Don´t Forget

One year has passed since that Hearts and Hooves Day where they met, and six months since the night they declared their love. Shadow had to return to the city, his work was something that couldn´t wait, and despite the distance, their love kept growing up.

Every week, the beautiful blonde pony received a visit from Derpy, even the mare of curious eyes knew about the romance between the pegasus and the element of honesty. In fact, after the "You Found the Love Party" that Pinkie Pie organized after they told them to rest of the mane six, a nickname that he gave to his marefriend and to the rest of her friends, all Ponyville learned about it.

"And remember, soon, very soon, before the last leaf falls from the trees, I´ll be with you, I love you my sweet little apple" Applejack finished reading the letter.

"Awww, that´s so sweet." Derpy exclaimed.

"PS, I can´t wait to kiss...." Applejack's face turned scarlet, "I think, I´ll keep that to myself." She laughed nervously as she put the letter under her hat.

"Oh, I see." Derpy said raising her eyebrows several times.

"Derpy…  is not that sort of thing..." said Applejack even redder with embarrassment.

The mail mare laughed, "pair of lovebirds, ok, I gotta go, I´ll  deliver your letter with the rest of the mail early in the morning, is almost dusk and Whooves will get mad if I'm late for dinner again, also, today is our game night with Dinky and I wouldn´t miss it for anything."

Derpy said goodbye with a smile and flew away. Applejack stood in Sweet Apple Acres´s entrance watching the sunset. A light breeze came from the north taking with it several leaves from the trees. The harvest season had ended a couple of weeks ago and autumn had come to the farm and the rest of the village. For the Apple family was the time of the last effort of the season, they had to collect seeds for next year and also had to gather supplies for the winter, after that, it would be time for relaxation and peace, for the farm pony, just knowing that she would soon be in the Shadow´s arms made her very happy.

While she walked the path to the house, Winona came to her followed by her three cubs. They were born a month ago and had become the worship of everyone in the house. The CMC took them for long walks around the village and even to Zecora´s hut. They companied Big Mac in the barn or when he was plowing in the field. Granny Smith was always fighting with them, they stole her sandals or yarn and she was always yelling, but when they looked at her, her anger disappeared and she hugged and kissed each one.

Applejack loved to lie on the ground and watch them run and play around her, sometimes climbing up her body and taking her hat. Looking at them, Derpy's words filled her mind.

"It's our game night with Dinky."

She sat on the floor, looked at her belly and caressed it with her hoof.

"A baby... a little one to make my life even better..."

She whispered, a motherly smile spread across her face. That night, in her dreams, she was with Shadow, they were sitting on a park bench, she leaned against his chest and he stroked his face with the blond mane of his beloved, the sound of small hooves running towards them caught her attention, then, a tender and sweet voice called her, mom.

***---***---***

The city lights filled his senses. Canterlot had begun to show the first signs of the next Hearts Warming Day celebration and that feeling of cozy warmth filled the air. A cheerful group of three ponies laughed and joked as they walked the streets full of bustle. Shadow left them and entered a jewelry store. It had been a great day, the case against a Changeling for the alleged identity theft on a millionaire fraud had ended with the victory of the pegasus over on the plaintiffs after proving that the money had been deposited in an account at the Griffin´s Islands by the secretary of the boss and owner of the bank, who had used the condition of his friend to blame him for the fraud, but when she knew her boss had a second lover, she decided to betray him and say what had happened.

“You´ll pay for this Shadow, I swear to Celestia that you´ll regret this day.”

Those were the last words the boss bank told to the pegasus, he had received threats in the past, but he didn´t care, it was his job and he was damn good at it. Shadow saw the engagement rings with great interest; his friends came to him and began to mock about it.

"So, you finally decided to take the big step? That´s our stallion, we will have to prepare a super bachelor party for you."

A white earth pony took him by the neck and rubbed his mane vigorously. A blue coated unicorn approached him and hugged him tightly.

"Our little Duster has grown. Do you remember that little foal who jumped from the second floor of the school trying to fly?"

The three laughed at the memory, that day, Shadow ended with one of his wings broken and with several cuts on his face. His mother came to the school only to find him joking and laughing with her lifelong friends, Lazarus and Backdraft.

"The face of your mother when you say full of happiness, I flew mom, I really did it."

"I had never seen her so worried, when we got home, she burst out laughing till she cried. That afternoon, when my father came and saw me all bruised and bandaged my wing, he started laughing too, like father like son, was what she said while I told them how all had happened."

Shadow remembered with joy that day, but his laughter died shortly after, a sense of nostalgia filled his being.

"I miss them so much."

His friends understood instantly and left him alone. He continued looking at the rings and smiled at one with inlaid diamond, it was surmounted by an orange apple shaped jewel.

"That´s it, it´s perfect, I´ll take it with me."

The mare owner of the jewelry nodded with a smile and prepared a packaging for the delicate piece. Duster paid and put it inside his saddlebag. While waiting for note, a black coated unicorn that covered his face with a hat entered the jewelry and stood behind him.

"Lawyer Shadow?"

"Yeah, that's me."

The pegasus turned around to see him, the only thing he managed to see, was to the unicorn charging his horn and attack him several bursts of magic. The sensation of burning embers made him scream in pain and the force of the impact smashed him into the shop counter shattering it. Shadow fell slowly to the ground, blood flowing from his wounds staining his gray fur. Time seemed to stop, he saw his friends and he could swear they shouted his name, but he only heard a deafening and sharp sound. The last thing he saw was to the unicorn charging his horn again, his friend getting closer at full gallop.

"Applejack."

Was the last thing he thought about, after that, all became black for him.

***---***---***

The Apple family was having dinner when the phone rang in the room, Applejack got up to answer.

"Apple family house, good night... yes, she talks... what?"

Those deep green eyes of the earth mare were filled with tears in just a moment.

"No... it must be a mistake... please, tell me it isn´t true..."

She said with quivering voice, in that moment, Applejack lost all her strength; she fainted and fell to the ground. Big Mac got up immediately and ran to his sister,

"C´mon AJ, wake up." he pleaded.

Apple Bloom was speechless and looked at Granny Smith walking up the phone, listen carefully and hang moments later, enduring her own tears, she broke the news to the rest of Apple family.