Pinkie Pie looked down at the letter. She held it flat, the deep creases showing how often she had painstakingly, with the utmost care folded, and unfolded the letter. It was irreplaceable, and her most guarded treasure. Only two mares had ever read it, and she intended to keep it that way. She looked up, out the window at the setting sun. She had, for as long as she could remember, taken this ritual to heart.
She found a private place, with a view of the sunset. She'd set out this letter in a clean place. She didn't dare risk getting it dirty. She would hold herself back, that she couldn't accidentally cry on it, or anything else. She had no doubt she could go to Twilight to get it repaired as good as the day it was written, but she didn't want that. She wanted this letter. The one she'd read oh so many times. It held its age and its creases to show it was well loved, and kept. The last gift she got from the first mare who'd ever loved her.
My dearest one, writing this letter breaks my heart.
I want you to know that I put this off for as long as I could. I talked to you, I talked to everyone else, I tried everything I could think of to avoid this. But I don't have a choice in the matter any more. I look at you, sleeping there, not a legs length from me. But there's nothing that can be done now. I'd wake you up to explain, but you wouldn't understand, and you need your rest.
To think, all this can end so easily. It tears me apart inside, but it's so simple. Go down to the court house, get a certain paper, fill it out, and then it's just two signatures and a witness, and it's done. I know I've set all the leg work... Talked to everyone I needed to, got the paperwork together, but I avoided taking the final step until tomorrow. Then it's over, the papers will be signed, and it will be final.
Pinkie Pie smiled as she closed her eyes, conjuring up one of her most painful memories.
An image of a beautiful mare with tears in her eyes as she signed a paper that would separate their lives forever. Pinkie Pie was there, she was watching. And she hadn't done anything other than cry as it happened. No matter how she was comforted she refused to be quieted. She refused to calm down, so they just carried on as if she wasn't there. They knew she'd calm down eventually.
Pinkie Pie shook her head slightly, she knew she couldn't change it. She couldn't have changed it then, and she certainly couldn't change it now. She had no choice but to accept it, and move on. She looked back down, and continued to read the note.
Know that I'm only doing this because I know it will be the best for you. I would just drag you down in this life. There is no question that this will make your life better. You won't understand, not truly, but you'll move on, and find more love. I've already met the new mare in your life, she'll give you all the love you could ever wish for.
I won't be able to see all your future loves. All your adventures, and troubles. I would have been there to support you, my dearest one, but it is better this way. I wouldn't want to get in the way of your new life, and always be the "what if" in the back of your mind. So I'll travel on, and leave this town when it's all done.
Pinkie Pie let out a sigh as she looked down at the last paragraph. She knew that she couldn't complain. The letter was right, she had had a great life. She was surrounded by great friends and family. There wasn't much she could say to counter the argument, except for the "better" part. She didn't know if she would have been better off. But neither did she know that she would have been worse off! She can't tell the future!
Pinkie Pie wrinkled her nose as she got to this point in the letter. She always got to this point in the letter and had the same thought. Anger, anger at a life she couldn't know. Whether better, or worse, it should have been left up to her to explore! Pinkie held her anger for just a moment before releasing it with a sigh. She shook her head. She was just being ill tempered, she knew. She couldn't change the past, and she shouldn't harp on it. Especially when, whether she liked it or not, it was done for her benefit.
I just hope that you can make a tiny little corner of your heart for me. I won't take up much space, and you'll never know I'm there. You'll go on to make another family as happy as you've made me. Just know that, no matter where you go, where the journeys of life take you, and what you do, I will always be with you. Maybe, one day, you'll have some foals of your own. And you'll know that I would never do this lightly.
With all my love,
Your mom.
Pinkie Pie sniffed gently, but smiled as she fastidiously folded up the paper, and put it safely away in her room. She walked out of it to partake in her other nightly ritual. She gave Cloudy Quartz a big, warm hug. Pinkie Pie smiled and wished her mother a good night, returning to her room. Cloudy Quarts was her mother, but not her mom. She didn't know her mom, but she did know that, no matter where in all of Equestria her mom was, she was right here, right now. Pinkie Pie raised a hoof to her chest. Right here.
