy shouted into the bleak, bleak heavens.

“We shall take back what is rightfully ours, and drive the fel orcs into the abyss! For the Harbinger of Bubbles is a sign! A sign of change! A sign of great glory in the everlasting Light!”

Ten thousand voices roared, shaking the very foundation of the floating landscape. Just then, the flames parted, exposing a steep slope of unimpeded tramping grounds.

“Now! My brothers and sisters!” The rider swung his glinting sickle forward, shouting with righteous bloodlust. “Down with the infernal reaver! Tear the murderous golem’s metal limbs apart!”

“It’s a bad day to be you, you naughty naughty robot!” Derpy reared her hooves with rattling armor, then gave a long squealing death shout as she plunged first down the mountainside.

A veritable earthquake boiled on either side of her as the alien cavalry rode down behind the mare. The elephants’ stampeding hooves split the ground in many places, stamping the flames before they had a chance to burst out of their hellish fissures. Surging as one mighty mass, the riding army descended onto a five-story tall and unsuspecting automaton made out of unpolished green armor as it lurched in the middle of the burning plain. It scrambled to swing its massive limbs at the attackers, but was soon overwhelmed.

“For the Ashtongue Deathsworn!” a thousand angry voices roared at once.

“For glory, for harmony, and for muffins!” Derpy shouted as she dove victoriously into the melee of clanging swords and clashing steel. “But mostly for the muffins!” She smiled in opposite directions as the overwhelmed robot cracked apart before her.

"So, uhm, were you skinny dipping?" Fluttershy asked. "Fluffing up rain clouds? Diving for pearls?"

"None of those things," Rainbow muttered, her hooves making slick little puddles as she paced up and down the path before her friend's cottage.

"It wasn't... Gilda, was it?" Fluttershy's ears folded as she trembled in place. "Please say this isn't the revenge of a jilted griffon!"

"No! No war with griffons or tsunamis or monsoons or whatcrap!" Rainbow Dash snapped. At the sight of Fluttershy flinching, she sighed and sat down with a calm breath. "Look, I just... I just wanted to ask you a question."

"Okay..."

"It's kind of a stupid question."

Fluttershy smiled warmly, trembling less. "There's no such thing as a stupid question, Rainbow Dash."

Rainbow fidgeted, her mane hanging over her worried face like seven colored washcloths. "What's it like to feel weak and helpless?" she ultimately blurted.

Fluttershy grimaced. "That is... is..." She gulped and smiled awkwardly. "An interesting question."

"Ungh!" Rainbow rolled her eyes and stretched her wings out. "I knew this was stupid."

"No! Rainbow, wait!" Fluttershy placed a hoof on Rainbow's shoulder before she could even flap her feathers. "I'm very curious why you would ask such a thing."

"Are you?" Rainbow squinted at her. "Really?"

"Well, I guess it's not really a surprise that you would ask me. I'm just curious as to why."

"Does that mean you don't have an answer?" Rainbow tapped her hoof.

Fluttershy shrugged before breathily replying, "I guess it feels... scary at times to be 'weak and helpless.'"

"So..." Rainbow leaned forward. "You mean that you're scared all the time?"

"Yes! I mean no! I mean..." Fluttershy dug at the ground as her face dulled. "I used to. All the time, that is. I used to feel very, very, very scared. But that is behind me now."

Rainbow Dash looked at the front to Fluttershy's cottage, then back at her. "So what's with all the locks on your door, huh?"

"Erm..."

"And all the leashes you put on your ferrets and the cages you build for the rabbits—?"

"I still exercise a lot of caution in my life, yes, but I'm a lot better, Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy insisted. "I am... very much healthier than I used to be."

"Healthier?"

"Mmmmhmmm." Fluttershy bequeathed her a fragile smile. "My fear used to be so thick that—well—you could cut it with a knife!" She shuddered. "And, ohhhhhhhh, how I h-hate knives!"

Rainbow Dash stared at her with a bored expression.

"Don't look at me like that! I mean it!" Fluttershy exclaimed, then went on in a softer tone. "When I was a little filly, I... uhm... I-I was exposed to death pretty early."

Rainbow Dash's eyes rounded slightly. "Your two oldest brothers, right?"

Fluttershy did a double-take. "Oh. Oh dear, I forgot. I told you, didn't I?"

"You've told me a lot of things, Fluttershy," Rainbow Dash murmured. "They gave their lives defending a bigshot pony from Manehattan, isn't that right?"

"It wasn't just any 'bigshot pony,' Rainbow Dash. It was Prince Firefeathers of the Northern Province, and the hydras that attacked his caravan almost attacked Princess Celestia at their meeting place as well."

"Right." Rainbow Dash gulped. "I totally wasn't trying to downplay the whole thing."

"And I know that, Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy said with a nod. "And, honestly, the whole family was more or less prepared for something like this. Ever since Swifttail and Cloud Break joined the Royal Guard, we knew that they were setting themselves up for a very... d-dangerous lifestyle." She hung her head. "But still, when it happened—when they passed away—I was very young, and I didn't quite understand things like my parents and older siblings did. The family has always been very large. My mother gave me all the attention she could manage, but still..."

Rainbow Dash listened silently.

With a sigh, Fluttershy raised her head again with misty eyes. "I was devastated, but only for selfish reasons. I hadn't gotten to know Swiftail and Cloud Break. They were my very own brothers, but I didn't see them around all the time. In my mind, they were like strangers. Honestly, I got to know them more in death than when they were actually alive. And that... struck me as strange. In my young mind, I figured that death was something that me and the rest of my siblings had to face sooner than later. It was a major part of living, and I saw it in every shadow and sunset and dark corner of the house." She began shivering as she continued. "I still remember the panic attacks I would have vividly. My blood would turn to ice and my whole body would go cold. I would spend entire afternoons lying in bed, afraid to step out the door... and th-this was before grade school!" She gulped. "I was such an anxious, nervous wreck."

"I knew you were skittish when I first met you at Flight School," Rainbow Dash said. "But jeez, Fluttershy. That's hardcore."

"I suppose it was," she replied with a dainty exhale. "Truth is, I'm not sure how I made it through my young years without becoming completely paralyzed by fear." She paused, blinked, then smiled rosily. "No. I'm wrong. Of course I know." She stifled a chuckle and gazed lovingly at her friend. "It's because of you, Rainbow Dash."

Rainbow only winced at that.

"I mean it, Rainbow Dash. You came into my life at such a fragile time and showed me true, true strength."

"I got into a dumb race and knocked you off a friggin' cloud."

"Yes, well, I consider it like a leap of faith in hindsight." Fluttershy's tail flicked. "Heehee... It got me my cutie mark, didn't it?"

"Still, it's not like you got over your fears overnight," Rainbow grumbled.

"No, but you were there to protect me in those days, Rainbow," Fluttershy said. She kicked at the earth with a demure hoof. "You've always been around to protect me. It's so sweet of you."

Rainbow Dash sighed, turning away with a lethargic expression.

Fluttershy blinked at her. "Rainbow Dash? What's wrong?"

Rainbow's feathers flexed and unflexed. She muttered, "But you're still 'weak and helpless.' Even to this day."

Fluttershy bit her lip.

"What's up with that, huh?" Rainbow's voice cracked. "Aren't I good enough... awesome enough to keep you safe?"

"Uhhh..."

"To keep all you guys safe?"

Fluttershy's brow furrowed at that. "Rainbow Dash, we all know how loyal you are! I'm a much better pony today, and I owe a great deal of that to you! I mean... knowing that you're around to look after me—after all of us—is what's helped me take extra steps in my life!"

"But it's all horseapples! Don't you get it?!" Rainbow Dash spun around. "You need to look after yourself more! You! Twilight! Rarity! Even Applejack and Pinkie Pie!"

"Huh...?!"

"Just... st-stop depending so much on me, alright?!" Rainbow Dash grunted, avoiding Fluttershy's eyes. "It's not cool! You and the other gals deserve better!"

"But... I don't understand." Fluttershy's jaw fell. "Why—?!"

"Because I'm only gonna let you down!" Rainbow snapped. "Okay?! You happy now?"

Fluttershy slowly shook her head. "No. No, Rainbow, I'm not happy. I-I'm confused! What do you mean?"

"Unnngh..." Rainbow Dash ran a shaky hoof over her face. "I dunno, okay?"

"You don't want to protect us anymore?"

"No!" Rainbow lowered her hoof and frowned. "Heck, no!"

"Then what is it? What's making you so upset?"

"I'm not upset! Just... just fr-frustrated..."

"Aren't those the same things?"

"No! Maybe? Guhhh..."

"Rainbow—"

"Look, there's nothing in life that's so stupid that I can't fix!" Rainbow said, but then sighed with drooping ears. "At least I used to think so."

Fluttershy looked at her expression, then at her limp wingfeathers. She trotted closer. "Rainbow, I think you've let the weight of the last few days bear down on you a bit too much. You just need to relax, allow your thoughts and feelings to make sense to you."

"Everything makes enough sense as it is," Rainbow Dash muttered. "That's not the issue."

"Then what is? You came here to talk to me for a reason, didn't you?"

Rainbow merely bit her lip.

Fluttershy took a deep breath, then caressed the mare's shoulder while smiling. "Maybe tomorrow, hmmmm? When you come to the funeral, you can bear your soul then. I bet it would make you feel better, and I'm absolutely sure it's what Miss Hooves would have wanted."

Rainbow Dash shuddered for a moment, then said, "That's not going to fix anything."

"Why not? I'm sure there'll be others there at the memorial who would gladly—"

"I mean I won't be there, Fluttershy." Rainbow Dash swiveled until she was giving Fluttershy a blank expression. "I'm not going to Derpy's funeral."

Fluttershy leaned back as if dealt a gale force wind. "But... but wh-why not?"

"Just because..."

"You were her friend! Her co-worker! You... you were the one who went above and beyond to save her—"

"Yeah, and I screwed it up, okay?!" Rainbow Dash blurted. "Don't you get that?! I'm a total loser, and Derpy d-died because of it!"

Fluttershy stammered. "Rainbow..."

"And nopony would want a loser like me at the funeral of a pony who died because of my own screw-ups!" Rainbow Dash grunted. She nodded her head towards the cottage. "Especially Miss Adorable Innocence Pants in there. If I showed up at her mom's ceremony..." Rainbow Dash grimaced. "Face it, I'd just be dishonoring her. I'd be dishonoring everything."

Fluttershy slowly shook her head. "How could you p-possibly believe that?"

"How can't I?" Rainbow Dash shrugged. "It's true. Now, if you'll excuse me." She flapped her wings. "I gotta dry off and work on important things. After all, every other pony is treating this week like a friggin' holiday."

"Rainbow Dash, please! Don't fly away—"

It was too late. She was gone in a blue streak, leaving Fluttershy alone with her sighs. The mare slowly trotted around, sniffling as she made her way limply towards the cottage.

"Mnnnnghhh!" Dinky licked the edges of her muzzle, inching forward atop a tall and precariously leaning tower of randomly snatched household items. The column of containers, bags, and pet toys wobbled left and right with the fragile little foal positioned at the top, reaching for the dim blue shard positioned on the high shelf. "Come on, Mommy! I'm almost there! Just h-hang on!"

Fluttershy opened the door to her cottage. She looked up. Her eyes widened as a heavy gasp flew out of her mouth. "Dinky!"

"Gaaah!" Dinky flew forward, both hooves grasping the stone. "Got it!" Suddenly, the filly shrieked , for the tower gave way beneath her. "Whoahhhh!" She slipped and fell.

Fluttershy kicked at the doorframe, ignoring the multiple locks. She propelled herself in a yellow blur across the room, grabbing Dinky just inches before she could collide with the floorboards.

"Ooof!" Dinky jolted from the impact. The blue stone flew from her grasp.

The cottage rang with thunder. Dozens of mice and rodents scurried in opposite directions as the hulking tower of miscellaneous objects clattered to the floor. And among them was—

"No!" Dinky stammered from where she and Fluttershy landed. Her amber eyes reflected the sight of a blue sound stone shattering to hundreds of dusty fragments. "Oh no no no no no!"

"D-Dinky!" Fluttershy panted for breath. "What in Equestria were you doing?! You almost hurt yourself and—"

"Nnngh!" Frenzied, Dinky wormed out of Fluttershy's grasp and galloped across the room. She slid on her knees, coming to a stop before the pile of brittle blue stone fragments. "No... it's shattered... shattered to bits!" She choked on a sob. "Mommy!"

Fluttershy stood up. With heavy breaths, she glanced up at the high shelf which was now empty. Her pupils shrank. "Oh goodness..."

"Please..." Dinky's hooves clumsily swept the blue piles of dust together, fumbling in vain to make a solid object out of the irrecoverable sediment. "Oh please oh please oh please! There has to be a way to fix it!"

Fluttershy gulped and trotted softly towards her side. "Dinky..."

"She was just calling m-me!" Dinky's eyes sprang tears. "Just now! And I-I didn't get to answer her!"

"Dinky, please—"

"She's going to think I'm disobedient!" Dinky hiccuped. "She's g-going to think I'm the worst d-daughter in Equestria—!"

"Dinky, stop!" Fluttershy squatted on the other side of the dust, gripping the foal's hooves. "You cannot reach her anymore!"

"I know! The stone br-broke!" Dinky stammered between sobs. "Please! We g-got to fix it! Maybe Zecora will have another one! I h-have to know that Mommy is okay!"

"You have... You have..." Fluttershy clenched her eyes shut, seething into the darkness like a trembling foal on a bed somewhere. "You have to let her go, Dinky." She reopened her eyes with a misty gaze. "For your sake, you have to move on."

"But... But why...?"

"Because she is gone, Dinky," Fluttershy said in as firm a voice as she could manage. "Your mother has passed away. There's nothing you can do about it, but she loved you until the day she died. She loved you until the very end, and there's nothing for you to feel ashamed of."

"Stop it!" Dinky wrenched her hooves away from Fluttershy, frowning for the first time before the flabbergasted mare. "Stop saying that she's dead! Why is everypony saying that?!"

"Because it's true, Dinky. I'm sorry. I'm so very sorry, but it's true. Rainbow Dash watched it happen. The pegasi guards who investigated Ghastly Gorge found nothing but blood and feathers. It was a terrible accident, a horrible... horrible tragedy, but she is no longer in our lives now! But we are alive! We have to honor her memory and move on!"

"But... I-I was just talking to her!" Dinky sniffed. "Yesterday and the day before! She c-can't be dead!"

"I know that you might think that, or perhaps even imagine that, but you have to stop pretending, Dinky," Fluttershy said. "Or else you may suffer from it for many years. You are strong, you are precious, and you are virtuous. You will endure!"

"I... I-I just don't understand..." Dinky wiped her cheek, shuddering. "This d-doesn't make any sense!" She sobbed and gazed at Fluttershy with sparkling eyes. "Did I do s-something wrong? Am I being punished? If so, I'm sorry. Please... I'm so very sorry..."

Fluttershy bit her lip. With an inner squeaking noise, she swept Dinky into a fierce hug, nuzzling her dearly. "Nothing of the s-sort, precious! Nopony would ever, ever punish you like that!"

"I'm so c-confused..." Dinky sobbed into Fluttershy's shoulder.

"I know, darling. But we're going to get through this, okay? Together, I promise you, we're not going to be sad forever."

"I don't want to be h-happy..." Dinky wheezed. "I-I just want my Mommy back!"

Fluttershy sucked in her breath while stroking the foal's mane. "I know, Dinky. And for what it's worth, I-I want her back too..."

Dinky had nothing to say—simply a series of indecipherable cries as she huddled in Fluttershy's soft embrace. Sunlight poured in through the open door, bringing a shine to the brittle shard fragments that briefly shimmered... and then was gone.

Thursday Morning: Of Truth and Tears

The first of many park lamps flickered on with the fall of night, directing a moth or two to flitter about the golden glow. Below, on a lone bench, two mares lingered in solemn conversation.

"And as you can see..." Rarity sniffled as she rubbed her cheek dry. "I am far from a generous mare, especially since I am apt to withhold all of that."

Pinkie Pie blinked, shaking her head sympathetically. "I don't think you're being anti-generous, Rare-Rare. After all, you just told me, didn't ya?"

"Yes, but with you it's different, darling." Rarity gave her a fragile smile. "You're my friend, and to be perfectly honest, I'm certain I expressed myself simply to get the weight off my shoulders."

"And did it help any? Huh?"

Rarity winced. "Only partially..."

"Awww..." Pinkie's ears drooped. "And here I thought I was being a merciful mare-do-winner."

"Don't be silly." Rarity smiled. "Well, sillier than usual." She patted Pinkie's hoof and said, "You know, you can be a great deal calm and receptive when you put your heart and mind to it, Pinkie."

"Well, of course!" Pinkie fluffed her mane with a worrisome expression. "I care for all my buddies! Especially when they've lost their buds!"

"I just..." Rarity hid her face in her hooves. "Mmmmfff... I simply do not know what to do about it all. It's piled on and on throughout the years, and now I feel as though I might burst apart at the seams." She sniffled. "Figuratively, m-mind you."

Pinkie looked down at her squirming hooves. "Uhm... actually, Rarity? I kinda sorta think you do know what to do about this."

Rarity peaked at her through her pale forelimbs.

"I just think you're a bit of a scaredy cat about it... about bringing it up to Sweetie Belle, I mean." Pinkie cleared her throat as a glazed expression fell over her blue eyes. "Just like I'm... sc-scared to talk to my Mommy and Daddy."

"Your parents?" Rarity lowered her hooves completely. Her face stretched with concern. "Whatever for, darling?"

"You know how I'm annoying around you and the rest of the girls some of the time?"

"It... has come to my attention on occasion." Rarity tried not to smirk.

"Well, back at home, I used to be annoying all of the time." Pinkie shrugged. "At least, I guess so, because my family kicked me out of there—rocks and all."

Rarity let loose an airy chuckle. "Oh, Pinkie, they did not!"

Pinkie stared at Rarity.

Rarity blinked.

Pinkie continued staring.

A shudder ran through Rarity's body. "Oh dear."

Pinkie gulped. "They don't like to talk about it. Then again, they don't like to talk about much of anything. Mrs. Cake tells them all that they need to know about me, but she does it through letters and gift packages n’tuff. Sometimes, it's as if she thinks I don't know about it. But I do. I just never thought it was a big deal. But then, I realized that I was beginning to annoy her and Mr. Cake. Big time." She bit her lip. "And then you and Twilight and the Mayor..."

"It's simply the death of Miss Hooves, Pinkie Pie," Rarity said. "It's gotten us all out of sorts. Quite frankly, we haven't been in the mood for the usual levity. That's all."

"But what if it's more than that?" Pinkie tilted her head up with a quivering lip. "What if—like—you guys want nothing to do with me anymore?" The edges of her eyes glistened. "What if you all decide that I'm just a nasty noisy nuisance and want to kick me out of Ponyville?"

"Pinkie Pie..."

"J-just like my family d-did?"

"Darling, look at me." Rarity grabbed Pinkie's hooves and forced the two of them to sit face to face. The fashionista's eyes were solid as sapphires. "You are a treasured part of our lives, a joy to our each passing day, and the very last thing we will ever want to do with you is throw you away like some piece of rubbish. You're more than that; you're more precious than diamonds."

"But, when you guys shoo me away like I'm a buzzing bug—?!"

"Friends are still ponies, and ponies are far from perfect." Rarity smiled softly. "You think I would continuously strive to embody grace and beauty if I already mastered such qualities?"

"Uh... sure...?"

Rarity chuckled. "I am always seeking to improve myself, Pinkie Pie, and I'm not alone. I have friends like you to help me, to humble me. Are you truly annoying from time to time? Well, that cannot be denied, but I suspect that you are seeking to improve yourself too, and as bumpy a road as it may be at times, this is still our journey... one that is taken together. And I do deeply apologize for selfishly wanting to bump you off the wagon from time to time."

Pinkie smiled. "And I forgive you for letting me fall over the edge of this sudden magical thoughtcoach!" Her face twisted. "Wherever it rolled in from!"

"Heheheh..." Rarity stroked Pinkie's hoof. "I suppose I should throw in less metaphors when I am engaging in a heart-to-heart conversation."

"No! It's totally okay!" Pinkie chirped. "See?! We're being honest with each other! That's totally a nifty thing!" She sighed. "If only that was what Mrs. Cake and my parents wanted."

"Yes..." Rarity nodded solemnly towards the blossoming stars overhead. "I suppose that would most definitely improve things in your household."

"Yeah..." Pinkie Pie said. After a few seconds, her eyes darted towards her friend. "Rarity?"

"Hmmm?"

"I really think you should try being honest and upfront with Sweetie Belle too," Pinkie Pie said. "And not just because it's super generous, but because it will make things better in your household. After all, you're my friend, and Sweetie Belle is the adoracute squeaky little sister to my friend."

Rarity bit her lip, allowing her gaze to fall.

Pinkie Pie leaned in. "And I think it will make things better for the both of you. Especially since..." Her face grimaced. "And I really, really don't like being a deep downer downpony, but, what happened to Miss Hooves could happen to any of us... at anytime." She gulped. "So... uh... Canter Diem?" She grinned with bright teeth that reflected the stars.

Rarity smiled weakly, reaching forward to fluff Pinkie's mane. "You know, darling, you're a great deal more mature than you let on."

"Huh?"

"I mean anypony who ever compares you to a 'baby filly' should be hung, if I may be so bold."

"Well, duh!" Pinkie Pie rolled her eyes. "I don't wear diapers anymore!"

"Heheh... there you go..."

Pinkie blushed as she gazed over her shoulder. "Most of the time..."

WEDNESDAY NIGHT

A cold wind blew over the moonswept leaves of endless apple trees. Atop a hill overlooking Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack lay in a disheveled heap. The shadows of a sorrowful day hung off every hair of her body. She stirred every now and then, if only to wipe off flakes of grass that had randomly decided to cling to the edges of her tearstained muzzle.

At last, something shifted, slowly plodding up the hill with crunching hoofsteps. It was the first semblance of noise Applejack had heard in hours. She opened her eyes, almost startled to discover that it was already nighttime. Pivoting about, she squinted down the grassy knoll, relieved to see a sheen of wrinkled skin in the moonlight. Nevertheless, a part of her fumed, then muttered, "Granny? Huh. I thought y'all had forgotten about me."

The old mare came to a stop. "Reckon ya wanted us to, darlin'."

Applejack immediately winced. With a sigh, she slumped back down, resting her chin on her forelimbs.

Granny Smith limped over to the tree and stood beside her. "Ya left us there at the breakfast table, AJ. Ya left yer family, ya left yer porridge cold, and—most frightenin' of all—ya left yer hat." She plopped the brown article in question down beside Applejack's red cutie mark. "I gotsta stay, that's mighty worryin', don'tcha think?"

Applejack sniffled, smiling somewhat as she dragged the hat over in front of her and gave it a light squeeze. "Thanks, Granny. I... I-I don't know what got into me."

"Well, that's a shame." Granny grunted breathily as she rested her weary bones and slumped down at Applejack's side. "Cuz I was hopin' ya might fill me in a bit."

"T'ain't nothin' to it." Applejack shook her head, growing misty-eyed once more. "I was a bad sport this mornin', Granny. I snapped at you and Big Macintosh and Apple Bloom... like y'all were timber wolves attackin' the livestock. And what for?" She shuddered. "Nothin', that's what. I'm so sorry. Can we just pretend like it never happened?"

"You know that it weren't nothin', AJ," Granny Smith said. "Shucks, you know better than the rest of us, which is what brought me up here. I reckon you have plenty of things t'say."

"I don't, Granny! Really!" Applejack sniffled and fidgeted with her hat, trying to put it on her head in the dark, but suddenly forgetting how to. "Just give me a minute and I'll help your weary legs back to the house. It's probably gettin' close to bedtime anyways and tomorrow's the big funeral for—"

"Applejack, be honest," Granny Smith chided.

Applejack bit her lip. She dropped the hat, and then her face, sighing into the springy grass below. "I can't hide anythang from you, Granny. I'm a big ol' sad mess."

"Well, I know my eyes are failin' me these days, darlin', but anypony can certainly see that."

"What do you want from me?"

"Well, what do you got to give?"

Applejack stirred uneasily. "I’ve got everythang to give, Granny. I have given everythang." She flung her moist gaze towards the old mare. "And I love it! I've made a life doin' all I can for this family! And I'd do it all over again if I had to! It's... it's what makes me what I am, I suppose."

"Then why the sad eyes, darlin'?" Granny Smith leaned in and rested a bony forelimb on the mare's side. "What's eatin' you up somethin' awful?"

"I just..." Applejack gazed back down the hilltop. "I get so wrapped up at times. And then I have these... these wakin' moments when I look at all I've done. And while it's all so special, sometimes... well... sometimes it's not..."

"Do you regret workin' on the farm all your life?"

"No! I mean..." Applejack winced. "No, I don't think so."

"'Cuz we gave ya an opportunity, darlin'," Granny Smith said. "When you was just a little sprout, we let you visit yer Aunt and Uncle Orange in Manehattan."

"And we know how well that worked out," Applejack muttered. "Don't we?"

"Well?"

Applejack blinked, then gazed softly back at her grandmother. "When I first found out about Derpy dyin', Granny, I was doin' farmwork. I was buckin' and harvestin' apples, just as always. But when the news hit me, somethin' just... felt off about it all. I reckon it was 'cuz I found out so sudden-like, and after every other pony in town already knew about it. It seemed... it felt wrong to have been the last pony to know. After all these years, I've come to respect and care for the ponies of Ponyville. And suddenly, I was the last pony to be bothered with such sad and tragic news. And why? Because I was wrapped up in apples? I'm always wrapped up in apples! This farm is my lifeblood! This land is in my blood! It's..." Her voice trailed off.

Granny Smith watched her patiently, weathering a gust or two of cold wind.

Applejack gulped. "And then..." She murmured, "Apple Bloom and Big Mac: they just shrugged the news off like it weren't none of their business. But shouldn't it be important to them? Shouldn't it be important to all of us? When Tuesday mornin' came, I galloped straight to Twilight's home. I didn't really know why at the time, but I rambled to her like a haybrained idiot. I wanted to offer something—anything—to the sad situation, but as I stood there at the Princess' doorstep, I realized that I didn't feel bad about Derpy's death. Only, I wanted to feel bad... as if to be concerned was a job, a chore... just like harvestin' apples or tendin' to the livestock are chores. Why couldn't I make myself genuinely concerned? When did I... j-just stop feelin', Granny?"

The elder held her head, sighing slightly. "I reckon it's my fault, darlin'."

Applejack flung her a confused look. "You? How could it be yer fault?!"

"I'm the oldest in the Apple Family, Applejack. You know this. It's my job to see that the household prospers, not just the farm."

"Granny, I was the one who stood there by Ma and Pa's deathbed!" Applejack sniffled. "I was the one who promised to be strong for the family and make the orchards bloom!"

"And who was with ya every step of the way, girl?" Granny Smith's wrinkled brow furrowed. "Who was lettin' ya keep yer nose to the plow?"

Applejack's mouth hung open, but she was temporarily speechless.

Granny Smith filled the moment instead. "Apple Bloom's too young to remember the way the farm was before her folks passed, and she can't rightly tell how well it's done afterwards. And Big Macintosh—bless his kind heart—he took the deaths way harder than you or even I ever did. He's easily the strongest of us on the outside, but his insides are all bunched up and tangled. Ya don't need me tellin' ya how quiet he's become, how gentle and pensive and downright full of butterflies his stomach gets around other ponies half his size. He's capable of so many things, but he needs guidance, just 'cuz. And you?"

Granny Smith took a shuddering breath and reached forward to caress her granddaughter's muzzle.

"Precious, sweet 'lil Applejack, the star of her mother's eye... and of mine." She sniffled. "Such a dainty, silly little pony. And yet, overnight, you turned into something greater. Somethin' amazin'. Somethin' stronger than I've ever been in my life or any Apple Family mare in a dozen lives previous. Darlin', I never wanted you to become the farm's packhorse. I could tell from an early age that you had the selfless heart of an angel, and when yer folks died, it broke my heart, because I knew that your future was already spelled out for ya, and there was nothin' I could do to stop it. Though, Celestia knows, I should have tried... at least tried harder than havin' ya visit Manehattan when ya only wanted to be home, grievin' over yer folks."

"Granny..." Applejack stammered, a tear rolling down her cheek. "I took over this farm because I wanted to! For Ma and Pa! Because I wanted to!"

"I know that, darlin'. But I also know that when you set yer mind to somethin', yer heart and body are bound to follow. And in all the years that have gone by, none of it's let up. T'ain't healthy; I don't care who you promised what. You were meant to live a bright and happy life, not just the shadow to ponies who are long dead and buried. I loved my son and daughter-in-law. I still do. I cherish their memories each and every day, but I know that yer livin' as more than a memory now, and I wanna help you while I can, before I up and leave to go to the same place yer friend Miss Hooves did."

"But we're doin' alright for ourselves!" Applejack exclaimed. "Our apples, our farm, our finances! We're doin' better than we've ever done before!"

"Applejack..."

"What I've done, I've done for this family! And... it sh-shows, doesn't it?"

"Applejack, I know you've sweat and bled and labored yer legs off for the rest of us," Granny Smith said. "And there's nothin' wrong in bein' proud of that. But just because somethin' is plum painful don't make it righteous." She gulped. "I know you've been the very model of a strong and dependable pony, AJ, but I also think you've found yerself a wicked little comfort zone."

"Comfort... zone...?"

"And it's a familiar place we've all snuggled up to, I reckon," Granny said in a remorseful tone, her eyes reflecting the distant moonlight. "Plowin' this land, buckin' the apple trees, pluckin' the fruit day in and day out. It's easy to make our concerns our concerns and Equestria's concerns Equestria's concerns. And, sure, we give it a gab with our neighbors every now and then, help raise barns, visit with friends and attend festivals. But in the end, we're still holed up here, all turtle-like, as if our front door is open just for show. That's why I'm so glad you've made these really sweet mare friends over the past few years, darlin'. It's given me hope..."

"Hope?" Applejack squinted at her. "Hope for what?"

Granny looked back. "That even though you've made this land what it is, you won't let the land make you. Yer a young, beautiful mare, AJ, but you won't be forever. Take it from me. There comes a time when all you ever do is look back, and I don't want you reachin' that point like I did, treatin' each death of a friend like a thunderclap that grows more and more distant with age, that clears and is gone like a cold spring evenin', like there was nothin' ever there to begin with."

"I..." Applejack gulped. "I-I never realized it was like that for you..."

"And I never felt like relatin' it," Granny Smith said with a bitter smile. "Mostly because yer my ray of sunshine, d-darlin'." She sniffled, and her voice wavered. "You and Big Mac and Apple Bloom. You make each day worth livin', and I love y’all somethin' fierce." She bore a teary frown. "But that's just plum selfish to keep to myself. After all, you got more of a future than me."

"Oh, Granny—"

She pressed her hoof firmly against Applejack's forelimb. "And I think it's time you asked yerself what it is that you want. What it is that you really want, beyond just the farm... beyond just the day to day routine. Beyond yer comfort zone, darlin', what do you want to gain from this life?"

Applejack's mouth hung open. She turned to gaze at the heavens as another tear trickled down her cheek. "I... I-I want to start a family of my own, Granny..."

The elder nodded, patting Applejack's shoulder.

"I..." Applejack rubbed her cheeks, crying. "I want t-to raise foals. I want to give th-them a life of happiness and promise. I want to g-give them what my folks wanted to give me, but c-couldn't. I want to be a part of other ponies' lives, so I can give them the bounties of all that this farm has given us. I-I just... I just want to feel with them... and through them. I can be strong and do that at the same time, can't I-I?" Applejack stared back at Granny Smith with a quivering lip. "Is that too much to ask?"

"Oh darlin', it's never too much." Granny Smith smiled and leaned in to nuzzle her. Applejack embraced her with shaky limbs, through which the elder murmured, "Ya silly pony. Yer the last soul I'd ever call selfish in this dag-blame'd town."

Applejack buried her face in Granny's wrinkled coat. "I'm so sorry. I'm not givin' up on you and Big Mac and Apple Bloom! I promise! I just... I-I just need more. I want to feel m-more..."

"And I reckon we'll all get a chance to feel too, darlin'..." Granny Smith sniffled as a tear rolled down her smiling, proud face. "We've always followed yer example, haven't we?"

Applejack chuckled—with laughter that turned into a weightless giggle as she sobbed happily into the cold night, made warm by Granny Smith's dear hug.

"There there... let's get you inside so you can wash this lonely off ya, shall we?" Granny Smith pulled Applejack to her hooves and led the mare gently down the hill. "After all, a home should be all about healin', don'tcha think?"

"Yes... I reckon so, Granny," Applejack smiled weakly as she took charge, lending her weight for Granny to lean on. "I reckon so."

THURSDAY MORNING – DAY OF THE FUNERAL

"There." Twilight pointed at a diagram, then at the open space of the Town Hall interior that had been cleared away by several workers. "The podium and the casket should be placed in that spot. The chairs should be at a distance, closer to the south wall, so that when the eulogy has been read and the ponies have filed up to pay their initial respects, we can then move the chairs to the side for the rest of the wake. We'll have reopened the doors to Town Hall by that point."

"Very well done, Yer Highness," the Mayor said, adjusting her glasses as she gazed over the alicorn's shoulder. All around her, mares and stallions were dressing the place up with black velvet curtains and modest floral arrangements. "Uhm, about the other part of Miss Hooves' will, didn't it say—?"

Twilight nodded. "There'll be... erm... refreshments for those in attendance. For the extent of the wake, that is. Uhm..." She glanced towards the coffin-sized space in the center of the building. "I just made a slight adjustment. I don't think the ponies should be smelling baked muffins at the start of the ceremony. Something about it wouldn't... well... wouldn't be right."

"And who's baking them? Seems like a tall order."

"Mrs. Cake is," Twilight said. "At no expense too."

"Wow. That's incredibly gracious of her."

"I agree." Twilight nodded. "It's remarkable how so many ponies have stepped up to the plate, and all for the memory of one single mailmare."

"Your contributions certainly won't go unnoticed, Your Highness," the Mayor said. "You've researched the deceased pony's will, followed through with her funeral arrangements, managed this entire undertaking, and are even delivering the eulogy."

"I simply wanted to make sure that no detail got ignored."

"I know that, Your Highness, but even still..."

"Huh?"

The Mayor squirmed slightly. "Well, I don't mean to come across as forward—"

"In what way?"

The older pony gulped, adjusted her collar, and smiled nervously. "Well, with all the planning and all of the stressful preparations, have you... h-have you... uhm..."

"Have I what?"

"Have you... f-found time to mourn, yourself, Your Majesty?"

Twilight squinted at her.

The Mayor jerked back, wide-eyed. "Oh! That was out of place, wasn't it? I'm so sorry, Princess. I won't ask such a thing again—!"

"No no no, it's fine. I'm just confused a bit by the question," Twilight Sparkle remarked. "What makes you think I'm not mourning?"

"Well..."

"I've been working around the clock trying to get everything in order!" Twilight gestured towards the modest decorations being hung around them. "I mean, obviously I care very much about what happened to Miss Hooves!"

The Mayor smiled and nodded... nodded.

"I mean..." Twilight winced slightly. "R-right?"

The Mayor sweated slightly, but before she could open her mouth—

"Twilight!" Fluttershy blurred in through the open doors on gliding wings. "There you are!"

"Fluttershy!" Twilight spun about with a grin. "You're here!" She blinked. "And you're flying. Fast."

"I have to speak with you! It's urgent!" Fluttershy blinked, then sagged towards the floor with drooping wings. "Er... I-I mean, if that's alright with you, Your Highness—"

"Fluttershy..." Twilight sighed. "We've been through this. There's no need for—" She froze in mid-speech.

Fluttershy's eyes were teary. Her muzzle threatened to burst with a sob at any second.

Twilight blinked. "What... wh-what's happened?"

Fluttershy gulped. "Twilight, it's Dinky." She motioned out the door. "Please. You have to come see." She flew the same way which she came.

Twilight Sparkle levitated her clipboard of diagrams to the Mayor. "Here, ma'am. I have to tend to this."

"But of c-course!"

"I'll be back well before the funeral goes underway this afternoon. I promise." And in a bolt of magically-induced flight, she followed her pegasus friend towards the far end of town.

The Mayor watched with a lonesome gaze, hugging the clipboard to her gray chest.

Mrs. Cake trudged down the steps of her home, yawning. "Mmmff... Thought... Th-thought I set the alarm for two hours earlier. Nnnngh..." She rubbed her eyes as she reached the bottom floor to Sugarcube Corner. "Oh well. I still have plenty of time before... the muffins... must... be ready?" She froze in place, her face scrunching up as she sniffed at the air. "That... that aroma? Is that? Is that...?!"

A gasp ran through her body like a knife. Her pupils shrunk.

"Pinkie!" Dashing on blurred hooves, Mrs. Cake rounded the corner and burst through the swinging doors of the kitchen. "Pinkie, no! What have you—?!" She froze in place.

The kitchen was cluttered, thought it was anything but a mess. Besides two steaming ovens, rows upon rows of golden-brown muffins lay toasted in neatly arranged sheets. The entire body of Sugarcube Corner brimmed with the pleasant scent of blueberries, cinnamon, and glazed sugar. Trotting across the tile floor in an exhausted limp, Pinkie Pie carried a freshly baked tray of muffins onto a tabletop with a mouth mit. Upon seeing Mrs. Cake, she didn't jump or cartwheel or sing. Instead, she placed the tray down, spat out the mit, and smiled dazedly across the thoroughly used bakery.

"Good m-morning, Mrs. Cake." Pinkie Pie said with a cute yawn before clamping her mouth forcibly shut with two bright hooves. "Erm... s-sorry if I woke you up. I promise that I didn't mean to." She glanced demurely down at her legs. Every other inch of her coat was covered with the splatter of bread dough and baking powder. "It was the smell, wasn't it? I'm surprised. I always thought your dreams were scrumptious enough."

"Pinkie..." Mrs. Cake trotted the rest of the way into the kitchen, gazing wide-eyed at the massive arrangement of baked goods all around her. "This... this is... is..."

"Pleasedon'tbemad!" Pinkie Pie waved her forelimbs, her blue eyes round and soft. "Mrs. Cake, I know that it's probably a big mess and you're probably wanting to yell at me in such a way that would wake your handsome husband and adorably bouncing babies but please—pleasepleasepleeeeease—hear me out for one single, measly, super-squeezy-tiny little second, pretty please?"

Mrs. Cake stood dead-still, her mouth agape. "You... you were up all night doing this?"

"Mmmmhmmm." Pinkie Pie gulped, clasping her hooves together in a "praying" fashion. "You see, I know that I can be really annoying and... uhm... ram bunnies at times."

"'Rambunctious,' Pinkie."

"Yeah!" Pinkie nodded and pointed. "That! But, uh, I kind of know why that is. It's because it feels better to be doing stuff all the time. But that's okay for me, y'know? Cuz I like being busy. And happy. But... it's okay to feel sad too. I just don't quite get it like other ponies do, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. So, I thought 'Hey! Why not do all of Mrs. Cake's work for the funeral so that she can spend all day feeling sad like she wants to!' And, to be perfectly honest, it didn't make a yummy lick of sense to me, but then again a lot of things don't, so I decided to just go with my gut... instead of... uh... j-just filling my gut, which is what I usually do when I'm baking, b-but not this time! Honest!" She finished her speech with a flinching expression, clenching her teeth hard beneath folded ears as she braced for the unthinkable.

Mrs. Cake made a few more trots closer. "Pinkie, this was... very thoughtful of you. As odd as it may seem—"

"I didn't do it just to be thoughtful! I did it for the muffins! And the ponies who will be eating the muffins!" She stretched a forelimb outrageously far to the side, snatched up a golden treat, and hoofed it to the older mare. "Here! Try it out! I promise that I put all of my baking skills into it! The good skills, I mean!"

Mrs. Cake looked at the treat, at Pinkie, then at the muffin again. Nervously, she picked it up in her hoof, lifted it to her muzzle for a little sniff, then gave the thing a nervous nibble.

Pinkie Pie watched, rocking back and forth on her rear legs.

Mrs. Cake blinked, then narrowed her gaze. "Why..." She gulped and murmured, "It's delicious."

"Aaaaaaaaand?"

"Not... not very sugary, though."

"Righto!" Pinkie Pie wagged her eyebrows. "Cuz it's a funeral, right? And—uhh—too much sweetness wouldn't be a very proper thing, now would it?"

Mrs. Cake was silent.

"But, like, I-I made another sample that's sweeter!" Pinkie fumbled tiredly over a nearby table, trying to grasp one particular tray of muffins from all the others. "And I promise that these don't have exploding or re-lighting confetti candles! Just try them out and lemme know if you want me to ditch all the rest that I made—"

Mrs. Cake placed the half-eaten muffin onto the table, trotted over, and gave Pinkie a fierce hug.

"Eeep!" Pinkie flinched, then fluttered her eyes at the mare. "Mrs... Cake...?"

"The sweetest thing is having you around, Pinkie Pie," she said, nuzzling her closely. "Thank you for doing this. You didn't have to, but... I thank you."

Pinkie Pie smiled delicately. "You mean I didn't mess things up this time?"

Mrs. Cake chuckled, shaking her head as she lifted her face to smile at Pinkie. "Not at all, darling."

Pinkie was biting her own lip. "Aaaaaaand you're not gonna yell at me?"

"I admit that I have been on edge this week, Pinkie," Cup Cake sighed. "But it's no excuse for you to guard yourself with every single thing you say or do, especially when you're only trying to help the situation."

"Well, that's kind of good! Because... y'know, I..." Pinkie winced slightly. "I really enjoy making you and Mr. Cake proud of me." She gulped and stared dully to the side. "It's not like I can do the same to Mommy and Daddy anymore."

Upon hearing that, Mrs. Cake's mouth fell. Her eyes turned glossy as she turned to the side.

Pinkie saw the change in her expression. "Mrs. Cake...?"

Cup Cake trotted down the rows of baked muffins. "Your father is... is far from perfect, Pinkie. But he's not alone." She gulped. "I took on the responsibility of bringing you here, to Ponyville, a town far more suitable to your energy and attitude. But..." She leaned against a piece of the kitchen counter as a shudder ran through her body. "I've made a lot of mistakes too. Selfish mistakes. And I'm sorry for that."

"Oh, I forgive you, Mrs. Cake!" Pinkie bounced towards her side with little hops. "I could never be mad at you!"

"That's just it!" Mrs. Cake spun about with a teary expression. "You're always so... so kind and gracious and forgiving, Pinkie!" She sniffled. "And I... I-I've taken advantage of that! I've never treated you like the adult mare that you are, but instead used your foalish energy and enthusiasm as an excuse to dismiss you time and time again!" More tears fell as she shook her head. "And that's been downright cruel of me! I know that I'm capable of more patience with a pony like you! I... I've had no excuse..."

"Mrs. Cake..." Pinkie stammered, her mouth hanging open. "Nopony can... Nopony should have to feel like being around me is a chore!" She gulped. "I know I'm pretty good at making ponies smile, but that doesn't mean everypony wants to smile all the time! I..." She winced slightly. "I can't quite wrap my fluffy head around that, but I'm starting to... because I want to."

"And I want to understand the well of energy you've magically tapped since birth, but most of the time—I can't, Pinkie Pie," Mrs. Cake said, rubbing her cheek dry. "But, up 'til just recently, I've not understood the cost that's at stake."

"I don't get it. What changed?"

"Pumpkin... Pound Cake..." Mrs. Cake sniffled again, although this time she smiled. "They've come into my life and filled me with so much meaning and purpose. And I realize now that what I've done will directly affect their future, because I'm able to witness them grow. And you..." Mrs. Cake shuddered. "Even if you've grown, you still have a future too, Pinkie Pie. And I don't want to mess that up any." She swallowed and frowned. "And most certainly not in the way that my brother has. You've given this town so much to be joyful for. You deserve more."

"I'm happy, Mrs. Cake."

"Pinkie..."

"I'm happy." Pinkie Pie trotted forward and gently clasped the mare's hooves with her own. "But what would make me even happier is to know that you're happy too." She smiled gently. "And that I've had something to do with that, without messing things up!"

Mrs. Cake fidgeted guiltily. "I... I don't know if I can make that work on my own, Pinkie. Celestia knows I've tried, and I feel like the one who keeps messing up..."

Pinkie tongued the inside of her mouth, then gasped. "Hey! Why don't we just be honest with each other, huh?"

"Be... honest..."

"Yeah!" Pinkie upturned her nose with a sly grin. "The most generous thing a pony can give is her heart, and it makes for a happy and healthy household in the end! And Sugarcube Corner should be the happiest and healthiest healthy household of them all? Huh? Huh?!"

Mrs. Cake nodded, smiling weakly. "Yes. Yes, it should be."

"How about this..." Pinkie leaned in and nuzzled her. "I'll start. I know that deep inside, I feel like a big foal at heart. But I also know that I'm not a little filly, aren't I?"

"Well, the jury's still out on that one."

"Mrs. Caaaaaake..."

"Heheh..." The mare nodded. "That's bold of you to admit that."

"Nah, I think it's another b-word."

Mrs. Cake thought, fumbled, then blurted, "'Belated?'"

"Yes!" Pinkie pointed. "That's the one! Buhleeted!"

Mrs. Cake rolled her eyes and chuckled.

Pinkie gazed at her with a sincere expression. "How about you show me how to act like an adult, and I'll show you that it's okay to not act like one from time to time." She smiled with misty eyes. "Does that sound like a deal?"

After a few seconds, Mrs. Cake caressed Pinkie's mane and nodded. "Okie Dokie Lokie..."

The Aunt and Niece shared a laugh, hugging each other inside the forest of baked sweets, adding more warmth to the toasty morning.

And then the oven vomited smoked from burning two dozen muffins all at once.

Pinkie Pie's blue eyes bugged. "...shoot!"

"She... she knows?"

Fluttershy gazed aside. "She's always known, Twilight. Only, as of last evening, the truth finally hit her."

"How?" Twilight asked from where the two gazed through the window to Fluttershy's cottage. Dinky lay on a sofa inside, her little face scrunched up as her body twitched in fitful sleep. "I mean, what changed?"

Fluttershy sighed, hanging her head shamefully in the morning light. "I... I-I accidentally broke her stone."

Twilight's eyes darted left and right in thought. At last, she gasped. "Her mother's ‘sound stone?’"

Fluttershy winced. "It was an accident! I had placed the stone up on a high shelf, hoping to get it out of Dinky's mind. But while I stepped out momentarily to speak with Rainbow Dash, Dinky imagined she heard her mother's voice, and she built this... tower of random objects to try and climb up to the stone! When I came back inside, she was falling! I managed to catch her in time. But her stone...?"

Twilight looked back through the window. "The poor thing. She must have been devastated."

"I know." Fluttershy hung her head again. "And it's all my fault."

"Oh, Fluttershy..."

The mare quivered. "And after all I did to try and help her." She sniffled. "I was j-just being selfish! Having her here at the cottage was only making me feel better! Not the foal!"

"Listen to me." Twilight trotted over and hugged the pegasus. "You've done nothing but sacrifice your own time and commitment to Dinky's care. You could have spent these days mourning or exclusively looking after your animals instead. But you didn't, because you're kind and generous and selfless! And besides, Dinky's in one piece thanks to you."

"I... I-I was so scared for her..." Fluttershy trembled, gazing back through the window. "If she fell and cracked her precious little skull, I don't think I would have ever forgiven myself!"

"And now that the sound stone is shattered..."

"She thinks that she can't reach her mother. She was a sobbing mess, Twilight. I... I felt that was the best opportunity—"

"To reaffirm the truth?"

Fluttershy nodded. "I'm not certain if it's done her any good. She's insisted on sleeping all this time." She shuddered. "She's even refused to have breakfast. I think she's mad at me—at all of us—but isn't willing to raise her voice. Such a sweet, gentle, but confused soul..."

"Well, it sounds to me that the breaking of the stone was a positive thing," Twilight said. "As horrible as that sounds."

Fluttershy turned to look at her. "How so?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Twilight gestured towards the restless figure inside the cottage. "She's turned to anger. It's the second stage of grief, after all, following denial."

"Oh..." Fluttershy's wings flexed and unflexed. "I guess that does make some sense." She squirmed. "Doesn't it?"

"Either way, she's making progress," Twilight said, turning about to trot the long distance towards town. "Maybe she'll even be willing to attend the funeral this afternoon."

Fluttershy turned to gawk at her. "Dinky's going to be there?!"

Twilight paused to look back. "Well, we certainly can't force her, Fluttershy, but it would be a healthy part of the process. She needs to move on, don't you think?"

"But... but..."

"We don't want the rest of her life to be defined by her mother's passing," Twilight said. "It's best that she deal with the grief sooner than later, and a memorial is just the thing for that."

"I... I just don't know..." Fluttershy sat on her haunches. "I mean, would it really help Dinky? I know it would be helpful to me, because Derpy was my dear friend. But she wasn't my mother."

"I suggest you spend plenty of time with her," Twilight said, preparing to flap her wings. "Maybe having you around will... uh... soften her up a bit so she can move past her current stage."

Fluttershy bit her lip. "Are you leaving so soon?"

"I've got a million things to oversee, Fluttershy," Twilight sighed from where she hovered in the air. "Why do you ask?"

Fluttershy stirred nervously, her eyes glossy.

Twilight's face stretched with concern. Paling a bit, she coiled her wings and dropped back down. "Oh dear. What's wrong with me?" She trotted over and squatted beside Fluttershy's side. "Please, Fluttershy. Take all the time you want. Tell me what's on your mind."

"It's... it's not me that I'm worried about," Fluttershy stammered. "It's Rainbow Dash."

"Oh yeah? What about her?"

"She... sh-she's not going to be at the funeral, Twilight."

Twilight's eyes bugged. "She's not?!"

"That's... that's what she told me last afternoon. I don't think Dinky is the only pony who needs help with the grieving process."

"You can't be serious!" Twilight exclaimed. "We are talking about our Rainbow Dash, right?"

"Mmmmhmmm."

Twilight sighed, running a hoof through her bangs. "I know that Rainbow's been through a lot lately, but to not attend the funeral? It's just... nnngh... I thought we could all be an example for Dinky! This is ridiculous!"

"Don't be so hard on her, Twilight."

"Why not?!" Twilight frowned. "After all that's happened, I would have expected more from the mare! She's the element of loyalty, isn't she?! She should be helping us all out, not treating this situation like any other day! Not acting as if Derpy hasn't even died!"

“Your life has blessed and honored us all, oh Harbinger of Bubbles!” Atop a tall pyramid structure glowing with effluent light, a gnarled creature in a cloak approached Derpy with a wreath of bioluminescent alien flowers. “The demonic fel reaver has been defeated, and all the Broken Ones are now liberated from demonic tyranny.” He hung the floral arrangement over the smiling pegasus’ neck. “We owe it all to your bravery, your tenacity, and your courage in the face of merciless evil.”

Hundreds of thousands of figures stood along the lower steps of the massive stone ziggurat, and they all bowed low while bursts of spectral fireworks launched into the air, followed by epic chants and fanfare.

“Glory to the Harbinger of Bubbles! May her name be shouted in the halls of the holy forevermore!”

“Thank you all, scrunchy faced guys!” Derpy waved her hoof in the wrong direction. “Whoops? Where’d ya go?” She pivoted about, her eyes rotating. “Oh! There you are! Ahem.” She waved again. “I only did it ‘cuz that robot was super mean and everyone was just wandering aimlessly around in these villages with nothing better to do!” She grinned wider. “Where I come from, we call such poor souls ‘nowhere pony citizens.’ I’m sure there’s a way to shorten that, but I forget at the moment. Heheh! Oh well!”

“We owe our entire civilization to you.” The elder before her bowed low. “Surely, your wisdom and valor will usher in an unprecedented dawn of joy and enlightenment.”

“And that’s for you guys to discover on your own! You seem to have the legs for it, after all!” Derpy flapped her wings. “But I must go now. My Muffin needs me!”

The elder sniffed, wiping his wrinkly face dry with a bony wrist. “We will never forget what you have done for us today. May the Light shine on your path, where it may take you!”

“Well, that’s just super!” Derpy flung the bag of void rocks over her shoulder and flew higher. “Bye bye, everyone! Try not to get any more big robots mad at you! Or orcs! Or big blind demon guys who like to grab skulls and give monologues!”

“May the Light bless the Harbinger, now and forever!”

“Zoop!” Derpy slammed the bag of stones against the peak of the pyramid. In a burst of aquamarine light, she was gone.

The crowd wept her departure. The elder slumped to his knees and sighed with a weary smile. “That was the best raid leader ever…”

"Rainbow Dash doesn't need us punishing her, Twilight," Fluttershy said assertively as the two stood outside her cottage in the morning light. "After all, I think she's doing enough of that on her own."

"Still, it's no excuse for her to be downright rude and unsympathetic!" Twilight said with a frown. "I didn't say anything earlier, but I've had at least three or four villagers on separate occasions ask me what's eating her. Apparently Rainbow's been biting the heads off ponies all over town these past few days! Aren't we dealing with enough grief as it is?! It's inexcusable!"

"We all deal with grief in our own separate ways, Twilight."

"But Fluttershy, does that mean we shouldn't be nice to others who need their own space to grieve as well?"

"I think Rainbow is used to dealing with a lot of things," Fluttershy said. "But sadness isn't one of them."

Twilight frowned at that, but after the course of a minute, the rigid lines to her face softened. She sighed and slumped back on her royal haunches. "I just... can't wrap my head around it..."

"Around what?"

"Rainbow needing help in a situation like this." Twilight gulped. "I mean, she's always there for us. And then something like this happens—Derpy's death—and it's as if she's completely unreachable. How fair is that?"

"She came to me yesterday afternoon," Fluttershy said. "I think the fact that she wanted to talk it over—if even for a brief moment—is a very good sign."

"Doesn't change the fact that she's stubborn as a mule," Twilight muttered.

"She's still our friend, Twilight," Fluttershy said, resting a hoof on her shoulder. "She knows that all things are capable of changing with the right amount of love and attention." She brushed her forelimb against Twilight's wings. "Even defying all odds."

Twilight looked at her own feathers, then back at Fluttershy. "You always know how to put things in perspective, Fluttershy." Her cheeks went rosy. "It's... humbling. Thank you."

Fluttershy smiled. "Just don't be too mad at her when she shows up this evening," Fluttershy said. "It wouldn't be nice to make a scene at Derpy's memorial."

Twilight's face scrunched with confusion. "But I thought Rainbow Dash said she wasn't going to attend," she droned.

Fluttershy smiled. "Somehow, I doubt that. Just you wait and see."

Twilight was silent for a while. With a sigh, she rested her muzzle on her forelimbs. "Sometimes I think the tiara was put on the wrong pony."

"Oh?"

"Face it, Fluttershy. I've never been much of a pony-person. All I've ever known about society or common etiquette, I learned from books." She then gazed sincerely at her friend. "I was friendless most if not all my life, but then I met you girls, and... and it changed everything about me. There are times when I feel—deep down in my heart—that all of my virtues are things I've simply borrowed from the five of you."

"Well, that's rather appropriate." Fluttershy smiled. "Don't you think?"

"But now that I'm a princess, I feel like I should be exercising these qualities as if they're my own! But they're not! They're... attempts to mimic the things that I've learned from each of you! Sometimes I feel like it's all just a silly ritual." She sighed through her nostrils and gazed off. "I feel as if there's no sincerity to it all at times. It worries me."

"So..." Fluttershy kneaded the ground with her hooves, thinking aloud. "You feel... alone?"

"Detached," Twilight blurted. "I feel detached, Fluttershy. Heck, it's the only thing that's helping me set up this whole funeral for Derpy without collapsing like a nervous wreck."

Fluttershy glanced towards the distant treetops, then looked back at Twilight. "Perhaps detachment is a good thing in such a case."

"Huh?"

"Well, you've learned all the qualities of friendship," Fluttershy said. "Perhaps in knowing how to feel, you also know how to not feel. There can... uhm... be a lot of strength in that."

Twilight chuckled. "That's an interesting point, Fluttershy. It's just not something I would expect to hear coming from you."

"Why not?" Fluttershy calmly leaned her head to the side. "It's true, isn't it?"

"It's... debateable."

"I wouldn't mind a certain degree of detachment from time to time," Fluttershy said. "I mean, I do live in a cottage far away from the center of town and all."

"You practically bump elbows with animals every other second, Fluttershy."

"Mmmm. Yes. But still, I sometimes think that a lot of that has to do with the fact that I'd rather not deal with ponies in general." Fluttershy bit her lip. "Or with pony emotions."

"Where... where's all this coming from?"

Fluttershy nervously ran a hoof through her mane as she said, "I've been thinking a lot about what Rainbow Dash asked me when she visited yesterday. She asked me what it felt like to be 'weak and helpless' all the time."

Twilight raised an eyebrow. "Well, that's... a weird thing to ask."

"But also pretty accurate about me, don't you think?"

"Uhhhh..."

"I told her that I used to be a great deal more afraid than I am now," Fluttershy said. "And believe it or not, Twilight, it's true. I used to be... uhm... rather obsessed with death." She gulped as a pale sheen fell over her features. "It used to consume me each waking hour of the day. I'd fret over every single body twitch or ailment, like a hypochondriac. I'd be afraid of stepping out of the cottage, because then I'd be attacked by every phobia in the dictionary. The fear would become so thick, so heavy at times, that I would collapse in my room—literally paralyzed and unable to move."

"That's... that's horrible, Fluttershy..." Twilight stammered with a painful expression.

"Just... the very thought of death..." Fluttershy gazed calmly into the morning breeze. "It's so natural that it's easy to forget, and yet it follows us like a shadow. Every day we wake up in the morning, and it would be just as simple to not wake up instead, for we will one day lay our heads down for the last time, embracing a great blackness without dreams or dawns. At what point does the blackness overtake us? When do we switch from being to not being? Would it be simpler to say that we have n-never really been anything to begin with?" She gulped a lump down her throat and gazed at Twilight with cold eyes. "I tried to find warm things in life that I could appreciate, ways in which I could spread joy and love and kindness. For the longest time, I only did it with animals, because somehow it soothed me. It made everything simple. Looking back on it now, I realize that it's likely because most animals don't live as long as ponies, and by filling their lives with as much comfort as I could, I was coming to terms with what I would be filling my own life with over the scant years I had left." She smiled with a flutter of her wings. "But then, you came into my life, Twilight. And Rainbow Dash came back. And I got to know Applejack and Pinkie Pie and... a-and Rarity." She breathed warmly. "And now I realize that there's no point in focusing on all the bleakness, because I'm here to enjoy the days that I have and to enjoy them with you. It's all so very simple, and the only way to waste time is to question it all. Don't you think?"

Twilight opened her mouth, but faltered. Her eyes moistened as she let her gaze fall to the ground.

Fluttershy pursed her lips. "Twilight...?" She breathed with concern, leaning over. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"I... I don't know what to think anymore," Twilight said. "I used to think that it was all simple, like you do now. But... I'm not sure..."

"Why not?"

Twilight winced. "It's just like you said, Fluttershy. Death is natural. It's like falling asleep, really. When it comes a pony's turn to die, what's the point in kicking and screaming? The body wants to relax, after all, and the spirit is really no different, even if it's frightened enough to feel otherwise from time to time. I mean... death is rather blissful, if you think about it."

"Is that how you feel about it?"

"I don't know. When I joined Rainbow Dash in telling Dinky about her mother, I was a sobbing wreck. I was so distraught over the poor foal. Heck, I still am. But... the more I look at it, and the more I work on arranging this funeral..." Her wings coiled tightly by her side. "The whole thing just feels like a regular ritual. The funeral's just a mechanism, organized so that we can remember something or somepony better, when in fact our hearts are already built to do that enough on its own." She gulped. "The Mayor asked me if I had chosen a time for mourning Miss Hooves, and—well—she may be onto something. I like to think that all the work I've been doing has been my own personal way of mourning, but that's a cowardly excuse. I think all of this has... given me a reason not to bother with feeling, as if I have to practice being so detached. Like it's my job."

"Why would it be your job?" Fluttershy asked. "Because you're a princess?"

Twilight's face suddenly winced in pain.

"Twilight...?"

"I... I have to go. Uhm... really." Twilight sniffled as she stood up. Rubbing her cheek dry, she sighed towards the rising sun. "I'm sorry, Fluttershy, but I'm no good here. I have to practice the eulogy and oversee the casket delivery and... and... s-so many other things..."

"I understand..." Fluttershy said, her ears drooping.

"And Fluttershy?"

"Yes... Twilight?"

She turned to gaze gently at the pegasus. "If Rainbow Dash comes to visit her again, tell her... t-tell her I'm no longer mad. I understand why she wouldn't want to be at the funeral." She sighed, then flapped her wings. "In fact, I almost envy her."

Fluttershy's brow furrowed in confusion as she watched her friend fly away.

When Twilight was beyond earshot, she flew up high, leveled up with the clouds, and let out a loud sob. She wiped her eyes dry again, took several deep breaths, then put on an air of seriousness before diving towards the center of town... and resuming her work at Town Hall.

"Rarityyyy?!" Sweetie Belle whined, waddling on short hooves to keep up with her big sister. "What are we doing out here?! Huh?" Huffing and puffing, the frowning filly fluffed her mane in the noonday light. "I'm gonna get all sweaty, and the funeral for Dinky's mom is just a few hours away! Don't we still need to get dressed and stuff?"

"There will come a time for making ourselves presentable, Sweetie Belle," Rarity said calmly. She wore a sunhat and shades, levitating a bouquet of lilies by her side as she trotted down a path that led towards a green field full of white stones. "As for now, I have something to show you."

"What?" Sweetie Belle craned her neck, squinting. "At the cemetery?" She nervously trotted after Rarity as the two made their way through the front gate and began trotting down the rows upon rows of granite slabs. "I don't get it. What are we doing here? Are... are we going to see Miss Hooves' grave or something?"

"It's far too early for her burial, Sweetie Belle. And besides, there is no remains to be put in the ground." With a shuddering breath, Rarity shook her head and trotted a bit slower, counting the rows and paths with expert precision. She took a right, then a left, then shuffled down a dozen spaces. "No, this isn't about Miss Hooves. Not right now."

"Rarity...?" Sweetie Belle bit her lip, squirming with each hoofstep. Her shrunken pupils reflected the passing tombstones in a pale sheen. "I... I-I don't think we should be here."

"There is nothing to be afraid of, Sweetie."

"No, it's not that. I once played in the nearby park with Scootaloo and Apple Bloom. Mom and Dad got mad. I don't think they want me to wander in here."

"There are... many things that Mother and Father do not want," Rarity murmured. "And do not worry. We are not wandering anywhere. I know exactly where we need to be." She came to a stop, taking a shuddering breath as she unraveled the bouquet of flowers and laid them at a small stone before the two. "Here. This is the place. Nice and peaceful... as well it should be."

"Rarity, please, wh-what are we doing here?" Sweetie Belle trotted into her, gazing around with a slight shiver. "It's so... quiet out here. And..." She squinted at the flowers. "Are those lilies?"

"Mmmhmmm. Indeed they are."

"I don't get it. You always said you hated lilies!" Sweetie Belle glanced up with a scrunched face. "Why would you bring those of all things here?"

Rarity lifted her sunhat and shades, lying them by her side. "Because... b-because they were his favorite. He adored them s-so very much. He adored everything."

Sweetie was silent with confusion. The filly's lips pursed as—curious—she shuffled forward, squinting at the stones directly in front of the two. "H-hey! Uncle Eloquence. Aunt Felicity." Her eyes bounced from grave to grave. "Look it! Grandma and Grandpa!" She gawked up at Rarity. "So this is where they were buried?"

Rarity quietly nodded. She looked straight ahead like a sentry.

"How c-come Mom and Dad never brought me here before? Their gravestones look so nice and shiny!"

"They've... h-had their reasons, darling."

Sweetie glanced at her sister upon hearing the address. Her eyes fell back to the tombstones, and she squinted specifically at the granite slab where Rarity had placed the lilies down. "Huh... 'Golden Mean.'" She smiled. "That's a pretty name."

Rarity breathed, "I'd venture to say it's a rather handsome one."

"But... I don't get it..." Sweetie Belle glanced at the larger slabs that sandwiched the tiny stone. "What's it doing here between Grandpa and Uncle Eloquence? Did another pony buy this plot?"

"No, Sweetie Belle," Rarity murmured. "This is where Golden Mean deserves to rest."

"Oh? Why's that?" She trotted a few steps forward. "Did the family know him?"

"Knew him, loved him, and cherished him," Rarity exhaled. "But most certainly not f-forgotten him." She gulped and turned to gaze down at the filly. "He was your brother, Sweetie Belle."

Sweetie's jaw fell agape. She looked at the grave, then back at Rarity. "My... br-brother?" her voice cracked.

Rarity slowly, slowly nodded.

"I... I-I..." Sweetie Belle's face tensed anxiously. "I d-don't understand. I had a brother?" She squinted at the years marked on the grave. "An older br-brother?!"

"He loved lilies. He delighted in the way the sunlight reflected off of them in the windowsill." Rarity spoke aloud, "If he could have... only moved his forelimbs more, he would have frolicked in them. I kept the flowers at his bedside. I promised him that we would go out for walks in the park some day. But... we n-never did." She swallowed hard, her features paling. "We never did..."

"Rarity, you're..." Sweetie Belle seethed, shuffling backwards on trembling hooves. "You're sc-scaring me! Why are you acting th-this way? What's going on here?"

"The last thing I want to do is scare you, darling. But I'm sorry... I'm so... so very sorry." Rarity stifled a sob, her jaw growing tight. "Mother and Father will be terribly mad at me for this, but that is something I will have to live with. I am tired of this banal charade, and I can play my part in it no longer." She turned towards her sister with a tear rolling down her cheek. "I love you far too much to continue lying to me."

"About... about wh-what...?!" Sweetie Belle's lips quivered as her eyes darted back to the stone. "Who is he?! Wh-who is Golden Mean?"

"The only precious thing to have ever come into my life, or so I had thought." Rarity swiftly shuffled over and squatted before the filly. "But I was wrong, Sweetie Belle." She grasped the foal's hooves with her own. "You are here, and you are alive, and I need to make amends before it is too terribly late. I have to be honest, because so far I haven't been very generous."

Sweetie merely stared at her with a gaping expression.

Rarity sniffled, gazing back at the grave as another tear trickled down. "I was only five years old when mother gave birth to him. He was... such a tiny, fragile thing. The doctors told us from day one that it would be a miracle if he made it past his third month. And yet he did. He was so strong, and yet so gentle. Not a day went by when h-he wasn't sm-smiling..." She briefly held a hoof over her muzzle. After a few seconds, she regained enough composure to squeak forth, "But sickness caught up with him, and over the next two years, his muscles dwindled. His lungs could barely work, and every unicorn physician from here to Stalliongrad lent the best skills they had at their disposal. And despite all of their efforts, Golden Mean only got worse. But... his face didn't show it. He loved life. He loved lilies in the windowsill. And... and he l-loved me. I know it... I-I just know it..."

Sweetie watched as Rarity collapsed before her. The adult weathered a few heavy heaves, practically bowing before her little sister before lifting her teary face once again.

"I spent every waking hour with him. I-I felt it was my duty, because Mother and Father..." She winced briefly, but continued. "They were wiser to Golden Mean's fate than I was, but at the time I didn't feel like that excused their glaring absence. I did what I could to fill Golden Mean's hours with happiness. I bonded with him in the way that an older sister should. I... I only wanted to be generous with him. And I was. By Celestia, I was. I wanted him to get better, to build muscles in his legs and trot like the other normal, healthy colts his age. I wanted it more than I wanted my own cutie mark. But... it never happened." She bit her lip before sputtering forth, "He died in his sleep one morning. I was seated in a chair beside him. I... didn't even notice it happen. There wasn't a cry, or a moan. It was like any other passing second, but... he was gone..."

Rarity sat back on her haunches, rubbing a hoof over her tear-stained face as a heavy shudder gave an echo to her voice.

"Father and Mother buried him here. But that wasn't all they buried. They were... beside themselves in grief. They were worse off than myself, or at least... they didn't treat the tragedy with the same emotional flexibility that I did. They wanted to... erase all memories of him." She choked on a sob and blurted, "As if Golden Mean didn't exist! As if every precious thing he did, every smile he gave, every tear he shed as he looked out on a world he could never enjoy d-didn't happen! And at first, I was so very confused, and so very angry. The household became a miserable place, full of shadows and sighs. Mother and Father nearly separated, and there are times when I think it would have benefited them greatly if they did. As I found my talent and I grew older, the only way I could cope with it all was to dr-drown my thoughts out with work, with creativity, with producing materials of flair and distraction. My skills should be something of pure generosity, Sweetie Belle, b-but they're not! They've only given me a poor and cowardly excuse to distance myself from something I should have otherwise coped with."

Her breaths calmed, giving way to a pained expression as she clenched her teeth. At last, she continued:

"But then, you were born. My parents had somehow found a way to carry on, and you were the product of it... a very beautiful, gorgeous gift of life. They rejoiced in your arrival upon this world, Sweetie Belle, and they were thankful beyond belief that you came into our lives so healthily and full of vibrance. But I?"

She gazed at Sweetie Belle directly, and then the tears doubled.

"I... I-I could not rejoice, Sweetie Belle. I r-refused to. I d-did not want to risk investing my heart in another thing so small, so gentle, so precious. I was t-too afraid to, because my own talents and my own craft was so comforting, do distracting, so familiar. I-I didn't want to give it up. I didn't want to give my heart to somepony like you. I refused to be a generous older sibling, and as the years went by and I saw the extent to which Mother and Father selfishly forsook the legacy of Golden Mean, I used that as an excuse to mask my shame in anger. I grew distant, haughty, indignant. And all that b-baggage, all that remorse and distaste, I... I-I heaped it upon you, darling. I punished you all these years, and for what?"

Sweetie Belle blinked, her breaths panting in shocked little bursts as her eyes reflected a distraught mare. She almost jumped when Rarity's hooves clasped her shoulders.

"You are a beautiful, intelligent, and finely gifted young mare, Sweetie Belle!" Rarity hiccuped between sobbing exclamations. "You deserve nothing less than the best guidance this life can afford you! And between your parent's deception and your sister's apathy, you have not gotten that, darling! For years you've bounced between our households like some... some pitiable pet that none of us know what to d-do with! And that is not fair! It is not fair to you! You have a chance to cultivate your strengths and talents in such a way that Golden Mean never could! And I-I want to be there to help you grasp what is rightfully yours! But I've been a failure all this time! But not anymore! Do you hear me?! Not anymore..."

"What... wh-what are you saying, Rarity?" Sweetie Belle stammered.

"I'm saying that I am ready to be generous to you, sister," Rarity said with a firm expression. "For the first time ever, I am willing to shrug off this cowardice and be perfectly generous with you. Because life is such a fragile, fleeting thing, and any one of these days you or I could be plucked from this earth like mere flowers! And I am not about to let you live life alone like Derpy's darling little daughter. I want to take care of you from now on, Sweetie Belle. I want to be there with you when it's time for you to shine, and maybe—together, hoof in hoof—you can show me how to be a better mare to those around me, for I am utterly tired of this coldness. Please... I beg of you. Will you give me a chance to be the sister you always needed?"

Sweetie Belle stood stock still, her breaths coming out in tiny vapors. She gulped and murmured in a squeaking voice. "All this time... you... y-you really cared about me? But were too afraid to b-because of what happened to Golden Mean?"

Rarity bit her lip. "There is no excuse. No excuse, I just..." Rarity clenched her eyes shut, wincing. "I just can't pretend anymore. I don't want to bury you like I did him. It would be too painful... too horribly, terribly painful. And you deserve—"

Sweetie Belle suddenly flew into her with a tender hug.

Rarity gasped, her wet eyes wide.

Sweetie Belle nuzzled the mare's shoulder, tears running down her smiling face. "It's okay, Rarity. I promise, you won't ever have to bury me."

Upon hearing that, Rarity's face practically melted. She hugged Sweetie close with two soft forelimbs and buried her face in her mane. "I love you, darling. Thank you. Thank you for this. I promise, I will fill your life with purpose and wealth that n-no diamonds could b-buy..."

"Rarity...?"

"Y-yes, Sweetie Belle?"

The filly sniffled. "I-I really like it when you call me 'darling,'" she murmured.

Rarity blinked, then chuckled hoarsely. As Sweetie giggled, Rarity collapsed into breathy sobs of joy. She held the filly close as the two rocked back and forth between the graves of countless souls.

Thursday Afternoon: The Funeral of Derpy Hooves

"Ya doin' okay in there, Granny?!" Applejack asked, knocking on the closed bathroom door as she trotted down the upstairs hallway of her family's home. She wore a simple black gown with a matching hair-tie to her slicked-back mane. "We're all about ready to go!"

"Just need a few more minutes to freshin' up, darlin'!" A muffled voice warbled from inside. "This ain't my first rodeo, y'know!"

"Don't think there'll be any hog tying tonight, Granny." Applejack sighed. "Just give us all a holler when yer done."

"Will do, Applejack!"

Just then, the young mare saw a massive red shape floundering about in the corner of her eyes. "Big Macintosh? Everythang alright?"

"Nnnngh..." The stallion turned even redder in the face as he struggled and fumbled with the collar of his suit. "Eeeeyup," he nevertheless grunted in a low tone.

Applejack's eyes narrowed as she approached him. "Ya sure 'bout that?"

He shrugged his shoulders, nearly ripping his tie to ribbons with his big, clumsy hooves.

"Ungh! Heavens to Betsy! C'mere." Applejack forced the stallion to turn around. With agile grace, she easily slid his tie beneath his collar and fastened it for him. "Never ceases to amaze me. A big, strong stallion like you can pull a plow, raise a barn on yer lonesome, and buck trees ‘til the cows come home. But when it comes to a simple tie, y'all are always needing a lady in the wings."

Big Mac rolled his eyes.

"Don't ya roll yer eyes at me! Where'd ya be without yer lil' sister, huh?" Applejack finished, tying the article tight beneath his chin. "There. Now, will ya look at yerself? Land's sakes! Very model of a gentlecolt!" She stepped back from his suited form with a smile. "Good thang this is such a solemn occasion or else the gals would be all over ya like flies to honey." She tried to chuckle, but it came out as a wheeze. Applejack's smile faded, and she found herself gazing anxiously towards the floor.

With a few heavy hoofsteps, Big Mac closed the distance between them. He nuzzled her gently before gazing at her with a sympathetic expression.

Applejack exhaled shudderingly, mustering a courageous grin. "I'm fine, Macky. Really, I am. Just... just startin' to wonder how many of these things we're gonna be havin' for friends and family before I realize just how much time has gone by." She gulped and looked up at him. "Reckon we should be havin' more weddings and baby showers, huh?"

Big Mac glared.

With a chuckle, Applejack patted his suited shoulder. "Naw, I ain't proddin' ya or nothin'! Go downstairs and get the wagon ready, ya big lug!"

"Hmmm..." Big Mac smirked slightly as he trotted down the steps. "Eeeyup."

Applejack watched him leave. Her smile faded, and she turned towards the nearest bedroom. "Apple Bloom?" She trotted over and pushed the door open wider. "How ya comin' along, sugarcube?"

"I... uhm..." Apple Bloom squirmed in her little black blouse and matching skirt. She pivoted, fluffing her braided mane with mild enthusiasm. "I ain't used to havin' no bow in my hair. I feel... feel..." She shuddered. "Naked."

"Where we're headed for tonight, Apple Bloom, I don't think bein' extra pretty is gonna cut it."

"Do you think Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle will be there?" the filly asked. "With their families?"

"Somehow, I don't doubt it one bit."

"It's amazin' just how many ponies across town knew Dinky's mom," Apple Bloom said, squirming even more before the mirror. "She was just a mailmare, wasn't she?"

"I don't think it's so much that everypony knew her, AB." Applejack stepped over and fussed a bit with the foal's clothes, straightening the collar and shoulders of the blouse. "But, we all felt her, I reckon. Her happiness was infectious, and the way she left us... well..." Applejack clenched her teeth briefly. "T'ain't nothin' but pure tragedy, plain and simple. A pony like that deserves recognition, and so our hearts go out to her and her survivin' daughter."

"Yeah. I hope Dinky is doing well."

"Fluttershy and the rest of my friends have been takin' good care of her." Applejack tilted Apple Bloom's chin up so she could give her a warm smile. "I think she'll be doin' mighty fine, especially with the princess lookin' after her best interests."

"Yeah, okay." Apple Bloom nodded. She then bit her lip and murmured, "Applejack?"

"Hmmm?"

"Are ya... are ya still mad at us?"

Applejack's eyes shifted about.

Apple Bloom's mouth quivered as she mewled, "Because I'm awfully sorry. Whatever got you so upset the other mornin', I feel plum terrible. Is there somethin' I've been doin' wrong? Have I been a bad sister?"

"Apple Bloom, all I want from you..." Applejack held Apple Bloom close. "...is to live yer life to the fullest, and don't let nopony tell you what you should or shouldn't be doin' with yer time on this earth."

"But... b-but..." Apple Bloom stammered, "The family—!"

"The family will always be there for ya, surgarcube." Applejack leaned back and caressed the filly's chin. "No matter what choices ya make. Never forget that, ya hear me?"

Apple Bloom nodded fervently. "I hear ya, AJ! I hear ya!"

"Thatta girl..."

Apple Bloom sighed out her nostrils and leaned sadly against Applejack's chest. "I never did know Dinky's mom, but for some reason, I feel like I'm gonna miss her..."

"Yer not alone, AB." Applejack held the filly close. "I m-miss her too..."

THURSDAY EVENING – THE FUNERAL OF DERPY HOOVES

The main streets of Ponyville shifted like rivers of black water, and all of it cycling inward towards Town Hall, the very heart of the tiny village. Dressed in neatly-pressed suits and gowns, the residents showed up in dark droves, trotting slowly along the avenues and side streets under the dull haze of a setting sun. For so many marching ponies, the air hung with surprising silence, with only errant coughs or the vague hint of sniffling breaths breaking the ritualistic malaise.

The main courtyard around town hall was densely packed with mourners by the time Applejack and her family had arrived. There was literally nowhere to pull a wagon through the crowd. After a brief, murmuring discussion, Big Macintosh parked their wagon in a nearby alleyway, and all four ponies got out on hoof. They trotted along with the sea of equines, marveling at the crowd that had been drawn. Even Granny Smith's jaw had dropped at the scene.

"In all my years," the elder mare stammered, hobbling along to keep up with the crowd. "I reckon this is the largest turnout I've ever seen for anypony. Bless my soul..." She nearly tripped on the hem of her own skirt.

"Shhhhh. Easy there, Granny." Applejack leant her shoulder for the mare to lean on, and Granny Smith complied. "I'm sure yer just forgettin' things. Ma and Pa's service drew all of Ponyville and half of the towns nearby, didn't they?"

"I hate to break it to ya, hun, but I reckon nothing quite beats this."

"Yeah! Lookit!" Apple Bloom pointed with a gaping expression. "Filthy Rich is here! And he's got... Diamond Tiara?!" She squinted across the shuffling crowd. "And is that Silver Spoon? What in tarnation are they doin' here?" She frowned. "I'm willin' to bet their folks made 'em come."

"Now Apple Bloom!" Applejack hissed under her breath as the family trotted closer alongside the other villagers. "This sure ain't the time to be spitballin'!"

"But—"

"No but's. Now's the time to be respectful. Derpy's life meant a lot to all of the ponies of this town, no matter their temperament, and if they've decided to show up today, then t'ain't our place to rain on such a moment."

"Eeenope," Big Mac added with finality.

The family was silent after that. The sun had fallen well beyond the western rooftops by the time they reached the massive open doors to the town hall. Shadows hung red and rusted in the penumbra of the dying day. Everypony's sad eyes shone like memorial lanterns upon the cusp of the moment, and the closer they drew to the body of the building, the slower their gait became as they traded melancholic sighs for murmuring conversations, their breaths carrying with them the fragile memories of a precious pegasus lost to their numbers.

Apple Bloom gazed up at Applejack and Granny Smith, studying their solemn expressions as the older ponies scanned the crowd of loved ones and acquaintances. The filly fidgeted, allowing her gaze to fall across the ground, hooves, and more hooves. At last, she caught sight of a familiar figure, and her heart skipped a beat.

Sweetie Belle was trotting up, wearing a plain gray dress. Looming beside her—clad in a black gown with a matching hat and veil—stood Rarity, and for all of her solemn attire she bore a remarkably pleasant expression on her face. From the sidelines, Scootaloo trotted up wearing a small black number. She waved at Sweetie Belle and her older sister. Sweetie Belle leaned anxiously against Rarity's side, but the fashionista leaned down and nuzzled the filly reassuringly before murmuring a few words into her ear. Sweetie Belle nuzzled her back, then trotted off to join Scootaloo towards the side of the thick crowd.

"Uhm..." Apple Bloom pivoted about and tugged on Applejack's skirt. "AJ? Would it be okay if... if...?"

"Go ahead, sugarcube," Applejack said in a warm voice. "Just come back for when it's time to be seated inside."

"Right. Will do, sis." Apple Bloom swiftly trotted over to join her two friends. In the meantime, Rarity shuffled past her, giving the little filly a soft smile before turning towards the foal's older sister. "Applejack."

"Howdy there, Rarity," Applejack said in a soft tone as she let Granny Smith trot off on her lonesome. The farm filly reached up to tip a hat that wasn't there, blushing slightly. "Uhm... yer lookin' mighty respectable today."

"'Less fabulous,' I suppose you mean?"

"Erm... uh..." Applejack fidgeted. "I-I wasn't meanin' to say... that is..."

Rarity chuckled breathily, adjusting her veil. "It's quite fine, Applejack. Given the circumstances, some things are appropriate, and some things certainly are not." She gazed softly at her friend. "I must say, you are looking quite beautiful. I do believe you are in your element when you are at your most sincere."

Applejack blinked. "Why... that's a mighty nice compliment. If I may say so, you seem... I dunno..."

"Mellow?" Rarity breathed. "It's been a very emotional week, Applejack. I would most certainly think the feeling is mutual."

"Reckon so." Applejack fidgeted. "I... uhm..." She spoke in a painful breath. "I'm mighty sorry, sugarcube..."

"For what, darling?"

"For... for not bein' around like I should have been." She gulped. "For you and the rest of the gals. I mean, what you said is pretty darn true. It's been an emotional week, a lot more than I had expected it to be. And... and I-I guess it took the wind out from under my sails. And I'm sorry for that. I'm mighty sorry that—"

"Applejack..." Rarity had trotted the distance between them and was caressing her shoulder. "You're here now, and you're my good friend forevermore. I couldn't be happier... or more thankful."

Applejack blinked at her. She hoarsely said, "We've got a lot to be grateful for, don't we?"

Rarity nodded. "More than you know. More than..." Her words cut off as a dreadful squeak lifted in the center of her throat.

Applejack's brow furrowed. Her green eyes darted from Rarity to Sweetie Belle in the distance and back. "Are ya... are ya doin' well for yerself, Rarity? I'm feelin' a might bit concerned about ya."

Rarity lifted her face up, smiling as a single tear rolled down her cheek. "I feel like a new mare, Applejack. A new, thankful, living, generous mare. And to think that one of us will n-never have the chance... h-have the chance t-to..." Her face scrunched up with a painful sob.

Applejack didn't say a thing, instead leaning forward to scoop the mare into a dear hug. The two drifted together in the center of the dark crowd, with Rarity's gentle sobs enveloping them amidst blissfully painful smiles.

Several steps away, along the outer stoop that surrounded the circular town hall building, three filly friends gathered close together, fidgeting in their tight, stuffy funeral wear.

"This whole week has gotten to my sister, big time!" Apple Bloom remarked, leaning back and forth on her front and rear legs. "I've never seen her so angry! And yet so happy! It's so weird. Ya think this is how we'll act when we're all grown up?"

"Meh." Scootaloo's body was bouncing lightly against the wooden railing of the building's side behind her. "Grownups are always making a big deal about funerals. You've seen one, you've seen them all."

"You say that as if you've been forced to attend a lot of them!"

Scootaloo's face hung in a neutral haze. "Mmmmm... yeah..."

"Well, I think this is a super special occasion!" Sweetie Belle's voice squeaked. "Dinky's mom doesn't deserve any less! Rarity was telling me all about the work that Princess Twilight Sparkle put into this event, and I think it's the best send off Ponyville could ever give a kind and loving mother like Miss Hooves."

"Wow, Sweetie Belle," Scootaloo retorted. "A little heavy-hoofed, much?"

"So?" Sweetie Belle frowned. "I meant what I said!"

"Yeah, and I believe you! It's just... well..." Scootaloo fumbled for words.

"Well, what?"

"How come you and Rarity are getting along all of the sudden?" Apple Bloom asked in her friend’s stead. "If I didn't know better, I'd say that you was a different filly!"

Scootaloo squinted suspiciously. "You're not a changeling in a black gown, are you?"

"It's me, guys! Honest!" Sweetie Belle took a deep breath, then offered a fragile smile. "Rarity and I are totally getting along now."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah! We're going to be honest with each other from now on! We're gonna treat each other nicely and be helpful to each other like good sisters should!"

"You don't say. Since when?"

"Since she decided to tell me the truth."

"The truth? Like what?"

Sweetie opened her mouth. She paused, her face scrunching up as moisture lined the edges of her eyes. At last, she smiled and said in a tiny voice, "Let's just say that I've realized something. It's okay to experience sad stuff, because sometimes what happens afterwards is the best thing ever. And things have been pretty sad lately, but they've also been very... very nice. What's important is that I'm not so mad at my sister anymore."

"That's gotta be the silliest, craziest thing I've ever heard!" Apple Bloom exclaimed, stifling a giggle.

Scootaloo folded her forearms. She sighed and said, "Sweetie Belle's right, y'know. I don't care how stupid it sounds."

Apple Bloom blinked at the two of them, then rubbed her chin in confusion. "Wow. Funerals are confusin'. I think I'll have an easier time earnin' my cutie mark than figurin' out what the hubbub is all about."

"It's okay, Apple Bloom." Sweetie Belle leaned in to scoop both of her friends in a tight hug. "Heeeeee... Some way or another, everything is going to be okay."

"Eugh..." Scootaloo shrugged herself out of Sweetie's embrace. "For us, maybe. But what about Derpy's poor kid?"

"Errr... yeah..." Sweetie Belle instantly formed a lump in her throat. "Has anypony seen Dinky? Just where is the filly, anyways?"

Several yards away, positioned within the grand opening to the Town Hall, Dinky stood in a stone-gray gown that complemented her finely brushed coat. Her blonde mane was done up in a bun, and the equine to blame for that stood by her side. Fluttershy was clad in black silks, and she kept herself positioned in protective, motherly proximity to the little filly at all times. Every now and then, Fluttershy would look down at Dinky, and the filly would simply gaze with perpetual lethargy into the arriving crowd of humbled ponies. Fluttershy winced, as if every other signal that Dinky silently gave was a burning brand of guilt.

Dinky's eyes traveled across the sea of melancholic expressions, then up and to her right until she spotted a very prominent figure. Princess Twilight Sparkle stood at the edge of the entrance, wearing a small black diamond tiara with a matching set of black robes. To her left and right stood the Mayor and Spike—the former in a mahogany suit and the latter wearing a dark vest and bow tie. As funeral attendees filed up—one at a time—Twilight greeted each and every one of them with regal grace, never once soaking up the moment as she swiftly shook hooves and exchanged as few words as possible. Once the arriving ponies were allowed to trot into the Town Hall building, they paused in mid-shuffle past Fluttershy and Dinky in order to pay their respects.

Dinky fidgeted, shuffling backwards until she was practically hiding behind Fluttershy's silk-clad flank. The pegasus glanced behind her and murmured to the filly. "You are doing a fine job, Dinky, but if this is too much for you, we can find a nice, quiet place to wait for the service to start. I promise that your mother wouldn't think any of less of you. This is an emotional time, after all."

"It's not th-that..." Dinky muttered, fidgeting in her gown. "This is just... just so silly!" Her face scrunched up as she gawked at the pegasus. "Won't all of these ponies be mad once they find out that Mommy isn't dead and the whole funeral has been for n-nothing?"

Fluttershy let out a long, delicate sigh. "Oh Dinky..."

"I know. I know..." The filly actually grumbled for once, hanging her horn in the darkening light of day. "I'll stop saying the truth out loud. It would be rude to ruin all that the Princess has put together, after all."

"I would never ask you to keep quiet about anything," Fluttershy said, fidgeting. "I would, however, hope that you take into consideration all that's happening today. There may come a time when you're an adult and you'll constantly look back at this moment, meditating on it in a whole new light."

"I do have to say one thing, though."

"And what's that, precious?"

Dinky's eyes widened. "I never knew Mommy had this many friends!" She shot Fluttershy an enthusiastic glance. "I don't think I've seen this many ponies for anything ever! Even when Celestia visited!"

Fluttershy smiled delicately. "Your mother blessed so many lives, Dinky, and she did so just by being her natural, happy, genuinely cheerful self."

"Yeah. I bet she'd be absolutely thrilled to hear about it when she comes back!"

Fluttershy grimaced, staring down at the ground with a sullen expression. Just at that moment, a pink shape slithered in from the town hall interior, hissing.

"Pssssst!" Pinkie Pie hoarsely uttered.

"Oh!" Fluttershy spun about with a bright expression. "Pinkie! How wonderful to see you!" she whispered. "How're the preparations going?"

"Just fantastic!" Pinkie said in a subtle tone with a subtle smile to match. "Mrs. Cake and I just finished setting up all the muffins in the side room. The door's air tight, so nopony should be smelling Derpy's goods until the first part of the service done. That's how Twilight felt it needed to be done, right?"

"Yes," Fluttershy remarked with a nod. "I think you've done a fine job, Pinkie."

"You baked muffins?" Dinky squeaked. "My Mommy loves muffins!"

"Oh, you bet, scrumptious bumptious!" Pinkie grinned toothily. "But I couldn't have gotten it all set up if it wasn't for Mrs. Cake! She's like a Mommy to me, y'know. Even... even now, with as old as I am..." She bit her lip.

Dinky simply stared up at her, blankly.

Pinkie looked around. She dashed outside, the skirts of her gray dress billowing, and slid to a stop besides the filly. "Hey, silly-willy, I'm gonna be really, really really busy making sure all of the ponies here celebrate your Mommy's life in the way she wanted them to, so I may not be able to chat with you as much as I'd like to. I'm super sorry for that."

Dinky giggled breathily before tapping the mare's shoulder. "It's okay, Pinkie."

"No, it's not okay." Pinkie pouted. "I wanna take care of you—y'know? Like an adult should take care of a foal. But only if you let me, alright? I promise that I'll visit you everyday! And maybe I'll teach you how to bake muffins just like your—" She bit her tongue in mid-sentence, flashed Fluttershy a nervous look, then smiled peacefully as she corrected herself. "Actually, I bet you could teach me a thing or two about muffin-making! What would you say? Would you be so kind as to fill me in on your family secret so that everypony in Ponyville will be lucky enough to enjoy it?"

"Of course, Pinkie." Dinky leaned forward and nuzzled the mare. "I'd love to. I'm sure my Mother would too."

Pinkie squeaked inwardly, her eyes turning misty. She ruffled the tiny unicorn's mane. "One of these days, I'm gonna snuggle you to the moon! I mean it—" Fluttershy cleared her throat savagely. Pinkie Pie's eyes bugged. "Eeep!" She frenzily un-ruffled Dinky's mane with two jittery hooves. "See?! All good!" A voice called out from inside, and Pinkie shot up like a bottle rocket. "Oooh! That's Mrs. Cake! I gotta skate!" She dashed back into the town hall. "Coming, Mrs. Cake! Hold onto your frosted flanks!"

"Oh dear..." Fluttershy shuddered at the sounds her friend was making as she galloped back. "That's not very... quiet or solemn."

"It's okay, Fluttershy," Dinky said with a soft smile. "I'm glad that she's happy. That's what Mommy would want, after all."

Fluttershy blinked at that, and her wings relaxed. "Yes. Yes, I suppose she would, wouldn't she?" She turned and exhaled with a soft smile aimed in Twilight's direction. "Just... be happy..."

Twilight caught Fluttershy's gaze out of the corner of her eye. With a rattle of her tiara, she turned to say something, but yet another attendee trotted up, interrupting her. Clearing her throat, Twilight leaned forward and extended a hoof of invitation.

"Glad that you could make it, Cheerilee," she said.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world, Twilight," the teacher replied. Her eyes moistened as she inhaled sharply. "She brought such joy to the classroom everytime she visited. I don't think there's a single foal who d-didn't love hearing the sound of her voice." She sniffled. "And what you're doing for her here today is such an honor."

Twilight bowed her head. "The one true honor is having such fine, respectable ponies such as yourself in attendance. Please, make yourself comfortable."

Cheerilee trotted by, waved at Fluttershy, and attempted to wave at Dinky. She lingered, a tear or two running down her cheek as she bit hard onto her lower lip. As the first of several sobs ran through her, Golden Harvest and Amethyst Star trotted over, patting the mare on the shoulder and guiding her gently into the town hall interior.

Dinky sighed, letting her gaze fall to the floor as several more ponies shuffled up to be greeted by the Princess.

"Zecora. So glad you came."

"Miss Hooves was everypony's most beloved friend," the zebra said, wearing a gown of monochromatic finery. She trotted forward in a sad shuffle. "A shame that her life came to such a tragic end."

"Mr. Doodle... Matilda... You are both looking very nice this evening."

"Mmmm... We wouldn't miss this for the world, Your Highness. We may be old, but we are not shameless."

"Time Turner. Thank you for taking an evening out of your busy schedule."

"My projects can wait for the time being, Your Majesty. It's an honor being here."

"Greetings." Twilight entreated the next pony... with a wincing expression. "Uhm... Trixie?"

Sniffling, the unicorn in question lifted a starry black cap from her head and stood in a slump with her even blacker, starry robe. "The Great and Humble Trixie has c-come a long way to p-pay her respects! I h-heard about this terrible tragedy, and I felt my illustrious presence was necessary so th-that the whole world would someday know all about Ponyville's beloved Ditzy Doo!"

"Uhm... 'Derpy Hooves.'"

"Close enough!" Trixie clenched her jaw tight as she stood tall and proud. "As Celestia is my witness, the Great and Humble Trixie will make sure Miss Doo's legacy will live on to outlast the cosmos!"

"Well, then..." The Mayor stepped in with a nervous smile, leading the unicorn gently inside. "How about we start working on her legacy this way?"

"It's just so s-s-saaaaad!" Trixie wept as she hobbled in after the elder pony. "I'll never run out of Great and Humble Tears!"

Twilight rolled her eyes with a subtle smile. Just then, the loud thud of cloven hooves rocked the ground in front of her. She and Spike gasped, nearly thrown off balance. "Uhhhh..." Twilight looked up... and up and up and up as a horned shadow crossed her lavender features. "H-hello there. So glad that you could... arrive?"

"Iron Will would like to pay his respects to the feather-weak pony with the googly eyes!" The minotaur in question wrung a black necktie in two hairy palms. "She was a very special pony, a true excellence of execution, and she... she g-gave Iron Will's clique of goats an entire spool of yarn! SNIFF!" He buried his snout in his palms, sobbing like a baby. "They loved it so very mu-u-u-u-ucccch!"

Twilight winced, her eyes darting left and right as several ponies stared at the scene. Iron Will kept on sobbing.

At last, Spike cleared his throat and wobbled up like a tiny bouncer. "Okay there, big guy. We get the picture. Now how about we—Gaaaieee!" The whelp's slitted eyes bugged as he was pulled into a fierce, loving armbar.

"Ohhhhhhhh whatcha gonna do when the iron lock of the mortal coil comes down on you?!" Iron Will caterwauled, nuzzling Spike's writhing figure up close. "Oh, what soft squishy creatures you ponies are, that life would be so cruel as to check you in at the Buckdown Hotel without even cutting a decent promoooo!"

"Eughh! Hey! Big fella! Watch the b-bow tie!"

"Uhhhhh..." Twilight Sparkle gulped, swiveled, and began trotting into the heart of the Town Hall building, ushering Fluttershy and Dinky along with her. "Maaaaaaaaybe we should start the services now." She cleared her throat. "Like right now."

The interior was filled to the brim with villagers. Not a single empty seat lingered inside the building. It was so crowded that no less than three rows of ponies—mostly stallions and young colts—stood patiently in the back, waiting quietly behind the more delicate group seated front and center.

Twilight Sparkle stood at the podium, and for the very first time in her life, she was speechless. She held her mouth open, but all that came out was a dry breath. She paused to clench her mouth shut, forcing the sore lump further down her throat. The princess' royal eyes drifted across the scribbled words of the thick stack of notecards floating between her and the wooden stand.

Nervously, she allowed her vision to dart back towards the silent, waiting crowd. She saw several bright faces looming above a dark sea of suits and dresses. Long faces reflected her somber gaze, from unicorn to earth pony to pegasus. Towards the edge of the front row, Fluttershy sat with Dinky. Just a few spaces down sat the Mayor, Filthy Rich, Zecora, and even a few delegates from as far as Canterlot and Fillydelphia. Twilight had even caught sight of Spitfire and two other members of the Wonderbolts, but by this point she had realized how many seconds had utterly limped by, and a sheen of nervous sweat formed along her brow.

"The poor darling," Rarity whispered as quiet as a mouse. She leaned towards Applejack who sat to the fashionista's right, followed by the rest of the Apple family. "She's so overwrought with emotion. I do not envy the task before her."

"All her friends are here," Applejack replied just as hoarsely, her eyes locked on the princess up front. "Have a lil' faith in her."

Rarity bit her lip, but eventually blurted. "Everypony but Rainbow Dash."

"What?!" Applejack raspily exclaimed, summoning a hissing rebuke from Granny Smith. She gulped and leaned in closer to Rarity's ears. "What do you mean? RD ain't here?"

"Didn't Fluttershy tell you, darling? She... she's not attending."

Applejack's face frowned briefly, but then melted under a sorrowful breath. "I reckon she blames herself for what happened. Shucks, we should have been there for her all this time! I should have been there for her. It's all just so plum sad..."

"Well, for the time being, let's be here for Twilight. Hmm?" Rarity leaned her head forward, gazing down the aisle past Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo.

Along the far end, Pinkie Pie sat beside the misty-eyed Cake Family and their cradled infants. Pinkie noticed Rarity's gaze in the peripheral of her vision, and she turned to wave with a placid smile.

Rarity grinned back, then pivoted so that Twilight could easily see her and Applejack's supportive faces.

Twilight did, but she saw something else. Glancing nervously to the right, she spotted Spike. The nervous little dragon was emphatically waving his scaled arms, motioning her along as he gritted his teeth.

Twilight took a deep breath, absorbing the sea of mortal faces. She gazed back down at her notecards: white things that glistened like lifeless headstones between each shadowed blink. Tightening her muscles, Twilight allowed the things to drop to the floor beneath the podium like pale leaves. With outstretched wings, she leaned against the stand and spoke in a firm, proud voice.

"Derpy Hooves was more than just our friend, more than just a loving and caring mother, more than just an exemplary member of the local postal service. She was, without a doubt, the very spirit of Ponyville, the embodiment of its friendliness, and a supreme example of the loving kindness that enriches our lives in this small little town every day. And now, with her gone, a piece of that spirit—a slice of the essence of Ponyville—is gone forevermore. We may mourn her passing, we may honor her memory, but we can never have that piece of her—that piece of us back, and that's what makes this moment so very sad, and yet so very touching."

She glanced sadly aside at the wooden coffin next to her. Everypony's gaze followed the Princess'. Inside the slender container, a single postal service hat lay in open view of all attending. The battered scars of Ghastly Gorge laced the edges of the blue article.

"This is all that remains of the tragedy that consumed Derpy Hooves, that took her fragile life away from all of us, and yet it is still not enough to fill the hole in our hearts. By coming together here and now, by paying tribute to her legacy of enthusiasm, gentleness, and charisma, we are essentially attempting to patch together a deep wound. But is it enough? Will all of this suffice for the healing process?"

Cheerilee buried her wet face in a handkerchief. Golden Harvest patted her forelimb assuringly while two spaces down, Lyra and Bon Bon sat with hollow expressions. In the back row of seats, Blossomforth could be heard shuddering with pent-up sobs. Thunderlane held her tenderly while Cloud Chaser and Flitter stared at the front podium and coffin with misty eyes.

"The most powerful force in Equestria is friendship, and the magic that binds us together is Harmony. At its heart, Harmony is all about the manifestation of equilibrium. I have watched first-hoof as the Elements of Harmony cleansed the forces of evil and discord from this land, restoring balance and peace for all ponies everywhere. There is great joy to be had in Harmony, but this does not mean that we will forever be free from sadness, fear, and even death. For equilibrium comes at a cost. For every reason to laugh, there is a reason to cry. For every reason to sing, there is a reason to mourn. Without this tenuous balance, life as we know it would not continue to be."

Rarity sniffled as Applejack allowed her to lean against her shoulder. The fashionista gazed aside at Sweetie Belle. The sisters' eyes met, and they reached out to clasp hooves reassuringly, managing a slight smile as Twilight's voice carried them further along.

"Right now, as the pain of Derpy's departure from this world vexes our souls, it is difficult to see the reason behind it. It is nearly impossible to make sense out of this tragedy, to ascertain what purpose it holds in the grand scheme of things. In time, as we grow older, wiser, and stronger together, we may possibly come to a solid understanding. Harmony, after all, has a plan for all life, as well as for all death. Of this, I am convinced, for I have witnessed Harmony bring glory and peace to the most unlikely of places."

Fluttershy's eyes were shedding tears at this point. With a shudder, she reached a hoof out and squeezed Dinky's shoulder. The little filly looked at Fluttershy's limb, at the pegasus' sobbing face, and sighed. With an exhausted smile, she leaned in to Fluttershy, and the older mare hugged her fiercely with soft forelimbs.

"I know my words may not be of much consolation for the dear friends and neighbors of Derpy Hooves, even if they are the words of a Princess. But I do believe we can all be convinced of one thing. Miss Hooves filled every day of her life with happiness and joy, and she filled our lives with such ecstasy as well. There was nothing she wanted more than to make others smile and feel taken care of. When she wasn't delivering the mail, she was baking muffins or telling jokes or sharing amusing tales of her many travels. Even her notoriously clumsy moments carried a spirit of charm, for never did she make a mistake that she didn't in some enthusiastic way attempt to make amends for."

Twilight leaned against the podium, her violet eyes narrow and sincere as she spoke to the entire crowd as one.

"If Derpy Hooves strove for happiness and camaraderie in her life, how much more would she wish us the same cheer and good will beyond her death?" Twilight smiled gently. "My fellow Equestrians, mourn Derpy's memory. Honor Derpy's legacy. But do not forsake her spirit. She would have all of us happy, as she has made her daughter happy, as she has wished nothing but benevolence on her closest friends and neighbors. Let us rejoice in the spirit that she has bequeathed us, and enjoy this day and every day to come for what it is, and for what the days of living meant for her: as blessings. For we are all so very blessed, in ways that so many of us are apt to forget when pain and fatigue obscures the bright path before us. Derpy's life was a reminder of this blessing, and the saddest thing would be to forget that. So let us strive to never allow this knowledge to fade, for that's not what Derpy would have wished. She would have desired for us to smile. And as a Princess humbled by her life and enriched by her existence..." Twilight's lips curved as a tear rolled down her cheek. "...I choose, as ever, to do what's Harmonious, and follow Derpy’s example."

She finished with a shuddering breath. A quiet murmur ran through the crowd as several ponies nuzzled one another, absorbing the words that were said.

Mr. and Mrs. Cake leaned against each other, closing their tearful eyes as they held their infants close. Pinkie glanced at them, then blinked towards the front of the seats as Twilight prepared to speak again.

"In accordance with Miss Hooves' personal will, we will be having a wake around her coffin. But before we start, we invite any and all ponies to pay their personal respects at this time. It was Derpy's desire that music be played while her closest friends paid tribute. According to her own written words, the mare's favorite music was a local folk ballad played during Ponyville's Winter Wrap Up. A few of our finest musicians have volunteered to perform in honor of her request. Please, relax in the memory of our late friend and sister, for she wouldn't wish it any other way."

Before Twilight finished speaking, Lyra stood up. She paused, nuzzled Bon Bon with a sweet smile, then trotted off with her lyre in tow. She joined two other ponies on a stage towards the right of the Town Hall interior. Noteworthy shuffled up to a piano. He looked over his shoulder and nodded towards a mare standing front in center. Nodding back, Octavia placed her bowstring against a cello and began the opening chords to the traditional ballad.

As the upbeat instrumental softly played, several ponies stood up from their seats and shuffled down in a quiet line towards the front of the gathering. There, Spike stood with a bouquet of flowers. He handed each bud to the ponies, one at a time. In a graceful procession, the equines shuffled up to the coffin, layed their respective flower down next to the mailpony hat, murmured a quiet sentence, and trotted on. The sounds of sobs and shuddering breaths were muffled by the relaxing sounds of music echoing off of the walls of the place. In spite of the solemnity of the moment, many ponies took Twilight's words to heart, and smiled by the time they reached the coffin.

Mr. and Mrs. Cake were among the first group to trot up to the coffin. They each laid a flower down, then leaned forward so that their confused, concerned infants could deposit flowers themselves. Pinkie Pie trotted in and bequeathed a flower of her own, pausing to caress the surface of the mailpony hat with a contemplative expression. When Rarity and Sweetie Belle shuffled up, they were prepared with flowers of their own: lilies. After placing three of them down—two large and one small—they paused to nuzzle each other, tearfully smiling as they shuffled on past the scene. The Apple Family's turn came next, and Applejack lingered before the coffin, her eyes reflecting all of the budding petals nestled about the mailpony hat like a fragrant sea. At last, Granny Smith leaned in to caress the mare's cheek. With a sigh, Applejack smiled at her grandmother and took her hoof in hers, trotting along to join her family.

When the procession was done, Twilight cast Fluttershy a sharp glance. Fluttershy nodded, quietly ushering Dinky to get up with her. The two shuffled the three steps between them and the coffin, and at Fluttershy's beckoning, Dinky laid down an entire bouquet of flowers. Fluttershy held her breath, trying to contain her tears, but it wasn't until Twilight trotted over that the mare released the dam. All the while, Dinky fidgeted awkwardly, feeling the eyes of dozens if not hundreds of sympathetic ponies gazing at her. The band had stopped playing in time for the filly's loathsome sigh to become fully audible.

THURSDAY NIGHT – THE WAKE

The aroma of muffins wafted over the place. The chairs had been stacked away in massive towers towards the rear of the room, and the entire inner space of the Town Hall was filled to the brim with clusters upon clusters of ponies, all chatting amicably over mouthfuls of muffins and sips of water. The villagers' warm bodies orbited the coffin, which still stood dead-center in the place, full of flowers in the starlight pouring down from the tall, tall windows.

"Say, remember the time when Derpy flew west to fetch the southern birds?"

"Heheh. Oh yes, that was classic. That was the year that winter lasted into April, wasn't it?"

"Nothing beats the day she showed up at the Mayor's Office with a pair of penguins in her saddlebag. 'Here're your owls, Mr. Mayor!' Ha ha ha... cracks me up everytime. The poor thing had to fly all the way back to the south pole to right that mistake. She had a cold for a week, but still delivered the mail."

"Oh, without question. Everypony knows she was a klutz, but she never missed one day of delivering the mail. Not one. Remember when Nightmare Moon returned? We all thought the night was going to last forever. Even still, if rumors are true, Derpy showed up at the floating post office, bright and early. 'Did Celestia sleep in this morning?!' I believe that's what she said."

"Hahaha! You serious?! Oh, that's adorable. You know, from what my neighbors say, Miss Hooves really loved the Summer Sun Celebration, and she went to every location where it was held every year, without fail! From Los Pegasus to Stalliongrad! Heck, she was even there for when I experienced my first Summer Sun Celebration at age seven in Canterlot!"

"When you were seven?! Good heavens! How old was Miss Hooves? She certainly looked young!"

"It's those proud pegasus genes. I'm sure she had two-thirds of Commander Hurricane's blood in her. Those ponies stay looking young and beautiful forever. Most enviable."

"Well, she never flaunted it, did she? A blonde mane like that could have looked exquisite had she braided it or something to that extent. Why, I don't mean to pass ill-judgment, of course. Simply implying that she was never about showing off or outshining the equines around her."

"So humble. So down to earth. No offense to pegasi, but she was remarkably good-spirited for her kind. I don't think I ever saw her in a bad mood ever, which is rather amazing. A lot of ponies weren't all too nice to her."

"So many ponies didn't understand. Especially visitors. It's sad, really."

"Well, with how many attendees showed up today, I think it just goes to show that she touched a lot of lives without even trying. There was always something so... so endearing about her. I found myself inspired most of the times I even thought of Derpy. Perhaps it's because my younger sister has a vision problem, and seeing Derpy aspiring to do so many things in spite of her... well... disability, well, I wanted to emulate that ambitious spirit. I mean, it's like she took on the multiple challenges in her life without complaining—ever. Like, not even once."

"We had foggy weather for most of last March, and it was right around the time Princess Cadance was marrying the Captain of the Canterlot Royal Guard. A bunch of letters were being sent out, and Miss Hooves was one of many ponies having to work overtime. Well, she always had enough of a hard time seeing as it was. But in foggy weather? She was bumping into trees and road signs left and right. Still, that didn't stop her from delivering as many letters as she could. In fact, I think she single-hoofedly delivered more than the rest of her fellow postal workers combined. She had to lie in bed, bruised and exhausted, for a week afterwards, but she didn't seem to mind. She was all about getting the job done."

"And she volunteered her services with just as much earnesty. Why, several times she even paid me the same courtesy. When I had healing potions to be delivered to the zebra province, she performed the task humbly with no desire for recompense."

"How does a pony learn to be so kind hearted? I bet her parents raised her right."

"You know that there are no other surviving members of Miss Hooves' family, yes? Her mother and father passed away a long time ago. No, my friends, she was a pony of self-taught virtue. A very rare thing in this day and age."

"Quite admirable, though, and all the more promising that she instilled the same qualities in her own foal."

"She babysitted for my twins, once. Considering that she was already a single mother, that was amazingly gracious of her. When I picked them back up from a weekend at Miss Hooves' house, they were acting more polite than they had in the previous month. It was like day and night. I had tea with Miss Hooves a few times to try and get some secrets from her. Truth is, she really didn't have a parenting method. She was just had a sweetness that was... naturally infectious. I could see how hard it'd be for a foal to feel like letting her down."

"Don't forget how entertaining she could be. I heard that she once showed up at Cheerilee's classroom for show'n'tell, and the Equestrian flag somehow caught on fire!"

"What?! Hah! You can't be serious!"

"Uhmm... Ahem. I can personally assure you that our classroom flag did not catch on fire. It... uhm... it was my weekly planner. To this day, I still don't know how it happened."

"Heheheh. I feel horrible laughing about it, but, jeez..."

"No, it's quite alright. I used to have a bad temper about the clumsiness Miss Hooves exhibited, but I know better now. Nothing she ever did—no matter how awkward—ever got any ponies in serious danger. That's what mattered."

"You're including the time she nearly destroyed half of this very building over our heads?! I don't know if that hurt any ponies, but it certainly put a dint in the city's bit bag!"

"Heh heh heh..." Applejack trotted up to the nearest group of chatting ponies as Rarity, Pinkie, and several others looked on. "I remember that week quite fondly."

"Really, darling?" Rarity raised an eyebrow. "'Fondly?'"

As a few nearby ponies chuckled, Applejack rubbed her head, scarfed up the last piece of her muffin, swallowed, and finally said, "Okay, so it was downright hectic, what if me haulin' flank to Dodge's Junction and all. But, for better or worse, that was one of the best weeks of my life, because I needed that crazy situation to help teach me a valuable lesson about friendship, as well as where I fit in the eyes of my friends and kin. So, I guess what I'm tryin' to get at is: if Miss Hooves hadn't busted a big ol' hole in the roof of this place, I never would have been pressured to earn prize money for this here town, and I'd never have come to terms with somethin' very important about myself." Several ponies nodded in smiling agreement as Applejack gazed at them in earnest. "Ain't it amazin' how every little thing leads to another, and we all end up discoverin' ourselves in the end?"

"I most certainly agree," Rarity said with a nod. "’Tis fate's way of cleansing the soul."

"I'm all for the 'cleansing' part," Fluttershy murmured.

"I discover myself everytime I take a bath!" Pinkie chirped. Every set of eyes viciously locked on her, and she slumped down in her dress with a blushing expression. "Whoops! My bad! Funeral voice. Ahem."

More laughter lit the air. Twilight Sparkle watched from a humble distance, her features hanging in a lavender shadow beneath her dark crown. Spike stood with Dinky a few spaces away, quietly listening in.

Applejack was smiling, though her grin took on a soft edge as she cleared her throat and said, "I... uh... I am certainly proud to be here at this gatherin', honoring the memory of a pony that we all love just as much as we miss the dickens out of her." Sniffling, she glanced over at the open coffin with the hat and flowers. "But... b-but I sure could have shown my dumb face around these parts sooner."

"Why, whatever do you mean, darling?" Rarity asked.

Fluttershy shook her head. "You are certainly not dumb! What could make you say that?"

"Because... I've allowed myself to get caught up in little things... silly things." Applejack bit her lip. "And I don't mean just this week, but every day of my life." She tilted about, gazing at her friends and neighbors. "Y'all know how much the farm means to me. There's really no way of tap dancin' around it: I'm the backbone of the Apple Family." She paused, then rolled her eyes. "Okay, so maybe not so much the backbone as the hips. Am I right, Big Mac?"

"Eeeeyup," Big Macintosh chirped with a smile. The air rang with chuckles as he stood smiling besides Granny Smith and Apple Bloom.

Applejack sighed as the laughter died down. "But... But the truth is I don't have to be spendin' every wakin' hour at the farm. There's really no reason I should be drownin' my muzzle in apples while such important and even sad things happen here in downtown. I mean, when I found out about Derpy's passin' away n'all, I was devastated, mostly because I had learned the truth so late. I don't rightly blame anyone in my family. Shucks, I'm really not blamin' myself. It's just... it's just occurred to me that all my life up to this point has been work, and while I ain't ashamed of it, I know that nothin' good ever comes out of makin' life to be all one thang."

She gazed up at her closest companions with moist eyes. Her lips quivered as a wavering voice came out.

"I want my life to be full of multiple things. I want it to be made rich by all y'all, and all y'all's words and feelings and hopes and dreams. And I..." She sniffled a bit, rubbing her cheek. "I reckon I ain't makin' a lick of sense, so I'll just spill it out." She gulped. "I want to feel more. I want to cry with y'all, laugh with y'all, and even sing with y'all. It's not that I don't want to be strong, I just feel like I can afford to be strong in different ways." She looked at Fluttershy. "In soft ways." She smiled at Rarity. "In pretty ways." She turned and chuckled at Pinkie Pie. "Even silly ways."

"Yaaay!" Pinkie bounded over and nuzzled Applejack closely. "We are silly sisters! Sisters on sillies!"

"Heheh..." Applejack nuzzled her back, though a tear ran down her cheek. "And... and most of all..." She turned and looked at Twilight. "I want to give more than just a strong shoulder to lean on. I want to make somethin' special out of life. Somethin' magical. I want... " She turned and aimed a fragile smile in Granny Smith's direction. "I want to be a mother someday. I want to raise kids just like Derpy did. I want to raise 'em proper, to give them things to play with and work with, like my Ma and Pa wanted for me and Macky and Apple Bloom, but could never quite give us." She shuddered as another tear ran free. "I want to give them a full and rich life in this town—the best dang town there ever was or ever will be in the heart of Equestria—and hopefully someday they could even hang out with y'all's children, and y'all's children's children. I would really, really fancy that, 'cuz then I'll know that every happy and sad thing I've ever felt in life won't die out with me, but they'll go on to spread the wealth for generations to come, just as Derpy's legacy will with Dinky."

Rarity smiled. "That sounds like a most darling prospect, Applejack." She trotted forward and gave the farm filly a dear hug. "I know for a fact that you would make a fantastic mother."

"Of course you'd say that." Applejack chuckled, drying her eyes in time to roll them. "You just want to design baby dresses for them."

"Most certainly not!" Rarity tilted her nose up, but snuck in a smirk. "I'd sew jumpers too."

"Heeheehee..." Fluttershy smiled. "And I would adore babysitting any foal you bring into this world, Applejack."

"Uh, helllllllo?!" Pinkie Pie waved her hoof frantically. "Aren't we missing an important step here?! We have to find Applejack a stallion!" She hopped in place. "Stat!" She spun and shouted towards the far end of the chamber. "Hey! Thunderlane! What are you doing Saturday night?!"

"Unnngh..." Twilight Sparkle facehoofed. "Pinkie..."

Mr. And Mrs. Cake laughed the loudest, prompting the nearby crowd to chuckle.

Apple Bloom blinked. "I don't get it."

Beside her, Scootaloo coughed. "I do." Apple Bloom merely squinted at her.

"The fact is, y'all are my family..." Applejack gazed at the group with misty eyes. "And I don't ever want to let such a special thang go to waste. I don't want to just help y'all or support y'all, but I wanna live with y'all. Starting this day, in the spirit of respectin' Derpy Hooves contributions n'all, I want to start on a good hoof."

"But you have such good hooves already, darling," Rarity said. "I envy a mare like you who already possesses so many fantastic qualities. It's truly inspirational, especially to a pony such as myself."

"Awww shucks, Rarity. Don't sell yerself short."

"No, I am being completely truthful and sincere." The unicorn stood tall, lifting her funeral veil so that the others could see her resolute gaze. "I have..." She gulped, but went on. "I have n-not been a very g-good friend to the whole lot of you."

"That's not true, Rarity—" Fluttershy began.

"Please let me finish." Rarity trotted a few bold steps forward. "I've been lauded as the Element of Generosity. While that may be true to a point, it is not an entirely accurate portrayal of who and what I am. For as long as I can remember, I've held my own interests above all else. I've put everything second to my personal career and artistry—even forsaking the proper practices of friendship. It's a classic case of narcissism at it's most sinful. Don't even pretend that this hasn't been a less-than-admirable quality of mine."

"Rarity, you're an artist," Twilight said in a sincere tone. "And a very genius one at that."

"Yes, I am, aren't I—" Rarity chuckled, then winced with bugging eyes. "Nnnngh—No! That is not the heart of the matter! What's important is that... is that I have been so very, very shallow. And while I can certainly appreciate the material aspects of a fantastic dress or a brilliant art piece, it is completely unhealthy of me to be utterly obsessed with such qualities, especially when I forsake the ponies with whom I should be closest to in this lifetime."

The fashionista trotted over to Sweetie Belle, reaching a hoof out to caress the filly's blushing, smiling face.

"I am an older sister, and a proud one at that." She leaned in and nuzzled Sweetie dearly. "I've been blessed to guide this little darling along the path towards marehood, and I am ready to take the next step in overseeing her success." Holding Sweetie close, she turned to gaze at her friends. "I am also prepared to offer my talents and affection to each and every one of you. You thought I was generous before—oh, no—you have not yet sampled the new Rarity." She took a deep, shuddering breath. "For a while there, I was attempting to write an extensive memoir of my experiences here in Ponyville. But after Derpy passed away, and once I witnessed how her entire legacy was summed up in how dearly and sincerely her precious little daughter cherished her, I realized that no superfluous amount of words would be capable of embodying the contributions I have made to this town, for I have made absolutely no contributions whatsoever." She gulped, her eyes growing moist as her voice shook. "I've not given my heart. I've not given my love. And I-I most certainly have not given my faith. But Derpy Hooves did, and I plan to emulate her sincerity, her integrity... and h-her generosity in the face of little to no reward. For the only treasures I want to cherish is the time I have to spend with my family, to spend with Sweetie Belle, and to spend with each and every one of you. To deny myself that is to give into utter destitution, and that is most unbecoming of a lady such as myself."

Applejack smiled, then clapped her front hooves together. The Apple and Cake family joined in. Spike slapped his hands together and whistled shrilly.

Twilight rolled her eyes, then smiled as she trotted forward to place a hoof on Rarity's shoulder. "While I agree with Fluttershy and Applejack that you're being a tad bit hard on yourself, Rarity, I'm certainly very glad that you've come to a point of personal understanding. I've been so busy with setting up this entire ceremony that... well..." Twilight sighed as she trotted back. "I guess I hadn't truly opened my eyes to see how much Derpy's death had affected everypony, including the ones I am closest to."

"Well, I certainly saw the difference!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed. "Everyone was like 'Gaaaaaieeee!' Then they were all 'No waiiiii!' And then they were all hiccuping and choking and sobbing and all this stuff with a buncha tears and—"

"Very poetically put, dear," Mrs. Cake said. "You want my advice?" She winked at the young mare. "Tone it down just a tad."

Pinkie bit her lip, then pointed aside at her aunt. "See? Just like that. I can see when my bestest of best buds are feeling shocked or sad, but... well..." She dug at the floor with a hoof. "I guess I'm not so good at sharing that feeling. Even when I imitate it, I come across as a Fluffy goofball... that’s a capital ‘F’ for extra fluff."

"I've seen you cry before, Pinkie," Fluttershy said. "I... I like seeing you happy instead," she muttered with a nervous shiver.

"But that's just it!" Pinkie's eyes blinked wide. "I-I don't want to be happy all the time!"

Rarity's brow furrowed. "Good heavens! Is this the same Pinkie Pie who stands before us?!"

"It's totally me! See?!" She stuck her tongue out. "Bleaaaaaah! Thame tongue printth!” She retracted her tongue and continued, “I'm the Pinkie Pie you've always known! At least... uhm..." Her face scrunched up, almost painfully. "I think I am..."

"Let it out, sugarcube," Applejack said with a pat on Pinkie's back. "What's on yer mind?"

"I... I don't really have much on my mind." Pinkie sat on her haunches, ruffling her black skirt. "Not usually, at least. By my heart?" She looked up, biting her lip. "I have so much to share. And though I enjoy sharing smiles, sharing tears is... is okay too. Honest, it is. I'm just not very good at crying because... well... I used to cry a lot in the past. And when I did, I... I couldn't really stop it."

Fluttershy, Applejack, Rarity, and Twilight gazed at her with undivided attention.

Pinkie Pie sniffled, her voice rolling low beneath the breaths of those gathered around her. "Back on the rock farm, where I grew up, it was so very hard to do anything but cry... and sigh. And then there were days of sighing and crying. And then there were weeks when we'd get bored and so we'd just roll the dice and choose randomly what days were for sobs and what days were for moans."

"I... c-can't tell if this is some shocking revelation or a remarkably extended joke," Rarity said.

"Maybe it's both?" Pinkie Pie glanced up, blinking. "All I know is that one day—one very special day—I discovered what it meant to smile... and to laugh..." She grinned softly. "And to hug my Mom, my Dad, and my sisters—not because they needed it—but because I wanted to do it. And, it worked... I mean, for a while. We had parties. We baked cakes. We shared stories and jokes and even danced a little. But at some point... they stopped wanting to do all those fun things. But I didn't. I couldn't figure out why it was wrong to enjoy things, to smile, to celebrate being alive. I... I just wanted everypony around me to smile. And then they..." She seethed slightly, then muttered in a hoarse breath. "They s-sent me away. Their own daughter... their sister... their family, as if they didn't want me anymore. And I tried not thinking about it for a very long time, but it's true. They didn't want me at all." She gulped. "They still don't."

Twilight swallowed a lump down her throat. "Oh, Pinkie. I'm so sorry—"

"Hey..." Pinkie looked up. "It's okay. Really, it is. And I'm not saying that just because I've danced all these years away in the shiny kitchen of Sugarcube Corner. I'm saying it's okay because I know that there're still a bunch of years left for me to make sense of it all. And, what's more, I've got a really nice aunt and uncle to be with me every gleeful step of the way." She turned and smiled over her shoulder at the Cakes. "With such adorable bouncing babies to make the journey with." She bit her lip, though, as she turned to gaze humbly at her companions. "And... uhm... if it's okay... I-I mean if it's not asking for too much... I might even have some really super-duper special friends to show me what it means like to cry about it." She shed a tear over her curved lips. "So that way the moments of laughing and smiling will be all the more special. Does... does that make any sense?"

Fluttershy had already crossed the distance and was hugging Pinkie fiercely. "What makes sense is that you're our friend, Pinkie, and we'll do everything we can to help you find closure."

"You've made us laugh a million times over, sugarcube." Applejack held her close from the other side. "If you've got yer own mountain to scale, ya can bet yer horseshoes we'll be there to help you for the long climb."

"Thanks..." Pinkie's voice squeaked as she buried her face in Fluttershy's shoulder. In spite of her bright smile, tears were streaming down her cheek. "I'll... I-I'll make it up to you g-guys! I swear..." She shuddered and murmured, "I'll bake you the sweetest, richest cake, and we can all take slices of it, and talk about something that's happier. I promise."

"The only promise you need to make is to be yourself, Pinkie," Rarity said, reaching forward to grasp the mare's hoof from the center of the embrace. "Even if you need our assistance in helping you find yourself. I've no doubt there's a fabulous mare waiting to greet you on the far end of that sojourn, and it won't be a lonely trip taken there."

Pinkie bit her lip, managing a chuckle or two. "Thanks, guys. You're the best..."

"No, you're the best," Fluttershy murmured, her eyes moist as she nuzzled Pinkie one last time and stepped back a bit. "All of you. Each and every one of you. For being there for all of your friends, and for me." She gulped hard. "For telling me that it's okay to face my fears, to take bold steps of my own, to brave a hop, a skip, and a jump, and to b-be assertive." She adjusted her pink bangs, shuddering. "I only w-wish I could make you all prouder of me."

"What do you mean by that, Fluttershy?" Twilight asked. "We are all so very proud of you already!"

"Darn tootin', girl!" Applejack said from where she was still hugging Pinkie Pie close. "What are you goin' on about with this 'pride' business?"

"Well... uhm..." Fluttershy sniffled, staring down at her hooves. "I suppose what I mean to say is that I'm not very proud of myself. And I'm not talking about a simple matter of self-confidence. The truth is, for all that each and every one of you have done for me, I... I really have not improved my life. At least, not in the way I could have been improving it."

"Sometimes it... it takes a lifetime to fight one's inhibitions, Fluttershy," Twilight said in a nervous tone. "Nopony can expect you to change overnight."

"Did Derpy wait her entire life to make a difference in the lives of those around her?" Fluttershy asked, her lip quivering. "She never allowed herself to get bogged down by fears, or with anxiety, or with self-doubt. She died as she lived: bold, unafraid, and exultant. I... I could very much be any one of those things. If only... if only..."

The pegasus shuddered, avoiding the gaze of her friends as the hall drew quiet around her.

"I am always... always making excuses. But where does it get me?" Fluttershy looked back up, her eyes wet. "I live in a tiny shack on the edge of town, surrounded by creatures who—for all their preciousness—cannot talk or stare me down. I lock my door with four bolts and sleep with the covers wrapped tightly over my head. What for? You have all shown me time and time again that there's nothing in life that I can't triumph over if I just put my heart and soul to it. And still... I... I let myself get so panicked... so petrified." She turned and gazed softly at Dinky. "And the only times I ever exercise authority, I grow paranoid... and overprotective. The way I treat the foals I babysit or the animals I look after..." She winced. "I start to wonder if my cottage is more of a prison than a haven. In that case, what am I locking out?"

"There is nothing wrong with being timid, darling," Rarity said.

"I disagree!" Fluttershy said, suddenly frowning. "That's the one thing I can say with utmost confidence! I... I-I hate being like this! I always have! The only thing I'm proud of is that... that..." She shuddered, her face scrunching up in a pent-up sob. "It used to be oh-so-worse. Before I met you girls. Before y-you came into m-my life." She sucked her breath in. "I would be so afraid of death... of the world... of every sh-shadow and shape in the darkness. It filled my days with such despair... and... and depression." She bit her lip, as if hoping to keep the truth in, but it eventually bled forth. "There was even a time, years ago, when... I almost g-gave up altogether."

Applejack blinked. "'Gave up?'"

Fluttershy nodded. She simply gazed up at her friends with a vulnerable expression.

Rarity blinked, then held a hoof over her muzzle. "Oh, Fluttershy, no..."

"The funny thing is that what saved me was my own c-cowardice," Fluttershy said. Rarity had come over to hug her, and the pegasus murmured over her friend's shoulder. "I look back, and I can't recognize that ‘Fluttershy’... that old me. And though I think a lot of her is buried, I feel bits and pieces—like bleak shadows—popping up when I least expect it. And when Derpy died, and I found myself taking care of her darling little foal, I realized the shadows have always stayed around me. They're not trying to end my life, but instead they're leaching m-me, every second of the day, like parasites. I've thought for the longest time that I was free of them, free from the fear, free from the despair. But every day I find myself having to unlock my front door four times to simply check the mail, I realize that nothing's really changed. And that simply isn't right, and it isn't fair—most especially to you. Because I love you girls, and I want to acknowledge all that you've done for me. And until I confront my problems and tell you the truth—like I'm doing right now—I'm afraid that nothing will ever change."

"But you are so very str-strong, darling!" Rarity said, teary-eyed as she held Fluttershy close. "Never in all my years would I ever imagine you coming so close to the brink! If anypony's failed, Fluttershy, it's us!" She sniffled, caressing the mare's face. "It's our fault for not seeing well enough to realize how desperately you've needed the light in your life."

"This doesn't have to be the 'help the Pinkie Pie club!’" Pinkie said as she and Applejack trotted over. "We can make it the 'help the Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy club!'" She smiled vulnerably. "Heck! How about the 'help everypony club!' You wanna take on your fears, well sign me up, girlfriennnd! I've got a dozen I wanna give doozies too!"

"I'd be lying if I said that I was completely fearless, Fluttershy," Applejack said. "We'll always be there for you, girl. Just talk to us. Be with us. We never, ever wanna see you in a place so dag-blame'd uncomfortable!"

"But... b-but..." Fluttershy sniffled, more tears trickling as she surrendered to Rarity's embrace. "You have g-given me so m-much of your time and attention. I feel... I-I feel so selfish! So demanding..."

"And you think I don't need a reason to be generous, darling?" Rarity smiled, drying Fluttershy's cheek with her forelimb. "I love you. We all love you. Like sisters, do you hear me?"

"There is no such thing as too much attention, Fluttershy," Twilight said, drawing closer to the circle. "We'll be here for you, now and forever." She gulped. "'Til the end of our days."

Fluttershy bit her lip. When she next sobbed, it was through a shattering smile. "Thank you... thank you all s-so very much." She rubbed her own cheek, shuddering. "I promise, I'll be strong enough to make you proud. Someday, I w-won't be so weak anymore! I'll live my life to the fullest."

"She's not the one who's weak," cracked a voice from behind.

A murmur rushed through the crowd as the ponies turned around, gasping.

Rainbow Dash stood in a cold slump, having trotted halfway through the hall. Her mane was disheveled and dark bags hung under her ruby eyes. "I... I-I've been the one who's weak," she muttered.

"Rainbow Dash..." Fluttershy murmured.

"Hey, Dashie!" Pinkie waved above the huddled fellowship. "Welcome to the funeral! Grab a muffin!"

"Land's Sakes, sugarcube!" Applejack remarked. "Ya look like ya haven't had a wink of sleep!"

Rainbow Dash frowned in spite of herself. "Is that it? I show up—late, rude, and undressed—and all you gotta talk about is muffins and sleep?!"

Pinkie and Applejack squirmed awkwardly as Rarity took a few steps forward. "Well, what is it you would have us say, darling? You've been rather aloof as of late."

"What brings you here, Rainbow Dash?" Twilight asked. "I promise you that we're not mad."

"Please," Fluttershy said, managing a smile in spite of her fresh tears. "Talk to us."

"Talk to you, huh?" Rainbow Dash muttered, her dull eyes darting left and right across the gawking crowd. "Is that what you're supposed to do at one of these things? Talk about ourselves? Hug and eat muffins?" The lines in her face grew harder. "Who's funeral is this anyways? I'm pretty sure that hat over in the coffin doesn't belong to any of us."

"Well, then, Rainbow Dash..." Twilight cleared her throat. "Did you wish to pay your respects?"

Rainbow Dash opened her mouth, but hesitated. Her ears drooped under Twilight's gaze, and she shuffled forward, her every hoofstep like a scraping glacier as she traversed the center of the room full of staring ponies. She approached the coffin, but not close enough to even smell the fragrance of the flowers deposited within the empty space.

"Huh... Never seen a casket without a body," she muttered. "There's a reason for that, y'know. Those darn slimy eels gobbled her whole. They weren't even nice enough to leave a scrap of bone."

"Rainbow Dash!" Twilight hissed, trotting sideways to rest a hoof on the shoulder of a confused unicorn foal. "A little more tact, if you could..."

"Tact, huh?" Rainbow Dash twirled about. "Fat lot of good that would have done Derpy on the day she needed it... when she needed..." Her face tensed, then untensed. "When she n-needed m-me." She gulped hard, her lungs clamping shut within her chest. She darted her eyes towards the coffin once more, and the next few words squeaked out, "I keep going over and over what happened that day in my head. I try and I try to figure out where I screwed up, where I could have flown faster, where I could have done something—anything—different to have kept her from becoming quarry eel food. And... y-you know what I realized?"

Her five friends stared blankly at her.

Rainbow Dash frowned. "I didn't screw up! I didn't make a single mistake! I flew faster than lightning! I flew faster than I did at any Wonderbolts Tryout ever! I gave everything to save Derpy that day! And still... still I messed it all up. I..." She gulped. "I f-failed her."

She finally closed the distance between herself and the coffin, gripping onto the edge of it as if to hold herself steady to the earth. The tiniest of shivers ran through her coiled wings.

"Isn't that a burn, huh? To do your absolute best, to make no mistakes, and still to be a total loser? And yet, this wasn't some game... or some competition or contest. I lost... I lost and... and Derpy paid the price for it." Rainbow clenched her eyes shut, took a deep breath, and grunted, "It's as simple as that."

"Rainbow..." Twilight shook her head. "Of course it's not as simple as that..."

"Isn't it?!" Rainbow Dash spun about, sneering. "I'm the friggin' Element of Loyalty, Twilight! You've got your magic and Fluttershy's got her kindness and Rarity's got her generosity! Loyalty's not your bag! It's mine! Everypony who's anypony in this stinkin' town knows that I never leave anyone hanging!" She sat down, her back slumped against the edge of the coffin. "At least..." Her ears drooped. "That's the way it's supposed to be. So why..." She started to breathe faster and faster, a pale expression washing over her muzzle. "...why is Derpy dead? Why is she g-gone? What did I do to her...?"

Fluttershy bit her lip. She gazed worriedly at Twilight.

The princess stepped forward, speaking softly. "Rainbow Dash, you must forgive yourself. Please. Before it's too late—"

"Forgive myself?! I've done nothing!" Rainbow Dash spat. "If I screwed anything up, if I did anything less than my best, then maybe I would have something to apologize for! But this... b-but you... the... the g-girls..." She gulped and panted, her pained eyes falling to the floor. "You... you need more. You deserve better. Apologizing won't change anything. And it most definitely wouldn't save..." She winced, stammering. "Wouldn't s-save...."

Twilight stood in place, staring at Rainbow Dash with a gaping expression.

The pegasus was running a shaking hoof through her mane at this point, staring at a fixed point a million miles away. "I... I have these bad dreams..." She gulped. "And I have them all the time. I don't tell you guys about them, because buck that. And still... they've been getting worse and worse..." Her face twisted in pain. "And in them, I'm flying as fast as I can, because I hear you g-guys calling out my name. I know that something horrible is happening to you all, and I'm trying to get to you. But... but I can't find you. It's not my f-fault that the world is so flippin’ huge! But still, I should know where and how to get to you. I should be smart enough... fast enough... g-good enough..."

A sharp breath broke through the dam her muzzle had made, and she held a hoof over her mouth to block out the first of many sobs. She failed.

"But... But I know... I-I just know that I can't. Someday... somehow... I'm gonna screw it up. If I failed Derpy... then what's to stop me... wh-what's to st-stop me from f-failing one of you?" She finally looked up, and her eyes were glossy things, reflecting five sympathetic faces. "And... and... it's n-not like I've never thought about this before... never lost sl-sleep over this before. You guys... the things you say to me... the way that you all tr-trust me... like little kids..."

Rainbow suddenly hissed. Her body jerked, and she covered her face with two hooves.

"Gnnngh... guhh... st-stupid... stupid funerals." She sniffled. "I hate this. I hate this I hate this I hate this..."

"Rainbow Dash..." Twilight tearfully smiled..

"I... I want to be..." Rainbow Dash squeaked as tears broke through her hooves. "I need to be strong for you guys. And yet I wanna tell you... I wanna tell you all so badly how... how much..." She slid down before the coffin and curled into a little blue ball. "Every day. Every single darn day. I'm so scared. I'm so scared I'm g-gonna screw up, and I'm gonna lose one of you... or all of you. And I-I can't bear for that to happen. Because... because..."

"Shhhhh..." Fluttershy had reached the pegasus' side and was holding her tightly. "We love you too, Rainbow Dash, and we understand. We've always understood."

"You're our marefriend for life, girl!" Pinkie rushed in to nuzzle the pegasus. "You don't need to beat yourself up for our sakes!"

Rarity joined the hug. "Even if some terrible tragedy was to befall any single one of us, we will forever hold a place in our hearts for you. We are not ashamed of you at all, darling."

"Not in the least, sugarcube." Applejack reached in and grasped Rainbow's shaking shoulder. "And we're glad that you're here with us now. True loyalty means openin' up, after all, ya reckon?"

"I just..." Rainbow Dash clenched her eyes shut, nuzzling them back as well as she could manage. "I j-just don't know where I w-would be if you guys were g-gone." She sobbed. "I would be lost. I would be totally, totally lost without you..."

"Awwwww..." Pinkie ruffled the pony's mane. "Well, consider yourself found, Dash-Dash!"

"We won't be disappearing on you, Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy said, caressing her cheek. "Not if we can help it."

"We should cherish every moment while we can," Rarity added. "And I'm certain Miss Hooves would wish no less for you, so stop punishing yourself."

Several ponies murmured to one another, smiling at the warm scene in the center of the hall. In the meantime, Twilight stood at a distance, breathing deep breaths as a weighted expression hung off her face.

Sooner than later, the five marefriends felt the absence of their alicorn companion. One after another, they glanced up with teary eyes.

"Twilight...?" Applejack remarked. "Is somethin' wrong, Sugarcube?"

Twilight inhaled sharply. A tear ran down her cheek as she shook her head. "No. Everything... everything is just right." She rubbed her face, shuddering. "Everything is just perfect."

"Then..." Pinkie blinked, standing up straight. "Then why are you crying? I know I'm new to this, but somepony explain the game plan to me!"

"I just..." Twilight tried to smile, but she grimaced instead. "I want to enjoy this moment. I want it to l-last forever." She winced and glanced aside at the other ponies gathered. "I'm so sorry, everypony. I know we're here to honor Derpy Hooves' memory, but... b-but..." She reached up and pulled her black diamond tiara off, gazing down at it with an air of distaste. Her wings coiled tightly at her side. "This is still such a precious moment. Because so many of us are here, and that... that isn't going to last forever." She looked up with a quivering lip. "The best things in life never do, after all. Why else would we be here? Why would any of us be here?"

The residents of Ponyville stared back, blankly. Before Twilight's vision, Spike waddled into view, wringing his scaled hands with a worried expression.

Twilight bit her lip, avoiding the whelp's gaze.

"Twilight..." Rarity stood up, shuffling quietly towards the alicorn. "What is it, darling? Please, if this time is so precious, then surely you can share your heart with the rest of us."

Twilight braved a glance at Spike. She sighed, then hung her head. "As you all may know, before this tragedy befell the town, I had just come back from the most recent Royal Conference in Canterlot. Princess Celestia was holding a summit, and all the alicorns in the land were there to discuss matters of international importance. Her sister Luna had broken off her nocturnal schedule to attend. My sister-in-law, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, was there. And I..." She hesitated.

Her friends gazed at her patiently, including Rainbow Dash, who had recovered from her breakdown long enough to stare calmly across the hall.

After a heavy breath, Twilight said, "Ever since I became an alicorn, I had a heavy question weighing on my mind, something that I wanted to speak with Princess Celestia about personally, something that had been... sh-shaking me to the core. I simply didn't have the courage to speak out loud about it. But now that I'm here, and having spent several days setting up this funeral—with such kind and patient ponies as yourself—well, it... it's still at the forefront of my mind, just as it was when I approached Princess Celestia after the first leg of our summit. I feel selfish just bringing the topic up, especially after spending so much effort to memorialize a sweet pony as Derpy... and I... I..."

Twilight fell silent.

Still hugging Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy allowed her eyes to dart about the room. She blinked, then spoke her thoughts out loud in Twilight's direction. "You wondered if becoming an alicorn would have an effect on your lifespan." She gazed at her with a soft expression. "You wanted to ask Celestia if your transformation means that you'll live forever."

Twilight bit her lip. She slowly, slowly nodded.

Rarity leaned forward. "Well? What did she say, darling?"

A tear rolled down Twilight's cheek as she replied, "She said she d-didn't know."

Silence.

Twilight sniffled and gazed towards the starlit windows. "She said that some alicorns live for hundreds of years... and some just for a few decades. It's as if there's... th-there's no written book on immortality. Celestia and Luna have both lived for thousands of years, but they've both had siblings, cousins, nephews and nieces who have lived barely a century, even less. Sometimes, it's almost as if it's a matter of a royal pony's willpower. Sometimes, there's no sense to it at all. She simply had no answer for me because there was no educated reason for her to."

Twilight's friends exchanged quiet, nervous gazes.

Twilight sat back on her haunches, trying to contain her sobs. "I... I couldn't settle for that. So, I did some reading. I mean... I should have been preparing exclusively for this funeral, but I-I wasn't! I was selfish! I was obsessed! I..." She winced, rubbing one forelimb with another as she muttered, "I read extensive tomes about Starswirl the Bearded overnight. I found out why it was that he never became an Alicorn. He had his opportunity to make new magic, to construct spells of his own. But he didn't. And it wasn't because he failed to master sorcery, it was because... b-because he realized that there was a cost to it. If he put his heart and mind into the act, he presumed that he would be transformed from a unicorn into an alicorn, and he might end up becoming immortal. So, for that reason, he stated in his writings that he forsook magic, bequeathed all his studies to Clover the Clever, and became a hermit for the rest of his life."

Twilight gazed up at her friends. She was stammering at this point.

"Don't you see?! It wasn't that he failed to find friendship to aid him in his magic! He simply gave up on the prospect altogether! He was an old, wise stallion, and he decided that he would rather live a short, bleak, and lonely mortal existence than to afford himself friends... and th-then outlive them, surviving on bitter memories and regret. It was not worth it for him. And... and..."

She allowed the tiara to fall to the ground as she buried her face in her hoof.

"I... I-I don't think think it's worth it for me either..." She sobbed in a wavering voice. "I-I don't think I have the power to go through with it. I love you all... I love you all from the b-bottom of my heart, but how could I possibly preserve your legacies forever? How could I memorialize each and every one of you for another hundred years... or five hundred... or five thousand? And all on my own?! It's... It's just not possible! I... I would rather die..." She clenched her jaw and nodded fervently. "Yes, I would rather end up like some of Luna's and Celestia's mortal relatives. I'd rather die than have to live an eternity without the ponies I love. It simply would be t-too much to bear..."

"No, Twilight," Spike's voice said. His hand picked up the tiara while the other gently caressed her fetlock. "You're wrong. What you have is a gift, and if it should come to something like that, it totally is not worth giving up."

"Spike..." Twilight fought back another wave of sobs as she gazed down at him. "I know you're only trying to make me feel better, but—"

"But nothing, Twilight," Spike said. His face was calm, peaceful. A gloss swam over his slitted eyes as he squeezed her forelimb and said. "I know what you're thinking. I even know how you feel, and I'm telling you that you mustn't give up hope. You have what it takes to not only carry the legacy of everypony you care for, but to do it willfully... and happily."

"But... but..."

"You say you may or may not be living for a long time?" Spike chuckled breathily. "Heh... That's not something easy to carry on your shoulders. But you have to realize..." He gulped. "I-I know for a fact that I'm going to be around for a long, long time after the rest of you aren't."

Twilight's face sank. She murmured, "Spike. It's... it's not—"

"Yes, Twilight. It is a fact, a fact that I have to live with." He turned about, shrugging at all the ponies staring his way. "There's no sense in hiding it, is there? I mean... I'm a dragon. Purple scales or not, I'm bound to live a very, very long time. Just what is it that the textbooks are saying these days? Five hundred years? Six hundred?"

Everypony was silent.

"But hey... I'm okay with it. And you know why?" He swiveled back to face Twilight. "It's not that I'm choosing to ignore it. Believe it or not, it's actually kind of the opposite." His fingers kneaded the contours of the tiara in his grasp as a soft smile came to his lips. "I wake up each day, and I'm happy. I've got friends. I've got crunchy gemstones to eat. I've got lots of busy stuff to do. And..." He chuckled breathily, his eyes watering. "I have the absolute best alicorn in the world looking after me. You've always been by my side." He gulped, then turned to gaze at the other ponies. "You all have been around to take care of me, to guide me with each step, to make me feel happy and safe and... and loved. So very much loved."

Twilight's lips pursed. Her shivers melted away as warmth returned to her eyes.

"These are, without a doubt, the very best years of my life," Spike said quietly. "And I will remember them for the rest of my days. Not just because I have to, but because I want to. And when I see you guys' children... and your children's children... and your children's children's children and so forth..." He leaned forward and placed the dark crown back on Twilight's head. "I'll tell them that I was there, livin' it real in the best age Equestria ever had..." He leaned back, hugging himself as a warm breath escaped his scaled snout. "And that there was a super awesome pony named Derpy Hooves. And when she died, it should have been a sad thing, but it wasn't! Y'know why? Because her passing away made us all realize that we had way more things to gain than we had to lose, 'cuz that's the very art of living, isn't it?"

For several seconds, Twilight gazed at Spike. At last she smiled, allowing a final tear to fall as she leaned down to nuzzle him. "I love you so much, Spike. You know that?"

"Yeah yeah..." He playfully shoved her back before waddling forward to accept her warm hug. "Would it kill ya to pick up after your books for once?"

She giggled, and her friends closed in to give echoes to the outburst. They all crowded in around Spike, then around each other, sharing a group hug with no end of tears and smiles. Somewhere in the midst of it, like a beacon breaking through a cloud, Rainbow Dash stood up straight and paced over towards Dinky on strong hooves. The pegasus knelt before the petite unicorn. After a deep breath, she spoke with a resolute gaze.

"I'm so, so sorry for what happened to your mother, kid," Rainbow Dash said. She fought back a sniffle in time to add, "I know I can't ever replace her. In fact, none of us can. But we feel totally responsible to you and your future, and I want you to know... we want you to know that you can depend on us. And when the day comes that we won't be strong enough to save you in every single situation, I promise that we'll have taught you to be strong enough for yourself, so you can pick yourself back up, and then pick up those around you, because that's what friends do for each other, no matter the time or the age or whatever."

"Everything we have at our disposal is yours, darling," Rarity said.

"Hospitality..." Applejack added with a tearful smile. "A family."

"A warm place to sleep," Fluttershy stated.

Twilight said, "Books to read."

"And Muffins a'plenty!" Pinkie pumped her hoof, generating a few tearfelt chuckles.

Dinky bit her lip. She seemed ready to protest, but instead gave a soft sigh and an even softer smile. "Well, if you guys really want to help me out." She squirmed, then said, "Mommy still has some chores for me to do around the house. So... uhm... would you like to come over?"

Twilight smiled, then patted Dinky's head. "Absolutely, Dinky. You can count on us. You can count on all of us."

"But I know how to count above five!"

"Snkkkt-Heeheehee!" Pinkie was the first to giggle-snort.

Dinky pouted. "What?"

Rarity and Fluttershy simultaneously swept Dinky alongside Spike into their group hug, and that was that.

Thursday Evening: In the Wake of a Wake

THURSDAY NIGHT – AFTER THE FUNERAL

Fluttershy hovered across the bookshelves along the walls to Derpy Hooves' parlor room. "You know, I do so very much enjoy some good old-fashioned house cleaning from time to time," she said in a pleasant tone. "Especially when my animal friends join me in the task. It's almost relaxing in a way." She hummed to herself as she began dusting one shelf after another with a white rag. "Anypony for a song?"

"Normally I would volunteer a ballad or two," Rarity said as she wiped the front window clean with a telekinetically floating rag. "But I fear that opening one's throat too wide in this circumstance would invite a great deal of dust into one's delicate trachea."

"Oh come on, Rarity," Rainbow Dash grunted from where she hovered beside a ceiling fan, using her forelimb brusquely to clear the filth from the top sides of the wooden blades. "I thought you wanted to practice generosity more!"

"I said I wanted to be generous, not foolish." Rarity said with a sly smirk in the starlight. "Besides, I'm getting the upstairs windows and the bathroom mirrors after this. Dinky deserves to look her best whenever she gazes at herself, or at the world in general."

Dinky stood in the center of the condominium, gawking at everypony. "I'm thankful that you all decided to help me get my chores done, but you didn't have to go overboard!"

"Say nothing of it, darling!" Rarity exclaimed. "We are determined to take care of you, after all. The same can be said of your possessions."

"Yeah!" Rainbow Dash glanced down from where she was currently inspecting the air conditioning grates. "They're all yours now! Well, according to your Mom's will, that is."

"Hey!" Pinkie Pie rushed in from the kitchen. "I found a bunch of rotten tomato and lettuce chunks in the refrigerator! Should I toss them out?"

"Did you have to reach down a narrow hole to grab them, Pinkie?" Rarity asked.

"Uhhhh... yes?"

"Oh, for goodness' sake..." Rarity sighed. "That's the garbage disposal, darling!"

"Oh!" Pinkie blinked, then smiled brightly. "Uhhhhhh... I knew that!" She spun about and bounced back towards the kitchen. "Guess I'll put them besides the frozen bag of peas I found in the microwave!"

Rarity shook her head with a smirk, then turned to face the other end of the room. "How are you holding up on your end, Applejack?"

"Rrgggh..." The farm filly frowned, wrestling with the twisted electrical cable of a twenty year old vacuum cleaner. "I'll be holdin' up a lot better once I find out where the guts of this infernal contraption go."

"Do forgive us, darling," Rarity said with a soft smile tossed in Dinky's direction. "We promised chivalry. Efficiency was not guaranteed."

"Heehee... it's okay, Lady Rarity!" Dinky said with a little bounce to her step. "I'm so glad that you've all come to keep me company! I could totally use your help! Mommy's gonna be so proud of the work done."

"Well, that's what we aim to do, Dinky," Fluttershy said a she moved on to another book shelf. "We shall make your mother proud..."

As she fluttered overhead, Twilight Sparkle turned, gazing towards her friends at all corners of the room with a soft smile. Flexing her wings, she levitated a scroll before her horn and drew a pen across its pale pages.

Dear Princess Celestia,

It is my sad duty to inform you that our town's local mailmare, Derpy Hooves, passed away last Monday from a terrible accident in Ghastly Gorge. We've since held a funeral in her honor, with over three hundred ponies in attendance. It was a very solemn occasion, and those who cared deeply for the late pony were able to pay their respects in turn. Derpy Hooves leaves a young foal, Dinky Hooves, whom my close friends and I have collectively decided to adopt, so that we can foster her into a better, safer, and more secure tomorrow.

Pinkie Pie snuggled up to Dinky on the parlor room couch. The older mare had an elaborate web of intertwining yarn wrapped about her forelimbs. Nudging Dinky, she licked her lips and attempted to pull off a fancy trip of stringwork... ultimately failing. As her face flexed in confusion, Dinky giggled, then yawned into the darkening shadows of night.

As unfortunate as the recent turn of events has been, I am actually feeling quite exultant. For in examining the life and death of Derpy Hooves, I've come to understand just how precious the lives of me and my friends are. It's come to my attention—as it has to all of theirs—that we've all been dealing with stresses, fears, and inner conflicts that were simply too dark to bear before one another. This, of course, was simply a foolish game of errors on our behalf, for we are actually bound by a blossoming friendship that has defined us for several seasons, and it is something that can only serve to liberate our hearts and minds in the years, decades, and lifetimes to come.

Rainbow Dash hovered before Applejack and Fluttershy at the bottom of the condo's stairs, sharing a brash tale about a mailmare's harrowing brush with a hydra along her delivery route. The pegasus made demonic sounds with her lips before charading a diving serpent head with her forelimb. With a dramatic sound effect of thunder, Rainbow slapped both of her hooves together and smiled, retelling the feat of Derpy's narrow escape. Fluttershy held a hoof over her shocked expression while Applejack whistled shrilly.

You may suspect that I've been experiencing a bit of inner turmoil since the last time we talked about my status as an alicorn, but—believe it or not—I'm doing much better now. Whatever my fate may be, I am fine with it. I really am. For it is more than death—or even immortality—that defines me, or all of us for that matter.

Rarity polished the upstairs window of Derpy's vanity clean. As she did so, she paused, lingering to gaze at a picture frame sitting atop the counter between two makeup cases. She smiled, holding the frame up to admire the image of a mare posing in a hospital bed along with her newborn foal. After a soft sigh, Rarity blinked her eyes dry and propped the image onto a higher shelf, making a mental note to buy the photo a silver-embossed frame.

It is love, Your Highness—it is love and adoration and trust that makes us who we are, that can perfect us into beings of true Harmony and prosperity. For friendship is more than magical, it is natural, it is what we are all born to do, even if our lives should end in a blink. I'm simply glad that we've had the opportunity to patch up the fine fissures that have existed beneath the happy surfaces of it all, so that we can emerge stronger, healthier, and better prepared for the future tragedies that—inevitably—fate will see it fit to fling our way. Strength comes from a great deal of crumbling, for it is what we build out of devastation that defines us. We must die and be reborn several times before we can face the final end, or at least embrace it with a modicum of serenity. For that reason, I am not ashamed to have brushed paths with desolation, for it is only there to mark the boundaries of all that is rich, righteous, and ripe.

Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash trotted into the parlor with a fresh batch of muffins. They passed it to Pinkie who cheered and grabbed two treats, passing one to Dinky who smiled with tired eyes before giving one of the muffins a little nibble. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash squatted down on the floor while Rarity and Applejack nestled themselves on the far end of the couch. Together, the mares joined Dinky in a cheerful conversation that lasted into the wee hours of the morning.

I mourn the death of Derpy Hooves, but I cherish her memories as well, for I know that—in some way or another—they will be our memories too, or else the image we have painted upon the canvas of this world along with her. At the end of time, all our patterns shall essentially become one, and I anticipate it being a beautiful landscape, a place where each of us will be—in some spectrum or another, with all elements in equilibrium.

Twilight rolled the scroll up, then tapped Spike's shoulder with it. The dragon whelp woke up with a start, blinking from where he had previously been slumped over the edge of a desktop before the front parlor windows. He looked at Twilight, then at the scroll. With an obedient nod of the head, Spike slid a seal over the scroll, inhaled deeply, then breathed a plume of teleporting flame over the letter, sending it off into the void. Twilight patted him on the head, then telekinetically carried his yawning figure over towards the darklit couch to join the other mares in their cozy conversation.

"'And I wish the best for you and your sister, and the days that you yourself have to live on this plane, for you do more than guard over equilibrium, but you add to the brushstrokes of harmony, with you life, with your love, and with your legacy. Sincerely, your student, Princess Twilight Sparkle.'"

Princess Celestia placed the scroll down on her alabaster desktop. The letter still fumed with the signature green trails of dragonbreath. Her mouth hung open as the regal alicorn attempted to process the information that she had just read.

As if sensing her deep contemplation, Princess Luna trotted into the room, levitating a saucer of steaming tea. "What troubles you, sister?" the Princess of the Night asked.

"I... I just received a letter from Twilight," Celestia softly replied. She swallowed and said, "There was a death recently in Ponyville. A most unlucky pegasus met her end, and through very tragic circumstances."

"Dare I ask who?"

"Derpy Hooves, a mailmare and single mother," Celestia answered.

"Derpy Hooves..." Luna slowly nodded in the soft candlelight of the royal quarters. "I do believe I am familiar with the pony in question. She suffers an affliction of the eyes, if I am not mistaken."

"Evidently that is no longer a concern," Celestia stated. She lifted the scroll and glanced at it once more. "According to Twilight, they just now held a funeral to memorialize her."

"May I ask how Derpy met her end?"

"It's quite horrible," Celestia said. "She perished violently in Ghastly Gorge."

"Oh, I very much doubt that," Luna said.

With her brow furrowed, Celestia turned around to squint at her sibling. "What makes you say that, dear sister?"

Luna stared at her, took a sip of her tea, swallowed, and said, "Unless you know of another pony on this earth who has dreamt about muffins for the past four consecutive nights in a row." With a swish of her effluent tail hairs, the Princess of the Night trotted away.

Celestia blinked. She glanced back down at the scroll, then stared off into the distance in thought. After a few moments, she rolled up the scroll, placed it down on her desk, and exited the room in a determined trot.

Exiting onto her balcony, Celestia gazed out upon the grand Equestrian Valley to the west. Ponyville slept in the distance, its houses twinkling like a bed of sleepy fireflies. The ruler of the land allowed her calm eyes to scan the horizon, traveling northeast until she spotted a very familiar dip in the landscape. Once her gaze was locked onto the ravine in question, she spread her wings, illuminated the tip of her horn, then disappeared in a bright flash of light.

With a crack of thunder, Princess Celestia materialized in the starry air above Ghastly Gorge. Wings spread, she glided down, descending onto the steep canyon with immaculate grace. The moonlight split as her figure pierced the shadows, landing with a quiet clap of gold-embossed hooves onto the stone floor of the trench.

Celestia's eyes narrowed. Beneath her, the splintery remnants of a storage container spread across the barren rock. The stone surfaces were stained bright red, with a few gray feathers still intact, fluttering from the occasional gust of air blowing down through the steep passage. Celestia bowed her head, aiming her horn at the immediate vicinity, performing a deep, magical scan of the stained rock and its cold gray surfaces.

From one of several deep holes behind her, a low growl emanated. With savage thrusts, three serpent heads surged out. The trio of quarry eels loomed above Celestia from all sides, drooling through fanged teeth.

Slowly, Celestia turned around, glaring silently at the creatures with hot, glowing eyes.

The massive eels blinked. They clamped their jaws shut and retreated into their holes with a demure whining noise.

Taking a deep breath, Celestia calmly turned back towards the scene of the mishap. Once again, she closed her eyes and concentrated, sending a charge of mana through her horn. After several bright flashes, she illuminated a translucent web of intertwining bands that hovered through the throat of narrow ravine.

Opening her eyes, Celestia studied each leyline with intense scrutiny. Her eyes wandered from one band to another, looking for the youngest and brightest beam. At last, she found one leyline in particular—a jagged line originating from the patch of stone that had been stained read. Aiming her horn towards it, she shot a bright light into the band, watching as it shot a spotlight into the sky that arched about and headed in a completely random direction.

Celestia's jaws clenched. Flapping her wings, she took up, followed the band for the better part of half a mile, then sped faster and faster until her entire body was a blur of bright light and feathers. Then—with a fountain of sparks—her body followed the leyline beyond the barrier between planes, and she vanished completely.

Thunder cracked.

Celestia stood on a mountain cliff overlooking a vast plain lit by emerald fire plumes.

Thunder cracked.

Celestia floated through a marsh with towering pale mushrooms.

Thunder cracked.

Celestia hovered before the sight of a giant pyramid surrounded by a crystalline forest.

Thunder cracked.

Celestia flew over a plane covered in brown grass with hovering chunks of earth.

Thunder cracked.

Celestia glided over craggy rocks caught aflame with jets of crimson plasma.

Thunder cracked...

"Nnnngh!"

Derpy Hooves perched on a floating chunk of rock. She was sweaty and covered from head to hoof with errant splotches of dust and soot. Her mailmare uniform had been reduced to a tattered blue robe barely hanging from her shoulders. All around her, giant hulking mountains floated like oversized pebbles amidst a sea of interwebbing effluent light bands. Lightning flickered in the distance, illuminating vast structures of polished silver and sapphire. However, Derpy wasn't marveling at the view, but instead was wrestling with the last few sparkling stones left inside her canvas sack.

"Come on, ya stubborn little spuds!" She grunted as she slapped the void rocks repeatedly against the nearest boulder in front of her. "Do your spud lightning! Potato launch me back!" She panted and hissed, slamming and knocking the rocks repeatedly, though no more flashes of aquamarine light were being produced. "Come on! Potato rocket Mommy back to her Muffin!"

After her last swing, a pulse of light finally exploded before her, but it wasn't from the void rocks.

"Ackies!" Derpy fell back on her rump, wincing. Her eyes rotated apart, swiveled back together, then slanted at startled forty-five degrees. "Your Highjesty! I-I mean..." She flung her exhausted body forward to bow at the last second. "Your Majness! Er..." She instead fell flat on her muzzle, going even more wall-eyed. "Ooof!"

Celestia landed, trotted around in a circle, then glanced down at the frazzled pegasus. A soft smile crossed her lips. "Derpy Hooves. In the flesh, I presume?"

"No, your royalette!" Derpy stood up and pointed at her canvas bag. "In the sack! I-I mean... the sparkly magic potato thingies were in the bag, but I'm afraid that now they... they're..." Just then, the poor abused pouch finally tore open, and the fragments of the void rocks poured out in a dusty heap. "Gaah!" Derpy gasped to the east and west at once. She dove down and attempted scooping the sediment into a magical little pile. "Oh no! No no no no! That was it! My last ticket home!"

"Your ticket home?" Celestia asked, cocking her head to the side. "What are you doing out here, Miss Hooves?"

"You don't understand!" Derpy started to hyperventilate. For once, her eyes almost rotated straight, only to have bulbs of moisture collecting along the edges. "I was just... I-I was just trying to get back home." She sniffled. "B-back home to my muffin. I haven't talked to her in three days. She hasn't used her sound stone. Maybe... maybe she's ashamed of her Mommy." A painful lump formed in the mailmare's throat as her lopsided eyes watered further. "I'm usually more punctual than this. I haven't been away from her this long before. Ohhhhh... I miss her so much... I miss my Muffin something awful, and now she must hate me—"

"Shhhhh..." Celestia reached a hoof forward and caressed the mare's dirty chin. She smiled angelically. "Be at ease, my little pony. There is no hate here. There will never be any hate wherever you happen to be. Of this, I'm most certain."

Derpy sniffled, raising her face towards the alicorn. "I just want to be where my Muffin is. That's all! It's been a long week and..." She tried straightening her blonde mane, only to fail. "I'm so tired. I want to hold her. I want to hold her t-tight and know that she is safe."

"She is safe. And you will be safe with her." Celestia caressed the pony's bangs before stepping back. "You both have many years left to share."

"You..." Derpy gulped and murmured, "You're certain of this, your Princessness?"

"Hmmm... Does it matter?" Celestia glanced at her sideways. "Share your love, share your feelings, and your days—nay, even your seconds—will turn into eons. I promise you this."

Derpy shuddered, but managed a weak smile. "Yes... Yes, I think I can do that."

"I know you can." Celestia leaned her horn forward, channeling a bright pulse of light through it. "Now, close your eyes."

Derpy obeyed, her body rocking tiredly as the alicorn administered her magic.

"This will only take a moment."

Lightning strobed, and Derpy was gone.

Celestia leaned back. She took a long, contemplative breath, then smiled by her lonesome. Turning about, the goddess stared into the infinite cosmos, marveling mutely at the queer voidscape's complexity.

"Hmmmm... I really must get out more."

She may or may not have chuckled. With a final crack of thunder, Celestia too was gone.

Light exploded in a halo, knocking back the grass blades of Derpy Hooves' front lawn. The mare in question landed softly, her head reeling in the starlight as she regained balance on Ponyvillean soil.

"Whew! That last step was a ticklish one. Heheh!"

She turned about, gazing at the moonswept front face of her condominium.

"Well, it certainly looks like my house."

She took a step forward, only to trip on a crack in the sidewalk and plunge forward.

"Ooof!" Her skull collided painfully with the doorframe. She leaned back, rubbing her muzzle with an aching grin. "Yup! Sure feels like my house too!"

Reaching into her jacket's one surviving pocket, Derpy pulled a housekey out and fit it into the lock, only to feel it give way instantly.

"Huh... It's open? Hello?!"

Derpy trotted limply into the front room. Her lopsided eyes rolled across the dim, candle-lit place.

"Hmmm... smells so clean in here. Looks so clean in here! Muffin? Muffffinnnn?"

One aching hoof after another, Derpy plodded towards the stairs. She squinted up towards the top steps, lingered, then took a sharp right. With hooves brushing over carpet, she strolled softly into the parlor. Her shadow swept over eight figures huddled across the room beneath warm blankets. Six mares, a dragon whelp, and a unicorn filly slumbered away.

Derpy blinked, her lips pursed with curiosity. Nevertheless, her rotating eyes locked on Dinky, and a deep smile came to her gray muzzle. As quietly as she could, she trotted over Twilight Sparkle cuddling with Spike, over Rarity and Fluttershy leaning against each other in their sleep, past a twitching Applejack and a snoring Rainbow Dash. She grasped Pinkie's forelimb and moved it from hanging protectively over Dinky's body. At last, the mother leaned in, nuzzling her filly closely before giving her a tender kiss on the cheek.

Almost at once, Dinky stirred. The foal gave a soft trilling sound, her amber eyes blinking thinly open. "Nnnnnn..." She rubbed her eye sockets with tiny little hooves and murmured, "Mom...? Mommy...?"

"Hello, my little Muffin," Derpy said in a soft breath. "Mommy's so sorry for being late."

"You..." Dinky yawned. "You're not mad at me?"

"Mad at you? What for, Muffin?"

"I..." Dinky twitched, biting her lip. "I broke the sound stone. I'm so sorry, Mommy. I wanted to talk to you so badly, but... but they said that you were dead, and I almost started to worry... m-maybe even believe them..."

"I'm alive as ever, Muffin." Derpy pulled the blanket back over Dinky's body before caressing her mane. "Mommy just went on a little adventure. That's all. And don't worry about the sound stone. Mommy will buy you a new one."

"So..." Dinky yawned and curled tighter into the couch beneath the blanket. "You're not mad at me?"

"Never, my Muffin." Derpy said with a soft smile. "I could never, ever be mad at you."

"I'm glad, Mommy..." Derpy glanced aside, fidgeting slightly at the sight of all the sleeping ponies inside their home. "They... uhm... they helped me with the chores. I hope you don't mind."

"Heehee. Not at all."

"They... uh..." Dinky gulped. "They all love you. They all love and care for you very much."

"Shhhh..." Derpy nuzzled Dinky's eyes shut as she caressed her to sleep. "Mommy knows, Muffin. Mommy knows."

"Hmmmmm..." Dinky fell into slumber, a smile plastered across her face.

Derpy stood up, stretching, cracking the joints in her neck. "Hmmm... I'm starving." She trotted past the group and into the kitchen. Opening the fridge, she squinted, squinted some more, then gasped. "Muffins?!" She pulled the tray out with a bright grin. "Wow! Somepony must have thought about me!"

And she took the most thankful bite of her adult life.

"Mmmmmf... It's good. So very good."

Author's Note

I'll just leave these here...