Twilight Sparkle was looking through the window at the perfect sky. She was musing. Musing over her life, or rather what was left of it.

She wasn’t happy, that was an understatement.

Of course, she’d her friends. Always ready to lend a helping hoof. She’d her mentor, Princess Celestia, too. And, really, she’d no time to get bored anymore: cocktails, conferences, interviews, inaugurations… Her agenda was full to the brim.

But none of this really mattered to her. She hated the tinsel. She despised the underhoof hypocrisy of the upstarts. She loathed the toady smiles. How she pined for her former days, when she was – okay, let’s own it up, Celestia’s pet – but nothing else. Just a young unicorn no different from so many others, blessed with the love and the affection of all her friends. Free to dream her future life. Unfettered by this stupid princessdom and all the related pointless, fulsome flummery.

Definitely, she needed something more. Something that would once again give a meaning to her life. Something that she’d fight for.

Something… or rather somepony.

She felt butterflies in her stomach and squirmed. She knew very well what she needed, even if it was hard to admit it consciously. It entailed so much. Would she be able to pull it off?

Her body ached for it.

She craved… for a foal.

She smiled at the idea of her motherhood. I, Twilight Sparkle, princess of friendship, pushing a cradle along Ponyville’s streets. It sounded preposterous. Almost zany.

Her smile froze and transformed into a slight grimace. Because having a foal meant first finding a father. And make out with him.

Surely, Ponyville was full of suitable stallions. First, there was the obvious choice, the one that stood out: Applejack’s brother. Big Mac was attractive both physically and intellectually. His sinewy body, his bulging muscles strained by hours of hard chores in the fields, his glistening red pelt pockmarked with lather gave him a sort of strong rustic appeal. Yet, he’d kept a juvenile face, a disarming, winsome smile, highlighted by those improbable family freckles. But what Twilight valued more than anything was Big Mac’s terseness and simplicity. All her friends believed that she’d be wooed by highbrows, ponies abreast with her intellectual prowess. No, that wasn’t her cup of tea. Big Mac was upfront, even sometimes curt, but she liked that. Besides, why would a foal need a father spit and image to her? Instead, her foal would need a perky, active dad to play with, frolic around and experience the world. And Big Mac looked perfect for that. She would take care of the rest: books, writing, science… All that was well up her alley.

And she couldn’t deny she was thrilled by the idea of — she blushed — having sex with him.

But he was so shy. So demure. Not unlike a Fluttershy trapped inside a burly body. It would be a challenge to convince him. And she refused to use magic for that. She wanted his consent. She wanted a father. A true one.

Oh! She could make do with other choices. The watchmaker, Whooves. He wasn’t so ugly. She liked his beige, discreet coat. He was not really outstanding, but he was serious, hard-working too, and affable. He could make a very decent father, if he’d the opportunity to.

But she’d heard he was engaged with Derpy. She conjured up the image of the clumsy pegasus in her mind. She couldn’t help but feel a deep affection for her. Derpy was so naïve and really wore her heart on her sleeve. Gentle. Always smiling. No, definitely, there was no way for Twilight to intrude on to Derpy’s personal space.

There was Mr. Cake, too. But he was married and had already two rug rats to watch over. She dismissed the idea almost as soon as it popped up in her mind.

And many others. But who would ever accept to share her new life anyway? Dejected, she ambled to the nearest mirror and looked at her reflection straight in the eyes.

Nobody would. And she would never bear a child. That was the other harsh truth she had to face, however grim and revolting. A princess of Equestria. That’s all what her future would ever look like. Had she known it then, —

The doorbell of the castle jangled. “Princess Twilight? Are you home?” the voice of Mayor Mare called.

Twilight sighed, turned and shuffled down the stairs.