When we’re young, we’re told by our elders to cherish every day and live as if it were our last. But, being the impulsive little ponies we are, we ignore their advice. We feel invincible, never dreaming of the day we find ourselves covered in wrinkles and in a body weakened by the ravages of time. I should know: I was once a young, impetuous fool who never thought about the future, forever focused on the present and what I wanted… but that was long ago. My youth is only a memory. My smooth skin is gone. My thinking isn’t as fast or as sharp as it used to be. My body, though state-of-the-art, is slowly being worn down.

Only now, in my old age, do I finally comprehend the wisdom my elders had, but I’ve learned that there’s still many things from youth you can still cherish… including ice cream.

I bring another spoonful of ice cream up and swallow it, closing my eyes as I savor the creaminess and the sweetness of grape. It’s an unorthodox flavor, to be sure, but I’m glad Frosty’s sill serves it.

Leaning back in the booth, I look around at all the younger faces inside my childhood ice cream shop, watching as they eagerly eat their own cones. I’m the oldest one here, but that doesn’t bother me: ice cream is the great equalizer, the one thing that can bring anyone together.

Smiling, I take another spoonful and look across the table. “You don’t seem very hungry.”

Mom and Dad chuckle.

I take another delicious spoonful. “Sure you don’t want some?”

“Maybe later,” Mom says. “We can’t stay long.”

“Really? You only just got here. I can’t remember the last time we just sat down and talked.”

“It has been a while,” Dad says. “Believe me, we miss them.”

Mom and Dad reach out and take my hoof.

“Today’s a big day, kiddo,” Dad says. “Make the most of it.”

I hold up the bowl of ice cream. “Oh, I am.”

Dad chuckles. “I mean, when you wake up.”

My smile vanishes.

Wake up?

“We have to go, Silverspeak,” Mom says. “But we’ll see you soon. I promise.”

Mom and Dad stand and head to the door, stepping outside. They look back to me, smiling as they wave, and-

I blink.

I’m not in the ice cream shop of my childhood. I’m not even in Saddle Lanka. I’m… I’m sitting on the large swing in the backyard of my Canterlot home. Snowflakes are falling around me. Well-disguised heaters keep me warm as the night goes on.

A… a dream. It was a dream. No, it, it couldn’t have been...

I look to my left, where Beakbreaker sits beside me, pressed up against me for warmth, her eyes still closed as she dozes. But that doesn’t last long; the first rays of the sun slowly rise over the distant mountains, stretching out to illuminate the snow-draped fields of Equestria, then Canterlot, and then us.

Blinking, Beakbreaker awakens. She smiles at feeling the warmth falling on her and stretches.

“Oh,” she says. “So beautiful…”

A bluejay flies down and perches upon a branch on our small tree. It chirps, welcoming the dawn of a new day.

Beakbreaker slips a leg around me. “Sleep well?”

I nod, trying to figure out how to explain what I just experienced.

Beakbreaker can tell something’s on my mind. “Silverspeak?”

“I had a dream,” I say. “Only… I’m not sure it was one.” I look to my wife. “It was like one of yours.”

Beakbreaker immediately gives me her full, undivided attention. For the past few months, she’s been having the most interesting dreams. Well, perhaps dream isn’t the best word. She says they don’t feel like dreams, that they feel more real than our day to day lives. Her parents are always there, and they deliver a brief message, and then Beakbreaker wakes up.

When these… visions, for lack of a better word... first appeared, I thought they were pleasant dreams and nothing more. But then the two of us looked into these kinds of dreams and found that our neighbors, friends, and acquaintances all spoke of how their elderly parents or dying friends spoke of seeing their dead loved ones before they themselves died.

Now, after experiencing such a dream myself, I realize just what Beakbreaker’s been going through.

“I was in the ice cream store I used to go to all the time as a colt,” I say. “My parents were there… and they told me to make the most of today.”

Beakbreaker takes in what I said, surprised… and yet, not surprised.

“Did you have another visit, too?” I asked.

She nods. “I was in the middle of my old village. It was so perfect, so bright and colorful and full of life. Green Wing was there. So were my parents.”

“Did they say anything?”

Beakbreaker nods. “Green Wing thanked us for taking care of her daughter.”

I wait. Surely there had to be more than that; Beakbreaker’s hesitating, unsure what to say.

“They did say something else,” Beakbreaker says quietly. “They said I should make the most of today.”

She goes silent.

We look at each other, and though we don’t say it, I can see Beakbreaker has the same thoughts I do: she and I had almost the same dream on the same night, and both had the same message.

That can’t be a coincidence.

“Well,” I say at last, “I suppose we’d better follow their advice.”

“Yes,” Beakbreaker says. “Yes, we should.”

The sun’s still rising as we both get off the swing and head inside our warm home.

“I’ll get breakfast going,” Beakbreaker says. “You want to go wash up?”

“Yes, of course. I’ll be back in a minute.”

Leaving Beakbreaker as she starts up the toaster and the coffee pot, I head down the hall and slip into the bathroom, where I comb out all the knots and unruly strands in my white hair. Adjusting my glasses, I look myself over, making sure I’m presentable.

Splashing my face with a hoof-full of water, I dry myself with a towel, then study myself in the mirror. I’ve looked at this face countless times, and yet, it’s still a shock to see all these wrinkles and sagging skin.

Beakbreaker walks inside and sees my melancholy. “Wondering who that old fellow is?”

I nod.

Beakbreaker could crack a joke, tell me to lighten up, or some other piece of self-help. But unlike so many times before, she’s silent.

Walking to my side, Beakbreaker silently studies her own reflection, her gaze going over her wrinkles and sagging skin, over her faded stripes, and white hair that was once dull-red.

“When did we get so old?” Beakbreaker wonders.

“Raising a child will do that to you,” I say.

Beakbreaker pretends to pout. “If it weren’t for that blasted little changeling, I’d still be beautiful!”

“You are beautiful,” I assure her. “You’re like a fine wine. The older you get-”

“-the better you are... And more sour.”

We both chuckle.

“A hundred and five,” Beakbreaker sighs. “You ever imagine you’d get this old?”

I shake my head. “Not in my wildest dreams.”

“Me neither.”

We watch our reflections.

“Well, we’d better eat,” Beakbreaker says. “Can’t risk being late.”

“No,” I agree. “No, we most certainly cannot.”

Once we finish a rather hurried breakfast, we dress, and I’m reminded how fortunate we are to be cyborgs: We don’t have to experience the shaking or slowed movement that so many others suffer at our age. The few equines who live to be over a hundred are all but guaranteed to have tremors, shakes, and a general lack of mobility in their failing bodies, but our artificial limbs and bodies spare us such misery.

The snowfall has slowed as we leave the house and walk through the streets of Canterlot. Businesses are already opening up as the city’s residents ready themselves for another day of business, shopping, and play. It’s fascinating to watch everyone hurrying about: some are young and carefree. Others are middle-aged and just managing to keep up with their children, and others are old like us and out for a stroll, content to enjoy life without any of the responsibilities of adulthood.

We could reach our destination in just a few minutes with one of Canterlot’s numerous elevators and subway cars, but we want to take my time seeing the city again, to look at all these beautiful buildings, shops, winter decorations, and so many happy individuals running about and enjoying themselves.

I shudder at thinking how I let so many of these pleasures pass me when I was younger, but that’s how life goes, I suppose. We get so busy that it isn’t until we’re old that we truly learn to savor and enjoy them.

A feeling deep within me says to savor this while I can.

It takes us a half hour to reach a familiar apartment structure. I’m not surprised to see the main gate open, and boxes lining the walkway leading to a moving truck. Nor am I surprised to see a familiar changeling coming out with another box in hoof.

Gold Wing struggles to hold the box, grunting at its considerable weight. But her burden is forgotten when she sees us coming up.

“Mom? Dad? What are you doing here?”

“We’re here to help,” I say.

Our daughter groans. “Come on, you two, I said you could come by at noon.”

“And leave you to manage all this by yourself? Never,” Beakbreaker says.

“But it’s way too cold to be working.”

“So says the changeling working in the cold,” Beakbreaker points out.

A chuckle. “Touche.” Gold Wing sets her box into the back of the moving truck. “Well, come on in. If you’re going to help, you might have some breakfast.”

We follow her inside, heading up the flights of stairs to Gold Wing’s apartment. It’s mostly empty now, with the furniture, appliances, and personal belongings already packed up. All that’s left is to remove all the little nick-knacks and trinkets that seem to hide until the last day of any move.

“Honey?” Gold Wing calls out. “Better get another batch of toast going.”

There’s movement from the kitchen as a familiar stallion peeks his head out. “Hey you two,” Sea Breeze says, yawning as he stretches his wings. “Didn’t expect to see you here so early.”

“And have our daughter’s family finish packing everything on their own?” Beakbreaker says. “Never.”

Gold Wing’s husband heads to the toaster. “Well, afraid we’ve already packed up the butters and jams, so you’ll just get plain toast.”

“That’s perfectly alright,” I assure him. While we’re still full from breakfast, it’d be rude to turn down an offer of food.

“Right on! Give me a minute and it’ll be all ready.”

I look around the mostly-empty apartment. “Where’s Velvet Dusk?”

“Still sleeping,” Sea Breeze says.

“How’s she holding up?”

“Nervous,” Sea Breeze says. “But can you blame her? I mean, moving out of her home, going to an entirely different continent... that’s a big move for someone her age.”

I peer down the hall towards my granddaughter’s room. The door’s closed, and I can’t hear any movement on the other side. The poor thing must be exhausted if she’s sleeping this long.

“Anyway, there’s not much left to do,” Sea Breeze says. “Just gotta get the last few boxes out into the moving van, take it to the airport, load ‘em up, and we’ll be good to go!”

Two pieces of toast pop out of the toaster with a ding.

“Right, here you go!” Sea Breeze yanks the toast out and puts it in our hooves.

“Sea Breeze?” Gold Wing calls from the living room.

“Be right there!” Giving us a sly grin, Sea Breeze hurries out.

Beakbreaker eyes me as she eats her toast. “You’re sure he’ll be able to take care of her?” While she loves Sea Breeze and has long-since adopted him as a member of the family, my wife has always been a bit skeptical of Gold Wing’s husband. I can’t blame her: Sea Breeze has always been a carefree soul, happy to spend his days surfing or being a lifeguard, as he’s done here at Canterlot’s largest indoor pool. But in all the years I’ve known him, he’s always put his meager earnings towards caring for his wife and daughter instead of luxuries and the senseless spending that plagues Canterlot’s upper classes. I have no doubt he loves Gold Wing with every ounce of his being, and will do everything he can to make her happy.

“Yes,” I say. “I do.”

Beakbreaker frowns. “You’re not just saying that to make me feel good?”

“Oh, I mean it,” I assure her. “They’ll be fine.” I hope so: Beakbreaker’s feeling the anxiety all parents must endure when their children finally move out. It’s a difficult burden to bear, but Gold Wing’s fortunate: Thanks to her years of study and the connections she’s made at Canterlot University, she has a job lined up as a marine biologist on the island that once housed Iron Hoof’s base of operations. There, she and her husband will be able to live and work at the sea that they both love so much.

I smile. I have nothing to worry about.

They’ll be just fine.

With our second breakfast finished, Beakbreaker and I get to work helping move the last boxes out of the apartment. It doesn’t take long with the four of us working, and the task is easier with both Beakbreaker and my cyborg limbs. We get everything ready to go in no time, leaving the apartment empty and ready for the next university student to come in and begin their education.

“Well, that was easier than I thought it would be!” Sea Breeze says as he puts the last box atop the other ones.

“Never underestimate the power of steel, pistons, and magic,” I say, flexing a leg.

“Yeah, well, pistons and steel won’t do much good to get a little foal out of her room. Why don’t you all go for a walk while I try to talk her out? Get one last look at Canterlot in the morning?”

“I’ll help,” Beakbreaker says.

I’m about to say that I could easily coax one measly filly out of her room with my talent, but Gold Wing tugs on my shoulder. “Come on, Dad. I could use a bit of fresh air.”

I look to Beakbreaker, who smiles and silently shoos me out the door.

“Very well,” I say with a grin. “That sounds lovely.”

Leaving Beakbreaker and Sea Breeze behind, I let my daughter take the lead as we head down the street. Closing her eyes, Gold Wing smiles as she takes a deep breath of the cold, crisp morning air. “Oh, what a beautiful day!”

We head down the streets, passing shops and vendors until we come to a stop in a small park overlooking the city’s lower levels, giving us a glorious view of everyone going about their morning, heading off on some new endeavor or adventure to parts unknown.

“So, are you excited?” I ask.

Gold Wing’s beaming. “Yes!”

“Nervous?”

She blushes and nods shyly. “Yeah. A little.”

“That’s perfectly normal,” I assure her. “I know this is a big step for you. But if you’re scared-”

“Who wouldn’t be?” Gold Wing says with a laugh. “I mean, I spend all those years studying, taking tests, staying up all night reading notes, and then it’s all done and I’ve got to head out into the real world.” She chuckles again. “Who wouldn’t be nervous?”

I give a chuckle of my own. “I would be.”

“What? You? Silverspeak, Equestria’s most famous cyborg? Personal speechwriter to the Princesses? Never.”

I chuckle, relieved to see how well Gold Wing is taking all this. She reminds me of myself when I graduated grade school and headed out to Manehattan to follow my dreams. But unlike me, Gold Wing isn’t driven by desperation or wanting to get something she can’t obtain. She has a respectable life ahead of her, and fortunate enough to have a loving husband, a beautiful daughter, and a well-paying job waiting for her.

I’m so proud... and yet, sad. My little mare’s thirty, and – true to her name – possesses wings and eyes of shimmering gold, her once dull coat has changed to a vivid, shiny black. Where I could once easily carry her with one leg, she’s now as large as I am.

My daughter’s all grown up.

“Dad? Are you crying?”

“Yes,” I admit, wiping my eyes. “It’s just... oh Celestia, it’s so wonderful to see you all grown up.” I remove my glasses and wipe my eyes. “I don’t suppose I can persuade you to stay here another day or two?”

“Oh, I wish we could, but our flight leaves tonight, and the next one’s not for another month.” Gold Wing chuckles. “Considering how much they’re paying to ship us all out there, the university wouldn’t be very happy if I missed my flight.”

“No, I suppose not.” I put my glasses back on. “You sure you’re going to be alright out there? It’s a big change going from city life to the tropics.”

“Are you kidding? I can’t wait! Beaches, palm trees, swimming, parasailing, teaching Velvet how to scuba dive... it’s going to be wonderful!”

I beam. “I know it will be.”

“When we come back for Hearth’s Warming next year, I’ll have all sorts of photos to show you!”

My gut tightens.

“Who knows? Maybe you and Mom can come and join us next year! Hearth’s Warming Eve in the tropics! What do you think?”

I choose my words carefully. “I don’t know, sweetheart... We’re going to be so old.”

“Yeah... but don’t worry. We’ll make sure everything’s nice and easy for you two.”

Celestia bless her... Ever since she was little, Gold Wing’s known that she’s been adopted by old ponies, but she’s never made a big deal out of it. Where other parents were young, hers were old. Beakbreaker and I have done our best to not let our age keep us from being there for our daughter as she grow up, refusing to let it hinder us in helping her apply to college, giving her advice on dating, watching as she and Sea Breeze grew close and married, and then have a child of their own.

I’m so glad we’ve had all these years together… and I hope Gold Wing can look back and treasure them in the decades to come, as I still treasure the memories of my own parents.

“Well, I’ve had my fill of cold morning air,” Gold Wing says. “Come on, let’s head back and finish packing.”

Sea Breeze, Beakbreaker, and Velvet Dusk are waiting for us back at the complex, the former two putting the last few boxes into the moving trucks. As Gold Wing heads off to talk to the drivers, I head to Velvet, wanting to see how she’s taking all this. My granddaughter's always been a rambunctious, happy type, a bundle of energy ready to get into a play session at a moment’s notice. That enthusiasm has been understandably dampened this past month as things were packed up, but I had feared how difficult this last day would be for her.

Kneeling, I look my granddaughter in the eyes. “Hello Velvet. How are you doing today?”

She bites her lip, averting my gaze.

“Oh... that bad, huh?”

She nods.

“Well, we’ll help you get through it,” I assure her.

The trucks drive off, taking the luggage to the airport.

“Well, that takes care of all our stuff,” Gold Wing says as she hurries back over. “Looks like we’ve got the rest of the day to ourselves. Now we just need to figure out what to do with it.”

Once more, I get a warning in my gut. It’s not threatening, but it’s telling me to choose my next words carefully. Gold Wing, Sea Breeze, and Velvet Dusk, see this as one last family get-together before heading off to their new lives. But for Beakbreaker and me, the decision carries so much more weight. The dreams she’s been having have made us realize that we didn’t have a lot of time left with our daughter, and there were many discussions where we tried to figure out what to do with them. But again and again, one solution kept presenting itself, and I feel it’s the right choice.

“I know,” I say. “How about we spend it down at Funville?”

“Hey, that sounds great!” Gold Wing says. “Velvet, would you like to do that?”

The thought of spending time at her favorite place gets Velvet’s attention, momentarily lifting her out of her melancholy. She nods eagerly.

“All right then: A day at Funville it is!”

Funville has been a staple of our family for years, an amusement park that we’ve visited hundreds, maybe thousands of times when Gold Wing was growing up. We’ve celebrated birthdays there, celebrated Gold Wing getting her first job, and so much more. And now it’s arguably even more beautiful than ever before, for holiday decorations are still up, covering the park in lights, garland, wreaths, and tinsel. Ambient holiday music plays through hidden speakers as we join ponies, changelings, kirin, and other guests eager to partake in the rides and attractions.

“Oh wow, look at all this!” Gold Wing says as she hurries through the entrance, Sea Breaker and Velvet Dusk close behind. “It’s so beautiful! Now, where shall we start first?” She kneels. “Velvet, do you have any rides you want to go?”

“The roller coaster!”

Oh, I was afraid she’d say that…

“Alright then, the roller coaster it is!” Gold Wing looks to me. “Well… I understand if you and Mom want to pass on it.”

Beakbreaker and I regard each other. We could sit this out, and no one would blame us. After all, no one expects centenarians to go on extreme theme park rides, much less enjoy them. But I see it in Beakbrekaer’s eyes: We were both told to use this day well.

“Actually, we’ll do it,” I say.

My daughter’s surprised. “Wait, really?”

Beakbreaker grins. “You only live once.”

Thus, we trot after our daughter and her family, and accompany them on the roller coaster. Granted, it’s not fun, per se, but after everything the two of us have gone through over the decades, a rapid, jerky ride with multiple loops, spins, and inverted falls is easy to endure.

“I can’t believe you actually did it!” Gold Wing says when we get off.

“Easy,” I say, fighting to hold back the contents of my stomach.

“Well, then,” Sea Breeze says with a mischievous grin, “you up for trying some of the other rides?”

I return his grin. “Are you?”

Thus, we go on one ride after another, enjoying all our old favorites: The centrifuge spinner, the freefall drop, the mine cart ride, and so many others. And despite all of us being so much older, it’s like no time at all has passed since Gold Wing has a child, except now we have Sea Breeze and Velvet accompanying us.

For several glorious hours, all thought of the move, of our age, of what’s to come is forgotten. It’s just the five of us enjoying rides, scarfing down cotton candy, and trying out traditional carnival activities (Beakbreaker and me, I’m pleased to say, easily succeed at the test-your-strength attractions).

Yet, for all the joy and fun to be had, Velvet seems immune to our merriment. She laughs, yells, and shrieks on the rides, and smiles when eating some sugar-laden abomination, but when the rides are over, and the sweets are gone, so are her smiles. I try to go to her, to reassure her that everything will turn out for the best, but something always gets in my way: Her parents, Beakbreaker, or even a random passerby who stops and asks if they can get an autograph from Equestria’s first cyborg, and one of the only ponies still living who knew Twilight and her friends, and Chrysalis, the reformed co-ruler of the changelings.

We continue on, and I can only hope that Velvet’s mood improves.

There’s shouts, jokes, and laughter, and before I know it, the sun begins to set, the lights coming on, making the park even more beautiful as the twilight hours begin. I smile at seeing all the families around us, at witnessing so many beings of so many different species enjoying themselves. Here, all the troubles, worries, and issues of the outside world are forgotten, allowing everyone to relax and enjoy themselves.

I’m so grateful that we’ve been able to spend our day here.

“Well, who’s hungry?” Gold Wing asks. “Looks like they’re opening up the buffet table!”

I start to raise a hoof in mock surrender, to say that I’m still so full from lunch that I couldn’t take another mouthful... but I then lower it. A dinner with all of us would be delightful.

“A buffet sounds wonderful,” I say.

Five minutes later, and we’ve all joined the dozens of other families eagerly filling their plates with all manner of unhealthy carnival fare, caring more about the taste and the fullness than how much sodium and fat they’re pumping into their veins. I join in, eating caramel popcorn one mouthful after another, with Beakbreaker doing the same.

“Oh, I’m going to have to do so much swimming to burn this off!” Gold Wing jokes as she eats a deep fried jumbo cookie.

I chuckle. “There’s no shame in indulging yourself every now and then.”

“Amen to that!” Sea Breeze says as he sits down with a plate full of ice cream.

“And how many laps do you think it’ll take to burn all that off?” Gold Wing jokes.

“I still got a raging metabolism! I got nothin’ to worry about!”

“Really? Well, we’ll see how you feel when you wake up tomorrow with a beach ball inside your gut.”

The two chuckle, enjoying their joke.

I smile; it’s so wonderful to see Gold Wing and Sea Breeze so happy. And yet… the moment is bittersweet. Although I’ve enjoyed this day so much, something’s been building in me, a feeling that I don’t want to acknowledge, but cannot deny.

I know that I won’t be getting another day like this.

I want to push that feeling aside, to rob it of its power over me. But it has refused to leave, telling me to treasure these moments, to make my daughter as happy as possible.

I don’t want to go, not when my daughter is just starting life on her own. I want to be there for her, to be a rock she can cling to when times get tough. I want to keep her safe and sound, free from all the hurts life will throw at her.

I don’t want to go because I know how hard it would be for her.

Gold Wing and Sea Breeze laugh at a joke, oblivious to my worries.

I don’t want to go… but if I do, my daughter has her family with her. She’s strong, so much stronger than she knows.

She’ll be okay.

Gold Wing and Sea Breeze talk, laughing at a joke as the two dream of all the good days to come.

The last rays of the sun gently fade away, and Luna’s night falls on us all. The park remains busy, and will remain so long into the night. But we won’t be there: It’s getting late, and we need to head back to the house. Commandeering a taxi, we all ride back to our home, driving through the warm glows from lights inside buildings, homes, and businesses. Holiday lights welcome us as we arrive on the street, get out of the cab, and hurry inside to escape the cold.

“So, did you two have fun?” Gold Wing asks as I close the door.

“Oh, oodles,” Beakbreaker says.

“Really, are you?”

“Of course we are,” Beakbreaker assures her with a smile. “We wouldn’t miss this for anything.”

Gold Wing grins. “Just imagine how much fun you have when you come out to visit us next year!”

Beakbreaker looks to me, her smile fading.

“Gold Wing...” I say. “You... You know your mother and I love you, so very, very much.”

“I know, Dad.”

“No, really, I mean it.” I put my hooves on her shoulders. “No matter what happens, or where you go, or what happens to us, I want you to remember that we will always love you.”

My daughter chuckles, trying to lighten the mood. “What’s gotten into you, Dad? You’re usually not this...”

“Sentimental?”

“Yeah, that’s it.”

“Well... when you get older, you realize what really matters in life: saying I love you as many times as you can.”

Smiling, Gold Wing pulls me in for a hug, and we embrace each other.

“I’m so lucky I got you as a dad,” she says. “I want you to remember that.”

“I will,” I promise her.

We hold each other a moment longer.

I let go as Beakbreaker comes up. “And don’t forget how proud we are of you,” she says. “That we’ll always be proud of you, no matter what you do.”

My wife takes Gold Wing in her legs, holding her long and tight.

Eventually, Gold Wing eases her way from Beakbreaker’s hold. “Well, we’d better get ready,” she says. “It won’t be long before the cab comes back.”

“What?” I ask.

“I asked the driver if he could stay, but he had to go pick someone up. He’ll come back in... ten minutes or so, and then we’ll have to head to the airport.”

I gulp, a knot forming in my throat.

“Dad?”

I... I need to stay with my daughter as long as I can, but... but confound it all, I can feel my resolve slipping, weakening even as I think about it.

“Ex... Excuse me,” I say. “I need to be by myself for a moment.”

“Dad? You okay?”

I give everyone a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry; I’ll be back in a minute.”

“Well, okay. But don’t doze off now!”

I give her my best smile and head off into our backyard. The heaters have turned on automatically, melting away the snow and the cold as I head to the furthest corner of our garden, and the bench nestled amongst the greenery. Our miniature lamp post casts its gentle light on me as I take a seat, breathing as deeply as I can, trying to calm the turmoil in my mind.

The moment I’ve been dreading has arrived, and I don’t know if I have the strength to endure it.

Taking off my glasses, I wipe the tears from my eyes.

I... I can’t think of myself now. I need to think of my daughter, to try and make this as easy as possible for her. I… I need to give her something, some final memento or trinket to help her remember us by, or some final lesson I could impart. But there’s nothing I can give her: Gold Wing doesn’t have the self-doubt I had: She knows what she wants to be and what to do with her life.

I wish... I wish there was some way I could pass something on to her, to pass on the greatest lessons of my life. But Beakbreaker and I have raised her well. We’ve taught her everything we know about living a good life, and now there’s nothing more we can pass on.

I put my glasses back on with a quiet sigh. I need to head back. I can’t stay here any-

Someone comes down the path.

I look up, expecting to see Beakbreaker coming to retrieve me, or Sea Breeze saying that the taxi has arrived. But it’s not either of them.

“Velvet? What are you doing here?”

The little pony sniffs as she comes to the bench, tears coming down her cheeks.

“Sweetie? What’s wrong?”

Velvet tries to pull herself onto the swing. I help her up, and she sits beside me, trying not to cry.

“Velvet, what’s wrong?”

“I’m scared, Grandpa,” she says.

“Why? What’s the matter?”

She tries to talk, but can’t get the words out, no matter how hard she tries.

“Are you scared of moving?”

She nods.

“You’re scared that you’ll be alone, and won’t make any friends?”

She nods again, tears slipping down her cheeks.

“Oh, honey, it’s alright,” I say, putting a hoof around her. “Everyone feels that way when they move.”

“But it’s not that, Grandpa,” Velvet says. “It’s... it’s something the other kids told me in school. They said... they said I’m gonna be worthless!”

“Worthless? Why on earth would they say that?”

“Because...” Velvet gulps. “Because they told me I don’t have a horn, and I don’t have wings!” She breaks down as more tears come forth. “They said I’m a nobody!”

A chill rushes through me.

“I can’t cast magic!” Velvet gasps. “I can’t fly! I... I … I can’t do anything!”

Celestia... what do I say? What do I do? Velvet may be sitting beside me, but I don’t see her: I see myself at her age, devastated at realizing that I would never cast magic or do anything my neighbors, schoolmates, or friends could do with ease. I was terrified that I would never amount to anything, that my life was over before it even began.

What would I tell my younger self?

Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath. “Velvet?”

She looks to me.

“Let me tell you a story. I think it’ll cheer you up.”

Velvet’s doubtful, but she still listens. She’s always had a soft spot for stories; whenever she visited our home, she would spend hours listening to tales I told her next to the fireplace, spellbound by pirates, ninjas, adventurers, knights and dragons, and whatever else I could come up with.

This story, though, will be the most important of all.

“A long time ago,” I say, “long before you were born, there was a little town called Saddle Lanka. Now, this town was very special, because only unicorns had been born there. Then, one day, a pony was born, but he didn’t have a horn like everyone else. He was the only earth pony there!”

Velvet gasps.

“Now, this pony felt lost and alone. He was an outcast-”

“Like me?” Velvet asks.

I chuckle. “Yes. None of the other little unicorns wanted to play with him. He didn’t have any friends and was all alone, feeling worthless and unwanted. But then he decided that he’d become someone powerful, someone who could do anything! And so, one day, he left home and set out on a quest to become an alicorn.”

“Like Celestia and Luna?” Velvet asks.

“Yes, just like them.”

“Did he do it!?”

“Slow down,” I chuckle. “Let me continue: As I was saying, the little pony set out to get a horn and wings, so he could cast magic and fly! But this little pony was very foolish, for he thought that getting a horn and wings was more important than anything... including his family.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well... He hurt many others on his journey. He lied and cheated and stole. He didn’t care if he hurt others, as long as he got what he wanted.”

“That’s not very nice.”

“No, no, it isn’t. And one day, his dream finally came true. He got his horn and his wings... but he wasn’t happy.”

“He wasn’t?”

I shake my head. “No... No one liked him because of all the bad things he did. And so they took the pony’s wings and his horn, and he felt worse than ever before.”

Velvet frowns. “I don’t like this story.”

“Well, you see, something happened... the pony realized that he didn’t really want to cast magic. He didn’t even want to fly. You see, deep down, all this little pony wanted was to be accepted, to be loved for who he was. And then, one day, he met Princess Luna, and Princess Celestia, and they helped him realize that he had a gift with words, and he could use them to make others happy.”

“Really? How?”

I bite my lip. “By... By encouraging them. By comforting them when they felt sad, and giving them help when they needed it. And in doing so, he was happier than he had ever been.” I smile at Velvet. “You see, Velvet, it doesn’t matter if you can fly, or if you can cast magic. Everyone has a gift,” I point to her blank thigh. “You may not know what yours is yet, but when you do, you can use it to make the world a better place. And the more you use your gift to make others happy, the happier you’ll be, too.”

Velvet smiles. “Really?”

I nod. “Yes... Really.”

“Grandpa? Are you crying?”

“Yes, Velvet.” I wipe the tear away. “I’m just happy that that pony learned his lesson. And I hope you learn it, too.”

“I have, Grandpa!” Velvet bounces up and down with the limitless energy all foals have. “I have, I have, I have! I’m gonna tell Mommy and Daddy! And then I’m gonna tell all my friends, too! The ones I’m gonna make!”

“There you go,” I say. “Don’t you feel all better, now?”

“Yeah!” My granddaughter embraces me as tightly as she can. “Oh, thank you, Grandpa!”

I return the hug, and the tears just keep coming. They don’t stop.

I don’t want them too.

“Velvet? Velvet!” Gold Wing and Sea Breeze enter the garden, Beakbreaker by their side. “There you are!”

“Mommy, mommy!” Velvet bounces off the bench and hurries over. “Grandpa just told me this amazing story! It was about a pony who wanted to be an alicorn, and how stupid he was, but then he learned what made him happy, and it was amazing!”

“Really?” Gold Wing smirks at me. “Well, I’m glad it was a good one.”

A horn beeps from in front of the house.

My chest tightens.

“Oh, there’s our ride,” Gold Wig says. “Come on, Velvet. We need to get going.”

“Awww...”

“Hey, don’t worry. Try seeing this as the start of an adventure! Like in one of your grandpa’s stories.” Gold Wing looks to me. “Isn't that right, Dad?”

I try to say that yes, it is, but the words don’t come. All I can manage is a nod.

Leaving the garden, we all head through the house and out to the front yard, where the taxi waits at the curb.

“Oh, I’m sorry we have to go,” Gold Wing says to Beakbreaker and me. “I wish this day could go on forever.”

“Don’t worry about us,” Beakbreaker says. “You just focus on having a wonderful time. All of you.” But she can’t keep up the brave facade; her lips are quivering as she fights not to cry.

“Mom? You okay?”

“Sorry.” Taking off her glasses, Beakbreaker wipes them clean. “It’s just... I never like goodbyes.”

“Maybe... Maybe we shouldn’t think of it as goodbye,” I say. “Maybe... we should say farewell instead. After all, we will see each other again, someday.”

“Hey, I like that,” Sea Breeze says. “Good one!”

“Yeah,” Gold Wing says. “Yeah, let’s stick with that. Farewell, not goodbye.”

“Farewell, not goodbye,” Beakbreaker says. She’s still struggling to keep herself together, but she’s managed a smile.

The air goes silent as we stand before our home, as if all of us, consciously or not, realize how precious this moment is.

It’s one final moment with all of us together.

There’s so much I want to say, to do, to plead for this moment to last, to go on as long as it can.

The taxi driver taps his horn.

“Well, we gotta go,” Gold Wing says. “Can’t keep the ship waiting.”

“Wait!” I say. “Before you go...” Turning, I hurry back into the house, rushing to my room, where I go through the display cabinets...

There!

Taking my prize, I rush back outside. “Velvet? This is for you.”

I hold out Little Celestia.

“Oh wow! Celestia!”

“She can be your first friend in your new home,” I say.

Velvet clutches the doll tightly. “Oh thank, you Grandpa! Thank you!” She squeezes Little Celestia tight, unaware of the enchanted eyes focusing on her.

They look to me.

My throat tightens.

The horn beeps again, the driver indicating the watch on his leg.

“Okay, that’s it,” Gold Wing says. “We’ve got to go.” She goes to Beakbreaker and gives her the biggest hug she can. “Love you, Mom.” Then, she embraces me as tightly as she can. “Love, you Dad.”

“I love you, too,” I say, wishing this moment would never end.

It can’t.

I let her slip from my hold.

Scooping up Velvet, Gold Wing turns and heads to the cab with Sea Breeze. “Bye Mom! Bye Dad! See you later!”

Beakbreaker and I both wave, and neither of us stop the tears coming down our cheeks.

Sea Breeze gets into the cab with Velvet Dusk. But before Gold Wing joins them, she pauses, and then raises a hoof.

“Farewell,” she calls back, “not goodbye!”

She gets into the taxi, closes the door, and sits with her family as it drives off down the road, the three of them waving at us through the windows.

Then the cab turns a corner, the headlights fading away as it heads down the road.

It’s gone.

Beakbreaker and I stand on the walkway, watching the spot where our daughter was only a moment ago.

My wife sniffs.

I take her hoof in mine.

She shakes, trying to hold back the sobs fighting to break free.

She bursts into tears.

Without a word, I embrace her, holding her tight as her tears come.

I don’t try to hold back my own.

We sit together, holding each other under the cold winter sky.