At The Gate

Argyle Starshine wasn't sure where he was. His mind felt… foggy. Like every thought he was trying to grasp was made out of steam, and each time he took hold of one it broke apart and drifted away from him.

He remembered something about a bed? He had been in it. His beloved Sunny had been there - she stood out in his mind, bright as day - and she had been crying. Something in his chest lurched at that, and a thought finally coalesced: Sunny was sad. He had to do something about that!

Gasping, Argyle sat up and… and looked around. He wasn't in a bed. He wasn't anywhere, as best he could tell. It was just white. As far as he could see in every direction: featureless white. Not white like walls, but like he was standing in the thickest fog bank imaginable. His drive faded to confusion as he stood unsteadily, trying to get his bearings. There were none to get, however. There was simply nothing.

Until there was.

"Do not be afraid, Argyle Starshine."

He spun around to face–

Argyle's mind rebelled. It was impossible. Not only had there not been anypony standing directly behind him a moment earlier, there was no way that pony could have been Princess Twilight Sparkle. He took a stumbling step backwards.

Twilight's wings ruffled and she lowered her head so she was on the same level as he. "Please. I know this is shocking, but be calm."

"You're… you're Princess Twilight."

And she smiled. It was as beautiful as Argyle had dreamed it would be. "I am. And you are one of the few who remembers my name, Argyle Starshine. It is why we are here together."

Argyle bowed low. "I am deeply honored, Your Highness." The thought again tickled his mind - Sunny was sad. He looked up, eyes peeking over the top of his glasses. "But where are we? I– I need to find my daughter. Her name is–"

"Sunny Starscout," Twilight intoned - and with a broad smile. "Yes, I know her well." She held out a hoof shod in gold. "And please. You've studied me enough, Argyle. You of all ponies should know I don't like bowing and scraping. And especially not from a friend."

The word warmed Argyle from the inside out. "You want me to be your friend?"

Twilight's smile grew. "Of course. Not only because I want everypony to be friends, but because you're you."

He took her hoof and rose. "Thank you, Twilight." They shared a moment of silent cheer before Argyle straightened up, eyes darting around. "You said you know of my daughter. Where is she? I need to find her. Something had her upset and I…" He trailed away to a frown, a tiny voice in the back of his head shouting that he was once more missing something.

There, Twilight's cheerful face wavered. "Argyle, I know this is going to be difficult, but you, well. You died."

"What?"

"You died," she repeated. "Sunny was sad because you died. Complications from your cancer treatments."

That word latched on to some of those foggy, cloud-like memories and brought them into sharp focus. He remembered now: the diagnosis; Sunny trying to keep a brave face; the treatments; Phyllis Cloverleaf's quiet smile when he caught her making medical bills 'disappear'; weeks of slow low-grade suffering; Hitch swearing to Argyle that he would look after his best friend; the last night where it was just Sunny at his bedside and a gentle rain outside.

Argyle lurched as it all impacted him, and Twilight grabbed hold to support him. "I'm sorry," she said reflexively.

Looking up at the Princess, Argyle's eyes rapidly passed through a dozen emotions - confusion, fear, sorrow, and many more before finally settling on one. Curiosity. "If I'm dead, does that mean you are as well?"

Twilight laughed. It was exactly as Argyle had imagined she would laugh - light and joyous, with a little snort at the end. "Even in death you are a scholar. I could have asked for no better disciple." She hugged him as his mother once did. "But I'm afraid the answer is a bit… messy. Let's just say for now that it's complicated."

He looked ready to dive deeper into that - but stopped, mind flipping back to where he started from. And to the most important face. "Sunny. I need to… to…" And he frowned. He was dead. "There's nothing I can do for her, is there."

The grand alicorn wrapped her wings around the stallion, tightening the hug. "I'm sorry, but there isn't." She paused thoughtfully. "But I know something that may help you."

With a wave of her horn, the mists formed a window - and through it an image of Sunny. Argyle pulled free of Twilight and took a half-step towards his daughter before pausing as the image's source pulled back. She was sitting at a campfire in the wilderness. Hitch was with her - as were two pegasi and a unicorn.

Argyle sucked in a sharp, pleasantly surprised breath at the group's disparate tribes.

"She will find friends," Twilight Sparkle pronounced.

The image shifted to Sunny with a mixed crowd of ponies before the ruins of the lighthouse.

"She will be tested."

And then - Sunny, in the air. Face smiling. New wings and horn aglow with golden light.

"And she will bring hope to the world once more."

Argyle slumped to the cloudy floor, looking at the image of his daughter. That she was an alicorn mattered less to him than the other part: she was happy. "I… I never…" He swallowed hard and looked to the princess. "Sunny's going to be okay?"

Twilight's nod and her smile were more than enough.

Argyle let out a long, tension-releasing sigh.

"You have exceeded every expectation, my disciple." Princess Twilight Sparkle leaned in close to kiss his forehead. "Know you were everything a pony could ask for. Caretaker, scholar, mentor - father. Now please. Rest."

And with a smile, he did.