“...”

There was silence around the table.

“Oh... my...” the yellow pegasus Fluttershy whimpered, attempting to hide behind her pink mane. Rarity, a white unicorn with a pristine purple mane, could only stand there with her jaw slightly opened.

Twilight Sparkle, a purple alicorn with a darker purple mane that had a thick stripe of pink and blue, coughed politely. She just couldn't believe the news.

Pinkie Pie, the usually energetic premier party pony from Ponyville, simply sat before her friends on the other side of the counter, nodding glumly.

“I got the letter four days ago,” she droned in a rather monotone voice, her mane lacking its signature poof. Instead, it hung limply from her head in thick locks of dark pink. “I... I already told the twins, but I don't think they really understand whats going on yet.”

“How did they take it?” Rarity asked as she brought a hoof to Fluttershy's shoulder, rubbing it softly. The pegasus looked as though she was about to cry.

Pinkie sighed, letting her head drop to rest against the top of the counter, her mane brushing against the cold side of the cash register.

“They were told their parents were dead, Rarity. They're not babies anymore, they at least know what that means,” she snapped, a little harsher than she intended. She cringed as she bit her lip.

“Sorry, I didn't mean to be a meany mc-meanerton. It's just... this really sucks!” she wailed, tears rushing back to her eyes as she clutched her cash register.

Yes, her cash register. It had only been an hour since the reading of Mr and Mrs Cakes' last will and testimony at the Ponyville City Hall, the will that quite literally left everything that they had owned with Pinkie Pie. She never really understood how much they trusted her, how much respect they had for her that she pretty much just took for granted.

And the foals...

Pinkie screwed her eyes shut as she forced herself to stop crying. She couldn't cry. She didn't deserve to cry. She wouldn't cry.

She swallowed hard as she pushed her head up from the counter, finding that during her fit, Twilight had come around the counter and laid a hoof on Pinkie's shoulder. The pink mare sniffled hard, giving Twilight a sad, soft smile.

“It's just... why did they think I could raise the foals? I'm not trying to be a Debbie-downer, but I'm just so confused! Why'd they leave their foals in the care of some silly pony like me?”

Twilight bopped Pinkie on the nose lightly with her hoof, eliciting a surprised reaction from the earth pony.

“Pinkie, don't be like that. We all know you, and know that you're a wonderful mare. Sure, it looks daunting now, but you've watched over the foals before, right?”

Pinkie nodded. “All the time. Sometimes they're the ones watching me!”

Twilight gave Pinkie a tiny smile. “See, obviously they trusted you. Why else would they have left everything to you?”

“Tax deductions?” Pinkie wagered. Twilight shook her head in slight amusement.

“No, Pinkie, they did it because they trusted you, loved you. You were a part of their family, and they knew that.”

Pinkie opened her mouth, working her jaw, but no words came out.

She knew that she really liked the Cakes and at the end of the day, they really liked having her there, but... did they really think of her like that? Did they really, honestly believe she could pick up after them?

Did they really think she could make a good mommy for their foals?

“I... I...” Pinkie stammered. The three other mares looked on at her as she struggled to form legible words. Finally, her mane twitched, almost as if it was violently inflated slightly. It was still rather limp, but it didn't look quite as gloomy. She gave her friends a genuine smile, eyes still teary.

“I think you're right,” she said with a nodding motion.

“Of course we're right, darling,” Rarity said with jest, “we're your friends after all.”

Twilight gave Pinkie Pie a hug, one that was returned with earnest. As they separated, Twilight took one of Pinkie's hooves in her own.

“We know you're scared about raising the twins by yourself, but we're always going to be your friends, and will always help you if you need us.”

Pinkie Pie smiled. “Even if you're busy doing super-important secret professional princess-y shenanigans?”

Twilight nodded with a laugh. “Even if I'm busy doing super-important, er, that stuff.”

Pinkie Pie giggled. “That makes me feel loads better, actually! Thanks, girls.”

“But I didn't do anything,” Fluttershy whispered, but she went unheard by the others.

“So, did you have any plans with the foals today?” Twilight asked Pinkie Pie. She shrugged.

“Not really all that much, I expected to be busy running the shop today!”

Twilight cocked an eyebrow, looking around at the empty store.

“Uh, then what changed?”

Pinkie rolled her eyes. “The shop is closed today, duh.”

Twilight face-hoofed. “Pinkie Pie, you are so... random.”

Pinkie smiled wide.

“So if the shop is closed, why not go do something with the twins?” Rarity suggested. “I would say this would be an excellent way to get to know the foals, but at this point I'm quite sure you know them better than they know themselves...”

“You're right! I do know them really good!” Pinkie Pie said excitedly.

Twilight took her hoof away from her face to pat Pinkie on the shoulder. Pinkie giggled before gasping sharply.

“Wait, Twilight!” she shrieked. “I just remembered something!”

“Hm?” Twilight asked. Pinkie responded by disappearing. A moment later, she came zipping back down the stairs, holding a tray of-

“Um, Pinkie? What's so important about cupca- MMF!”

Twilight was immediately interrupted by Pinkie as the pink pony took a bright blue cupcake from the tray and shoved it into the librarian's opening maw.

Rarity took a quick nervous step back as Pinkie rounded on her. She looked around desperately for Fluttershy, but it seemed the yellow pegasus had fled off in fear of having her sweet tooth defiled without consent.

“Aheh, if you insist on us enjoying a cupcake, I would prefer to enjoy it on my own terms.”

Pinkie smiled widely as she held out the tray for Rarity.

“Okie dokie lokie!”

Rarity levitated a cupcake for herself, taking a dainty bite out of it before humming pleasantly.

Twilight, who actually wasn't all too phased by Pinkie's very sudden action, swallowed the rest of her cupcake before giving her friend an inquiring look.

“As much as we both appreciate the cupcakes, they are a tad...” Twilight trailed. Rarity finished her sentence for her.

“Random, darling.”

Pinkie waved them off with a hoof.

“Ah, it was nothing! These were just my super-special-thank-you-for-helping-me-cope-with-suddenly-having-my-entire-world-turn-upside-down cupcakes! Thank you, girls!”

With that said, she grabbed the two ponies and pulled them into a tight hug, one they both returned as well.

“As we've already said, it's no problem at all. We are always here for you,” Rarity assured Pinkie as the hug was disbanded.

Pinkie nodded. “And I do appreciate it, lots and lots. I know that all of... this, changes a lot for me, but it's great to know I can still count on my friends!”

Twilight tilted her head to the side.

“Pinkie, what about your parents?”

“What about them?”

Twilight coughed. “Well, um... wouldn't they, I don't know, want to hear the news? I know it's because of less-than-fortunate situations, but this is still a very big step in your life. I'm certain your family would love to hear about it.”

Pinkie absolutely lit up.

“You're RIGHT!” she shrieked. “I'll write them right now!”

Pinkie zipped into the kitchen, throwing open a drawer near the door to pull out a sheet of paper and a pencil. She skipped back to the counter to start writing.

Rarity and Twilight shared a look, smiling at each other. It looked like Pinkie Pie was finding ways to recover.

“Well I'm glad we could have this talk,” Twilight said, “but it looks like you know what you're doing. Don't forget, we're always here for you, okay?”

Pinkie Pie beamed at her friends. “Of course, you've only said it like a bajillion times! And each new time, it makes me feel a kazillion times better!”

Pinkie Pie waved after her two friends as they left the candy shop- her candy shop.

Picking up the pencil, she thought about what she was going to write before humming contently. She dipped her head to start scrawling on the paper.

Mom and Dad and Everypony Else,

I just wanted to start off with I miss you guys, and love you a lot. Never forget that!

There's something I need to tell you guys, though...

Author's Notes:

I suck at writing Fluttershy.