In the Memory of a Princess

The warm sun trickled through the castle window, shedding its light on the floor of the chamber.
Princess Celestia was sitting at a vanity brushing her radiant, flowing mane very, very slowly.
The princess sighed and set the antique bush down.
“I wish it wouldn't have to end like this.” Celestia thought to herself.
Several minutes ticked by as she sat, absorbed in her thoughts of the possible day ahead.
“I know that he is coming sometime today! This premonition has been bugging me all week! Oh, I just wish I could have one more chance to see everyone before I go!”
There was nothing for the princess to do but wait and try her best to prepare for the festival.
“It would be worse if he came during the ceremony. Oh yes! That would be catastrophic. The last memory my people will have of me will be me in the middle of the program talking to some invisible pony!”
Princess Celestia absentmindedly began to apply eye shadow to her eyelids as her thoughts swirled around in her head like a twister.
A quick knock on the door resounded through the large dressing chamber.
“Come in,” Celestia called in a calm voice, though her heart was secretly sinking. She quickly stuffed the eye shadow back in the vanity drawer.
The door opened a crack, and a tall, dark figure entered the room.
The figure quickly, but quietly closed the door.
“You have finally come for me, have you not?” asked a rather unhappy Celestia.
“So it seems I have.” replied the shadow. His voice was deep and raspy, and would make any ordinary pony shiver with fright.
“I would have thought that after all this time you and your sister have evaded me, you would finally be ready.”
“I may be ready, but my people are not. They need my help to guide and support them.”
“You are so unprepared today, Celestia!” the figure exclaimed. “Do you have any pony or ponies that could take your place while you take your permanent vacation?”
“Well,” Celestia began. “There are six very qualified ponies who might be willing to take my place. I have to say, I think they will make life here very interesting…”
“Oh yes,” the man said. “They will do just fine. Let’s see- one will create a holiday named ‘Fashion Friday’, another will have donuts every day for lunch, and yet another will create plans for an animal shelter to be built here in the palace. You chose well, Celestia.”
“Thank you. Now, just give me a few minutes.”
Princess Celestia turned around and opened the vanity drawer. She took out a quill and piece of parchment and began to write.
When she was finished, Celestia rolled up the parchment and sealed it with a stamp. Just above the seal, she wrote, “For Twilight Sparkle, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Rarity and Applejack.”
Next, she walked to the other side of the room to a gold chest decorated with a large, burning sun; Princess Celestia’s cutie mark.
She unlocked it using magic and opened it. Lying on the bottom of the chest was an ancient, but decorative box.
Celestia picked it up and walked back to the vanity. She set the box in the middle of the cleared table next to the rolled up piece of parchment,
The princess took a deep breath and slowly turned to face the dark figure again.
“Good. Very good.” he whispered. “Are you finally ready for your final journey? You sister will be very disappointed if you abandon her in hell. Although, your placement has not been decided yet. Who knows. You might just get lucky.”
“WHAT? You already claimed her? Our deal was that if we ever agree to go with you, I would be the one to be taken first, NOT HER!”
“Calm down, Celestia.” the man said in a strict voice. “I gave her a little visit to inform her that you would be making the decision today. She told me to take her first."
“Well, we don’t really have much of a decision any more, do we? You would take us either way.”
“True, but isn't a heads up nice once in a while?” asked the cloaked figure.
“Maybe it is, or maybe it isn't.” was her snappy reply.
Silence filled the air for a moment or two.
“One final question,” Princess Celestia blurted out. “Will you leave my body behind?”
From beneath his cloak, the figure smiled.
“If you wish your body to be left here, you may have it that way.”
“I wish for my body to not be left behind.”
Again, the man smiled.
“So be it.”
They were silent for a moment until Celestia’s voice broke through the noiseless air.
“Let’s go. I am ready to join by sister.”
“Let us not keep her waiting any longer then.” the shadow rasped.
The man began to hum a strange tune, and then he started to sing in a primeval tongue.
The princess closed her eyes as a warm, numbing feeling started somewhere in her chest. Celestia knew that her heart had ceased, and she was no longer a living being.
The sensation continued to spread throughout her body. When her whole self felt as light as a feather, she and her guest began to rise up into the air.
Together, they passed like ghosts through the palace ceiling and continued to gain altitude.
Princess Celestia took one glance at her kingdom; she looked down upon Canterlot, Ponyville, Manehatten, and all the other corners of her empire.
“Good luck Twilight. I will always be with you.” Celestia uttered these words before she and the man entered another kind of world.
“Don’t you worry,” the man reassured her. “Looking at her future, she will do many great things, and some wrong doings. Putting all of them in charge was a smart move; they can keep each other in line and correct each other.”
Celestia’s view of Equestria vanished as they passed through thick, white clouds which obscured her vision.
Princess Celestia was gone for good.