An Alicorn’s Gift
The sands of time flow ever onwards.
The candles flicker to life, lighting the darkened hallways of Canterlot Castle. Gentle beams of moonlight stream through the open windows, another glorious night. A night like countless others before it, like countless others yet to come. “Twilight? You needed to see me?” Regal and majestic, the Princess of the Sun steps through the doorway. But here, she is not a monarch. No, she is with one of her equals now, a pony seeking her friend. “Is something the matter? I did not expect you home from Ponyville so soon.” Her tone is comforting and understanding.
Princess Twilight Sparkle, the youngest of the alicorns is sitting at her desk, books piled up around her. “Oh Celestia... I... I just...” Words fail her for the moment, her heart aching, cheeks wet with countless tears. She looks at her friend and mentor with bleary eyes, eyes echoing the pain found in her heart. “N-nothing could be done... n-nothing...” The princess looks like a mess, despair crushing her spirits.
Nodding her understanding, Celestia moves over to some cushions in front of the fireplace, settling herself down. Patting the ground next to her, she lets Twilight settle in, draping her wing across her. “It’s okay dear... why don’t you tell me what happened? Start at the beginning if you want, I’ll listen.”
Twilight nods her head choking back her tears. “Well... it all started three days ago...”
~~~~~~~~~~
“Princess Twilight? There’s a message for you.” The guard pony carefully peeks into the Canterlot Library, fully expecting to find Twilight there. She was known to be there more than her office, sometimes spending days at a time ensconced within.
“I’ll take that.” Spike reaches out, snagging the scroll in his claws, bringing it over to the table in the center, pushing past a pile of books, revealing the sleeping princess. Papers litter her work area, along with jars of ink and quill pens, scatter on the table in a manner that Discord himself would be proud of. “Twilight? You have a message. From Ponyville!”
“Huh? What?” The princess raises her head, piece of paper stuck to her cheek from where she was sleeping on the documents in front of her. One of the jars had tipped over, blotting out some of her careful writing, though Spike had managed to save most of it.
“A letter, you know, for you? It’s from Ponyville, probably from one of your friends.” He holds it up, even as her magic reaches out to grab it. “Isn’t this exciting? I know you like to hear from them.”
“Oh, thank you Spike!” She unfurls it, a smile on her face. It had been a while since she last heard from her friends, and wondered who it was from. “Oh, it’s from Fluttershy! Dear Twilight Sparkle, I’m writing to tell you that...” Her voice trails off, eyes going wide. “No... no no no no no! This can’t be! Not now, not like this! It’s too soon! Spike! We’re going to Ponyville.” Her eyes wide and panicked, she kicks the chair back in a panic, sending it skidding across the floor, knocking over several book towers in the process.
“What is it Twilight? What’s wrong? Is there an emergency? Do we need to tell Celestia?” He hears the panic in her voice, springing to his feet, ready to help her in any way he can.
“There’s no time for that Spike! We need to leave, now!” She bursts towards the door, scattering her precious books and scrolls behind her, spilling ink all over her work, leaving a bewildered guard behind as she barrels past him, nearly bowling him over.
“Oh, um... sorry about that. Can you let Celestia know that we’re going to Ponyville? Thanks... and um... sorry about the mess!” Spike hurries after Twilight, calling out to her. “Twilight? Twilight! Wait for me!”
~~~~~~~~~~
“Yes, I received notice that you had to leave on an emergency, Twilight... and I understand why it couldn’t wait. But please, continue.” The Sun Princess already knew the story, already knew what happened, but it would probably help Twilight if she talked it out, and was the least she could do to try and help.
Twilight’s voice is still shaky, she doesn’t look like she’s slept for a long time, shivering as she looks up. “The flight there was rather uneventful... and we headed straight to her cottage...”
~~~~~~~~~~
Some things seemed to be timeless, an ageless utopia amidst a bustling world. Fluttershy’s Cottage was one such place, a peaceful sanctuary set near the forbidding Everfree Forest. Twilight was the last one there, the last to arrive of the Six. She enters the door without knocking, bursting through in her rush, startling some of the animals gathered there as well. The yellow mare is on her bed... it was amazing how frail she looked, worn, even as she was surrounded by her friends. “Is... is that you Twilight? I... I’m glad you made it... I really... really hope that I didn’t bother you... or anything...”
Rainbow Dash moves to the side, even as Twilight kneels by the bed, bringing her face down next to one of her oldest friends. “You’re never a bother, Fluttershy... I’m just glad that... I mean... I...” She looks at the others, seeing the grim looks on their faces.
“Well, darling, it is nice to see you again, though I wish it were under better circumstances.” Rarity enters the room, floating some tea over, a cup for each pony. “How long has it been since we were all together like this, hmm?” Her magic floats the cups over, slowly and carefully. “I do say that it has been entirely too long.”
“Reckon Ah have to agree with ya there, Rarity...” The earthen mare pulls the end of the straw out of her mouth, tipping her hat up out of her eyes. “Fluttershy didn’t want ta actually send ya that letter... didn’t want to bother ya.” She snorts. “Told her that’s silly talk, that you’d come, and you certainly did. We all knew that ya would.” She looks at the bed, her ears drooping slightly. “Know that ya just took yer flight in, so we’ll give ya a few with her... c’mon girls, let’s get somethin’ ta eat. Think Sweetie Belle made sandwiches fer everypony.”
Twilight watches the others file out, hoof reaching out to stroke Fluttershy’s mane. Several animals scatter as Twilight reaches over, though more remain, hovering around the butter mare. “I’m... cold Twilight...” Her voice is thin, even as Twilight uses her magic to adjust the blankets, floating her cup over to her friend.
“Here... have some tea... I’m sorry I wasn’t here earlier Fluttershy... I came as soon as I could. I’ve just been so busy, with all the work and research... why didn’t you tell me earlier? Why did you wait so long?”
“B-because... y-you have your royal duties... and I couldn’t... couldn’t ask you to just abandon them...” Her voice is weak, even for her, frail as if it could be shattered at a mere touch.
“Fluttershy... you’re my friend. Any duties I have can wait, especially at a time like this! I can’t believe that you thought that something would be more important!” Actually, she could believe it, now that she thought about it. Her friend was always putting others first, content to stay out of the way. She’d gotten better at that over the years, but... some things didn’t change easily, or quickly. Tears are staining her cheeks, grief for her friend that she’s hovering over, thinking of all the times they had spent together, all the adventures they went on... and all the time left without her.
“Please... please don’t cry... Twilight... it’s really... it’s really not that bad... maybe I’ll... be able to see Angel again. That will be... nice... it... it is my time... after all...” Her voice grows fainter, barely a whisper.
“Fluttershy? Fluttershy? No... no...” She turns to the door. “Girls! Get in here... now!” Even as the rest rush in the yellow mare gasps, her breath coming harder, wheezing, struggling for breath. “Please... please hang in there Fluttershy... we’re all here, we’re... all...”
“I’m... s-so glad... that you... were all... my... very... b-best... fr... fr...” She lays still, even as Twilight reaches out, closing her eyes for the last time.
~~~~~~~~~~
“Then... then we had the funeral in Ponyville. Rarity had all the preparations set up already. They knew... they all knew...” She looks up at her friend and mentor. “But I... I lost track... I forgot all of... and Fluttershy didn’t want to tell me... didn’t want to distract me.” She hesitates. “Does... does it get any easier?”
Celestia looks down at the youngest alicorn, hugging her gently with a wing. “Sadly... it does not. Time claims all before it... just as it will even eventually claim Spike, though thankfully not for many a moon yet.” She lets Twilight lean up against her, comforting her as best she can. “It is the curse that we bear, though others see it as a gift... I remember still... how many I’ve left behind, especially after I lost Luna for all those years.”
“But... I didn’t even realize that she was that old yet... not until I saw her... it... it just didn’t make sense!” Twilight sound shaken, finally realizing the frailty of life, the ravages of time.
“Time is different for us... we don’t notice the years as readily as the others... before you know it, the others... they will succumb to age as well... but do not dwell on their deaths, but rather on their lives... remember them as they were. That is all that we can do for them.” Celestia thinks back to all those who were in her life before. “Celebrate them, but do not live in the past... that is a dark path to take.”
“I... I didn’t think about this back then... back when... during my coronation. I never thought about the consequences... of...” She stops, hanging her head slightly, unable to continue the sentence.
“I know Twilight... I know...”
~~~~~~~~~~
Years passed, but to Twilight it seemed to be but the blink of an eye. Rainbow Dash was the next to fall, the mare proud even at the end. Then Pinkie Pie, a party was her last wish, not the somberness of a funeral. Twilight oversaw the event, all of Ponyville turned out... but it was if something was missing from it. Graceful Rarity and the hardworking Applejack passed soon thereafter, a beautiful ceremony held for them, attended by ponies from all over Equestria, presided over by Twilight.
Time passes on, seasons come and go, years fade, then decades. And throughout all of this remains the ageless leaders of Equestria, guiding their realm, leading the others into the future. Hiding from their subjects the pain and loneliness of knowing their friends will only be a brief spark, a flash, before fading to dust.
Sometimes, ponies will see one of their princesses standing on a distant hill near Ponyville, now a bustling hub. Tall and regal, Princess Twilight Sparkle would talk to the lost, her friends, together again at the very end, telling them of life in Equestria, how things changed, how some things stayed the same. More graves were added later, but fewer and fewer over time. The loss was too painful, to keep adding more. Instead, the alicorns kept each other’s company, seeking solace in their own kind, afraid to let the other, painfully mortal ponies too close to their hearts again.
Dear Twilight Sparkle,
I’m writing to tell you that I’m afraid that this might be the end. I’ve lived a long life, and though there were trying times, the times that I spent will all my friends more than overcomes any dark spots. You were there for me, all the way back when we first met. I remember you scaring my birds... it was years ago, but it only feels like yesterday.
I don’t want to bother you, but the other girls said that this was more important, and the truth of the matter is that I’ve missed you, we all have. We haven’t all been together in a while, with all of us having our lives to run. I’m just glad that all my friends managed to get so much done, so much that they wanted to accomplish. It has been a full life, and I really don’t have any regrets. Well... I only have one, really.
You were there when I lost Angel Bunny, and I know how hard it is to lose those who are very close to you. In a way, I’m glad that I’m the first to go, as I don’t have to endure without any of you. Which is the only regret that I have, you, Twilight. I’m sorry that I’m going to be leaving you... that we all are. While we weren’t all able to grow old together, we shared a lot of time together. Remember those times, if you feel alone, and know that we’ll always be with you. I feel that I’ve taken too much of your time, but promise me this at least... never give up looking for friends. It may hurt to lose them, but it would hurt more to not have any.
If possible, I would like to see you, with what’s left of my time on Equestria, but I’ll understand if you can’t make it. I’m very glad that I can call you one of my very best friends.
Your friend,
Fluttershy
Author's Note
And there's another short story out. It was an idea bugging me since the Coronation episode that I finally put to paper. (Well, screen, at least.) Thank you for reading, and keep ponying on!