“For death is no more than a turning of us over from time to eternity.”
William Penn
Twilight’s life as an alicorn princess has not been an easy one. The lessons she thought she was done with still came, and she soon realised, were much more difficult. The final lesson was the most difficult and unbeknownst to Twilight, the time for her to take on this last challenge was here. Death is a cruel and sometimes unfair finality, that in everyponies life must be faced. But what about the other side of the bit? Immortality, is it not the more cruel fate?
“Twi, Ah’m sorry to barge in unannounced, b-but …” stammered a clearly shaken Applejack
Twilight was only half listening until Applejack finished her sentence.
“Twi, Rainbow Dash is in the hospital, sh-she’s not gonna make it.”
Twilight had rather heard that Discord was back to creating chaos all over Equestria once again. The words hit her harder than a train and cut deeper than a blade. Rainbow Dash, hospital, not gonna make it. The words seemed to cloud her vision, and Twilight suddenly felt weak, and helpless, more helpless than we Discord changed all of her friends to their polar opposites.
“What happened, Applejack, h-how long..?” Was all Twilight could muster, choking back tears.
“Dash was being Dash and this time, she.. she took a particularly bad crash.” Applejack paused, this only made Twilight all the more nervous.
“How long does she have?” Twilight pleaded.
“Ah’m sorry but…. a day or two at most.”
A day or two, how can this be happening? Twilight’s mind was racing, this couldn’t be happening, we are all still young.
“Applejack thank you for telling me, can you give me a moment to gather some things?” Twilight finally managed to say
“Of course, Twi,” Applejack said as she slowly made her way to the door.
“And, Applejack…”
“Yeah, Twi..?”
“T-Thank you.”
With that Applejack nodded and left the room. Twilight though only moments ago happy to see her friend, almost wished she’d never had friends at all. She needed to hurry now, but what does she pack, what do you bring for the last time you’ll ever see a friend, someone you loved? For the first time Twilight didn’t think books held the answers, and she didn’t even want to read one.
Twilight produced her saddlebags from the closet and decided on a few small essentials, and one book, Daring Do and the Quest for the Sapphire Stone. Twilight remembered the first time she ever introduced Rainbow Dash to the series. Looking at the dusty cover, she doubted Rainbow Dash had read any of the stories in years, but it seemed right. Taking a deep breath she put on the bags and walked to the door.
She walked over to Applejack and without saying a word, she nuzzled her friend as the first tears began to fall. The two sat in silent cries of despair for a few moments, then they ran to the chariots. The two jumped on and soon were airborne, headed to Ponyville. Twilight looked over the land and finally allowed her self to cry.
Author's Note
So this has been written in the midst of a personal tragedy, so through some tears and this is mainly an intro. I apologize in advance if it's not exactly gold. When I'm not a mess I'll make revisions.
Twilight understands that time is a one way concept, time lost cannot be regained. No matter how rational of a pony she was though, she was wishing that she could go back and alter the current chain of events. Even with the time spell she found in Starswirl the Bearded's collection, she was powerless. So Twilight sat and wished and hoped but finally she settled on crying. Tears flowed freely, and in great volume. Applejack was sat next to her for the trip to Ponyville to see their friend for what was certainly going to be the last time. The two friends hugged and cried and hugged some more. The first to break the silence was Applejack.
"Twi, I'm not sure what to do from here. I mean we all had so much of a life, Rainbow Dash the most. I-I just don't understand why this is all happening"
"I don't believe anypony really knows what happens next,"Twilight replied
"Why these things happen, I wish I knew, I wish there was a book that could fix it all, tell me how, but this, this is something I think we all have to figure out for ourselves."
The two sat in silence almost in hopes that maybe the other could figure it all out right now. But they both knew that wasn't possible, deep down they knew the road ahead was to be long and difficult. But still they sat in silence, willing for an answer, hoping for some sort of intervention. The intervention would not come, at least not at this time or place.
Time, it was the only thing that could fix it all, Twilight and Applejack both knew this. But that answer never works for anypony, nopony wants to wait for a problem to go away. The problem that was faced though was so, complicated, so varied that deciphering it would require time. Time such a straightforward concept yet so abstract to a mind in pain.
"You're a laugh Twilight Sparkle, I can't wait to hang out some more" A familiar cyan pony was saying to a younger Twilight.
Such a simple statement, that would turn into a great friendship for years to come. Twilight's mind was replaying a whole friendship, constantly questioning herself.
"Was I a good friend?"
"Did I make enough time for her?"
"Why is this happening?"
All these question, all things she couldn't answer, Twilight looked over at Applejack and wondered if she was going through the same thing. As Twilight tried to read Applejacks face the chariot touched down in Ponyville. Seeing what was the center of so much she held dear, a new flood of emotions over took her body, and suddenly she felt like she weighed twice as much.
With some effort Twilight stepped down onto the ground. Suddenly she felt a slight nudge and looked to see Applejack pressed up against, giving her some support. Applejack managed a weak smile and urged Twilight on.
"Thanks," Twilight whispered through tears.
Each step felt like a challenge, each breath heavy, Twilight pushed on. As the two friends, side by side made their way towards the hospital, many questions raced through their heads. They searched for answers, struggling through it all. The only thing that could be settled in their minds was that the road ahead would be cleared through time.
Author's Note
So I needed to write some more in the same night, not going to be my best idea but I'll revisit this story later.
