Farewell Party

The sun bathed the village in a golden glow, the roof of the hut doing little to keep the suffocating hot away. The yellow pegasus flapped her wings in a useless effort to cool down the room. Just when she was about to fall into a deep slumber, one of the few ways to pass through the day, a little zebra came running inside, jumping effortlessly, the heat doing nothing to slow down her enthusiasm.

“Pardon, breezer o´ summer, a missive of farther lands arrived in terms of equine without stripes but two golden spheres that face the opposite way!”

Fluttershy looked at the zebra foal confused, she had always trouble trying to understand her.  Luckily, Zecora came to explain.

“What my enthusiastic little sister tries to explain is that for you has arrived mail.”

Fluttershy went out and smiled upon meeting again the familiar, cross-eyed face of Derpy Hooves. How the pegasus had made the travel all over the desert was a feat she couldn´t do less but admire.

“No matter the weather schedule or the princess routine, the Equestria Post Service will always-“ she fell down before she could finish.

“Brother, perhaps it will be best to carry Mrs. Hooves inside for some well-deserved rest.”

The bulky zebra stallion put Derpy on his back and the three zebras went inside another hut. Seeing Zecora family together Fluttershy couldn´t help but giggle, remembering another family.

She opened the letter that Derpy had risked wing and limb to bring and tears began to form right upon reading the first line:

Dear Fluttershy.

I hope you receive this letter because it will most likely be the last one I could write in a long time.

Tomorrow morning we, that being me and Spike, will aboard the airship that will take us to the Eastern Lands where I will begin my training under my new teacher Kimono. Spike is excited upon seeing a land where dragons are treated like nobility and can´t stop nagging Kimono with all kind of questions. While I´m also anxious to begin my studies, I can´t help but feel a little sad of leaving my home in Canterlot once again.

Pinkie Pie of course insisted on having a farewell party for us. I still can´t get used to her new appearance, with a short haircut Pinkie looks so mature, something really strange on her. Luckily, she still is her usual cheerful self. And I must say under the tutelage of Gustave Le Grand she had really improved her skills! Living in Canterlot had done wonder for her cooking but I´m still afraid that she will break in Palace with some ridiculous excuse for a party one of these days.

You´ll be happy to hear that Rarity managed to find the time on her tight schedule to come to the party. I don´t know if fashion magazines are available on the zebra land but you should see how famous and known across Equestria she has become. Thanks to Fancy Pants connections, Rarity had finally fulfilled her dreams of becoming the most popular of ponies.

In a strange twist of fate, Rainbow Dash arrived first at the party while Applejack did last but she is excused since Appleloosa is several hours away on train. Applejack has changed a lot on these few months, she looks older and she combs her hair different now to mention she now sounds much more mature and confident on herself having a whole orchard of her own in the desert. Living with griffons in the other hoof has done nothing to improve Rainbow attitude, if anything she is even cockier than before. I guess is a necessity to endure the harsh northern regions and I was glad to see her one last time before she travels further north. I still sincerely doubt that she needs to wear that eye patch.

Although the party was supposed to be about Spike and me you quickly became the central topic, Fluttershy. I know you had to leave first since the travel to Zecora´s land was longer and more dangerous, with so few routes to connect it to Equestria. You couldn´t even take Angel Bunny with you (he is fine by the way, all the animals of your cottage are, Scootaloo is doing an excellent job taking care of them, honoring her Cutie Mark).  I feel bad about poor Derpy Hooves, imagining the journey she will have to endure to deliver this. We all began to talk about you and how much we miss you. Rarity whined (sorry, complained) for over an hour about missing your weekly spa session and Rainbow couldn’t hold the tears remembering you days on Flight Camp and she admitted it was because of you that she struggled to always be strong, to always being able to protect you.

As for me, I miss you the most my friend. I always felt like, both you and me, shared a special bond. Probably because we were the “awkward” ones of the group, always the quiet ones. We didn´t share Pinkie spontaneous nature of even Applejack natural charisma. We always kept everything inside, always having trouble to speak our mind. Always keeping quiet…I´m sorry, I think I´m letting too much of myself on this letter and forgetting the important thing.

We miss you, Fluttershy. We never realized how important you were for us, how you holds us together. And yet, you were the one who broke the group apart. You, shy and quiet Fluttershy, who announced she was leaving not only Ponyville but Equestria all together, wishing to know more about animals and medicine, accompanying Zecora on her journey back to her home. I´m repeating your words because to this day I can´t believe them. I can´t believe you move away. I can´t believe I never dare to…

Please Fluttershy. Be safe. No matter the distance, no matter where destiny take the six of us (and you Spike, of course you too…) the bonds we share will never break.

Love

                                                                                                Twilight Sparkle.

Fluttershy folded the letter and hold it close to her heart, letting the tears flow freely. She missed her friends, all of them. She missed those words never spoken.

She looked at this strange and far away land she was one. It was her decision coming here, hers alone. She wanted to be stronger; she wanted something only for herself. She had no regrets.

She smiled back at the zebra family and trotted inside the hut for a warm and spicy meal. She had plenty of work to do under this hot sun, the Princess farewell gift to her.