Letters He Will Never Read

Chapters

The Mane Six
Octavia, The Great and Powerful Trixie and Lyra Heartstrings
Nurse Redheart
Princess Cadance

The Mane Six

Author's Note

The Following is a collection of One post Snippets from 4chan. If you would like something with more depth, please skip to the next stories.

The Mane Six

Fluttershy

Dear Anon... It's lonely around here ever since you left. I miss your beautiful stories. The world doesn't seem as vibrant since Twilight helped you return to your own world. I know you didn't really like me... but I don't know how I could have put my feelings for you into words. Then when I tried... I used the worst ones possible. I would do anything to take back the words I said... I miss you so much, it hurts sometimes...

Please come back,

Fluttershy

Fluttershy folds the note and places it in a little envelope and looks down at the page, as another tear rolls down onto the desk. With a sigh, she opens the desk drawer and places it on top of a large stack of signed envelopes. Just another note that he will never read...

Applejack

Applejack sits at her kitchen table by candlelight. Applebloom was tucked into bed and Granny fell asleep in her rocker again. Big Mac finally went to bed, and the two apple have to get up extra early tomorrow. She sighs and looks at the blank page before her.

Picking up the rarely used quill and old ink, she begins to scribble onto the paper.

Things have been hard around the farm lately, Anon. Without someone else helping Big Mac and I...

She stops and scribbles out the above message.

Dear Anon,

Another scratch out. She balls up the paper and tosses it across the room.

Howdy, Anon. Great news! The farm is better than ever since you left. We have such high demand that Big Mac and I can't keep up with it all. We can't thank you enough for what you've done to help our family while you were here in Equestria...

She stops and looks over her message that will never be sent.

Although... it is quiet around without you here... I miss when we would work so late that you would stay for dinner. I always offered that you could stay the night... but you would always head home. I suppose if we didn't waste so much time talking in the fields, it wouldn't have happened.

Applejack remains transfixed on the paper in front of her.

I hate how quiet it is here. Things aren't the same... sure, business is booming. I can't complain... but you would always know how to make me laugh... make me smile...

Applejack sighs and sits back up, looking over her message.

It's too quiet. I …

She leans back up as she wonders what the next word she would put is. Thoughts of him flood her mind. She closes her eyes and a single tear leaks out.

"Ah knew this was a dumb idea," she whispers to herself.

She balls up the note and tosses it in the trash. She has to be up early tomorrow. No time for dwelling on the past. The farm comes first.

Rainbow Dash

"Twenty-Five... Twenty-Six..." Rainbow Dash gasps for breath as she performs her routine wing pushups. "Twenty-Eight... Twenty-Nine..."

She promised herself she would write the letter first thing this morning. "Thirty-One... Thirty.. Two..." She gasps for breath. First thing this morning used to be right after dinner last night. Then before work the day before that.

"Thirty..... Three..." Now it's right after this work out. The third workout. She collapses to the ground, groaning. "What am I even going to say?" she moans to herself. Rising to her hooves, she moves to her desk which holds a simple piece of paper, a quill, and ink. 'No more avoiding it now,' She thought to herself.

"Hey Anon! How's it going over on Earth? Things are boring as ever over here. Except for me! I'm still as awesome as ever!"

'Yeah.. Yeah. That's good. He'd like that,' she thought to herself.

"I've been working out even more now, trying to increase my times and be better than ever. I even managed to break my old record last week!"

A smile curls on Rainbow's face as a small pain raises in her chest.

"I wish you were there to see it..."

Her posture slowly diminishes.

"I know exactly what you would have said. You would have said 'Great. Now do it better.' So.. That's what I'm trying to do..."

Rainbow's eyes grow sullen and she sighs to herself.

"It's just harder without my best workout buddy around. I miss you. I missed when we would hang out and play games together. You would even promise not to tell anypony when I lost."

Rainbow closes her eyes as her thoughts spill onto the page and her handwriting becomes sloppy.

"Of all the things I could have lost... I wish it wasn't you."

Rainbow looks down at her parchment and tears form in her eyes. Walking away from her desk, she slides into bed and grabs one of her extra pillows. Holding it tightly, she closes her eyes... hoping nopony will hear her.

Pinkie Pie

Pinkie Pie stands at the cash register, idly pushing buttons in a pattern that sounds like some happy song. She had to do everything she could not to be bored out of her mind when tending to the bakery when it was slow. Once she was completed with her best rendition of 'Happy Birthday' for the 37th time, complete with Enter key Solo, she face planted into the glass case.

Wait-a-minute.

She just remembered that Twilight said she should do those letters to Nonny. That would be a great way to pass the time. Grabbing an order form from behind the counter, she flips it to the blank side and grabs a pencil. Setting pencil to paper, a great idea pops into her head.

What would be better than a picture?! Pinkie leans over the picture and thinks to herself what the picture should be. Well, Nonny's 'Welcome to Ponyville' party would be great! There were lots of memorable events! There was when Nonny cut the cake... When Nonny was wondering if Pin the Tail on the Pony was some sort of weird joke.

Silly Anon.

Pinkie smiles to herself and places her head in her hooves. Or what about his birthday? He was so weird. He didn't want a big party like the other ponies. He was so surprised when Pinkie knew his birthday... since he hadn't told anypony. Nonny simply underestimated the power of the Pinkie sense.

Then... when she was busy with the shop during the cake competition... he brought her a cupcake that he made himself. How could she have forgotten her -own- birthday?

For a second time?!

She can still remember the way that cupcake tasted. A smile remained firmly planted on Pinkie's face.

But he's gone. Forever. With a sigh, Pinkie places the pencil to paper.

Dear Nonny. It's not fair. I can make everypony in town smile so easily... but the only one who could make me smile just as wide... was you. If you come back... please bring my smile back too...

Please.

Twilight Sparkle

It's been two weeks. She'd re-read the spell more times than she could count. That shouldn't have happened. This was going to be so simple. Everypony could go and see Anon's world after he came back from the other side of the portal. So she waited.

And waited.

Her horn grew tired, but she waited. The concentration was failing, but she waited.

The very bones she stood on felt as if they were contorting and cracking while she attempted to utilize every ounce of magic in her body... but she never anticipated waiting for four hours.

If Twilight knew that would have been the last she would have seen Anon... she would have never done it. Her new routine was miserable. Wake up, read the spell, open the portal. Then after lunch, re-read the spell, open the portal. Then before bed, re-read the spell three times, then double check, then open the portal.

He can't be gone.

Twilight told the others that it was just a one-way portal. It was going to be a surprise that we could all see him. Once he didn't come back... Twilight paced in her room as she tried to keep her cool. When was she going to tell everyone the full truth? That she didn't know if Anon is okay?

He has to be okay. He just... couldn't come back. Maybe the portal wasn't on the other side? Maybe the coordinates are random... or are too hard to-

Twilight shakes her head. She had recasted it the same way a million times.

She looks at a piece of parchment sitting on the her study table. It's working for everypony else. Maybe it would be good for her as well. Taking a deep breath, she raises the quill with her magic and places it to the paper.

Dear Anon,

She freezes.

I practiced this spell a million times... Celestia said if you love something, you should let it go...

Twilight shakes her head and takes a deep breath, starting a new sheet of paper.

Dear Anon, Please come back soon.

She pauses.

I'm so sorry.

Twilight sighs and closes here eyes, tearing herself away from her letter. 'Better try the portal again,' she thought to herself.

Rarity

"Goodbye, Sweetie Belle!" Rarity calls after her sister as the little one scampers off to school.

It's about that time. Time to make the dresses. The white unicorn sighed to herself as the door closed and the bell jingled loudly. She had to make one today. The last few weeks of artist's block took their toll. Nothing has came out right. She could only live on selling her surplus dresses for so long...

Rarity walked upstairs to her work room, where materials were overlaying other swatches, in some attempt to spark inspiration. Making the dresses was never the problem. She could make dozens of dresses a day if she wanted, but each needed their own specific personality. They needed to speak to their wearer.

There never used to be a problem with it... until he came in.

Anon took one look at a dress she spent all day on and simply said 'Try green.' It was genius. So, she asked... well, insisted, that he come to the shop after to work and help her figure out what each of the dresses needed to really shine.

Then... he just left.

He didn't even get to see what she made for him as a good bye present. A thank you for the long nights helping her. A thanks for when he would tuck her in when she fell asleep working. And...

Rarity sighs as she approaches the suit hanging in the center of the room. A simple black suit, with a vibrant red tie that radiated like dragon's fire. He never get to see it.

Rarity moves to her workbench and sits in front of her sketch pad. The others said that writing the letters helped. Maybe it was finally her time to try it.

Dear Anon,

How are things on Earth? What's the fashion like over there, Darling? If you have any ideas you simply must send them to me, posthaste...

A smile curls on her lips as she writes more.

If you are wearing purple, I swear I will burn all the clothes you have over there... besides... I think you would look stunning in...

She pauses, and looks at her creation in the center of the room. To her, the room suddenly feels much colder. Rarity's muscles relax as if they have simply given up.

I miss our late night work sessions. If I knew that you wouldn't come back... I would have pretended to fall asleep one last time...

Maybe I would have worked up the courage to have taken that kiss from you...

Tears drip from her eyes, smearing the ink and mixing it with fresh mascara.

You made the world feel beautiful.

It looks like it will be another unproductive day.

Octavia, The Great and Powerful Trixie and Lyra Heartstrings

Octavia

Wrong.

It all sounds wrong.

If she wasn't strictly disciplined as a filly, she might have lost her composure and snapped her bow. Octavia sat in her music room, late into the evening and on her third... no, fourth coffee now. It had to be perfect.

The funny thing about being a musician, is that you learn not to question why inspiration strikes, you simply follow where it leads. It started one day as she was playing in the market. Anon, the human in town, sat in a nearby seat as Octavia played. He clapped after every song. She had to admit that she liked it. Around sundown, she realized that he was the only one still listening. So he introduced himself, formally anyway. He asked if he could watch her play again. Of course she said yes.

He came to every concert. He drank in every solo. He even went to watch her practice sometimes. Anon said that, when Octavia played, she showed a deeper part of herself that wanted to be released... something that she wasn't able to simply say with words.

That was the moment... she felt something leap inside of her. An inspiration that needed to be released onto the page. So she worked, into the night, and practiced... and practiced.

When she went to his home... he wasn't there. So she tried the next day. Then the next day. After a week, she needed to know. After reaching his friend, Twilight, that's when Octavia learned the truth. She was crushed.

Since then, the song never sounded quite right. It was too happy. Too melodic. Too... romantic.

As she marked a flat on the final note of the last measure... she nods her head. Pulling out another sheet of paper she scribbles a note on the front.

A Song for Anon. This is what, I consider, my greatest accomplishment. After weeks of fine tuning, hard work, and perseverance... it's complete.

I only wish you could hear it.

A few small tears drip onto the page as she takes the collection of sheet music and places it into a drawer, and locks it tight. Away from the world. She will never play it... unless Anon get's to hear it first.

Nurse Redheart

There are three types of workers in this world. Employees who do what they are told, when they are told, but not much more. Then there are the ones who do more than the average, in hopes of being recognized for their hard work. Lastly... there's her.

8:00am - Foal birth

9:00am - Surgery assistance

10:00am - Check up on her floor of patients.

11:00am - Fill paperwork while drinking her third cup of coffee. Then maybe, she can sleep over her lunch hour before continuing onto the remaining 16 hours of her shift.

She didn't have to pull an unpaid all-nighter, but one of the new nurses didn't come in... and it's not like there was anything waiting for her at home. The words singed her, but just like every other patient, she had to brush it off. He's gone. Just like another patient leaving a room. Nurse Redheart's eyes were heavy as she attempts to focus her mind on the paperwork in front of her. Don't think about it. Stay professional.

For some ponies, their jobs are their lives. Take the sweet pony over at Apple Acres. She goes and breaks her hoof and first thing she asks is when she could go back to work. After Redheart told her two weeks, you find her back in a week and a half, with a worsened injury.

Hospitals are loud, fast, and most of all busy. You never have a spare moment to think about anything else, because when you are in a patient's room, it's all about them. When you are in surgery, there is nothing else but the end goal. When you are birthing the foal, every single part of the procedure must be perfect.

If there was one thing that Redheart excelled at, it was doing her job perfectly. Since she did it so perfectly, she got more hours. With more hours came more responsibilities. Responsibility brought more work. More work meant working more hours... and the cycle continued.

She hadn't cleaned her apartment in weeks. In fact, she could tell you the status of ten patients more accurately than what was currently sitting in her fridge. That wasn't spoiled already. Nurse Redheart's job and her life were one of the same.

That was... until she met a patient she will never forget. He wasn't a pony like the majority of her other patients. Her procedures were stuck in her head. Griffons need extra protein. Minotaurs needs simpler terms. Always check for changeling magic.

However, when she was entrusted the care of this patient, she was at a loss for what to do. The patient was just shy of six foot and male. He spoke completely fluently and had a very positive attitude. That was all Redheart could ask of a patient. Nothing was worse than a fussy sick pony.

However, this was far from a pony. This... thing, seemed to be almost like a monkey. A hew-man, he called himself. But Nurse Redheart knew that names didn't make a difference, they were all patients to her. He just had some simple broken bones that the hospital wanted him to stay for a few nights to get settled and to study his... odd physique.

She introduced herself politely and he responded in kind. As she gave him question after question about his medical history, he thought it would be fun if they went 'quid-pro-quo' as he said it. Nurse Redheart was confused, but shrugged it off as he claimed he forgot his humor doesn't always work here.

He just wanted to ask a question for every time she asked a question. "Do you know what your Blood Type is, Mr. Anonymous?"

"Type A. Why did you decide to become a nurse?"

"I specialize in helping people get better. What is your average dietary requirements?"

And so it went on, hour after hour as Nurse Redheart filled out her chart, documenting for the hospital what to do in the event of another hew-man. However, his questions seemed to get... weirder and weirder to the white pearl pony.

"I don't think I have any weird organs that you need to know about. Should be pretty normal. I think. So, what do you do in your free time?" he asked.

Redheart was taken aback and looked up from her chart, her focused attention finally broken. The idle questions about her profession and what she did around the hospital made sense to her. It was the patient's attempt at getting to know the nurse's qualifications better for their own peace of mind. She guessed that when he asked about her favorite color, or what her favorite season of the year was, that he ran out of questions.

"Uhm. Excuse me?"

"What do you do for fun? You know? I'm sure you don't spend all your time in the hospital," Anon asked curiously.

Redheart fumbled with her pen. "Uhm. I do. I spend all my time at the hospital, really. Have you had your teeth regularly inspected or do they need sharpening?"

"No sharpening... but I'm sure I could floss more," Anon paused, redoubling on his question. "You really don't take any time for yourself?"

"I already answered that one," She stated flatly, looking back to her endless list of questions.

"What about just... Standing outside and looking at the sky? Feeling the softness of the green grass... or-"

"My main concern is the health and well-being of my patients, Anonymous," she answered, flustered.

"Alright... sorry."

Why were his words so haunting? The rest of the day as Redheart did her rounds, she couldn't help but feel... empty. As if with a simple question, Anonymous had taken a part of her away and kept it with him. She did things. Yeah! She did all kinds of things! Like... read books! Medical books... At work. Well, she also enjoyed naps! In the rest area... Between shifts.

Oh for Celestia's sake, who was she kidding? She did absolutely nothing other than work at the hospital. Her life was consumed by it. And it made her happy.

But why did she feel so... empty and unfulfilled now. A sense of dread sat in the pit of her stomach and refused to tear itself away. She found herself having to re-read the same few sentences several times just to glean a sense of meaning from it.

She grabbed the hew-man's clipboard and stomped into his room.

"Checkup already?"he asked.

Redheart gently closed the door behind her and walked up to the bed reviewing some of the information being read on the monitors.

"Quiet this time," Anonymous answered. "Alright. I get it. I went too far. I'm-"

"I do all sorts of things," Redheart interrupted him. Anonymous was quiet and watched the nurse as her eyes darted from the paperwork to him. "Are you feeling any discomfort?" Redheart asked in a business tone.

"Nope. Without looking at the window, what color is the sky right now?" Anon asked.

Redheart looked at Anon hard and tried not to look out the corner of her eye.

“Blue. That's a silly question. Why would-" she pauses as she looks at the window.

Through the window of Anonymous's room, a wide variety of reds, oranges and yellows painted the sky a vivid, detailed landscape, dotted with trees, small homes and young playing fillies.

"You're right. It is silly. Isn't it?" Anonymous says. The Nurse looks from the window, down to the human.

"What are you trying to prove?" Redheart says to Anonymous angrily. "I'm an extremely happy mare." Anonymous looks up at his nurse and stares blankly. "I'm respected by all my peers... I'm considered one of the top authorities in this hospital..." she lists. The mare begins pacing beside the bed. "I save -lives- on a daily basis."

"I never said you weren't happy," Anon explains.

"Then what are you trying to do?!" Redheart exclaims.

"Make you smile," Anon answers calmly. The nurse's face blushed and she took a few steps away, nearly dropping the clipbook on the floor.

"You haven't smiled once since you came into my little room and... well, I don't like that. You should be happy. Just like all the other ponies here," he said.

Happy. Psh. She was plenty happy. Look at all the lives she was changing. Look at all the great work she was accomplishing. How could somepony who has done so much for her community, not be happy? So it continued into the next day. She would check up on him. He would ask her questions. She would respond in terse, short answers. Halfway into the second day, he gave up. He must have thought, what was the point? If she wasn't going to talk to him, it might as well be silent.

However, this didn't have the effect Redheart wanted. She thought she wanted him to be quiet. Instead, the quiet room ate at her and she found herself lingering, hoping he would say something. Anything.

Late into the second evening, Redheart steps into Anonymous's room with a clipboard and pen, ready to take his readings. He stares out blankly at his window, with the shades wide open, by his request.

"I'm here to take your vitals, Anonymous."

He was silent as she moves across the room and takes notes on his cast and the amount of swelling. She casts occasional glances at him, but remains professional.

"It looks like the swelling is going down."

He grunts in affirmation. Redheart looks back down to her clipboard, feeling defeated. What was she doing? She was getting too attached to this patient. This is wrong.

"Sixteen Hours," he says, breaking the awkward silence. She looks up at him, curiously. "I've been awake almost all day, and you've came to check on me sixteen times, once every hour," He says. "When did you get off work?"

Nurse Redheart thinks to herself carefully. "Uhm. Two... I think. Yes. Two hours ago."

Anonymous leans up and looks at his nurse dead in the eyes. "Go home, hon. Get some sleep."

“B-but-"

"You're a big girl, and I can't force you, but as a friend. Go home. Sleep. Do you work tomorrow?"

Redheart looks across the room as she thinks to herself. What WAS her schedule?

"I'm officially off for it..."

"Then I don't want to see you here tomorrow... got it?" he asked. She simply looked at him, mouth open and half shocked. "Got it?"

"Listen mister, I'm the nurse and what I say goes." She said to herself, as she sat at her kitchen table of her dusty apartment. It was such a simple phrase and well practiced by her. Why couldn't she say no? Idly munching on a bowl of stale oats from the cabinet, she ditched the hospital garb for a simple light-blue sweater. What was she going to do today? Nothing really stood out in her mind. Her thoughts drifted back to the hospital, but always rested on Anonymous. Well, he preferred, Anon. What was it that he suggested on the first day he arrived?

"Knock, Knock."

Anon turns his head from the table towards the door. "I thought I said I didn't want to see you in here today?" he said.

"Well, I'm not here for work, so I don't think it quite counts," Redheart replied, strolling into his room.

"Also, aren't visiting hours over?" he asked.

"Yes... but, medical personnel are able to come in whenever we want."

"Oooh," Anon said in a fake tone of shock. "We have a rules breaker on our hands." Redheart smiled and sat in a chair beside his bed. "Now that's something I've been waiting to see..." Anon said softly to his guest. "What gives me the pleaure of seeing Nurse Red-"

"Red... is fine, Anon," Redheart corrects him.

"Red?" Anon asks. "Hmm. I like Little Red more."

"Hey! Don't push your luck..." Redheart snaps.

"Alright, alright... I get it, but what made you smile?" he asked.

She looks up at the ceiling and thinks to herself. "Well, I started by going for a walk outside. I walked in the grass and felt it's soft blades under my hooves. I felt the rejuvenating winds breeze across my face and fill my lungs with fresh air. I had a fresh apple from the local Apple Orchard.” Anon smiled and listened to Red's every word and she told him her day. "I helped some fillies play jump rope... you should have heard their giggles. Such little angels. Then I smelled some roses in the park..."

"It sounds like a relaxing day," Anon observes.

"Yeah. Yeah it was," she answered.

"What was the best part?" he asked.

Nurse Redheart stares over her stack of unfilled out paperwork and sighed to herself, idly signing a prescription for rooms 302 and 401. She remembers clearly what she wanted to say. It would have been so easy. So simple.

"Being able to see you."

But those words choked on the back of her throat. And now she sat here, in the dark of the night in the hospital, doing the night shift. He's gone. His friends went and made some sort of portal to send him back to his world. She still went to see him before he left... and the two of them went on a walk.

Part of what was so great about it was that it was so... easy. Nothing was planned. No sudden surprises. It was all just so... relaxing. Being with him filled the little hole of herself that was missing.

And now he's gone.

She did her best not to quiver or feel overwhelmed at work... but it felt to her like her rock was gone. Just to hear his voice...

Resting her face on a hoof, she twirls a pen and eyes an empty sheet of paper. Twilight told her that Anon's other friends were writing him letters for him... in case they find a way to get in contact with him. Maybe she should write one too... What could it hurt? Redheart's heart leapt in her throat as she grabbed her pen for prescriptions and began to scribble a letter in her best handwriting.

Dear Anon,

How is life back on Earth? Things sure aren't quite the same around here anymore. The hospital has been low on help the last few weeks, so I've been filling in to pick up the slack.

With a sigh, Red looks over what she had written so far. Pressing to paper again, she continues.

I've been taking your advice and made sure I have a little time to myself every day just to meditate. I've began eating a lunch during my lunch hours. Hopefully this won't mean I'll gain weight. Although, you probably wouldn't tell me if I did or not.

She smiles to herself as she reviews the last few lines. Shaking to her head she scribbles out the last bit about eating.

I can't thank you enough for teaching me how to live a happier life... everything just seems so much better now...

Redheart looks back down at the paper and stares at her words. Are they really the truth? Sure, things were easier after he taught you how to take time for yourself, but not since he left. Things have been harder than ever. Plus, you've kicked yourself every day for not telling him...

She looks down at the paper in front of her.

The only thing that would make it better if you were here to enjoy it with me... I miss you. I miss you like a filly misses her stuffed animal on a dark and cold night.

Tears well up in the Nurse's eyes.

When you left... it felt like you took a part of me with you. I can't sleep. I can't eat. Everything just seems so... pointless.

She looks down at the paper and reads the last sentence. Pointless? Where did that come from?

A tear drips from her eye onto the parchment as she scribbles out the last line. The one thing that anchored her to Equestria and really helped you keep her cool was miles upon miles away. Vanished without a trace. How is she supposed to do her work now? Everything was too hectic, too overwhelming. She just wanted to be in a nice comfy sweater, curled up next to him by a warm fire But here she is... taking readings and saving lives. This used to make her happy. The widely respected and revered Nurse Redheart.

Yet, she feels more empty and unfulfilled than ever before. She would do anything to just see him again... talk to him.

I hope that where ever you are, if you place your feet onto the soft blades of grass, or feel the wind breeze through your hair... maybe you will think of me.

Red reads over her note again, sniffing in attempt to recompose herself. Folding the letter and placing it in her take home bag, she rises from her seat to dry her eyes. As she does, as small slip of paper falls from the desk onto the floor. Picking it up, she reviews it. It's an unfilled, signed prescription for anti-depressants. Red examines the paper closely. Pointless. Everything felt pointless. Is... is that healthy?

Just a single signature would do it. She has the authority to do it. She knows what the signs of depression are. She's written them for the lazier doctors who didn't want to do their paperwork before. Nopony would say a thing. Her eyes travel from the note, to the take home bag.

What would Anon say?

Tearing the note in two, she tosses the paper in the trash, and grabs her paperwork. There are three types of people in this world. Employees who do what they are told, when they are told, but not much more. Then there are the ones who do more than the average, in hopes of being recognized for their hard work. Lastly... there's people like her.

Doing everything she can just to look like she has a smile on the outside.

Princess Cadance

The two ponies lie in the same bed, backs to each other, silent. Gazing into their own separate corners of their room. Their own private arena. There wasn't any words to be said anymore. She had to stay strong. She couldn't show him how his words stung her. Yet... they always did.

Marriage is one of the most deceptive lies possible. Two people who are passionately in love for a long time see it as the next logical step. Those two couldn't possibly see life with any one else. So it only seemed natural that they spend the rest of their life with that one person. However, time changes things slowly and sometimes invisibly. Take for instance, a bike, sitting in the back of a junk yard. If you give it enough time, the elements will slowly do their work and erode the metal frame to a shadow of it's former self.

Every morning it was the same for Princess Cadance. She would get out of bed, do her mane, put on makeup, then brush her teeth. Then she would look in the mirror and wonder to herself... where she went wrong? When did it all change? How could everything have gone so wrong?

There was only one event that stuck out in her mind. It was the dawn of the Equestria Games. Over the last week, Twilight had been sending several letters to her, talking about how she was excited to introduce the Princess to her new friend. It didn't take much for the Princess of Love to see through her sister-in-law's letter. Twilight had a massive crush on this hew-man that she kept talking about. It was in the paragraphs about him that Twilight's extensive vocabulary became apparent as she described him in delicate, passionate terms. Her handwriting was long and flowing as she wrote, as if the young Alicorn was imagining her crush as she wrote the letter.

Cadance could only smile to herself as she remembered how young Twilight would always try to put her and Shining on "play-dates" when she was just a little filly. Little Twilight couldn't have possibly known that her babysitter had a silent crush on her older brother, but it was from these play-dates that Shining slipped that he thought Cadance was pretty. The resulting blush on the babysitter's face matched the shade of a freshly picked tomato, as she looked away from him.

She was speechless from his words... little did she know he was hoping to hear at least some sort of reply. Shining was never good at picking up social cues or the feelings of the other ponies around him. So while most stallions would have taken Cadance's reaction as a slam dunk, he kicked himself for putting himself out there... only to be shot down.

Two weeks passed from that day, with the teen Shining avoiding the popular Princess. He tried to keep his disappointment hidden from everyone around him. However, his parents had other plans. Specifically plans to go out for the night. Which meant Twilight needed a babysitter.

Cadance sheepishly walked into the Sparkle home... but was silently hoping to see the stallion she hadn't seen in the halls for two weeks. Her heart fluttered at a million miles a minute. She knew he thought she was pretty... but he didn't do anything else... Was he just saying that for his sister?

The questions burned in the teen filly's mind. As Twilight read a book, Cadance moved upstairs to where the bedrooms were. Right beside Twilight's room, was a closed door with insignias of several Canterlot sports teams. Cadance walked up to the door, but paused. Was she being too direct? Was she letting her mind get the better of her? Her muscles tightened and tightened.

She couldn't do it. This was a terrible idea. She turned to leave, but tripped, slamming her face directly into the door.

Door – 1, Cadance's Face – 0.

She yelped in pain, holding her hooves on her nose. Now she did it, now she looked like a complete fool. She remembered feeling as if she could just die at that very moment, that it would have been better than if Shining came out.

But he did.

Shining opened the door and saw the alicorn, on the ground, covering her nose, muttering 'Ow' over and over again. He helped her into his room and sat her on his bed swiftly, and without a second thought. Cadance's mind went numb as she looked around his room.

"Stay right here, I'll get an ice pack," he said.

Cadance nodded quietly and watched as he galloped out of the room. She looked over his room and saw various books about sports history, pictures of the royal guard... several makeshift weapons and homemade sets of armor. A book sat on the edge of the bed, which seemed to be a book on requirements for joining the royal guard.

He returned to the room quickly as she looked over his room.

"Here... this should help," he said, extending the bag of ice with his hoof.

"Thanks," Cadance answered, taking it and pressing it against her nose.

Shining sat at the edge of the bed and looked away. The air became tense as the two teenagers sat beside each other, alone. Cadance wanted to say something... anything, but her throat seized. However, her limbs held fast. There was no other place that she would rather be than right beside him.

"Hey... um," Shining began, trying to spit out words he clearly practiced in a mirror. "I'm sorry for being so weird a few weeks ago."

"What do you mean?" Cadance replied, just happy to be talking to him.

"Well, um. I said you were pretty... and I guess you didn't like it... and I just wanted to say Sorry I guess."

Cadance smiled and felt that warmth fill her soul again. She tried to work up the right words to say... but nothing seemed be perfect enough.

"This sounded a lot better in my head," Shining said. "Now I'm just making it worse." Shining rose from the bed and sat in the corner of the room, away from her. "You should probably be looking after Twily. Sorry I said anything..." he said sorrowfully.

Cadance was perplexed. He was right, she probably should get back to the star filly that would love nothing more than to spend hours on end, sitting in a chair, reading a book, doing nothing.

She rose from his bed and took another look around before taking a few steps towards the door. Yet, she couldn't bring herself to leave. It was now or never. She wanted what she came for.

The princess turned and walked towards the young stallion, staring into the corner of the room. She unfurled her wings and wrapped her hooves and wings around him from behind.

"I like you too," she whispered into his ear.

If it weren't for Twilight, she and Shining wouldn't have probably ever have been a couple... let alone stay a couple for so long. Maybe it was her time to help out Twilight. She is the Princess of Love after all. Nobody should know love better than her. That's why she found it so early in her life. It all made sense.

Now it was time for her and Shining to return the favor for their favorite sister-in-law. Yes, that was when it all started. It began with a lunch.

Shining wasn't able to join, the Equestria Games needed his attention. Twilight sat on one-side of the table, while she sat on the other.

"Well... when is your coltfriend coming, Twilight?" Cadance teased.

"Shhh. He's not my coltfriend," Twilight blushed, looking around to ensure nopony overheard the Princess.

"But you want him to be," She continued to rib.

"Shhhhh!" the younger of the two princesses insisted.

Cadance giggled to herself. It was just too priceless to see young love budding. Twilight clearly had it bad for this hew-man. Who was she to judge? She would have to get a better look at what this... tall monkey thing looked like first, before she could make and swift judgments.

"So when is he coming?" Cadance asked.

"He should be... Oh! Hey Anon!" She said, waving her hoof to someone behind Cadance.

Cadance slowly turned, wanting to meet this being first hand. She didn't expect she would have to do everything in her power to not drop her drink. Her eyes connected with his and her throat seized. Her muscles tensed and she felt almost shy again for the first time in...

He's walking this way. Ohmygosh. Cadance, act natural.

The pink Princess swollowed hard and turned back to her sister-in-law with a smile. "He's cute," she said.

"SHHHH!"

"Did I come at a bad time?" the deep voice boomed from behind Cadance, sending shivers down her spine.

"Wha- Nonono!" Twilight awkwardly giggled. "It.. It was just-"

"Girl talk," Cadance interjected with a smile.

"Ooh. I see," he said.

He sat down and then lunch went on normally. Cadance introduced herself, nearly forgetting her own name for a second. Then the three chatted. Cadance had to do everything in her power to not let her eyes focus on the delicate features of the human's face for too long. But she wanted to memorize every little curve and edge that it held. Then, after the meal was ended, they were gone, leaving Cadance at the kitchen table, her muscles tight and chest warm.

'Cadance. What are you doing?' she thought to herself. 'You are married. You can't just-'

"Hey babe," The familiar masculine voice calls from behind you. He gallops up to the table and wraps a hoof around you. "They let me out, but it looks like it wasn't early enough. Shoot. I was hoping to meet this Anon guy.”

"He seems nice," Cadance answers, dragging a fork across her salad, suddenly disinterested in it.

"That's good," Shining replies, sitting beside his wife and lets out a deep sigh. "I was worried she might find some sort of jerk with terrible manners."

Cadance shakes her head, then looks up at her husband. His same familiar loving eyes looked back... but she couldn't seem to look at him the same. Something just seemed different. They dated for so long. They've been married for a while. But something was different.

"Hey, are you going to finish that?" Shining asks.

She looks down at her salad and shakes her head. Shining quickly takes the meal and digs in.

"I should head back," Cadance says quietly.

"Alright. Love you babe," Shining replies.

Cadance rises from her seat and rests her head on his. This used to send tingles down her body and feel like she was at home. She remembered wanting to be lost in his arms and never wanting to know the way out. Yet...

Cadance walked the halls of the Crystal stadium, attempting to figure out what was different. What changed? It couldn't have just been the human. She actively tried to remove the thought of the human from her head. When did Shining's manners get so bad? When did our goodbyes get turned to 'Love you?' What did the word even mean to them anymore? They said it so much... but what did it really mean?

Her eyes followed the floor of the stadium as she walked through the halls. Had the word lost it's meaning to her from hearing it so much? Love you Shiny. Love you babe. Princess of Love. Newfound Love. Love is in Bloom. Puppy love.

"I thought there was some kind of rule about Princesses being gloomy?" came from a familiar booming voice. She must have jumped half a foot in the air and spun around to see Twilight's human standing in the hall walking towards her.

"Oh. Uhm. Hi Anon," the Princess said, trying to push away an oncoming feeling of nervousness.

"Hey yourself, Princess. What are you doing out here while some of the world's best athletes are competing for glory out there?" Anon asked. The question needed a second to process as she looked him in the eye and a small smile curled across her lips.

"Oh, uhm. Well, I've never been a big fan of sports. I usually just put up with them for Shining," She said, not thinking about maintaining her royal posture or appearance. "Oh goodness, don't tell him I said that."

"Psh. Only if you promise to not tell anyone that I hate sports too. I just put up with it because that's all these stallions seem to talk about," Anon agrees.

"Thank you!" Cadance says out loud, the nervousness within her melting away as Anon finally closes the distance. "I can't stand it."

Anon smiles as he looks at her more relaxed appearance.

"Well, that's a little better, it looks the little raincloud over your head dissipated, but what had you down in the dumps Princess?" Anon asks. Cadance looked up at the human and opened her mouth... but nothing she wanted to say seemed right. He looked down at her, curious for an answer.

"I-I don't know," Cadance replied.

"Usually ponies find out if they talk about it long enough," Anon said. "I don't want to surprise you, but I have amazing listening skills."

Cadance smiled and looked up at him. She doesn't even know him. Chances are, after this... she will never see him again. Plus... being able to interact with him one on one could help her warm him up to Twilight. Right?

"If... you don't mind listening," Cadance said weakly.

In a small sitting room, she and Anon shared a small pot of tea as she poured her thoughts out of her mouth. The filter was gone, abandoned.

"I feel like I've been compromising for so long... He does something because I want to... I do something because he wants to. I can't remember the last time we've done something... together," she says.

"Do you think it's because the both of you are so busy?" Anon asks.

Cadance laughed to herself. "Busy? There is a lot of downtime with this job. Things are much more peaceful here in the Crystal Empire compared to Equestria," Cadance says, staring to the floor. "We have the ability to spend time together almost whenever we want..." Anon leans back in his seat, thinking to himself. Cadance stares at the floor as her body begins to feel weak. "I remember when we were young, we would sneak off and spend time in the gardens when nopony was looking... Just our own private escape in Canterlot," the Princess says. "It was so romantic. So perfect. Now... he'll forget to kiss me goodnight... or even say he loves me sometimes.” Cadance looks up at Anon. "I can't remember the last time he said 'I love you.' It's always shortened, or casual. As if it were saying that the weather was nice," she says.

Anon locks eyes with Cadance again and leans forward in his chair. "I don't want to make any suggestions... but I want to know what you think is happening, in your own words," Anon says.

Cadance's eyes return to her hooves and she fidgets with them. The words sat at the tip of her tongue, but she couldn't bring herself to say them.

"I... I don't know," she says.

Anon rises from his chair and sits next to the trembling Princess. The air became quiet and tense.

"I think you do... and the sooner that you realize it... the sooner you can work to be happy again," Anon says.

Tears begin to gather in Cadance's eyes.

"It can't be happening though..." Cadance says shakily. "The Princess of Love can't have a failing marriage..." Anon wraps an arm around Cadance and strokes her mane.

"Hey... it can happen to anypony. It's okay..." Anon says comfortingly.

Cadance leans over and buries her face into Anon's chest and the tears couldn't be held back anymore. The nights not being held by him finally broke through. The silent dinners without conversation toppled the pillar. The compromising arguments finally couldn't be settled. In her mind it was over.

Her hooves were wrapped tightly around a new crush...

She knew it was wrong of her to be doing this, however her limbs held fast. There was no other place that she would rather be right now than right beside him. Anon simply held her closely and stoked her mane, assuring her that it will be okay. She was happy to finally just be releasing all the pent up feelings that she hid away for so long. Cadance felt helpless to the forces around her that held her in a position of power and responsibility. She would give up anything to be a teenager in school again.

No responsibilities... no worries... And with him, she felt young again. Cadance felt that she could face that daunting responsibilities that came with being a Princess. However, she wasn't sure if she was crying over her failing marriage, or...

Because she knew in her heart of hearts, from her head to her hooves, that she could never have him. She fell asleep in his arms and when she awoke the next morning, he was gone. Two weeks passed from that day, with the Crystal princess avoiding the strange human. She tried to keep her disappointment hidden from everyone around her. Her inner disappointment.

Disappointment that she let herself get attached to the human that Twilight loved. Disappointment that she let her marriage with Shining become so dilapidated. Disappointment that she didn't even want to try to fix it.

When she approached Shining after that night, he wasn't even concerned that she didn't come to bed that night. That was when she knew it was over. Neither of them really cared anymore. It was all a routine. It was all an act. What the worst part of it was... The worst part of it all was that... she didn't care. That was what hurt her the most.

On the final night of the Equestrian Games, a large ball was held in honor of the athletes and participants. Cadance idly chatted with guests, trying to mask her inner turmoil from the world with makeup and fake smiles. It wasn't long before Twilight came to chat with her. That was when the guilt really hit her.

The least she could have done was distance herself from Anon. If she was with him one last time...

"Hey Cadance!" Twilight called.

"Hey Twilight, some party huh?" the Princess said to the other as ponies danced to classical music in the background.

"Yeah! It's a shame Anon couldn't see it... hey have you-"

"He isn't coming?" Cadance asked instantly.

"Yeah. He needed to pack his bags was what he said," Twilight answered. "He's seemed kinda... out of it though. I think he's homesick."

Homesick. That was a great word for it. The way she felt right now.

"Anyway, have you seen Rainbow Dash?" Twilight asked.

"Yeah, she's over by the punch line." Cadance said with a smile. Twilight looks over to the punch bowl, where she spots Rainbow Dash.

"But wait, there is no punchline..." Twilight says. Cadance widens her fake smile. Gotta keep up the act. "Oh! I get it! That's a good one. See you later, Cadance!" Twilight says, heading off to join her friend.

"See ya," Cadance says distantly.

He's in his room. You look around the gathering of guests and athletes. Nopony is paying attention to you. He's in his room. Shining is off talking with his guard friends... He's in his room. She take a deep breath.

Cadance sheepishly walked up the staircases to the guest rooms, each marked with the name of their inhabitants... but was silently hoping to see the human she had avoided contact with for two weeks. Her heart fluttered at a million miles a minute. The questions burned in the mare's mind. Cadance walked up to the door, but paused. Was she being too direct? Was she letting her mind get the better of her? Her muscles tightened and tightened.

She couldn't do it. This was a terrible idea. She turned to leave, but tripped, slamming her face directly into the door.

Door - 2, Cadance's Face – 0.

She yelped in pain, holding her hooves on her nose. Now she did it, now she looked like a complete fool. Except this time, wearing a dress. She remembered feeling as if she could just die at that very moment, that it would have been better than if Shining came out.

But he did.

The door slowly opened and there he stood. Her hooves covered her nose, which pulsed in pain.

"Hey," he said quietly

"Hey," she answered.

"Don't you have a party to be at?" he asked.

She stood up on all four hooves and looked into his eyes. He looked right back into his.

"Do you... want to take a walk through the gardens?" Cadance asked.

The two ponies lie in the same bed, backs to each other, silent. Gazing into their own separate corners of their room. Their own private arena. There wasn't any words to be said anymore. She had to stay strong. She didn't care that he saw her that night. She did care that... Cadance stared off restlessly.

Twilight never found out. Which is good for her... she thought. Yet, the letter she got today ate at her soul. It was from Twilight. Anon went back to his own world. Twilight admitted she wasn't taking it well. The words sat on the page like some sort of impossible enigma. He was gone.

Cadance knew what the words meant, but couldn't understand what they meant when they were put together. How could he be gone? He can't be gone. She reread the letter several times, praying it was some sort of sick, twisted joke. But there was no joke. Her Anon was gone.

Twilight mentioned that she was writing letters to Anon, in a way of trying to vent all her feelings and come to terms with it.

Cadance raises from her bed and pats her pillow. Darn it. Her pillows always seemed to get wet when she thought of Anon. She sighed and rose from bed.

"Where are you going?" Shining asked.

"What do you care?" Cadance responded, walking out of their bedroom.

She sombered through the halls of the Crystal palace in her nightgown, her eyes focused on the floor. She just wanted to be anywhere other than here. Especially if it were close to Shining. Cadance felt defeated. Completely overwhelmed by her past mistakes and promises. Promises of Love. Promises of Sincerity. 'Till death do us part.' If only she could just be anywhere but here.

She pushed herself into another room, a quiet study where she liked to be alone. Cadance almost never spent time in a private study, so it was the perfect place to hide. Sitting right on top of the desk sat the letter that she had reread every day. She tried to come to terms with it... but she just couldn't. He can't be gone.

The princess sits at her desk and rests her head on top, covering herself with her hooves. At least here, she could cry and nopony else would see. At least here, she could act like the lonely, sad teenager that she felt like deep inside.

Maybe that letter is a good idea. What would she have to lose? If it could ease the pain that she felt day to day. It would be worth it. Cadance pulls out a piece of parchment and places it in front of her. Grabbing a piece of parchment, she wets her quill and presses it to paper.

"Anon,"

She froze, unsure of what to say next.

That night... in the garden. Everything felt so right, everything felt so perfect. I told you that I was going to talk to Shining about a divorce, and I did. We are trying to do it quietly as to not start a major political scandal.

She looks down at the paper and tears formed in her eyes.

I'm sorry I put you in that position... but I couldn't hold it back anymore. I had to tell you how I felt. I had to tell you that you made me feel like a little filly that had her first crush. I had to tell you how much I missed you, and how the world didn't feel right when you weren't around.

She sniffs and moves to a new paragraph.

You didn't say anything... but I knew. I saw it in your eyes. It was in your body language.

Cadance sighs to herself and shakes to her head.

You wouldn't let me kiss you. You said to wait until after the divorce. so I did it. He was a lot more agreeable than I thought he would be.

The Princess sniffs and a tear drips onto the letter.

You gave me something to look forward to. Something to hold on for. A goal. I missed you every day, but at least I knew that after the divorce, everything would be over.

She wipes the tears from her eyes and keeps going.

Now what am I supposed to do? I'm all alone in this big castle. The sky feels grey. Food doesn't taste right. One day seems to meld into the next and nothing feels right anymore. It's like the color got sucked out of life.

She pauses and presses her head to the desk again. Rising her head and trying to repress her sobs, she continues.

I just want to wrap my wings around you and keep you here. When I do sleep, I dream of you. I miss you so much that my whole body hurts... Sometimes I'm finding it hard to find a reason to get up in the morning. I just hope this is all some sort of terrible nightmare and I might get a letter from you.

Cadance sniffs and closes her eyes.

Please, just tell me this is all some sort of dream.

She moves down to the bottom of the page.

Always yours,

Cadance.

She leans back in her chair and stares into the dark room. If only she had something of his to remember him by, rather than just precious moments and memories. But if there is one thing that helps her rest easier... it will be the memory of Cadance and her Anon walking through the garden, hiding away from the world. Knowing that she got the chance to see him, that one last time.

Author's Note

Thank you everyone for reading the Letters He Will Never Read.
Let me begin with that I do not plan on making more of these. I had the idea, so I began writing some of these in my free time without a lot of care for content or size. Which is noticeable by the sizes of the mane six, compared to Redheart's, which was pure inspiration.
Feel free to leave comments of which ponies/characters you would like to see one of... but I don't think I will be able to get to them. Maybe I will, maybe I won't. I just have too many unfinished stories lingering over my head to feel it would be fair to start another one.
Heck, I might rather go and rewrite the main six's first before I do anything others... but for now, I hope you enjoyed what I did make.