Twilight layed on her study pillow sobbing about the days events of which she did not want to recall. She had been sobbing for hours after the funeral. The only thing she wanted was to be in the comfort of her former mentor and her only remaining close friend from Ponyville. She had been spending time in Princess Celestia's personal tower as she wanted to comfort Twilight after such a heavy loss. Spike was also there, now a growing dragon had been with Twilight throughout many losses but this loss was the hardest hitting to Twilight. Princess Celestia was laying on her study pillow a few feet away from her to comfort her of this tragic loss, Spike was curled around them like a dog curled up in bed."It...its just not...why...why Applejack?" Twilight mumbled into her pillow. "Calm down Twilight there is nothing we can do, it was simply her time."
Twilight continued sobbing into her pillow the loss of her final Ponyville friend whom she first met half a century ago, which had gone by it seems in the blink of an eye. But it was a happy fun filled and joyful fifty years that Twilight and all of her friends had spent happily together in Ponyville. It pained Twilight to see all of her friends aging while she remained built the same way she was they day they met and became lifelong friends. As Twilight's friends became older she knew there time would come her friends reassured her not to worry but Twilight could not help it. Rainbow Dash was the first to go, the fighting spirit of Ponyville. Pinkie Pie was next, the pony who never let Ponyville frown. Then it was Rarity, the pony who kept Ponyville looking beautiful. Then Fluttershy the kindest pony to every walk they streets of Ponyville. It was only Applejack left and she had passed three days ago, the cowgirl who made sure Ponyville didn't grow hungry.
This overwhelmed Twilight as she had lost her 5 closest friends in the course of a year. "Its just... I don't now...I don't see how I can carry on." Twilight hesitantly said. "Twilight." Celestia said "I know it is difficult to cope with but we all must carry on even in the darkest of times. I am sorry to say this but as your lifetime as a Princess you will endure many losses." "Do you... ever... ever get over the ones you have lost Princess?" Twilight asked. Princess Celestia stared at her former student understanding the loss of a close friend, she had been with Twilight at her friend's funerals. "No." she finally answered after remembering her own experiences of loss."No Twilight I'm afraid we don't but we hold them in a special place in our hearts so that we may never forget them."
Twilight sank deeper into her pillow and her depression. "Come Twilight you must get some rest for tomorrow we must be at the national hoofball game, I shall walk you to your room". Both Princess got up and proceeded towards the door and entered the staircase shortly after they left Spike entered the doorway to the balcony and took to the air making way to Twilight's room. As Twilight and her former mentor entered the hallway she was still grieving over the loss of her friends something she would be grieving about for a long time they made their way down the spiraling staircase Twilight's mind wandered from one of her friends to the other. They finally reached Twilight bedroom and bidded each other goodnight and Celestia turned and left to return to her tower. As Twilight entered her old room which housed her as a student to The School for gifted unicorns and found Spike already asleep. Twilight approached her bed and sank into it as she did her deppresion, hoping tomorrow would be a better day.
Twilight woke from her dream sweating, her sheets completely drenched. Usually how she normally wakes up ever since her friends passed. She had consulted Princess Celestia about her nightmares hoping she would have spell or cure to rid her of her nightmares, but the Princess had no such thing. The Princess went to great lengths to attempt to rid Twilight of her nightmares even consulting her younger sister, but Twilight's nightmares were personal and even the Princess of the night could not help. Twilight slowly got out of bed pushing the covers aside, but turning around and lifting the covers with her magic neatly making the bed. She stumbled over to the mirror still a bit drowsy from her not so pleasant slumber. She picked up the brush off of the dresser and positioning herself in front of the mirror to get the best possible angle to style her hair. She stopped and remembered long ago the beautiful white and purple unicorn on the first day they met in which she within a second replicated her hair onto Twilight's head. Twilight dropped the brush the thud of it hitting the floor inaudible over the thought of the day her life changed. The day she learned the magic of friendship, the day she met her lifelong friends.
She picked up her brush again and continued doing her hair the thought of the white unicorn still drifting through her mind. She finished and levitated her crown off her dresser and gently placed it atop her head straightening it to the right angle. She slowly trotted passed the sleeping green and purple dragon trying not to wake him. She walked onto the balcony which gave her an overlook of the castle's courtyard. The courtyard was abandoned except for the few guards training for Color Guard at the Best flyer competition. The commander of the Color Guard was Captain Silver Shield which was Shining Armor's and Princess Cadence's son. He was scheduled to take his father's place after he passed away. Silver Shield was in his late thirties a white unicorn with a red mane, he looked up to Twilight as a second mother. She normally gave him lessons as a young colt when Princess Cadence was out tending to royal duties.
Twilight returned to her bedroom heading towards the door when she heard a yawn come from a certain dragon. "Hey Twilight." Spike said rubbing his eyes as he woke up, he had grown very big over the years even surpassing the princesses in height."Hey Sleepyhead." Twilight responded "You better get up or we are going to miss the best fliers competition.". "I'm on it Twilight" he walked over to the balcony stretching out his wings. Twilight approached him before he took flight. "Be careful Spike you know we are at war with the changelings, and they will fight to the death for every inch of Equestria. The war had raged on for about six months now, The ponies were on the defensive with the changelings on the offensive. The changelings had attempted to break the Equestrian border defenses but they had not been successful." I know Twilight, I'll see you in Cloudsdale." And with one tremendous flap of his wings he lifted off heading towards Cloudsdale.
Twilight knew she had to do the same, she made her way towards the door and left her room. She walked through the maze like hallways of the castle making her way to the main corridor where Princess Celestia there waiting for her. "Good Morning Twilight, are you ready to depart?". "Yes but where are the other Princesses, aren't they supposed to join us?" Twilight questioned. "My sister and Princess Cadence have agreed to meet us there, now come we must be leaving.". They exited the castle through the main doors and made their way towards a chariot that was awaiting them. They entered the chariot and it lifted off towards the floating city.