“Now all my stories have been told, except for one.”

Becoming the ruler of Equestria, the princesses’ retirement and having a child were all things that helped Twilight come to terms with the concept of immortality and alicornhood in a way she had never considered before, at a time when the stress of all her royal duties was topped off by the looming thought that she was meant to live for centuries while everyone else around her would eventually pass on.

In this mess of uncertainty, Shrapnel was the light in her way —the thing that forced her to come back down to earth and remember the most important things in life: family and friends.

This was a little life that she created herself, a child that she could see grow and develop, and to whom she could pass on everything Celestia had taught her, all her lessons about friendship. But especially, she wanted to prepare him to face the fears that she had to go through, so when he was ready to become an alicorn and ascend to the throne, he would be able to deal with the idea of eternity in a better way: that he would outlive everyone he knew, and that even if she was to keep him company for centuries, when Twilight had to retire, he would learn that she would always be by his side, even if he couldn’t see her.

This is why she was in absolute denial when Shrap decided he didn’t want to be a prince.

Her child went from being her lovely little girl to a distant, cold, condescending boy in what it felt as overnight. This had to be just a phase, of course! Just one of the many challenges that comes with raising a child.

They used to be so close to each other, to read stories and sing songs— Twilight didn’t want to believe that that cheery, innocent little child was lost forever, and much less that he didn’t want to be an alicorn.

Celestia had Luna, Cadence had Flurry… but what about her? Who would be by her side in a hundred years? A thousand?

Magic could only extend Tempest’s life for so long, just like it would be the case with Shining Armor. But after that, after her family and friends had passed, what will be of her? Was she meant to be alone for all eternity, the only princess in the castle?

Despite her best efforts to be supportive and understanding with her son’s decisions, and trying to encourage him to do whatever brought him happiness, desperately attempting to rebuild their relationship, she couldn’t help but be shocked.

Denial was a response she wasn’t ready for. Twilight never had the chance to choose wether she really wanted to become an alicorn, after all, and all of this forced her to wonder if she would have willingly assumed this responsibility in the first place, if she’d known this was the destiny Celestia was preparing her for…

Luckily, Shrap was just a teenager, and all this fuss was only a rebellious little phase.

It had to be a phase.