A Generous Heart

Applejack trotted over to the four worn-out ponies carrying a dish with five mugs of cider balanced on her back. "Ah really wanna thank y'all for helpin' me with the apple buckin'." She praised her friends gathered around the white picket fence encircling the barn house.

Each pony slid a hoof through the handle of each mug, smacking their lips at the thirst quenching beverage. Applejack slid the tray off her back with the last mug still on top. Right before it crashed to the ground, she flawlessly caught it in her maw and grabbed hold through the handle.

The sweltering ponies, beaten down by Celestia's merciless summer sun, gulped down their drinks without haste. A.J took a steady taste of her cider, savoring every drop. She let out an emphasized sigh and said, "Even if Rarity's too prissy to get her hooves a 'lil dirty." Her comment made Rainbow Dash laugh in between sips.

Fluttershy buried her muzzle in the empty wooden mug and said, "I heard she had an order to complete." Her murmur was barley audible enough to reach Applejack.

"Aw fooey that order. She could set aside an hour of her time to help us in the orchard. She just don't wanna get dirty." Applejack's comment seemed rude, but her tone was a joking one.

Pinkie Pie set her mug on the ground and excitedly said, "I hope she's not all-" The bubbly pony stopped to stare blankly out in the distance, her blue eyes looking out into the orchard, "-like she did last time!" The pony hopped in place.

Applejack quirked a brow, as did Twilight. Rainbow Dash was too engrossed in her beverage to care. "What's that supposed to mean, sugarcube?" At first, A.J. didn't think it meant much, just Pinkie Pie being Pinkie Pie. But the thing about her comment that peeked everypony's attention was that it's about Rarity.

Pinkie didn't break her cheerful demeanor and started explaining in a very hyper tone, "It was last Thursday, at Sugarcube Corner. Rarity was helping me bake this super huge cake! And-And she started getting a headache, so she sat down for a minute. Right? Right. I told her too keep an eye on the oven, and when I came back she was all zoned out, like-" She did her imitation again for a brief moment, "And the cake was all burnt up! Like 'Ew! Who wants a burnt up cake!?' But I told her it's all right before I noticed she was zoned out during my entire lecture. She said something about going home and getting some sleep." The vibrant pink pony beamed proudly at her friends.

Rainbow Dash shook her head, trying to make sense of what Pinkie just said. Fluttershy took a quiet sip of cider from her mug. Twilight placed a hoof on Pinkie's shoulder. "Pinkie, that's serious! Did you try getting her to a hospital?"

She was actually surprised to hear the carefree pony's answer. "Well, duh! It's not normal for a pony to go all-" She stared out into space for a third time, wearing thin on the ponies. "I asked her the next day to see if she was getting better and said, 'Yup' so I walked away."

"Just like that?" Twilight asked in disbelief. The frizzle haired pony nodded enthusiastically, her weightless mane shifting through the gentle summer breeze. Rainbow Dash sporadically flew up into the air, out of sight.

Applejack balanced her self on her hind legs and started collecting the mugs. "Well," she said leaning over to pick up Pinkie's stein, "if she's fine, she's fine, no use cryin' over it."

Rainbow Dash came back down like an anvil and stopped just before hitting the ground, blowing some clouds of dust up into the air. Above her was a dark cloud, rumbling with thunder built up inside. She had a devious grin and said, "We should go over there and have a little 'fun.'"

Pinkie Pie did her infamous snort, complying with Dash's harmless prank. Fluttershy flew up to eye level with the azure pegasus, who rose a brow at this gesture, "Please don't be mad Rainbow, but Rarity really needs to do her work." Dash's face fell to a bored expression as she splayed across the black cloud like a bed. "She came to my cottage three days ago and excitedly told me how her career is finally 'getting somewhere.'" She gave a meek laugh. "I'm not sure what she was saying, but she seemed pretty happy. After that she just ran off."

Back on the ground, Applejack came back from her house with a new tray of cider filled mugs. Rainbow maneuvered beside the cloud and kicked it out into the distance. She frenziedly dashed down beside the orange earth pony and took a mug. Finely ground up dirt shot up into the air, causing Twilight to cough and grimace at the pegasus.

A.J. continued Fluttershy's tale, "Yeah, she then came to me happier than a school-filly and started blabbering 'bout Sapphire Shores cuttin' a deal with her." The cowpony silently chuckled at the memory. "If that's what got her cooped up in that boutique, then she has my felicitations."

Applejack partook in some cider and rose her mug. "Here's to Rarity and her ever-growin' pursuits!"

"To Rarity!" They all cheered, clashing their mugs together.

Rarity blinked a couple times, stunned by this abrupt news. Redheart wiped the mascara running down her face. "I'm....I'm sorry," Rarity began with a snicker of disbelief, "but...that-that has to be some sort of mistake!" She shot the nurse a nervous, somewhat eerie grin.

The somber look on Nurse Redheart remained unbroken. "Tests confirmed it." She said in a crisp voice. "I'm sorry, Miss."

The white unicorn darted her eyes around the room, as if this was some set-up. "No. No, this isn't happening. I've been healthy my whole life! How in Equestria could one just develop...cancer," Her heart ached at the thought of it, "It doesn't just appear out of nowhere!"

Redheart brushed a lanky strand of pink hair out of her eyes, tucking it under her nurse cap. Feeling partially relieved she got the hardest part out of the way though her heart still ached for the hapless unicorn. "Ponies just develop brain tumors over time. To this day, we still don't know what causes them."

Rarity's mind was in utter chaos. At first, she was in denial, thinking this is some sort of sick prank committed by Rainbow Dash or Pinkie Pie. Then she grew terrified; thoughts of leaving her friends, dying alone, and the Carousel Boutique being condemned were all possibilities crossing the bridge between imagination and reality. What about Sweetie Belle? How would her family react to the news of their loving, caring daughter being snatched away by the Pony of Death?

How would her friends feel? Would Rainbow be angry? Would Applejack even care? Will Pinkie Pie still be the exuberant pony that loves to make others smile? And what'll happen with poor fragile Fluttershy? She'll obviously take the news the hardest.

Every one of these thoughts hit Rarity like a punch in the face. Fat salty tears slid down her face, creating slightly dark tracks in her fur. Why? Why did this have to happen to me!? She screamed angrily in her mind as she buried her face in the light blanket, the spot becoming soaked within seconds.

Rarity cried the hardest she has in her entire life to the point where her choking sobs evolved into violent coughs. Black mascara and baby blue eyeshadow smeared across her face, making her not only feel terrible, but look terrible as well.

"I'm-I'm sorry you have to see me like....like....THIS!" Rarity paused long enough to say in a clear voice before a new wave of tears loomed.

Nurse Redheart nodded silently, though her patient could sense it. She felt awful that the wave of bad news would not end there. She placed a calming hoof on Rarity's arched back, just in between the point where the hospital gown laced together,  and rubbed it in a circular motion. Like magic, it caused the unicorn's violent sobs to slow into muffled cries. "It's been there awhile, Rarity. We're actually surprised to see you lasted this long!" She said in a moderately upbeat tone.

Rarity shot her head up from the wet spot on the blanket and fell back. The nurse quickly retracted her hoof. Staring blankly up at the ceiling, Rarity sarcastically replied with, "Thanks, that makes me feel sooo much better!" The corners of her eyes were blood red.

"I'm sorry." The nurse pony apologized sincerely. "What I was trying to say is patients don't usually last long with a tumor like yours."

The fashionista sniffled. Her head fell to the right, away from the nurse and out at the window pasted with an expansive sky. From her spot, Rarity could see nothing more than that. "But there's a catch. There's always a catch." She said dryly.

Nurse Redheart swallowed hard, feeling like her mouth was filled with cotton. "We're not sure how long you have. It could be days. It could be a week. It could be a month."

Rarity said nothing, still mulling over her situation of grand magnitude, a blue jay zipped by the window caught her attention for a brief moment. It reminded her of Fluttershy, outside, living freely. Not here, cooped up in the hospital waiting for your doomsday clock to reach midnight.

The white earth pony broke the awkward silence. "Your little sister saved your life. She said she'd be back as soon as she can with all of your friends." Rarity's lips curved into a faint smile. The nurse took note of that and mimicked the notion. "Would you like to see them when they get here?"

Rarity nodded her head a couple times, still contemplating the gorgeous blue sky. "Yes.....Yes I would like that very much."