Loved Ones
They're gone
I know, but...
You couldn't do anything
I didn't know that becoming an Alicorn and a princess would mean...
"Twilight?" Princess Celestia interrupted, her sight on Twilight. Twilight shook her head, locking her thoughts for the princess beside her. Celestia gazed down on her, concern in her eyes.
"Does something bother you, Twilight?" Celestia resumed.
"N-no Princess Celestia," Twilight answered softly. Celestia set a wing over her student, holding her closely.
"Twilight, you and I know very well that isn't true," Princess Celestia said. "Tell me what is wrong."
Twilight knew what was wrong, though she didn't understand why she was feeling sorrow fill her core. It's been more than four hundred years since she last met with them — when she could remember those cherished moments filled completely with joy and wonder. And when she learned how long it would last; everlasting friendship. Although she had realized that wasn't true; she still keeps them close in her memories since it is what she holds most dearly.
Her surroundings were elegant; the palace garden, where nature and its luxury is admired. Of course Twilight would lose herself in her mind, no sound or disruptions took place, it was only her and the Princess. Since the Princess took time to find serenity with her, Twilight was at ease, for the most part.
"Twilight." Celestia waited. Twilight exhaled calmly.
"My friends..."
A simple phrase was enough to make Celestia lose herself as well, she almost regretted telling Twilight about her immortality, and her friends will pass on like everypony else. But in order to keep Twilight from finding out herself, hurting herself, it was needed for her to know. And why would she not? Twilight enjoyed her time with her friends, how they taught her so much more of friendship and its magic.
She has always wondered; if she had saved her friends, Twilight would have been much happier. She knew she couldn't, there are precautionary differences between mortality and immortality — fairness. Not everypony can live forever, generations must pass. Yet, she's thought of it several times before they did pass away, having the Elements of Harmony living on could benefit Equestria. But it wasn't necessary.
"Oh," Celestia simply spoke. "Twilight, we've talked about this, and you know how I couldn't have done anything."
"I know... you've said it a couple times times before. You've told me how they couldn't be with me forever, I understand that. When they began to ask if becoming a princess meant I would be immortal, I told them what you told me. They were so shocked, yet they knew it would happen," — Twilight giggles softly behind her nuzzle — "but they were understanding of the situation.
"Even if it meant not being able to see me anymore, it didn't matter to them because they loved me—" The memories strike Twilight hard, forcing sorrow to roam through her, "—so much. And...and I missed them, Princess, I miss every one of them. I just want them to know I still love them."
Celestia feels her sadness, she tightens her embrace with Twilight. Everypony Twilight knew very well had passed away, new foals; fillies and colts came along throughout Equestria. And she knew so many of their ancestors. They all stay in Twilight's thoughts; The Apple Family, The trio known as they Cutie Mark Crusaders — out of the most remembered, she knew much more ponies than she thought.
After these many years, she held her sorrow own for five-hundred years, at this moment she feels despair — years of loneliness — and only till now she's tempted to beg to Princess Celestia for the return of her friends, not only her friends , however. Twilight isn't the only one who has lost someone vital to them, since Princess Cadence was forever-living as well, Shining Armor passed not long before The Elements of Harmony did. And even Twilight's parents, she regretted not communicating with them much, watching them on their death bed...together, broke her.
Twilight envies the Princess'.
"Princess... how—" she looks at Celestia, with determined eyes, "—how do you live with it? How do you feel knowing you'll live forever and everypony won't?"
Celestia lowers her head.
"Twilight, a question like that is one even I can't answer, if I did I wouldn't understand why. The way I see, it is completely natural for ponies to pass, to make the another year for newborn foals so they may live a life as their parents did. It's a cycle, I can not stop what is Pony nature. I only protect their lives, see it as I am something more to them than just a ruler.
"Knowing my sister and I lived for many, many centuries, we know it's... difficult to see ponies die. But watching foals grow up to become how they desire to be is rewarding, in a way."
Celestia's wing draws back. She's saddened yet she keeps her comforting smile directed at Twilight, and she raises herself from the stone porch and begins walking. She turns back to Twilight, hinting her to follow. She does.
"Although I can't answer your question, Twilight, I will tell you there is no need to pity yourself."
"What do you means?" Twilight responds.
"See it this way, even if your friends are gone, at least you spent their lives with them, correct?" Twilight nods. "So I'm sure they appreciate all you've done for them, there is no reason for them not to, they love you very much as you do to them," Celestia stops her pace.
"Er... Princess?"
"Twilight, come, I need to show you something," Celestia spoke. The Canterlot castle isn't far from them, and so isn't their next destination.
Shattered
The princess was silent yet Twilight was somehow louder — in her mind, it's uncontrollable. Her thoughts soar on, the painful ones and the sentimental ones. When Twilight lost her friends, one by one, friendship's light had began to fade away... at least to her. She still keeps remembrance of their last moments.
Every one of them were high at age while Twilight herself stayed looking young. And to see them parish right before her eyes simply broke her. She will always keep their final words in heart.
The five ponies gather around their friend one last time. Applejack begins to speak.
"Gals, ya' know I love you all... ver' much." Applejack coughs roughly. "But I guess it's my time to go. Be at rest. Like Granny Smith said on 'er last moments, 'Not all apples are fresh, most of 'em will rot over years. And ain't that just like a pony's life, new apples will grow and old apples will be thrown out. Some apples 'er rotten to the apple core while others are worth cherishing'. I ain't one for goodbyes but lemme just say... ya'll are the apples of my eye and i will miss ya'll as much as ya'll miss me. It's been great, Pinkie, Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Twilight... I hope you'll be happy the rest of yer life Sugarcubes."
Suddenly Applekack closes her eyes. And she stops breathing.
Everypony's eyes water, with smiles on their faces.
...
"Twilight?" The princess spoke.
Twilight gawked at Celestia, who had her eyes on her. Twilight took a few seconds before forming a response.
"I'm sorry," Twilight says without thinking.
"What for, Twilight?"
I don't know... why did I say sorry?
"For bringing up my friends, I guess." Twilight bows her head.
Celestia almost doesn't respond.
"Twilight, there is nothing to be sorry for. You miss your friends, that is understandable and certainly nothing to apologize for." Celestia continues on.
Twilight says nothing, her mind races on of her loved ones whom have passed on. As she accompanies Celestia through the Castle halls, she nearly doesn't recognize her are. She has only been in one part of the Castle after all — her sanctuary, as she would call it. Merely since she surrounds herself in books, in which she has read every one of them at least twice. But it isn't enough to cope with her longing sorrow.
It's as if she can recognize Princess Luna's feelings when she was once banished to the moon, the thought of being trapped. That was different, however, Luna was not herself — she was cursed with hatred and abandonment by Equestria. Or so she thought. Twilight feels isolated without the ones she cares for, as if they made her life meaningful. Most of this reason goes to her friends. They taught her a different kind of magic.
Friendship.
It seems my time has come, Twilight. I can feel the pressure of death coming ever so closely. It's beautiful."
"Rarity...please don't go."
Rarity puts her hoof onto Twilight's muzzle, hushing her.
"It's okay, dear. I'm glad you are here and only you. I just felt the need to speak with you, for my finals moments. Since you are very special to me." Rarity exhales slowly, "Twilight, you are truly the greatest pony I know. I know you will become something greater, something more stronger. Nothing can stop you, Twilight Sparkle. You are unique. Don't ever change who you are."
Twilight lays her hoof on Rarity's fading heart. It feels strong.
"It's fine, Twilight. I'm fine. And I know you will exceed such condition." She smiles softly, with tears in her eyes.
"Yeah... yeah, I'll be fine," Twilight says, with long streaks of water gliding down her cheeks.
"Perfect." She whispers.
...
"Do you remember these moments, Twilight?" Celestia asks.
Twilight looks up — the tall glass windows with mosaic art stand, representing the victories throughout Equestria. She looks around, seeing all the good she has done. She remembers every moment in which she saved Equestria with the Elements of Harmony... with her friends.
Every window were four hundred years old, the ones with her friends however. Recently Twilight had fought and protected from ultimate dangers. And those moments are there as well. On one, there was a mosaic of Twilight defeating twin Ursa Majors. On another was every princess fighting off the army of griffons, along with many royal guards. She remembers how many casualties there were, how long the war lasted.
The glass mostly showed the power of the Elements of Harmony and how they are best when formed together. Those times with her friends, the ones where hope was gone but restored. There, on another, Twilight saved her friends when Discord once again brought chaos, he was stronger at that time. He made her friends turn on her. But she had done what she had done before. And Discord is once again stone, locked away where only the four princess' can unlock.
They have done so much for Equestria, they have saved countless lives. Twilight did not expect the death of her friends in return. It's for the better, she would think. But that was before, when memories did not demand her attention. Now she can't help it.
And she continues to struggle with immortality.
