Remember The Good Days?
Twilight’s mane blew lazily in the wind that drifted through the evening sky. Sitting on top of a hill on the outskirts of the town of Ponyville, she took in the scene of chaos in front of her. Fires littered the town as riots tore their way through the few remaining buildings. Bright hues of red and orange danced across the sky, topped off by a black screen of smoke. It was a sort of a paradoxical moment, a town raised in peace resorting to violence at a mere moment’s notice.
“Ya know, if it wasn’t for that town being my home, I would say it’s beautiful,” chimed a voice beside the unicorn.
Turning her head to meet the talker, her eyes falling upon a pair of bright violet eyes. A cyan pegasus was flying mere inches away from her. Each flap of her wings made Twilight’s mane lift into the sky, giving it life for a few seconds before it fell back down to her back..
“There’s no beauty in that scene, Rainbow Dash,” Twilight coldly stated.
Dash playfully jabbed her friend in the shoulder. “You gotta lighten up some more, Twilight!” The pegasus turned and pointed towards the group of four other ponies. “Look at us, we’re all together. Cheer up, you’re with your friends! Even though... maybe the timing isn’t the best, you gotta enjoy what life throws at you!”
“Sometimes I wish I could be like you, Rainbow. Always so care-free, nothing ever seems to get you down. Your confidence remains indefatigable, and you’re always so audacious. Things I’m not.”
Rainbow Dash shot her a quizzical look. “Equestrian, please, Twilight? We aren’t all book worms like you are, ya know...”
“Why, it means you’re bold, and your confidence is much like Pinkie’s energy - it never runs out,” Rarity stated calmly. “I think it fits you... rather perfectly, dear.”
“It’s funny... I remember when Rainbow was getting ready for the Best Young Fliers’ competition. She certainly wasn’t bold then.” Twilight interjected, stifling a chuckle.
“Hey! I was under a lot of pressure then!” Rainbow shouted. “You try performing in front of the Wonderbolts, Celestia, and a group of jocks that never left you alone! It isn’t easy.”
This time, it was Twilight’s turn to jab her friend in the shoulder. “We’re just joking with you. Besides, you ended up winning anyways, so it doesn’t matter! Thinking back to that day... I remember giving Rarity those wings... what a disaster that turned out to be.”
Rarity blushed. “They were fabulous, Twilight. I just had to show them off! What would be the point of having such majestic wings if I couldn’t flaunt them a little?” the fashionista said.
“That wasn’t the only time you tried to flaunt somethin’, sugarcube,” Applejack stated, walking up beside Rarity. The orange earth pony pushed her brown stetson up, revealing a pair of bright green eyes. “Remember that time when you tried to impress Photo Finish? Tried to show off those fancy dresses of yours, and you ended up getting Fluttershy involved in the world of fashion! Ironic, if’n you ask me.”
“Oh... umm... can we... not bring that up?” a voice whispered. Fluttershy was hiding behind her bright pink mane as she spoke. One of her eyes peaked out from behind her sanctuary of hair, as she stared timidly at the group of friends before her. “You know... I don’t like having everyponies attention...”
“Say, Fluttershy. What’s with you and being so... well, shy?” Rainbow asked, crossing her hooves.
“I... really don’t know. I've always been worried that I would end up being mean if I tried to be more assertive... and nopony likes a meanie.” The timid pegasus stated, her voice barely rising above a whisper. With a soft whimper, she attempted to fully hide her face behind her mane, her cheeks shining with a bright red.
Rainbow Dash brought her hoof up to her forehead. “Fluttershy, why are you worrying? Even if you do screw up, nopony would mind! Remember that dragon from a few years ago, the one that tried to sleep in that cave? You ended up saving our flanks that day! If it wasn’t for you telling him off, Equestria would’ve been covered in smoke for a hundred years!”
“Sometimes it’s fun not to be courageous, Dashie. Like on Nightmare Night, it’s always fun to act scared! But still, Fluttershy, being outgoing is even more fun! Especially when you throw parties, and play games, and dance, and sing all the time!” shouted a bubbly voice.
Pinkie Pie bounced towards the cowering pegasus. Her sky blue eyes shone through the darkness the dusk gave off. Her mane and tail closely resembled puffy cotton candy, giving a clear indication of her current mood.
Fluttershy looked out of her mane to see a chocolate cupcake with vanilla icing, topped off with a butterfly, held by a pink hoof in front of her.
“Oh, Pinkie... you shouldn’t have...” she said.
“Silly Fluttershy! You were starting to look so sad!” Pinkie happily exclaimed. “And when I see somepony sad, it’s my job to turn that frown upside down, silly filly!”
“You know... Pinkie, how do you do that?” Twilight asked.
“Do what?”
“Manage to pull things out of nowhere! I mean, it’s an astounding talent, but it defies all logic! I always put off the question, afraid of what the answer would be... but now’s the time to finally ask it.”
Pinkie sat down on her haunches and put on a serious expression. “Some things are better left unknown, Twilight. Even I don’t fully understand how things work, but at least I’m doing it for the right reasons!”
Twilight nodded in response. “I guess so...”
“Like that time with the party cannon!” Rainbow said, flying in a loop. “That thing fired out parties! I have to ask, Pinkie. Where do you get stuff like that? I mean, are you, like, secretly more of an egghead than Twilight is or something?”
Pinkie chuckled. “Actually... the party cannon just appeared in front of Sugarcube Corner one day, out of nowhere! So I had to try it out, and then when it shot out a party? At first I was all in shock, so I let out a big GASP! Then I realized the possibilities! I mean, a cannon that shoots parties? What else am I going to do! So I invited everypony over for a party!” the pink mare exclaimed, bouncing in circles.
“I remember the first time I saw the party cannon...” Twilight said, her eyes glimmering. “It was my birthday. That was... an interesting party, to say the least.”
Twilight trotted over to Rarity, and playfully nudged her. This elicited a blush from the white unicorn.
“Especially with Rarity hanging out with that fancy Canterlot group. Although I have to say, Fancy Pants was very nice. Everypony else in that group, on the other hoof, was stuck-up. But it was still one of the best parties I ever had! Even if it did include crashing a fancy get together...”
“Well, it certainly did ‘liven’ up the party, as one could say,” Rarity stated. “Although I enjoy spending time with you girls more... I was so close to being fully accepted into Canterlot society!”
Rainbow Dash glared at Rarity. “Don’t even start that whining.”
Rarity stared back at the cyan pegasus floating a few meters away from her. “That... was not whining. This is whi-” The fashionista was cut off as a pink hoof found its way into her mouth.
“Sorry, Rarity! But today isn’t a day for whining, it’s a day for being with your friends and family for the very last time! So no whining, ok?”
Rarity nodded.
“Good!” Pinkie exclaimed, removing her hoof from Rarity’s mouth. “That reminds me of that time you were kidnapped by those Diamond Dogs, because you have that gift of finding gems! So they took you, and we tried to rescue you. Oh oh oh, we also got to ride on a dirt slide, that was loads of fun! But yeah, it turns out you didn’t need rescuing, which I guess is a good thing!”
Rarity groaned. “Did you have to bring that up?”
“Yeppers! It moves everything forward!” Pinkie stated, continuing to bounce in circles.
“Moves what forward, darling? Whatever do you mean?” Rarity asked.
Pinkie covered her mouth with her hooves. “Whoopsies, I’ve said too much!” she giggled.
Rarity shot Twilight a confused look.
Twilight shook her head. “Don’t question it, Rarity. It’s just Pinkie being Pinkie.” The unicorn chuckled. “Like that time when I discovered she had those... sens-”
“Pinkie senses,” Pinkie interrupted.
Twilight turned toward her friend, and sighed. “Pinkie senses. I still don’t understand, but they’re always right. I learned a lot that day. Sometimes things that don’t make sense can be correct. Pinkie somehow has special powers that transcend this plane of real-.”
“And the next plane!” Pinkie giggled.
“... Sure, Pinkie. It’s better to just not ask. Anyway, as I was saying. If it wasn’t for Pinkie’s senses, we might have lost Fluttershy that day. Although you didn’t get the doozy sense for her, for some strange reason.” Twilight stated, expecting to get interrupted.
“Like I said, Twilight. I don’t understand my Pinkie senses either, they just come and go a- achy knee, full body expansion and deflation, ear twitch, tail twitch, ear flop, violent shuddering, back flip.” Pinkie looked at the ground, depressed.
“Now what does that mean, sugarcube?” Applejack asked with a horrified expression.
“...Thirty minutes left. All of Equestria, and the rest of the world.” Pinkie said, her eyes darting from side to side.
Twilight put her hoof on Pinkie’s shoulder. “There’s no point in worrying, Pinkie. If it happens, it happens. We can’t change what destiny has planned. So, let’s take our minds off of it... say, Pinkie. Do you remember that time Fluttershy brought home a parasprite?”
Fluttershy looked out from her shelter of hair. “Oh, I just couldn’t resist. You see, they were just so cutesy and wutesy... I had to bring one home...”
“And what ended up happening?” Twilight questioned.
“Umm... almost all of Ponyville was destroyed?”
“And what did you learn from that, Fluttershy?”
“... Umm... to never judge something based on how it looks?” Fluttershy answered with a forced grin.
“But you cast that spell that made them eat everything that wasn’t edible, Twilight!” Rainbow Dash stated, poking her friend in the chest.
“Well, it certainly saved our food supply!” Twilight retorted with a snort.
“Why couldn’t you just cast a teleportation or levitation spell and make them all go away?!”
“Magic doesn’t work like that! It’s extremely difficult to target multiple things at once!”
Pinkie groaned as her friends argued.
She inhaled deeply, causing her body to swell up.
“Quiet!” she yelled. The ground shook at the cacophony that exploded from Pinkie’s mouth, as every single eye turned toward her in fear. “This isn’t the time for arguing! This is our last time together, and we only have so much of it left, why are you fighting?” Pinkie pouted.
Twilight looked away from Pinkie. “But she sta-”
“Oh, but it shouldn’t matter... who started it.” Fluttershy interrupted. “We’re all friends. We should be... enjoying each other’s company...”
Rainbow Dash sighed. “Fluttershy’s right, Twi.”
Pinkie sat on her haunches and stared menicingly at the cyan pegasus.
“And Pinkie, too,” Rainbow added.
The party pony nodded, her expression changing to a more cheery one.
“We shouldn’t be arguing now...” Dash scratched the back of her head. “I guess what I’m trying to say is I forgive you.”
Pinkie cleared her throat loudly.
Rainbow brought her hoof up to her forehead. “Fine, I’m sorry. There, happy, Pinkie?”
“Yep!” Pinkie chirped.
“I guess... I’m also sorry,” Twilight stated.
“Now I can throw a party!” Pinkie exclaimed, before turning towards Ponyville. Her eyes stopped on the charred remains of Sugarcube Corner. “... Or maybe not...”
“Ya know, Twilight. When was the last time we argued?” Dash asked, holding her hoof to her muzzle.
“Not in a long time...” Twilight replied. “I guess this is just making us all agitated. We just can’t think straight anymore; we’re losing our nerve...”
“I guess so... we can’t always be level-headed... but we’ll make it through this though. We’re the Elements of Harmony!”
Twilight sighed heavily. “I wish it was that simple, Dash. I really wish it was. Sadly, I don’t things aren’t going to work out that way. Being the Elements of Harmony doesn’t mean we’re impervious to everything. Remember Discord? He turned us each against our own elements!”
“But we still beat him in the end, didn’t we? The elements are supposed to be able to survive anything!” Dash retorted.
“We barely beat him, Dash. He got cocky; if he was serious, he would’ve won.”
Rainbow Dash lowered her head. “We’ve had lots of close calls, haven’t we? Times when we almost lost our friendship to dumb things.”
“More times than I’ve bucked apples, sugarcube,” Applejack said, once again pushing her stetson up. “Remember that time when Pinkie tried to make the biggest cupcake? More stubborn than a mule at times, she is.”
“Oh, but it turned out to be so super duper delicious, Applejack!”
“It sure did, Pinkie. But ya nearly made all of Ponyville explode. Where’d ya get an oven that size, anyways?” the cowpony questioned.
“Simple, I made it in my big secret underground basement!” Pinkie replied, giggling.
Twilight’s hoof landed brutally on her forehead, producing a loud clop sound. “You had that much space in your basement?”
“Yeppers!”
“And you used it to build a seventy foot tall oven?”
“You got it!”
“Without anypony at all noticing?”
“You ponies really need to pay more attention!”
“And you never bothered to tell anypony about this lab until now?”
“Well, duh! It wouldn’t be a secret if I just told everypony there was a big basement underneath Sugarcube Corner, would it? You really need to think sometimes, Twilight!” Pinkie exclaimed, continuing to giggle like a filly.
“But... you just told everypony about it right now...” Twilight pointed out.
“It’s not like it matters anymore, Twilight! We all know nopony will ever get to see it ever again!” the party pony replied, continuing to bounce around.
A jolt ran through Pinkie’s body, as she repeated the movements she had earlier.
“How... much time, darling?” Rarity asked, sweat starting to bead her forehead.
“Fifteen minutes...” Pinkie replied, looking down at the ground.
The group stood silent for awhile, their eyes darting back and forth between each other. The weight of the silence pushed down upon them.
“You know...” Twilight said, finally breaking the silence, “When I first came to Ponyville... the first pony I met was Pinkie. The first thing she did was jump in the air and loudly gasp. I told Spike that everypony in this town was crazy at that exact moment. I look back at that day... and I realized... that was truly the happiest day of my life. When I first met all of you. I’ve never thanked all of you... but coming to Ponyville was the best thing that has ever happened to me.” Twilight sniffled, holding back her tears. “Before I came here, I was too caught up in my studies and readi-”
“You still are!” Rainbow Dash interrupted.
Twilight shot her an angry glare that made the brash pegasus instantly flinch backwards. “As I was saying... I was too caught up to ever experience the true magic of friendship. If I had never met any of you, right now I’d be going through this exact same thing all alone. I... I don’t think I could’ve taken it, But now I have you, my friends, that are with me during times like this.”
“Well, I’m glad to have met you as well, sugarcube,” Applejack stated. “You’ve certainly made a name for yourself here in the Apple family, you might as well be one of us! Hay, all y’all are. You helped durin’ the cold seasons, durin’ infestations, even durin’ applebuck season. With your help, we were able to keep the farm. Not that it matters much anymore, but it did mean the whole world ta Applebloom and Granny Smith. And ta me...”
“You helped hone my skills as a flier, Twilight! If it wasn’t for you getting me into reading, I would’ve never came across those books on arro... airo... arrow...”
“Aerodynamics, Dash?” Twilight finished.
“I knew that! Now, even though I don’t like the idea of being an egghead... without those books, I would’ve never improved!” Dash said, performing a quick back-flip.
“If Twilight never came, I have one less pony to throw a party for, and that just won’t do! I need to throw as many parties as possible!” Pinkie exclaimed with one breath.
Twilight struck her forehead with her hoof again. “Can you think of anything besides parties, Pinkie?”
“Nopers!” Pinkie answered. “Parties make ponies happy and I love to make ponies happy, so I love to think about parties in order to make as many ponies happy as possible!”
“Umm... T-T-Twilight...” Fluttershy stuttered, shaking like a brittle leaf on a windy day. “I want... to t-thank you also... for b-b-being there for me... and f-for helping me w-with chores... and with the a-animals... a-and for being a f-friend...”
Twilight cantered over to the terrified pegasus, and pulled her into a hug. “You don’t have to be scared, Fluttershy. We’ll face this together. Have you ever been frightened when we’ve worked together?”
Fluttershy shook her head no, as a small tear escaped her eye.
“So there’s no reason to be scared. If there ever was a time for you to act brave, it is now. Sure, none us of know what’s going to happen, but it’s better if we face it head-on.”
Fluttershy looked around at the group of friends that stood in a semi-circle around her. “Oh... I d-don’t know Twilight...”
Twilight laid her hoof on Fluttershy’s shoulder. The timid pegasus recoiled instantly.
“I-I... just c-can’t... I’m s-sorry, everypony...”
“Oh, there’s no point, dear. The poor thing is too afraid to even talk properly.” Rarity stated, a solemn look on her face.
“Five minutes!” Pinkie chimed.
“Rarity... everypony else has said something. This may sound a bit selfish of me, but is there anything you’d like to say before... this happens?” Twilight asked.
“Hmm? Oh! Yes! Although we never did get to talk about Canterlot like we originally plan-.”
“I never agreed to that,” Twilight interrupted.
“Oh, you didn’t? Well, it would have been nice either way. Anyway, as I was saying. It has been a pleasure knowing you, Twilight. Sure we may have not seen eye to eye on fashion, you were still a great friend. I really do appreciate your help with watching the Crusaders, too. It’s sad that they wanted to go on one last crusade, but I guess that’s just them.”
“You know, I’m surprised Spike went with them... I thought he’d want to spend time with you, Rarity.”
“Such a shame, I would have loved to see him one more time... Say, Twilight. Do you know why Spike isn’t here?” the fashion pony asked.
“He said something about talking to Sweetie Belle and getting something off his chest...”
“One minute!” Pinkie yelled frantically.
Twilight looked around at all of her friends. “One last group hug?”
Pinkie nodded vigorously, and pulled of her friends into a vice-grip hug. “...Oh, umm... Twilight... there’s something you should know...”
“Yes, Pinkie?”
“There’s going to be three survivors.” Pinkie stated.
“...Do you know who?”
Pinkie contemplated the question. “...Princess Celestia and Princess Luna.”
“...Who’s the third?”
“...Do you really want to know?”
“Spit it out, Pinkie!” Twilight shouted.
“It’s you, Twilight.”
Twilight’s eyes bulged, and her pupils turned into pinpricks. “You’re... kidding, right?”
“Nope!”
Twilight stared into the horizon as the sun finally completed its submergence beyond the hills that littered the fields in front of her. “...I love you girls.”
“We lo-”
Searing heat. A bright flash of light.
Darkness.
Twilight gasped for breath as she struggled to open her eyes. Something beyond her closed eyes was managing to penetrate into her pupils and drilled into her mind.
“Welcome, Twilight Sparkle,” a familiar motherly voice rang out to the stricken unicorn. One from which she hadn’t heard in over a week. One to which she had grown up. One she couldn’t be more happy to hear.
Twilight managed to get a full breath of fresh air between her fits of gasping. Breathe in, breathe out, her thoughts ordered; she obeyed.
Twilight opened her eyes to see the night sky and its bright stars all around her. As a tear ran down her muzzle, her eyes fell upon the two alicorns that stood in front of her.
“Hello... Princess Celestia.”
Celestia greeted her with a nod.
“And hello, Princess Luna.”
“We welcome you to our new home, Twilight Sparkle.”
Celestia turned her head towards the sky. “Look up, my student.”
Twilight looked up, and noticed a large rock that was strikingly similar to the moon. “We’re... still in Equestria?”
“I’m afraid not...” Celestia replied, her voice tainted with sorrow.
Twilight felt her heartbeat increase drastically, as fear overtook her every thought. She looked around her surroundings, only to see a barren wasteland filled with rocks and craters. “W-Where... are we?”
“We’re on the moon.” Luna stated.
“Then what’s in the sky?”
A tear trickled down Celestia’s face.
“Equestria.”
The End
Editors: Angelhood101, Silicas, Fissionprime, Liquid_Rainbows.
