It was a beautiful day in the tiny town of Ponyville. Or should we say not so tiny town? The influence of Princess Twilight Sparkle had led many ponies to Ponyville. To help further evolve the town. All under the guidance of the Princess of Friendship. Slowly over the years Twilight had gotten to see her small weary town on the edge of Canterlot become something more. It could almost bring a tear to her eye as it felt like her Ponyville were just memories faded into the concrete settings found in the tiny urban buildings surrounding her castle. More of which kept popping up everyday. Twilight could be found in her personal throne room. Talking about business with some of her newly appointed guards. The year going by as she found herself adjusting well to her Alicorn position. Already having her own small brigade following under her lead. Her regal throne room was filled with several ponies mostly about issues concerning the construction of new buildings and businesses.
"Yes, Captain. I approve the new deed to the upcoming building. Just be sure to send the owner my way when construction is complete. I'd love to meet the new librarian!" Twilight mentioned as she suddenly was filled with flashbacks of how she use to tend to books in her past life rather than royal matters of governing a town.
"I'll see to it, your Majesty!" Said the golden covered guard bowing his head down and leaving the room to get work started on the new project. It was a busy day. Which of course meant Twilight's approval of everything had to be confirmed and checked at least twice. Twilight needed a little break from all the royal "concerns" floating about in her castle. She sat along her throne keeping a calm head. Though the filly inside her finding this repetative "yes game" an absolutely bore. Her mind could use a break. Twilight thought as she addressed one of the ponies residing in her throne room under official business. A grey coated colt with a black mane. A descendent of Mayor Mare.
"Governor Sunback?"
"See that the funds go out in a regular fashion. Hop to it! Oh yes! Princess Twilight. What can I do for you?" Said the governor as he ended his conversation with another guard quickly to address his Princess. Fixing his glasses over his narrowing eyes filled with age and experience.
"Mind taking over while I set off today on a personal matter?"
"Oh, of course! Not at all! It's not a bother at all, your Majesty." Sunback gave a prattling wave to the Princess as he simply laughed. Having strong respect for the Purple princess.
"How long have we known each other? And you still never deny me a favor." Twilight began dropping her formal mannerism and just having a laugh with her friend.
"Coming up to 20 great years, 2 weeks from now." Sunback explained raising up his hoof to offering something to his princess. Twilight giggled looking around the room left and right. Making sure she wasn't caught by too many ponies. Lifting her hoof to the elder ponyquickly bringing her hoof to his in small bump. Twilight even muttering something along the lines of a catchy phrase.
"Boosh!" The older colt laughing out loud catching every other ponies' attention in the room. Twilight gave a nervous smile and calmly collected her thoughts. While her wide nervous smile betrayed her. Trotting out gracefully from her throne room. Passing by every other pony and watched as two guards opened the gold trimmed green double doors for their Princess. Her troubling thoughts making Twilight turn around to gaze back at her responsibilities. Her throne seated at the opposite end of the room. Right in the middle of the crystal like cove that came down form the ceiling. The same color and texture that matched her castle's tree like formation. Along it's spread out draping bark laid five other thrones displayed on heavy shelves all around Twilight's single throne on the ground. Each one matching it in size and grand decor. Untouched throughout the years. Twilight knew it was probably time to visit them again. As the doors closed behind her Twilight's sight on the royal scene before her faded form her mind. Now focused on the matter at her hooves. She gave out a sigh and felt like she was finally free. Galloping along the crystal tree's hallways and exiting out with a glow of her horn. Her wings spread out wide as she shot out of the entrance in a blaze of purple. Twilight yelling out in glee.
"WHOO-HOO!" Voices trialing behind her as her subjects waved out to the happy Princess. In shots of her title or just laughter at seeing just how happy she was. With their Princess happy they were happy. Twilight turned over on her back and waved down below at all the friends she had made over the years. Her lips curling into a wide smile finally away from her responsibilities to do herself a favor. Barreling over to a normal flight position she felt her wings give out a mighty flap. Suddenly picking up speed in her excitement. Canterlot was in sight always close by. Even more so was her real destination that laid within the great city.
Twilight flew along the boarders of the city. Coming to a slow graceful speed, as to not crash into other ponies along the skies. Her hooves touching ground as she looked up. Several guards were already coming by to escort the Princess around. Twilight simply folded her wings along her body and lifted her foreleg up in silence.
"No need to worry. I'm here for my visit." Twilight explained the guards stepping away form her path. They knew the conditions brought on by Twilight's visits. As ordered they were not to intervene to allow Twilight her privacy. Twilight continued on forward following the path that led behind the castle grounds. To where the great green labyrinth and garden stood out. A titan among other greenery scenes. A garden unlike any. Twilight wandered and wandered. Finding herself going in deeper in the green pasture. Passing by statues and several parts of the great blossoming flora. Glimpses of animals hiding at the presence of another being entering their territory. When finally a small hidden part of the castle grounds meant something special. Twilight's legs felt weak as if she wanted to run. Though she knew she had to face the fear and sadness welling within her being. Her steps coming in smaller paces. Entering the miniature grove that surrounded five standing large stones. Covered by the outlining of trees with a small spot of sunlight flashing down along each one. The five tombstones were curved in a interesting display pointed along the entrance. So even at a simple sight one could admire the peek at the those honored stones.
"Hey girls!" Twilight said as she approached the graves. Her tone of voice happy though filled with cracks that made her happy display just moments earlier look like a lie.
"It's been a while. I know a whole month, right?" Twilight could feel her hoof running up her left foreleg in a nervous fit. Just like she was when she had first met these ponies. Her very first set of friends. Together till the end. Even if she herself had a much further end than her five friends. She gave a small sniffle and began talking as if not to be rude to her current hosts by coming down into a sad state and cry. The thought of each one getting upset if they ever saw Twilight like this. If they were alive. There it was again. That tense tight feeling flooding her lungs and welling up in her eyes. Her lips began moving to mask her emotions. She took a seat down onto the ground with a light flap of her wings and rubbed her eyes in an attempt to wipe away her emotions as her voice trailed out.
"You know. I just can't believe it's been so long. SNIFF! I....I....I remember how I met each one of you. For the first time. I was so....so unsure of even having friends was a good idea. I. Met your whole family that day Applejack. I can't even remember majority of there names. Hee hee! You have a realllyy big family AJ!" Twilight continued finding her mood changing back to happiness on her thoughts of how they met her. As if those tombstones weren't there but her dear five friends sitting around in a circle like one of their picnic get-togethers. A giggle actually escaped her lips as she ranted on to the five stones. Turning to Rainbow's tomb now. Treating each grave like the pony was still alive. In hopes that her words would reach out to their spirits. AJ would have just crossed her legs and imitated her big brother in a hefty "Eeyup!" at Twilight's comments. Twilight's imagination running in her mind. She could see each one giggling and laughing with her in her story of arriving in Ponyville.
"And than Rainbow Dash. Oh...we didn't get off to a good start at all! You crashed into me in a puddle of mud, drenched me down, and pretty much ruined my mane and tail. It was amazing though. I got to see your record time for clearing the sky of every cloud. Ten seconds. I wonder if you even tried beating that time. You must have right? Speaking of messed up manes." The though of Rainbow given out claim to how awesome she was and giving Twilight a hoof bump comforted her. Though the stone would never return the gesture as the real Rainbow would. Twilight turned her attention to the stone with three diamonds laid along it's surface. "You would not believe the reaction rarity had gotten when we first met. My frizzled mane, Dash gave me, practically made her cry. Ohhh!....Rarity had me in her boutique for my first ever make-over. It wasn't too pleasant. I uh....was busy and still shy around others. I ended up running out on you though Rare....Heh!...Sorry!" Twilight felt her hoof scratch the back of her neck. Right now she wasn't too much of a Princess. Her prim and proper exterior would have upset Rarity even more. The white mare would have given Twilight advice on maintaining her regal appearance. Twilight then looked to the grave decorated with some pink. The most comforting of them all. It fit the pony who it belonged to just right. The simple butterflies on it's design didn't make it seem as grim as it should have been.
"Oh Fluttershy. Even now you look good!" Twilight began joking around. "No, not as good as you Rarity." Twilight rolled her eyes as a thought told her Rarity would have frowned at that comment. "It was hard talking to Fluttershy at first you know? She did this thing that made it weird as first. She was so shy. What? Oh yeah yeah! That soft whispering squeak thing. I'm sorry Fluttershy! Oh, but it was adorable. I wonder if she did the same thing to you guys?" Twilight pondered about that thought then memories of another meeting with Fluttershy's human persona in Canterlot High. Yup! She definitely did that to them too. Twilight also remembered the constant assault of questions Fluttershy had for Spike when they first met too. It was the same thing that got Fluttershy out of her shell to even talk to Twilight like a normal pony. In Equestria and in Canterlot High. Last but not least was Pinkie's tombstone. Several balloons laid along the party pony's gravesite. Twilight enchanted them so that the balloons would never touch the ground. Keeping them afloat with a bit of magic.
"You had the biggest surprise of all for me Pinkie. While you pretty much gave me a heartattack when I first met you and then heartburn at the end of my day. You threw one of the biggest parties just for me coming into Ponyville." Twilight's lips curled into a big smile as she remembered something she had never gotten the chance to do. She was still learning how to make friends back then and didn't think to do the proper thing for Pinkie's efforts of making Twilight feel comfortable. "Thank you Pinkie Pie. I never did thank you for my very first surprise party."
Twilight began to giggle. Thinking about how they all sounded laughing together at the small things in life. How they had so much fun and admired one another. The complete respect and determination they had in keeping everypony safe and sound. To be there to voice their concerns their troubles. To aid them in whatever bad things they had done. In the end they were friends. Twilight could feel her giggle growing into a laughter. Laughing hard into the air as if Pinkie Pie had just told them a hilarious joke. Or she had gotten into a tickle fight with rarity. Maybe even how she should have reacted to one of Rainbow's pranks. The loud laughing slowly turned whining. Twilight looking up into the light that shined upon her friends. Her tears coming out as the audible sobbing began to come out of her lips. Her smile gone as Twilight finally began to mourn for the loss of her first friends. The beloved ponies that meant so much to her. The sad purple pony could feel the welling in her eyes quickly turn into light streams across her cheeks. Flowing downwards to her chin to drip upon the soil that laid along her very hooves. Twilight placed her head down into her forelegs. Having herself a good cry and letting it out.
"It's not fair! IT'S NOT FAIR!" Twilight began thinking that her blessing as a Alicorn Princess had it's price. A haunting one at that.
"Twilight Sparkle?" called out a voice. Making Twilight gather herself quickly wiping away her teary face to regain her composure. She had to remember to keep her posture up in front of company. "My dear faithful student! Twilight." Celestia called out. The slim white goddess coming into the garden's grove that housed the graves for the legendary five. With Princess Luna and Princes Cadence in tow behind her.
"Princess Celestia?" Twilight called out. Knowing better than to hide secrets from her mentor and teacher. She turned at once giving her respects to the proper Princess of the land. The one who raises and drops the sun everyday. Along with her sister who did the same as per the night with the moon. Princess Cadence who had rebirthed a whole empire and was the Princess of Love. Who was Twilight to mourn the passing of her friends when three steady examples laid before her? Who had lived centuries before her time? Where they must have had hundreds and thousands of friends compared to Twilight?
"Visiting your friends again, Twilight? I presume?" Celestia began her voice calm. As it always was when a lesson was afoot for Twilight. Twilight nodded in silence still feeling the tears flow out from the corners of her eyes. "I know it's a hard path." Celestia brought herself in front of Twilight and tilted her chin up towards the light. Making it seem like something different than the passing of ponies through the light. It was a light of hope. Of a future to come.
"We've all been there. Each Alicorn, but It's your love that will forever keep you together with them. your memories." Celestia gave Twilight a smile brought her hoof out offering her to lift her up from her laying state. Twilight taking the golden clasped limb with no hesitation. Slowly getting back up. Looking to Luna and than to Cadence.
"Why I remember meeting a talented little filly who was going through a very difficult test. Did you know what happened that day?" Celestia began making Twilight smile with a giggle coming mixed along with her current emotion. "She earned her cutie mark and somehow conjured a baby dragon! Why. It was the most potent magic I've ever seen in a unicorn."
"Alicorn." Twilight corrected her teacher.
"We remember our first meeting with thou! Nightmare Night. Thou has taught us many things about friends." Luna added. Increasing Twilight's mood to a better state as Twilight remembered how big of a mess Luna was at making friends. Getting into the spirit of the very same holiday ponies had made for her bad side. Candence shook her head and did the same thing that labeled her friendship with Twilight.
"Sunshine." Cadence began.
"Sunshine." Twilight continued slowly. Questioning if she was up for it.
"Ladybugs awake!"
"Clap your hooves!" Twilight continued clapping her hooves with Cadence.
"And do a little shake!" Both Princesses reverting to their childish charms laughing quite hard. The two childhood friends didn't need anymore words to be said as Cadence and Twilight hugged. The other two Alicorns joining in. The four Alicorns knew each others' pains. Letting each other Princess know that life will go on and more friends will be found. It'll be alright.
Author's Note
Alright as in the description this is meant as an entry for a writing contest. I for one was all for it. Although I had one problem. The word limit is affecting me. In this short story of mine I had to compact everything up thus I had to make sure it stayed within the limits of the contest's rules. I understand the judges will end up reading a lot of stories but I for one felt like I'm a bit suppressed in idea. Well here's my take hope I didn't compress too much. Please enjoy.
