March 14
Canterlot, Hurricane Hospital
3:45 P.M
Drop. Drop. Drop.
Tear after tear, Shining Armor wept over his sister's velvet hospital blanket. His face buried against the tear-stained sheets, unable to look at Twilight's face in her current state. Her face once full of life and happiness was now stoic, cold, her eyelids closed as if she were asleep. Only this time she wasn't asleep. Her beautiful long mane was all messed up, like it had not been brushed in days. Her coat lost it's pretty shine, instead turning dull and grayish for the lack of nutrition. Her hooves lay motionless on top of the bed, spreading forwards without any sign of life. Yet the devices on the side of her bed told another story, telling whoever came into the room with every beep that Twilight Sparkle was still alive.
He still refused to accept it. He prayed with all his might this was not happening, that this was a nightmare. That he would wake up and find that Twilie was awake, everything was back to normal, and the real Cadence was back. But no, something inside told him that this was real, Twilight was dying, and the doctors could do nothing for her.
"I'm sorry, but unfortunately there's nothing more we can do."
"What?! What do you mean?!"
"She doesn't respond to the treatments and spells, she's like an empty cocoon. Her vital signals are normal, but her body doesn't respond to anything, not even to pain."
"Then try something else! There must be something to do. A counter spell! A stronger spell!"
"No. We've run out of options, I'm afraid. All we can do now is wait. But there's little possibility that she'll ever wake up."
"You mean to tell us she'll remain like a vegetable forever?!"
"She... She's going to die?"
Die. The thought of losing his little sister was unbearable. Not only because he loved her, but also because he still had something to speak with her...
There was a knock on the door, and a mare of white coat and black mane stepped inside. "Visit time's over." Her voice had no sympathy nor compassion for the grieving colt, but a rather intimidating tone of frost.
Reluctantly, Shining Armor tore away from Twilight's immobile figure and walked away from the bed, past the nurse mare, out of the room and into the hall. As he trotted back the waiting room, he caught the glance of the nurse mare closing the door shut behind her. Twilight's room was in the Intensive Care Unit, where only the gravest of the patients where accomodated, either to die or recover. However, the first option was often the dominant.
A hospital's waiting room was neither a happy nor a sad place. Ponies of all ages and shapes were going out or coming in, either to visit a sick familiar, have their monthly medical checkup or to see their children's newborn foals. It was a sort of intermediate zone, depending on the situation; it could be anxiety and excitement when a stallion waited to hear the news of his wife giving birth to their foal, or agonizing and dread when a family awaited to hear how the operation of a grave familiar turned out.
Unfortunately for Shining Armor and the others, their situation was the latter. Twilight's friends, Princess Celestia and their parents awaited in fear and sorrow to hear what he had to say. Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie were broken down in tears, with the pink mare's once fluffy mane straightened and dull just like Twilight's coat. Rainbow Dash was doing her best not to cry in front of everypony, but her feelings were winning. Rarity let out sobs every now and then and dried her tears with a napkin, while Applejack-apparently the one who was taking the situation the worst-sat down against a corner, her face hiden in her hooves, but tears were visibly seen making a puddle at her hooves. Spike was in a similar posture, but he had his back turned on everypony.
Twilight Velvet was crying her eyes out, her face buried against her husband' body, with Night Light wrapping a hoof around Twilight Velvet's shoulders. Although there were no tears, his eyes showed more pain and hurt than those who were running out of tears. Princess Celestia, the regal Alicorn who had never been seen shedding a single tear for a long time, was letting out filly-like sobs, tears cascading down her cheeks and falling into the marble floor. The presence of Celestia in her current state made everypony in the waiting room wonder what had happened that made their Princess weep like this. Princess Cadence, the real Cadence, paced around the waiting room, a hoof to her lips and her eyes teared up, she was obviously worried about the mare she had come to see like a little sister.
Shining Armor felt so terrible when he saw them like this. Suffering, grieving, weeping like Twilight was never returning to them. But overall, because on the inside they knew this whole mess was their fault. The cancerous grip of guilt was one of the worst, it made ponies blame themselves once and again for a fault they commited, and kept them from living peacefully, sometimes even unallowing its host to sleep in peace. The white unicorn came to the seat next to his parents and sat down, looking down at the floor glomily, joining them in their sobs.
"It's our fault..." Applejack's voice was broken, her throat was raw from all the crying and her eyes were bloodshot from all the tears.
"Applejack." Princess Celestia tried to put a comforting hoof on the cowpony's shoulder but she pushed it away abruptly, making the sun princess step back in surprise.
"IT IS OUR FAULT!" Applejack screamed, throwing her hat off in her pain. "IF WE HAD BELIEVED HER ABOUT THE FAKE CADENCE NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE EVER HAPPENED!! IT'S OUR FAULT SHE'S IN THAT STATE!!" Saying this, Applejack fell down to the floor, once more broken into sob.
"What kind of friends are we...?" Rarity spoke next, blowing her nose with her napkin. "Choosing to side with a pony we barely met a day ago instead of supporting the friend that has been so wonderful to us for the past two years."
"To think we thought she was trying to..." Rainbow Dash punched the wall in her frustration, unable to contain the salty liquid from her eyes any longer. "No. I can't even say it."
Fluttershy cried even louder at the rainbow pegasus's words. "And we didnt' even check on her, we just turned our backs on her like that. She needed us, and all we gave her was a glare."
"Twilight, my Twilight..." Twilight Velvet repeated those words like a sacred mantra. "My baby..."
"I should have stayed with her..." Spike finally spoke after two hours of silence, but his voice was equally or perhaps even more paiend than those of the others. "I was her number one assistant, and yet I chose to walk away from her just because I didn't want to be kicked out of the wedding too... I'm not worth of calling myself her number one assistant anymore..."
"Spike, it's okay..." Shining Armor stood up and slowly walked to the baby dragon. "Twilight will be fine."
Spike stiffened as soon as the Unicorn's words left his mouth. Slowly, the baby dragon turned to face the Unicorn. His eyes were filled with ire and resentment for the white stallion who had the guts to call himself Twilight's brother after what he did. Nopony thought Spike would ever have those feelings towards sompony.
"You sure have the nerve to speak after everything that happened!" he sobbed "Especially since this is all your fault!"
Spike raised his voice so much that he drew the attention of the rest. Shining Armor stepped back in surprise. "What are you talking about?"
"Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about!" Spike stood up, his claws tightened into fists. "This whole mess started because you couldn't tell your marefriend apart from a Changeling! Twilight wanted to warn you and all you did was kick her out of your wedding!"
This outburst caught Cadence's attention. "He what?"
Shining Armor shuddered internally. Cadence did not know what had happened at the rehearsal.
"Cadence, I-"
Spike interrupted him and directed his rage-tainted words to Cadence. "Twilight realized that the fake you was not like the you she remembered. She suspected in the beginning something was off, but they were all too busy with their wedding planning to even listen to her." He pointed at Applejack and the others. "And when she tried to warn everypony at the rehearsal, Shining Armor preferred to side with the imposter rather than listen to his sister! His own flesh and blood!" Now he pointed at Shining Armor. "He told her to forget about being his best mare and not to show up at the wedding with all the cruelty in the world! And what did we do?! We sided with the imposter too, just because they wanted to wear frilly dresses! And Celestia!" Spike glared at the gasping Alicorn. "Did she give her a word of comfort! Did she tell her it was going to be alright?! NO! All she told her was 'you have a lot to think about!' And I... I..." Spike's eyes teared up again. "I turned my back on Twilight too..."
When he was done speaking, he fell to the floor, sobbing deeply. Cadence had taken her hoof to her mouth, and was staring at her husband-to-be wiith teary eyes. "Shining, how could you...?"
"You would have done the same!" Shining Armor yelled in regret. "She just ran into the wedding hall yelling that you were evil with no proof! I just thought she was being jealous, she acted possessive from the beginning-"
SMACK
Everypony gasped in shock as Cadence's hoof came into contact with Shining Armor's cheek, leaving a red mark. Cadence's face was tear-stained, and she stared at her future husband with anger.
"How can you say that?! You mean to say this whole mess is her fault?!" She hissed, glaring at Shining Armor.
"No!" Shining replied in despair. "That's not what I mean-!"
"Then don't say anything else! She was your sister! Ponies are supposed to put their families before anything else, no matter if that other pony is a princess! Does family not matter for you?!"
"It does, Cadence! I regret everything I told her that night, and I can't sleep knowing she is in this state because I refused to listen to her!"
Cadence ignored him and tuned towards Applejack and the others. "And you! How could you turn your backs on somepony you knew for two years for somepony you barely knew for a day and treated you very bad?!"
Applejack sobbed as she replied in a grief-stricken voice. "We were angry because we thought she hurt your feelings on purpose and was trying to ruin the wedding for the rest of us... We thought you were just stressed, and when the Queen made us her bridesmaids we didn't want to be cast out of the wedding, that's why we sided with her. We thought it was the right thing." Applejack openly cried in regret. "I should have known better than choose to side with such an ill-mannered imposter rather than back up a friend who needed us. I'm the one to blame here, I was the one who suggested checking on the imposter you. If only we had stayed with her..." Applejack took her hoves to her face. "I'm the worst friend in the world!"
Shining Armor attempted to approach his future bride, but Cadence stepped back, her glare cooling and her breathing diminishing until she was calm enough to speak, although coldly.
"Shining Armor, I hope you understand I cannot marry you until Twilight Sparkle is better. She has every right to be in the wedding, I cannot stand to marry her brother without her there, she is my little sister and I want her with me on such an important day. Until then, the wedding is cancelled."
Saying this, Cadence slowly trotted away from the group, not glancing behind, not seeing Shining Armor's heartbroken face. Not seeing Applejack's guilty face, nor the other ponies' anguished expressions. She didn't even turrn to see Celestia raising her hoof towards her as if wanting to stop her, but withdrew it, knowing Cadence did not want to speak any longer.
Shining Armor stood there. Frozen, his eyes tearing up once more, not only because of Cadence calling off the wedding.
But because he knew everything she had said was true.
Mach 1
???
1:05 AM
Shining Armor found himself surounded by darkness . Not the normal darkness, but complete blackness, it was so black that the unicorn could not see his own hooves. Even the ground was black, there was not a single light in the distance. Shining Armor took a few tentative steps forward, but as soon as he moved, his ear twitched at a sound.
A voice. Faintly calling for him.
"Hello?"
Shining Armor recognized that voice.
Turning around, Shining Armor managed to spot a spot of lavender in the distant blackness. lavender coat, dark blue mane, six-pointed star as a Cutie Mark.
"Twiley!" Shining Armor ran towards the figure of his little figure, but as time passed, he realized he was not getting any closer to her, it was like he was running on one of the exercise machines on gyms. Shining Armor tried to gallop faster,but he still didn't advance. Realizing Twilight had started to walk away, Shining Armor called out to her. "Twiley! Wait! It's me! Shining Armor!"
The purple unicorn stopped dead in her tracks. She slowly turned around to face her brother, but her eyes were filled with disappointment and frost.
"What do you want, Shining Armor?" Her voice as as cold as the first Winter snow.
Shining Armor, she called him. Not Shiny, not BBBFF, only Shining Armor, like she was speaking to a stranger.
"Twiley, I'm sorry didn't listen to you!" Shining Armor yelled, in case she wouldn't hear him. "I was a fool for putting Cadence before you. You're my little sister!"
Twilight sneered at his apology. "And you think a simply apology will fix everything? You think that a mere sorry will make things right? No, Shining Armor, you had your chance to act like a true big brother, but you blew it." She started walking away.
"No, Twiley, please!" Shining Armor galloped towards her, but he was not advancing. His hooves were running, but he was stuck in the same place, while Twilight was getting further and further away. "Twiley!"
When she was completely out of view, the blackness dissipated and Shining Armor found himself back in the Wedding Hall, where everything started. He looked around in confusion, and his heart stopped when he saw Twilight and himself, just after 'Cadence' ran out in tears. Princess Celestia and Twilight's friends were missing, maybe because he had paid them no heed.
"Twilight!" Shining Armor tried to approach them, but his hooves were glued to the floor.
"You want to know why my eyes went all-?" the other Shining Armor repeated the same actions and motions as in the actual rehearsal. "Nuh! Because ever since I started having to perform my protection spell, I've been getting terrible migraines. Cadance hasn't been casting spells on me. She's been using her magic to heal me!"
"No, you fool!" Shining Armor yelled to himself in anger. "She's controlling you! Twilight is right!"
Twilight inhaled.
"And she decided to replace her bridesmaids because she found out the only reason they wanted to be in the wedding was so that they could meet Canterlot royalty! And if she hasn't been on her best behavior with your friends," the other Shining stomped his hooves angrily. "It's because with me being so busy, she's had to make all the decisions about the wedding!"
"No! That's not Cadence! Listen to Twilight!"
Twilight Sparkle attempted to speak. "I was just trying to-"
"She's been completely stressed out because it's really important to her that our big day be perfect!" The other Shining Armor glared into Twilight's eyes. "Something that obviously wasn't important to you!" The other Shining Armor gasped in pain and took a hoof to his head; Twilight tried to help him, but he rudely slapped her hoof away. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go and comfort my bride."
"Stupid, don't go after the imposter!" Shining Armor tried to free himself, but he couldn't. "Twilight's more important! She's trying to warn you! Let her talk!"
The words his past being spoke next made his heart crack with hurt and guilt. "And you can forget about being my best mare. In fact, if I were you, I wouldn't show up to the wedding at all." Saying this, he walked away.
"NO!" Shining Armor finally released himself and rushed towards his teary-eyes sister. "Twilight, don't listen to him! I believe you!" He tried to wrap his hooves around his sister, but he nearly had a heart attack when his hooves went right through her.
Twilight Sparkle fell down to the ground with heavy tears running down her cheeks. "I could have gained a sister, but instead, I have lost a brother."
"No, Twilight! You'll never lose me!" Shining Armor desperately tried to touch his sister, but it was only a memory and he could not intervene.
Twilight Sparkle started to sing.
He was my big brother best friend
Forever….
And now we'll never do anything
Together...
Shining Armor was crying in despair too, falling to his knees. "Twilight, please listen! I'm still your BBBFF! I love you! I never wanted to hurt you! Please…" Shining Armor hid his face into his hooves. "I'm sorry… I'm sorry… Please forgive me…"
"Twilight, please…" Shining Armor was mumbling in his sleep, shifting around and crying in his sleep. "Forgive me… Forgive me…"
March 15.
Canterlot, Hurricane Hospital
11:38 A.M.
Shining Armor opened the door to Twilight's room with a creak and was met with a surprising sight.
In the soft yellow couch, Fluttershy and Rarity were sadly accommodating get-well-soon cards, flower bouquets and bear plushies. There were many cards and notes, various names written on them, wishing Twilight to get well soon. The Apple Family, Ms. and Mrs. Cake, Miss Cherilee, The CMC, Time Turner, Caramel, everypony in Ponyville had sent her gifts. Cadence was next to Twilight, reading her one of there favorite books from when she was a Filly, The Tale of the Royal Sisters.
"And so, the older sister took responsibility for both day and night." Cadence finally finished, put the book aside and glance sadly at Twilight. "Did you like it, Twilight?"
The lavender unicorn didn't reply, she just remained still, her eyes closed and her hooves motionless, save for her chest rising and falling from her breathing.
"Yes, I know, that's a very old story. I think I should look for new ones." Cadence sighed.
"She loves mystery novels..." Fluttershy sobbed, taking her hooves to her mouth. Rarity put a comforting hoof around her friend's shoulder, but took the other to her mouth.
"Oh, Twilight... Twilight..." Rarity dried her eyes with a napkin. "Dear Twilight, I can't tell you how sorry I am for ever doubting you."
Cadence paid them no heed for the moment, she was trying to stay positive of Twilight Sparkle. She was sure she would wake up, and she'd be the same little filly she had loved so much in their younger days. She felt Shining Armor's shadow approaching her, but she didn't even turn to greet him.
"Is Twiley still not reacting?"
"No." Cadence replied coldly.
"Are you still mad at me?"
"Yes."
"Do you think you could forgive me someday?"
Cadence turned to look at him. "You shouldn't be telling that to me." she simply said, then she centered her attention back on Twilight Sparkle. However, as she was about to take her hoof, she let out a gasp of shock and stepped back, taking her hoof to her lips with shrunk pupils. Shining Armor was about to ask her what was wrong, when he glanced at his sister and his eyes widened. Twilight's hooves had started turning black, and her snout was turning to turn black as well.
"Twilight?!" Shining Armor ran to her side and took her hoof. "Twilight!"
But as soon as he touched her, her body instinctively stiffened, her breathing became raspy, and the beeps of the machine signaling her pressure and heart beat grew faster and faster, like his very presence was harming her. He didn't hear Rarity running out of the room, calling out for a nurse or a doctor to help Twilight. He didn't react as the hooves of various nurses grabbed him and pulled him away from the bed, and out of the room as the doctor galloped in with some more nurses to help him.
March 15
Canterlot, Hurricane Hospital
3:38 P.M.
Doctor Stitch trotted into the Waiting Room with a worried expression. "Familiars of Twilight Sparkle." He was overwhelmed by her parents, brother, and friends.
"How is my daughter?!" Night Light took the doctor by the shoulders and hook him violently. "Tell me she is alright!"
"We were able to stabilize Miss Sparkle!" The doctor retorted, freeing himself from the Unicorn's grasp, earning sighs of relief. "But you shouldn't be so relieved, I'm afraid."
"What?" Cadence asked. "What do you mean?"
"Why did Twilight's hooves change color?" Rarity asked.
"Why did she get grave when Shining Armor touched her?" Fluttershy asked with tears in her eyes.
Both Night Light and Twilight Velvet glanced at their son with wide eyes.
"Please, let me talk!" Doctor Stitch yelled. "I'm afraid that the magic that put her in the comatose state is infecting her."
"What do you mean with infected?" Rainbow Dash stated.
"It seems like the caster of that spell wanted to do permanent damage to Miss Sparkle. The magic is changing her DNA. I don't know how to say it, but it seems that she is turning into a Changeling."
"WHAT?!" all present ponies yelled in shock.
"There's got to be something to do!" Night Light took the doctor by the shoulders once more. "Some counter spell! A stronger spell! Do something!"
"We can't!" the doctor replied. "We have no knowledge of Changeling magic! We don't know how it works, not even if she will reawaken when the transformation is complete or if she is going to die, anyway!"
"Die…?" Cadence's eyes were tearing up.
"No, I don't accept it!" Applejack snarled. "There's got to be something to do!"
"If we find some way to counter the magic inside her, we will let you know. As for your question, miss," the doctor glanced at Fluttershy, then at Shining Armor. "Was Miss Sparkle emotionally damaged before being getting into the comatose state?"
Shining Armor was ashamed when all the glaring eyes set on him. "Yes, because of me. I hurt her deeply."
"Well, it seems her brain imprinted all that damage on her mind, and she reacted like she did because your presence made her subconscious recall the moment the damage occurred."
"How can we prevent it from happening?" Spike asked.
"The best solution is to keep the main cause of her emotional damage away from her." Doctor stitch said.
"What?!" Now it was Shining Armor who was speechless. "You mean to tell me I can't see my sister!"
"In the worst case scenario, I'm afraid so. But it could also be that the Changeling magic in her system is already changing the way her body works. However, I'd recommend that you keep away from her for a while, a week, I'd say. If her pressure lowers and we need to stabilize her again, then we can be certain that it wasn't you that triggered the attack. In any case, I wouldn't get my hopes too high for Miss Sparkle's survival." With this, the doctor trotted back to the way he had come from.
"Shining Armor," Night Light put a comforting hoof on his son's shoulder. "We should listen to what the doctor says. It'll be best that you don't come to see your sister for a week."
"What?!" Shining Armor snapped. "I'm responsible for this, I know, but you can't ask me that! What am I going to do if Twiley wakes up and she doesn't see me there. I don't want her to think I'm not sorry for what I did to her."
"But the doctor said it will be only to find if it was you or the Changeling magic that made Twilight get worse." Cadence stated. "After the doctors see that it's only the Changeling Magic, you will be able to see her again."
"But-!"
"It's for the best, Shining Armor." Twilight Velvet finished matter-of-factly, giving her son a compassionate smile. "Don't worry, we'll keep you informed."
With a heavy heart and sigh, Shining Armor's ears dropped and walked out of the waiting room with his head low. He made it out of the hospital, giving one last glance inside as his family returned to Twilight's room without him. He forced himself to look away and walk away.
March 18.
???
2:35 A.M
This time, Shining Armor found himself in the middle of a graveyard. The tombs were all scattered around in perfect alignment, housing the long-decaying bodies of those who had left this world. There were no flowers, nor singing birds, nor a bright cheerful sun high in the sky. No, this graveyard was the definition of 'depression' on everything. Instead of flowers, patches of dark grass and leafless trees were randomly located thorough the cemetery's ground. Instead of little colorful birds, ravens and crows of the darkest black were perched on top of the tombs, or on the naked branches of the trees. The sky was smoky gray, with rainclouds so thick no sunlight could penetrate them. The clouds were letting a heavy rain fall from their interior and upon the earth, but this time it was not for any overdue light rain, but apparently to put more misery into the place.
"What are you doing here?" A voice from behind nearly made Shining Armor jump, like he thought one of the dead had decided to come and keep him company. He turned around, and found his parents, Cadence, the princesses and Twilight's friends glaring him daggers, but he could see sorrow and pain intermingled as well. They were all dressed in black, like the ravens upon the graves and trees.
"You have the guts to show up here after what you did?" Night Light hissed, stomping his hoof on the muddy ground.
"What…?" Shining Armor didn't understand what was going on.
"You shouldn't have come here, Shining Armor." Spike coldly added. "We don't want you here, actually."
"But what happened…?"
"And you have the cynicism to pretend you don't know what you did!" Cadence snapped, tears streaming down her face. "I can't believe I came to fall in love with a stallion like you!" The scorn in her voice made Shining Armor's heart break in two.
"Yeah!" Rainbow Dash flew from the crowd until she was snout-to-snout with Shining Armor. "I mean, putting a stranger before your own family? That's so lame! At least we apologized to her, but did you even bother? NO!"
Shining Armor had a bad feeling about this. "What happened to Twiley…?!"
"You killed her, that's what!" Twilight Velvet yelled at her son, crying her eyes and heart out. "How could you, Shining Armor?! She was your sister! Your sister!"
"Our friend is dead because you couldn't tell your mare friend apart from a love-sucking monster." Rarity sniffed, drying her tears with a napkin. "You insensible brute! You say you love somepony when you don't even notice what was obvious? To think, I even agreed to this horrible wedding in the first place."
"Party-pooper!" Pinkie Pie wept, her mane all void of puff and color.
Applejack shook her head at Shining Armor. "I'm so glad my brother is not like you. He would never trust an stranger more than he trust his flesh and blood."
"But…" Shining Armor couldn't speak, something prevented him from doing so.
Fluttershy was weeping behind her long mane. Her glossy and puffy eyes stared at Shining Armor reproachingly, but she wasn't in condition to use her 'Stare'. "You're so mean. You made us go against Twilight… All for your own, selfish gratification… Because of you… She is no longer with us…" She broke down into sobs, and hid her face into Rainbow Dash's coat.
Shining Armor looked up at Princess Celestia and Luna for any looks of sympathy, but their eyes were as cold as a blizzard. Luna simply shook her head disappointingly.
"I'm very disappointed, Shining Armor." Celestia spoke in a regal voice, and she was from the few in the crowd who didn't shed any tears. But her eyes showed as much hurt, or even more, than those whose eyes were all red and puffy from the crying. "I put you in charge of the safety of my subjects, and look what happened. Not only did you fail in your duties as Captain of the Royal Guard, but you yourself betrayed and wounded Twilight, my most faithful student." Her eyes hardened as Cadence galloped into her comforting wing, sobbing. "And to think I was going to let you marry my niece."
Shining Armor realized what was going on. The dark clothing, the cemetery, the grim air all around them.
"Is Twilight dead?!"
"Finally, he catches up!" Rainbow Dash snarled. "And you are responsible for it! Murderer!"
Celestia stander aside from a newly-carved on grave. "Look!" She spoke in her Royal Canterlot Voice. "Look at the pain what you've caused!"
Thunder and lighting danced together in the sky, illuminating the whole graveyard as Shining Armor read the words carved on the marble stone.
Here lies Twilight Sparkle.
"No…" His whole world shattered when he read those four words. "No…" He didn't care when the ravens went all over him, pecking in the legs, the eyes, the ears, everywhere. He ignored the hateful, spiteful words coming from the lips of his family. Everything lost sense. He didn't care when everything faded to black.
"NOO!" Shining Armor awoke with a start, his heart throbbing in his chest, sending his covers flying to the ground. It was very late, and there were no ponies on the streets outside, but Luna's Night Guard.
Shining Armor hugged his legs with his hooves and started taking deep breaths in and out, trying to calm himself down. It was just a nightmare, that was all.
But when have our worst nightmares not come true?
June 25
Canterlot, Hurricane Hospital.
7:15 P.M
Three months.
Three long, agonizing, anxious months had happened. Any hope of Twilight ever waking up was starting to fade, as she had remained in that state for all that time, never moving, never opening her eyes. The only thing that started changing about her was her appearance, no matter what the doctors tried to do to stop it from happening.
Shining Armor walked towards Twilight's hospital room, when he heard a commotion in the office of the doctor that tended to Twilight. It was yelling, and sobbing. The door was closed, but he could hear something going on in there.
"Are you insane?!" He recognized his father's voice, and caught the sound of paper being wrinkled and thrown to the floor. "You want me to sign a permission to let my own daughter die?!"
Shining Armor's eyes snapped open like plates.
"Calm down, Mister. It's not about that." The doctor replied, frightened from the stallion's outburst. "We need you to firm an authorization so that we may disconnect her, that's all! Think about it."
Shining Armor quickly stepped away from the door, and pretended to be minding his own business when the doctor stepped out with a concerned look on his face, and trotted away, leaving the door half open. Shining Armor approached the door and took a peek inside without his parents noticing.
"To think that's the doctor who saved Twilight." Cadence spoke from inside. She must have arrived before.
"Well, looks like he doesn't want to do it anymore." Night Light snapped, angry.
"Twilight…" Twilight Velvet was so torn that she couldn't even speak. He heard Cadence levitating the papers for reading. She sighed deeply and spoke with a sad voice.
"Mr., it has been three months… Eight months of tension for all of us, and probably of agony for her. Besides, how much have you spent on the hospital."
"There's no problem with that." Night Light sniffed.
"What's going to happen with Spike and Twilight's friends when they find out? What would we tell them when they come from Ponyville to visit her and find out she has died?" Twilight Velvet spoke next.
"They've become stronger with this experience. A lot of time has passed, don't you think they've already gotten used to the idea?"
"No one never gets used to the idea of losing your family." Night Light replied.
"I mean everypony knows it's a matter of time." Cadence sniffed, and Shining Armor could tell she was weeping. "Have you looked at what she's becoming. She'll never be the same if she ever wakes up, have you thought of that? Let's assume she wakes up. What is she going to do if the doctors can't change her back to normal? She will be ostracized by society."
"She has us. She has her friends. Princess Celestia. You."
"We're her family, and we'll always be there for her, but will it be enough? Will she be able to withstand being looked upon with disgust and fear by other ponies because she has turned into the monsters that invaded us?"
Twilight Velvet was weeping with Cadence, too, but Night Light remained as stubborn as ever.
"We can't play that! It's like playing being God!"
"Maybe it was God that put her in that state, as a signal that she has to pass on. We might as well be keeping Twilight here against her will. Maybe she is suffering and what we are doing is to prolong her pain." Cadence sobbed at the idea. "
Shining Armor heard wood creaking. Maybe his father had fallen back into the chair.
"Damn it… I don't know what to do…?"
Shining Armor heard a magical aura straightening the paper, and caught a glimpse of placing it on the doctor's desk, in front of Night Light.
"S-Sign the authorization, N-Night Light…" Twilight Velvet's voice was broken in sobs. Let's give our little filly the peace she deserves. Let's end with her pain."
Night Light stared at the papers for a few moments, and in an almost unconscious way took a nearby pen and, drying a tear that rolled down his cheek, signed the papers. Twilight's death sentence.
Shining Armor stepped away from the door, horrified at what he had just witnessed. His own father had just signed a permission to disconnect Twilight and end with her life. A part of him was angry at his father for even thinking about it, but the more rational part understood that, perhaps, they were doing the best for Twilight.
Hooves echoed in the halls as Shining Armor galloped through the hospital, ignoring the nurses' yelling at him that running in the hospital was not allowed, heading towards his baby sister's room. He nearly broke down the door with his magic as he ran in, and jumped to the side of the bed.
Twilight's whole body, minus the tips of her ears and her back hooves, had turned into a charcoal black, and parts of her whole hooves had rotten and fallen off, leaving gaps and holes, like those of a Changeling. Her hair was falling, leaving her bald with fish-like fins, and her horn had sharpened and grown longer. Two long fangs had grown on her mouth, too. Despite her physical changes, he thought she was still as cute as the day she was born. He didn't care if she turned into an abomination, she would always be his little sister. Shining knew he didn't have much time before the doctor came to disconnect Twilight, so he had to hurry.
"Twiley…" Shining Armor wanted to touch his sister so badly, but he was afraid of triggering a heart attack. "Can you hear me?"
No reply.
"Yeah, I know, I haven't been visiting you as much as you'd like, but… I've been trying to. I mean, the doctor said triggered a pressure attack on you, so I didn't want to cause you trouble… But I can't stand being away from your anymore, Twiley."
Twilight remained motionless, making the stallion wonder if she was actually listening.
"Listen, Twiley, I wanted to talk to you before…" Shining Armor couldn't say the words. "It's about what happened at the wedding rehearsal." With just remembering it, he felt like he would suffocate and his brain would explode. "I know I've already apologized, but what happened that night was so horrible for you that I feel I should do it again." He lay his hooves on the blanket. "I truly regret what I said to you that night. I was your BBBFF, but I didn't quite actually act like that, did I? But that's not the worst part..." Shining Armor's eyes were tearing up. "Everypony says that it wasn't my fault, that Chrysalis had me under her control with those spells she cast on me she claimed were for my migraines, but... A part of me knows that the spell was only keeping me from seeing her faults. Whatever way I acted with others was all my doing."
"I've tried to deny it, but the way I treated you was all on my accord, all my fault." Shining Armor sobbed. "I don't know why I did it, what I was thinking, if I said those things because I was jealous of you. I mean, you're more of a hero than I've ever been. You faced Nightmare Moon, the Spirit of Chaos, and you saw through the fake Cadence's disguise, while all I've ever done for Equestria is to keep drunken colts from attacking the nobles. But I don't care. I couldn't have wished for a better sister than you, Twiley..."
By then, Shining Armor had taken her black hoof and kneeled next to the bed. "Please, Twilight... Just wake up and tell me you forgive me... Please.... I can't live knowing that you hate me for not listening to you. You can't leave me. Or mom and dad, Cadence, Spike, your friends... Don't hurt us all like this..."
The door creaking open alarmed Shining Armor that the doctor had come to end Twilight's life. He didn't turn around however, he held Twilight's hoof even tighter.
"Twiley..."
"Mr. Armor, please step aside." He heard the doctor speaking with a hunch of sympathy. "We must disconnect her."
"No!" Shining retorted, embracing Twilight's body protectively.
Realizing he would not budge, the doctor turned to two male nurses behind him. "Drag him away from her so that I may proceed."
Twilight Velvet tried to find a little comfort in her husband's hooves, and Cadence sobbed as the stallions seized Shining Armor from behind. "NO! LET ME GO!" Shining Armor trashed like a wild animal, trying to get free as he saw the doctor approaching the machine keeping Twilight alive.
"TWILEY!!"
....
...Shining Armor...
Suddenly, Cadence pointed a hoof at Twilight. "She's moving!"
...I forgive you...
All the eyes in the room glued on Twilight Sparkle as the unthinkable happened.
She was lifting her hoof. She was reaching out for her brother like she wanted to touch him, her breathing accelerating, and a single word managing to escape from her lips. "S-Shi...ny..."
When he recovered from shock, Shining Armor released himself from the grip of the nurses, galloped to his sister's side and took a hold of her trembling hoof. "I'm here, Twiley!" He was weeping, but now of happiness, not anguish.
Twilight could not speak clearly. As soon as she felt her brother's reassuring hoof holding hers, she gingerly tried to return the hold. Immediately, Cadence, Twilight Velvet and Night Light galloped to the unicorn's side, crying of joy.
"Twilight! My baby, you're alive!"
"Oh, Twilight! I'm so glad you came back to us!"
"Twilight... Twilight, my little filly..."
But the lavender unicorn's attention was set on the white-coated stallion to her right. To them both, everything else disappeared, it felt like they were alone in that room. Nopony else but the brother and sister. Together, once more. Shining Armor rested his head on his sister's lap, sobbing.
"Did you hear all what I said?" He whispered. "I figured hearing a familiar voice would help bring you back, but... I don't even know if you heard me."
With still broken words, Twilight spoke. "I d-did hear y-you... S-Shi-ny...."
I heard you.
The following days, Twilight was pampered with kisses, hugs from her family and friends, and hundreds of cards from all of Ponyville. Unfortunately, the doctors could do nothing about her Changeling-like appearance, that magic had done permanent damage to her. However, Twilight didn't mind looking like a half-bug at all. Sure, everypony would be taken aback at first, but she trusted that they would eventually accept the changes in her body. She was still Twilight Sparkle, only with holes in her hooves, a sharp horn and bug wings, and darkened legs and face.
"Daad, you don't have to do this." Twilight giggled, turning away her pupiless lavender eyes from her father as he levitated a spoonful of soup from her bowl.
"I don't care what you say." Night Light replied with a smile. "From now on, I will never get away from you. I will always take good care of you, my little princess."
"We're so glad you're awake, my filly." Twilight Velvet had her head on her daughter's bed, weeping of joy. She took Twilight's hoof when the latter came into contact with her shoulder. "
"It's okay, mom. I'm alright now, that's all that matters."
The door opened, and Twilight's face brightened when Spike, her friends, and Princess Celestia came into her room bearing warm smiles, bringing gifts such as flowers, books and one or two cupcakes (on Pinkie Pie's part).
"Hey, girls." Twilight smiled at her friends.
"Twilight!" Pinkie Pie rushed to Twilight's bed and hopped into it, nearly spilling the bowl of warm soup unto Twilight hadn't Night Light levitated it away in time. "I'm so happy you're okay! Well, no okay-okay, because you look like a Changeling, but beauty is in the eyes of whoever looks, that's what everypony says!" she wrapped her hooves around Twilight's face. "And to us, you'll always be the same Twilight as before!"
Twilight smiled and returned the hug. Then she noticed the rest approaching the bed, but their expressions were turning sad and guilt ridden.
"Twi…" Applejack was the first to speak. "The first thing we wanted to do when we came was to apologize for not believing you about the fake Cadence." she sighed. "You wouldn't be like this if we had listened to you."
"You had every right not to believe me girls." Twilight replied kindly. "I mean, I acted like a foal, just bursting into the room yelling that she was evil instead of gathering facts and evidence. And just after we'd written a friendship report about gathering evidence when we were bringing the Cakes' cake to Canterlot."
"And what about 'taking you friends' worries seriously?'" Rainbow Dash spoke sadly, rubbing the back of her head. "We should have listened to you, instead of simply assuming you were just jealous. What a loyal friend I am, aren't I?" There was bitterness and sorrow at the last part.
"Please, girls, you don't have to apologize. I understand it completely, I did panic a bit, and you warned me to cool down-"
"That doesn't justify the way we abandoned you, Twilight." Princess Celestia intervened, looking down with guilt and drooping her ears. "You've been a wonderful student, like a daughter to me, and yet I left you when you needed me the most. I should have noticed the changes in Cadence's behavior, I should have known she would never act as such, no matter in how much stress she is in, yet I chose to ignore it and justify it as simple stress. And that mistake not only nearly costed the lives of my subjects, but also your own." She took Twilight's hoof. "Can you ever forgive me?"
Twilight smiled. "I forgive you, Princess." She then looked at her friends. "I forgive you too, girls. Actually, you don't have anything to apologize for."
Rarity was shedding moved tears by then. "Oh, Twilight. You're such a wonderful friend, forgiving us just like that even after we betrayed you."
Twilight held out her hooves for her group of friends, and they knew what it meant. The six friends embraced each other in a tight hug, mending the wounds made on that fateful night. However, Twilight was scanning the room around for a certain stallion with white coat and blue mane.
"Where's Shiny?"
Cadence was about to go in to see Twilight Sparkle when a gentle hoof tapped her shoulder; she was surprised to see Shining Armor still outside. She had assumed he'd already be inside with Twilight, but yet he was still out here. She had a feeling that he wanted to speak with her in private.
"Cadence, can I talk to you?" Yup, her theory was correct.
"Sure, Shining." they moved away from the door in case anypony would come out. "What is it?"
"I… I wanted to apologize to you."
"To me?" Cadence inquired. "For what?"
Shining Armor didn't know what to say, but he had to find a way. She had been acting coldly towards him during the time Twilight had been comatose, but this was a good chance to say what he had to. "For not realizing that… impostor had taken your place. I should have realized there was something wrong with those flashes, and the change in your personality… The real you would have never behaved as such. You're the kindest, most caring soul in all of Equestria, but I was blinded and tricked by that Changeling into abandoning my little sister and casting her out of the wedding. You would have never allowed me to do such a thing, actually."
Cadence's coldness was starting to melt away at his sincere words. "Shining…"
"Cadence, I love you, I love you with all my heart, but I understand if you want nothing to do with me after this. I mean, if I had really loved you like I said I did, I would have realized that Changeling wasn't you. That mistake not only nearly cost me you, but also my sister's life. But even if you don't want to marry me anymore, I still would like to be your friend, and-" Shining Armor was cut off when Cadence leaned in and gave him a quick kiss in her lips, her familiar warm smile bringing new hope to his heart.
"Of course I forgive you, Shiny." She spoke softly and warmly. "I admit, I went a little overboard too. The Changeling Queen had you under her spell, even if you actually noticed something was wrong with me, that monster could have made you forget it with a flash of her horn. Instead of blaming you for what happened, I should have been there for you to comfort you in these hard months."
Shining Armor smiled, and took Cadence's hoof in his own. "Thanks, Cadence. Now all I need to do is to apologize to Twiley for causing all of this, and hopefully she'll forgive me."
"Of course she will forgive you, Shining Armor. You are her BBBFF, remember?" Cadence giggled.
Twilight's eyes lit up when Shining Armor trotted into the room, followed by Cadence. Immediately, the pink Alicorn ran to Twilight's side and hugged her tightly.
"I'm so glad you're back, Twilight." Cadence smiled at her favorite filly. "I was starting to think you'd really leave us."
"Are you kidding?" Twilight giggled. "How could I ever leave my wonderful friends and family before its time? I'd call it more like a break from all the stress." All the ones in the room burst out in laughter at this. The only one who didn't have the heart to laugh just yet was Shining Armor.
"Twiley…" he whispered sadly as he approached his little sister slowly, fearing any lashing out she might throw at him. "Can I talk to you in private?"
Twilight had a feeling to what this talk would be about. "Sure."
The siblings were left alone in the room. The air became rigid and cold, at least on Shining Armor's perspective. This was it, he would apologize to Twilight for the way he treated her, and hopefully she would forgive him. Hopefully.
"Twiley, I wanted to tell you I am really sorry for what happened at the rehearsal. I know you're going to say that you should have brought proof, but what if there was no way to prove it? But the point is, I should have listened to you, I made a mistake in putting Cadence before you when family must always come first. Because of me you lost four months of your life, and now your body is corrupted."
"Shining, really, you don't have to apologize at all." Twilight spoke gently, but Shining still continued.
"I don't know why I said those things. Everypony says that it wasn't my fault because I was under the Changeling Queen's control, but deep inside I know that it was me who said those horrible words to you, not her. I don't know what was I thinking, if I was angry because you didn't come to me to tell me in private, or if I was just so excited on marrying Cadence that I forgot for a moment that you were my LSBFF."
"Shining…"
"These four months that you were comatose, I couldn't rest at night knowing that you could die, and I wouldn't be able to tell you this. Every single night I was plagued with nightmares where you didn't forgive me, or died, or I even recalled the moment I cut you from my life. But I don't want you out of it, Twiley, I want to be your BBBFF for as long as I live. I want to embrace you when you get married, be there for you when you form a family, I want you by mi side when I exhale my last breath, but I guess I screwed it up."
"Shining Armor…"
"I understand if you'll never forgive me for this, I deserve it after all. But I want you to know that from now on, you will always count on me and-"
"SHINY!" Twilight raised her voice to call her brother's attention. Satisfied, she spoke. "Please stop punishing yourself like that! I don't want you to keep thinking about it anymore! What happened, happened, now what matters is the present. How could I not forgive you when you came every single day I spent in this bed like a vegetable, speaking to me and refusing to leave my side even when the nurses came to kick you out."
Shining's eyes widened. "You mean…?"
Twilight nodded with a small smile. "Yes, Shiny. I heard you. Every single word you told me all the days you came. I felt every tear you shed when you apologized a hundred times. I wanted to tell you that I forgave you, I wanted to tell you not to cry."
Shining Armor felt tears coming to his eyes. "Can you truly forgive me for everything I said to you?"
Twilight took her brother's hoof, her now completely purple eyes showing deep compassion. "I forgive you, BBBFF."
This was the last straw. Shining Armor sniffled as he let the tears flow from his eyes and down his cheeks; he rested his head on Twilight's lap, sniffing and sobbing, embracing his little sister, not wanting to let her go. Twilight caressed his mane gingerly, shedding a few tears of her own as well. With every tear that fell, Shining Armor felt a weight being lifted from his chest.
For the first time in a long time, these were not tears of sorrow.
These were tears of joy.
Many times, the decisions we take affect and hurt your closest friends and family the most.
I have lots of regrets in that regard.
But God has forgiven me, which I am very thankful for. It has enabled me to forgive myself and move forward one day at a time.
-Lex Luger
