"Thank you Princess." Twilight bowed graciously before her mentor and teacher Princess Celestia, her final thank you to her last guest for her crowning as ruler of Ponyville, before she retired upstairs. Sauntering up the stairs to her new bedchambers, the decor glinting a soft baby blue as her new crystal castle. The tapestry of Equestria long ago hung high on the walls. A smile came upon Twilight's face as she realized the gravitation of this honor, with the slight rehash of what she had recently been through. Their celebration of Tirek being banished away back to Tartarus turned into the shift from leadership of Ponyville. For so long Twilight has awaited a moment such as this, when she would be granted right of leadership of Ponyville. Not that she wanted Mayor Mare removed from the seat of Ponyville, but Twilight just expected this. It was only inevitable.
The night was filled with various snacks, games, and discussions as she bathed in the joy of one of her favorite parts of being in Ponyville. Pinkie's parties. These were something to behold and one has not lived until they fully witnessed one of Pinkie's parties. Twilight even wrote a book about it, with early critical acclaim by the Equestrians. Called, "Parties of a Brighter Pink" a synopsis and in depth study of Pinkie's parties and what it is like. Twilight had a hard time doing that, describing how being in one of Pinkie's parties was like. It was unlike anything Twilight has ever witnessed for herself. It was like the first breath of life from a new born filly. The smell of the first breeze of the Spring. The soft glow of auroras in the north. The warmth of the dawning rays of the day. It was a sensational feeling of unending bliss and happiness. Twilight only feels like this one other time. And that is being around Fluttershy.
The way her soft pink mane hangs down, the way she looked around with her innocent blue eyes, the shimmer and sheen of her soft yellow coat. Again, it was unlike anything Twilight has felt before. Bus she kept her feelings to herself, for she feared what her other friends would think of her and what Fluttershy might think of her. Sure they were friends and would share everything together, but somethings were meant to be kept beneath herself. Plus, she had no idea how to act on her feelings. She had no idea how to express herself. She never felt like this towards another pony.
Twilight found her bedchambers and stepped onto her balcony and sat back in her chair as she looked blissfully at the night sky above her. The sparkling stars and the shining pale light of the moon bathing her in its friendly glow. Her well groomed lavender coat stippled in the light flowing breeze of the summer night. Twilight nestled and sunk into her full body chair as she gently closed her glimmering violet eyes. Distantly she could hear the ruckus of Pinkie's party beneath her elevated hooves, the sounds slightly vibrating the chair she lied upon in the balcony of her castle. All of Ponyville celebrated that night, and they had every reason to do so.
The lavender princess arched her back and stretched her hooves above her head, stretching out her wings as well. A casual breath releasing from her closed lips as she felt her muscles settle back down. Holding the powers of all the Alicorns was not easy and was sore to her body and to her mind. She was brought to an elevated position of power and felt power unbelieving and far beyond the imagination of anypony. Her body had grown used to the powerful magic running through her that it forgot how to last with just her magic, which she had done years of studying to perfect and to master anything and everything about magic. She felt unable to move she was so tired, but she opened her eyes open briefly to see who opened the thin glass door she had previously shut and ushered onto the balcony.
Stepping into the soft light of the moon that now was hidden behind a thin blanket of clouds was Fluttershy. She had a casual look about her and her mane cut a little bit shorter, now only going down to the bottom of her neck. Her hoofsteps almost giving n sound as she smiled and said, "I hope you don't mind that I join you."
Twilight loved the sound of her voice. It was so soft and so kind that she just felt like melting into pudding, but she kept herself casual as she politely answered, "Not at all Fluttershy."
Fluttershy wiped a strand of her mane out of her eyes and gazing up at the stars, standing tall on her two hooves. She wore a thin wavy dress, something specially made from Rarity. The only piece of functional see through ware that Twilight has ever seen. It was stitched and made in a mature way, not too revealing but got the job done right. Twilight watched as Fluttershy took a seat next to Twilight. Fluttershy settled in nicely, matting down her dress as she rested softly in her chair.
Fluttershy continued to stare up at the stars and she said with a quiet and uttered tone, "Wow...It's beautiful out here."
Twilight mouthed out a yawn and responded, "(yawn)...yeah, Luna has outdone herself tonight."
Fluttershy softly giggled and said knitting an eyebrow at Twilight, "Tired?"
Twilight answered laying her head back and in a jubilacious tone, "You try taking down an immortal being with the combined magic of the Alicorns and to have it sucked away from you."
They shared a round of laughter. Twilight opened her eyes and looked over at her yellow coated pegasus friend, raising her head and resting her hooves behind her head leaning her head against them, "So...how has it been with Discord?"
Fluttershy kept a slight smile with a gentle breeze passing over her, "Discord has agreed that we need to get some air from each other. That way he can learn more about friendship and so he can have more friends."
Twilight smiled and said joyously, "It's about time that he stopped staying cooped up in your cottage."
Fluttershy laughed, a sound that Twilight was not soon about to forget. Twilight was glad that she grew from the secluded Fluttershy to a more open and more social Fluttershy. She smiled more often and she had been less shy. She still had a lot of the innocent traits that showed often but she was just more comfortable around other ponies. Twilight smiled at that thought and looked over as Fluttershy asked, "Okay now let me ask you something. How does it feel...being the new ruler of Ponyville and all?"
Twilight looked back up at the stars, more specifically at the Beard of Starswirl constellation. A common constellation she would find comfort and peace from. And she answered, "To be honest with you Fluttershy, I appreciate the attention. I feel like I am needed and that I am an important figure of Equestria. But, I also feel like I was being a little egotistical earlier. I wanted the attention and I wanted to be looked at as somepony who is important. But now that I'm thinking back on it, I just want to be the local librarian again learning the values of friendship."
Fluttershy smiled as she listened to the explanation from one of her closest friends and said keeping the smile, "We all have to face change sometimes in our life. Whether that is if we like it or not, we have to play the hand we have been dealt."
Twilight smiled and looked over at her friend asking, even though she already knew the answer to the question, "Who told you that?"
Fluttershy looked directly at Twilight with the affable and adorably innocent look she is so famous for and her warm words came out like syrup on pancakes, "A good friend."
Twilight melted internally to those words. Twilight said the same exact thing to Fluttershy when she discovered her parents had died. That was the day Twilight's hidden love for Fluttershy solidified to Twilight. She never wanted to see Fluttershy like that ever again. It was more than Twilight could bear, a secret kept between the two of them. Something so close that it would be a sin to repeat it to somepony else. Twilight's face went emotionless as she thought back to that day until she came back and asked, "So. Why aren't you celebrating with the others?"
Fluttershy laughed and responded, "I would ask you the same thing Twilight. You are the guest of honor."
Twilight cracked a smile and said, "I'm hardly a guest of honor, I am above nopony."
Fluttershy stood up shaking her head and went to leave but before she left she said, "I think that's what makes you who you are Twilight. Your humility. Are you coming?"
"I think I'll rest up here," Twilight said closing her eyes, "Tell the girls I said hi."
And with that and a shut of the crystal door. Twilight looked back up at the stars and she listened to the steady and melodic thrum of the party just beneath her hooves. Her eyes drifted shut as she succumbed to the peace of sleep.
"Well if it is none other than little miss perfect."
"Hello? Who's there?"
"I am offended that you do not remember the voice of the pony you destroyed. The pony that you crushed like an ant beneath your horseshoe. Use that brain I know you have."
"I don't-" Twilight said but stopped herself as she realized who it was she was talking to. She knew that voice anywhere.
"I'll take it that by the abrupt silence, you figured it out."
Twilight cursed the name as it came out of her lips, "Nightmare Moon."
Twilight's vision opened up and she stood on the spot she suspected she would be. She stood on the spot where she expelled Nightmare Moon from Princess Luna. The still cold air from that day whaffed across her and chilled her to the bone. Twilight stood tall and proud as she anticipated to soon see Nightmare Moon. The cold stone floors were dark and tried to fill her with its former sense of fear and dread. But she disregarded the fear and dread. She had faced so many darknesses that this was nothing compared to what she had been through. The foul stench of moss and moldew still fresh in her nostrils.
Twilight heard the harsh tone of Nightmare Moon curse, "Hard to think that a pony as weak and as spineless as you would grow to become a princess."
Twilight clenched her hooves and felt her magic surge through her veins as she threatened, "Why are you here Nightmare Moon? How are you here?"
Twilight watched as the shadows that lied across the floor moved and collected into a pile where they rose up and materialized into Nightmare Moon. Her armor gone, just a tall jet black alicorn mare with bright aquamarine eyes. Her pupils slits like those of a feline. She smiled showing her white rows of daggers as she said, "Dearie, you know that you can't fully be rid of nightmares. Don't you?"
Twilight felt Nightmare Moon try to use her magic when Twilight countered that and said harshly, "I am the one in control here. And I will not ask again. Why. Are you. Here."
Twilight slammed her hoof and a small quake came forth, her eyes flashing bright purple. Nightmare Moon kept her smile and stepped forward, "My my. So confident and demanding for power. Truly a mare to be respected and loved. Perhaps for centuries to come."
Twilight moved her hoof back as she asked still in a harsh tone, "What do you mean?"
Nightmare Moon laughed and half turned into mistful shadows and began to encircle Twilight as she explained, "Have you not stopped to wonder the extent of your powers? Have you not wondered why you were capable of holding so much immortal power beneath you?"
"Yeah, I am the Spirit of Magic-"
"That is nothing more than mortal beliefs. Not really your magic, more of tapping into the font of Starswirl's magic. But honestly Twilight, you have to know that sooner or later you should figure it out already. I actually expected you to already know."
"My patience is wearing thin, Nightmare Moon." Twilight growled. If there was one mare on the entire planet that could get under her skin, it was Nightmare Moon.
Nightmare Moon squealed with excitement, "My Twilight. So dominant, you really know how to please a mare. But come on lets be honest, you know what I'm talking about."
Nightmare Moon stopped in front of her and leaned in real close, Twilight feeling the cold breath of Nightmare Moon cascading across Twilight's face. Nightmare Moon whispered darkly, "Immortality."
Twilight felt the cogs turn and her eyes grew wide. She knew what Nightmare Moon was implying. No, she did not believe it. She was not immortal. She could not be, she was supposed to live out the final days of her life with her best friends. She was not supposed tooutlive her friends. She couldn't. Nightmare Moon leaned back and spread her hooves out and said, "And so she realizes her greatest fear."
She stepped back, her knees buckling and shaking. She kept her gaze away from Nightmare Moon and said, "No...no that's...no that's...that's not true...you're lying."
Nightmare Moon flowed closer to her and said, "Now Twilight Sparkle, it is not polite to accuse somepony of lying when it is not true. I expected you of all ponies to know that. But no, I am not afraid that it is true."
She stressed the not in her sentence. Twilight's chest felt heavy and her mind felt like it was breaking itself away. She could barely breath. This was not supposed to happen, she was supposed to die with her friends. How could she handle not dying and her friends all dying off? Twilight looked back at Nightmare Moon and growled, "So your purpose was to tell me this? How am I supposed to know if you aren't lying?"
Nightmare Moon gave a cruel smile and leaned in, as she leaned in her form and the land around her began to fade. The last words she said to Twilight were, "Every hero needs a nemesis. And why would I lie to my nemesis? It makes the victories all the more sweeter."
Twilight shot her eyes open and swiftly stood up. Breathing heavily and her magic flowing out of her horn ready to cast a spell. She looked around and she began to control her breathing, and her magic slowly died back into her mind. Twilight thought carefully to herself. She very well knew that this was no mere nightmare, this was a specific section of the Dreamscape that Nightmare Moon used to show and tell her this. A certain part of the Dreamscape that Alicorns go to. It works differently than the normal space used by regular ponies. It usually shows visions of the world around them, tells something of the future, or shows a series of images as omens of what is to come. If Twilight was a betting mare, that was an interpretation of the future.
That was hard to decipher and to make it into something. She pressed her hooves against her head and thought, what if it was true? She had been so adamant to believing a single word of what Nightmare Moon said. But what if she was right? What would she do? Would she tell her friends that she would outlast them all? Would she keep it a secret and let it stay sequestered beneath her? So many possibilities. She heard a shuffle of claws scraping against the floor and knew that Spike was close by. She thought quickly and stood up ordering Spike's attention, "Spike!"
"Yeah Twilight?"
"I need you to send a quick message to Princess Celestia," Twilight said as she stretched out her wings, getting ready to lift off, "Tell her that I have some questions that need answers. I'm coming to Canterlot."
Twilight looked and saw Spike scribbling away on the parchment and finally inhale deeply and breathed forth green flames that engulfed around the parchment and it whisked away into nothingness, soon to plop down in front of Princess Celestia. Twilight smiled and looked back up at the sky and she said, "That will be all Spike, you can go to Rarity's until I come back."
Spike scampered off and gave her a quick thanks. Twilight smiled and focused back at the blue sky above her. It was clear and the suns rays offered no solace for her at that moment. She needed answers and should would get them. Twilight remembered back to those flying lessons Rainbow Dash had told her. She bent her knees and with all the might she could muster she jumped into the air and began to beat her wings a s fast as she could propel them. She soared through the sky at surprising speed, a speed that she was not really used to but one that felt like instinct. Her wings beating fast as clouds and sky raced past her and she set her gaze to Canterlot below her.
She dove down and remembered back to a lesson Rainbow Dash had told her and back to a book she had read, 'Aerodynamics and Why They Are Your Friend' a good and simple read. She slowed the beating of her wings, trying to go in for a softer landing. As the white surface flooring of the castle came closer and closer into view she began to worry. She panicked and before she hit the ground she blinked out of existence for a second and reappeared at the door to Princess Celestia's room, a place only a chosen few ponies could enter. Twilight stood up and rested a hoof on her head as she told herself, "Note to self: Practice landings."
Now she had a first hoof understanding on why she always smashed through roofs. She was obviously not good at landing softly. Rainbow Dash is careful when she wants to be, just not when she is flying. Twilight got lucky that she did not cause anymore damage than what was done, the staff of Canterlot Castle was still cleaning up the mess left behind by Tirek. But that did not stop the familiar grandeur of the castle to fill Twilight with a sense of longing. The tapestries of Equestrian design, the decor that of old tales from long ago, the purest of white granite stone softly clicking as she stepped closer to the large oaken door that bore the insignia of Princess Celestia. A blazing star made from gold.
Twilight gently rapped on the door, trying not to cause a loud noise to either wake up her teacher or scare her. She heard her soft voice on the otherside of the door declare, "Come in."
Twilight opened the door softly and peeked her head in. She looked around the lightly decorated chambers of Princess Celestia. very light purple stone to cover the walls and floor of the room. A large bed to her left filled with silks and velvets of who knows how expensive they are. She looked back over and saw Princess Celestia sitting on a large pillow on the far side of the room. Her legs tucked underneath her and the familiar gentle golden aura enveloping both her long horn and on some of the scattered papers on the floor. She had an air of motherly kindness about her at all times of the day, just looking at the back of her reminded her of an awaiting mother for their child to ask her something. Ever vigilant to offer wisdom and guidance.
Her head slightly turned, seeing Twilight peek her head in. She beamed a warm smile turning to meet Twilight and said warmly, "My most faithful student, please come in and have a seat."
Twilight walked in, her condition worse than she thought. There was no emotion to her steps as she opened the door and walked in, closing the door behind her. Celestia grabbed another large pillow with her magic. A gentle and ghost of a smile coming to Twilight's face as she remembered the many nights and days she spent just talking to her mentor. Twilight finally sat down on the pillow, a casual stance as she sat opposite of Celestia. Celestia's smile died a little bit as she asked, "I have received your letter, Twilight. I must say that I am surprised at the sense of urgency. What is it that troubles you?"
Twilight kept her gaze on Celestia as she tried to translate her thoughts into words. Twilight bit back her lip as she showed inner turmoil within her soul. She woefully explained, "I...I just got a recent vision. It had me and Nightmare Moon, we were talking and exchanging words. But, the conversation was on the topic of me being immortal like you and Luna."
Twilight rubbed the back of her forehoof and continued, "I don't want to trust a word that she says but, I can't shake the feeling that she might be right."
Celestia released a sigh, her face showing that she completely understood her situation. She said in a distant tone, "I know the problem you face, Twilight Sparkle. I had the same situation given to me. I had to face the facts that I am immortal, and that my friends would all...die and I would not. But I had my sister so I would not go through eternity alone."
She stood up taller and continued, "My original intention for you was to keep you a mortal, so you could live and die with your friends. But as you might know destinies can change. Though I do not know for sure, and I do not wish to test the theory, you very well might be immortal."
Twilight had a sneaking suspicion at such, nor was she willing to test the theory. But how could she live through life not knowing if she would die or not? How could she live through the unknown? It was a strange and hurtful feeling that Twilight never felt before. Twilight began to lower her head in her crossed hooves when she saw out of the corner of her eye she saw somepony enter the room and announced, "Okay, the kitchen was fresh out of sugar so I had to run to the store to-oh hello my little Twilight!"
Twilight looked and saw her mother charging through the room and barreling towards her. With a joyous wide smile plastered on her face, beaming with jubilation. Twilight Velvet hugged her daughter tightly and said, "Oh it has been so long since I have seen you and Shiny! How has my little Sparkle been doing?"
A ghost of a smile tugged at her lips and said neutrally, "I'm doing fine."
Twilight felt the warm embrace stop and she felt the embrace stop. Twilight stared at the eyes of her mother who rested her hooves on Twilight's shoulders and asked in a serious tone, "Twilight. What's wrong?"
Twilight noticed that her mother's composure transfixed into the same composure as Celestia's, the composure of a vigilant mother and who is ready to offer wisdom. She knew she could not escape the situation from her mother, it was nearly impossible. Twilight sighed and replied, "I just...I might be immortal...and I don't know how I can be who I am without my friends. I can't go through an eternity without my friends."
Twilight felt moisture in her eyes and Twilight Velvet pulled her in for another hug and said rubbing her hoof soothingly on her back, "It'll be okay Twilight."
Her mother pushed her away and they stared at each other, Twilight Velvet said wiping a single tear that fell from her eye, "I am not one who is smart when it comes to immortality or magic, but what I do know is this: All things must end. Both good and bad. While you might be immortal in age, you might not be invincible. It could take ten years or a hundred thousand years before until your death, but you will join your friends. Soon."
Twilight watched as her mother grew darker and the area around them peeled back into shadows. Twilight tried pulling herself free from the hooves of the pony opposite of her. Her mother's form melted away as it finished its explanation, its voice changing into Nightmare Moon's. A maddening look came across the melting form of her mother, a deep billowing laughter coming out of her, her form changing into Nightmare Moon.
The laughing subsided and her vision went dark as she heard Nightmare Moon say, "The power of the hero can only be measured by the strength of her enemy."
Twilight shot herself awake, sitting up with short ragged breaths. She refocused and felt a soothing hoof on her shoulder and a soft feminine voice ask her, "Twilight, are you okay?"
Twilight looked to the source of the voice and saw Fluttershy kneeling at her side. The morning rays of dawn just beginning to peek above the horizon, the soft cool purples and pinks dancing across the sky. The beginning rays dancing across the surface of Fluttershy's face, amplifying her beauty in Twilight's eyes. Twilight shook her head and pressed a hoof to her head and said, "Yes...I just...had a bad dream."
Fluttershy did not seem reassured with the look on her face. Twilight knew that she could not withhold anything from her, being as long of friends as they were. No hidden secrets. Fluttershy offered a gentle hoof on her cheek and asked tenderly, "Twilight. What's wrong?"
Twilight released a sigh, visibly showing her inner strife on her face. Twilight answered, "I...I have just been worried about something...it's been bugging me for a long time."
Fluttershy sat down next to her and listened to her friend with a helpful but wary gaze, "You know that with my recent acension that I have to take on more duties as a princess. Wearing crowd. Protecting the ponies of Equestria. And being there for my friends..."
Her tone trailed off a bit as she tried not to keep her gaze too high. Pain welling within her soul and her heart rising in her throat. She choked out, "...but one of those things I might not be able to do. We are the best friends, and I would follow you girls to hell and back. You know that."
"Twilight...-"
"But I might not be able to follow you through everything...I might not be able to fall with you girls."
"Twilight," Fluttershy slightly gasped as Fluttershy rested a wary hoof on her shoulder, "What are you saying?"
Twilight finally looked at Fluttershy in the eyes and said, "I might not be able to die with you."
Fluttershy added, "What is so wrong about that? This place needs you?"
Twilight shut her eyes hard and showed that there was obviously something else on her mind. Twilight wanted to spill her guts and empty her heart right there but something kept her. Fluttershy prodded, "Twilight tell me."
Tears escaped her eyes and she said, "I...I can't."
Fluttershy's voice broke and she said, "Twilight you're scaring me. Tell me what-"
"I love you Fluttershy!"
Fluttershy said, "Well of course Twilight-"
"No. Not as a friend." Twilight pressed a hoof to her forehead as she spilled everything out, "I am...infatuated with you Fluttershy. Ever since I saw you, I always loved you."
Her heart tied into a knot as she feared her friend's answer. She dreaded to think of her reaction, to think of what Fluttershy would think of her. Flustered Twilight said, "I'm sorry that I let my crush drag out this long. I should have told you sooner. Then I would not-Hmph!"
Twilight felt as Fluttershy grabbed her shoulders and pulled her in for a kiss. Twilight was surprised but she let the kiss sink in and after a few seconds Fluttershy pulled back and she said with a smirk, "Twilight, you talk too much sometimes. And you think too much. But its cute when you go off on your little tirades...to be honest I think I have been hiding feelings of my own for you."
Fluttershy offered a soft hoof in her mane and combed it through and said, "The color of your mane, your silk coat. You are...beautiful."
Fluttershy grabbed both her cheeks with her hooves and said, "I don't care if you are immortal or not. As long as I get to live a full life with you...it will be worth it. Like you said, to hell and back."
Twilight smiled and pulled Fluttershy in for a warm and loving hug. Not a hug amongst friends, but the silent embrace of lovers. Twilight almost lost herself in Fluttershy's hooves. Twilight rested her chin on her shoulder and nuzzled her gently, "I will always love you Fluttershy."
She whispered those words to quiet only she could hear them. Fluttershy returned the nuzzle and a for a few minutes they sat there and let out all of their feelings. As if a weight was lifting from their chests. Twilight never had a single thought like that. She never thought of her as being immortal. And she did not care if she was. As long as she loved Fluttershy was all that mattered.
To hell and back...
