Whenever Father's Day rolls around, Big Macintosh is determined to make sure that every member of the Apple family has a happy, relaxing day instead of letting them wallow in the sorrow of loss. There's just one problem with that.

He forgot one family member.

Written for the Equestria Daily flash fiction event on the topic of Father's Day.
Cover image vector by Sheep.

"You've got to be strong now./And if I come and hold you now,/You'll be safe and sound." -James Iha, 'Be Strong Now'

Applejack is being stressed by a number of factors. At home, she shares her issues with her grandmother. As the two ponies talk, Granny Smith remembers a letter that Applejack's father wrote to her when she was a newborn. Will the orange mare be able to read the letter at all?

Image created by DespisedAndBeloved on deviantArt.

Audio drama of the 'Be Strong Now by Obabscribbler

When Spike returns home early from a gathering he sees something that causes him to go running from their little home...the sight of Twilight and Caramel together.

Once Twilight finds him, shivering and cold, she decides to try to address his fears...by giving him The Talk.

But, to Twilight's surprise, it may not be a talk about basic biology that Spike needs...perhaps something far more important is on his mind.

On a cloudy day, four friends find refuge at Rarity's Boutique over a barrel of cider. But when Twilight Sparkle flies home from Canterlot to see her friends early, can she understand what's really going on?

Each night I’m trapped in the dark, immobilized. I hear whispers as they operate on me: they say I shouldn’t be alive. Twilight refuses to tell me about the operation. Sometimes she can’t look me in the eye. What did they do to me?

Nothing used to scare me: I kicked a dragon in the nose, defeated gods of chaos and hatred, and control the weather. Now I feel broken. My memories have shattered, I feel wrong, and I’m afraid to tell anypony how scared I am.

I can’t even do the rainboom anymore. Who am I? I’m no longer the best flyer in Equestria, yet everypony assures me I am. Why won’t they tell me the truth?
↓↓ Credits

Special Thanks:
Dreampaw the artist. Best cover art.
Editors:
ArgonMatrix - Fixed 128 errors in chapter one alone.
Animus - who is awesome and for hire.
BronyWriter - The only author to punch Celestia in the face, and live.
Jaestring - Artist, Editor, and Female all in one.
Abcron - European editor, which means his time zone and my actual sleep schedule are aligned perfectly!
The Parasprite. Need I say more?
Selbi - If your editor isn't German, you aren't trying hard enough.
OctaviaHarmony - His avatar is as sexy as his editing.
RenegadeTimelord - Doctor who?
Akumokagetsu - Awesomesauce.
(Wow, a lot of editors came and went.)

I am eternal, and death is my steadfast companion. The passing of each generation of my little ponies weighs on me; every one of them is a fleeting, irreplaceable treasure, a snowflake dancing 'round a fire. I want to save all of them; I have the ability to save a few. I have saved none.