Tomorrow
The air of Canterlot castle's private gardens was filled with the scent of blooming flowers and freshly cut grass as Princess Twilight Sparkle took slow, measured steps along a dirt path. Her hooves dragged and her shoulders sagged but she pushed on, her wings fighting against her sides anxiously. She'd walked this path countless times, every morning, regardless of rain or snow. As the final corner was rounded she found her reason for doing so; set in the middle of a bed of flowers and walled off on three sides by tall, lush green hedges was a modest statue of a proudly standing pegasus with a scraggly mane.
Twilight's heart beat against the inside of her chest as she approached the familiar statue, her eyes glued to the base even as she arrived at the edge of the flower bed. With a heavy sigh she fell back onto her haunches, slowly raising her eyes to gaze up at the statue. The sun rose behind it, hovering behind the pony's head and giving it an otherworldly glow, almost like a halo.
“Back again, Egghead?”
The sudden voice, paired with a hoof resting itself on her shoulder, made Twilight jump as she turned around and glared at the prismatic-maned mare. “Rainbow!” She snapped, holding a hoof to her chest. “How many times have I told you not to do that!?”
Rainbow smirked, replacing her hoof with a wing as she sat back on her haunches next to Twilight. “Oh come on; it's funny. Besides, I thought being your marefriend meant I could scare you however or whenever I wanted.”
“Why did they ever build you a statue?” Twilight asked, ignoring Rainbow's comment and instead turning back to the marble sculpture. “I swear sometimes I think you don't deserve it.”
Rolling her eyes, Rainbow nuzzled Twilight’s cheek affectionately. “Oh lighten up, Twi; you know I'm only kidding. You're awfully up-tight these days; all this stress isn't good for you.”
Twilight snorted. “You try being a Princess of Equestria without building up a little stress, miss Wonderbolt.”
“Now now, my job is plenty stressful and you know it.” Rainbow stuck her tongue out at the alicorn. “Seriously though; you told me the same thing when I started over-working myself.”
“That was different!” Twilight protested defensively.
Rainbow raised an eyebrow. “Different how? A Wonderbolt and a Princess might be some pretty different jobs but stress it stress, and it's not a good thing.”
“Fine, I'll try to take it easy, happy?”
Rainbow shrugged.
“Whatever. I have a few things to do today, care to join me?” Twilight asked, standing from the grass and magically brushing off her flank.
“I'm free,” Rainbow said, standing as well. “Although you gotta promise me you won't let your guards tackle me when I kiss you.”
Twilight grimaced at the memory. “Don't worry; all the guards are well aware of you now. I've made sure of it.”
“Well then,” Rainbow paused, bowing low to the ground. “After you, my Princess.”
“Please don't; you know I hate it when ponies do that.”
Rainbow leaned forward and gave the alicorn a quick peck on the cheek before falling into step alongside her. “But it's fun to tease you!”
Twilight trolled her eyes but didn't respond, instead choosing to walk silently alongside her mare, the dirt path making their steps near-silent.
“It's kinda nice out here,” Rainbow noted, the silence apparently becoming to much for her. “I think... I think I'd like to be buried out here, when I die.”
Purple hooves faltered as Twilight choked on her own breath at the words. “Rainbow!”
“What? I'm serious.”
“You can't just-” Twilight bit her lip, glancing around as though she were afraid somepony would overhear them. “Don't talk like that... I can't stand the thought, Dashie.”
Rainbow sighed, laying a wing over Twilight's back. The feathers failed to stop the chill racing down the alicorn's spine. “You're gonna have to deal with it sooner or later, Twi. You're immortal, now.”
“I know but... not now, okay? Just.... just not today.”
The pair shared a look for a few moments, before eventually Rainbow relented. “Fine, but we'll talk about it one of these days.”
Twilight frowned, but said nothing more as she continued to walk through the gardens with Rainbow close beside her, the wing never once leaving its place on her back. Eventually the garden path lead around through a gap in the perimeter hedge, the two coming out beside the front gates of the castle. The guards there snapped into a salute at Twilight's approach.
“At ease,” she grumbled, not even sparing them a glance as she passed by into the halls of the castle. “It's kinda getting old.”
Rainbow snickered. “It's their job, Twi.”
“I know, Dashie. I just wish they'd actually listen to me when I tell them to stop. Instead they just keep saluting every time they see me. And it's always 'your highness' this and 'princess' that.” Twilight frowned, glancing to the side and noting the eyes of said guards following her down the hall. “And it feels like they're always watching me...”
“They probably are,” Rainbow noted. “I mean it is their job to protect you.”
Twilight's eyes narrowed as she noted the two guards stationed next to the throne room doors whispering to each other, one of them nodding his head towards her. “Yeah, but this is different. They look at me differently than Celestia or Luna.”
“Oh don't mind them; they're just not used to having you around yet. You'll settle in soon enough, I'm sure,” Rainbow assured breezily. “Anyway, how about some breakfast? I'm starved.”
“Always thinking with your stomach, aren't you Rainbow?”
“You know it!”
The dining room of Canterlot castle was extravagant to say the least. Not quite as much as the ballroom and banquet hall, but still larger than any on pony needed. The kitchen staff, however, offset the rather empty feeling of the room with their own warm, homely personalities.
“I'll have my usual salad,” Twilight said with a smile, the head cook nodding his head with a smile of his own. “And she'll have-hey!”
The chef was already gone, disappeared into the kitchen to prepare her meal without a second glance. Without even asking what Rainbow wanted. “Well somepony woke up on the wrong side of the bed...”
Rainbow rested a hoof on Twilight's shoulder. “Don't worry about it, Twi. I'll go get something myself. I'm sure he just didn't notice me.”
“How could he not notice you? You kinda stick out around here.”
“Whatever. Save my seat.” Rainbow disappeared into the kitchen behind the chef, leaving Twilight alone in the large, silent room. Her ears swivelled around as the door on the far side of the room swung open and the clopping of hooves on polished marble entered.
“Good morning, Twilight.”
Twilight smiled, twisting her head around. “Pri-... I mean, Celestia.” She giggled, covering her mouth with a hoof.
The pearly white alicorn smiled, before glancing around the room. “Dining alone this morning?” She asked, sounding almost hopeful.
“No, Dash just went to get something from the kitchen,” Twilight answered with a shake of her head. “Why don't you join us?”
Celestia fidgeted uncomfortably. “You said Rainbow Dash was here?”
Twilight nodded, smiling and watching as Celestia glanced back over her shoulder. She sighed. “I'd love to, Twilight, but I'm afraid I already ate, and day-court starts soon.”
“You've been awfully busy lately,” Twilight noted, a small waver of concern in her voice. “Is there anything I can do to help? It feels like I've hardly done any work at all recently.”
Celestia was already half way back to the doors when she stopped. Without turning around, she said, “I'm fine. Appreciate the break for now and... give Rainbow Dash my regards.” With that she hurried out of the room, the doors shutting quickly behind her.
“That was... weird...”
“What was?”
Twilight jumped out of her seat, the chair clattering to the floor loudly as she whirled around to face a cyan pegasus with a smug smirk adorning her lips. “R-Rainbow!”
“Heh, didn't mean to scare ya, but I'll take it.” She sat down at the table, a small plate of hay fries in front of her as Twilight righted her chair and tried to slow her hammering heart.
The kitchen doors opened and the head chef hurried out, a white apron secured around his neck as he levitated a large, covered silver dish. Placing it gently in front of Twilight, he gave a warm smile before disappearing back into the kitchen. The lavender alicorn was more focused on watching Rainbow devour her fries. “Where did you even find those? I didn't think the castle kitchen stocked that kind of thing.”
Rainbow shrugged, answering around a mouthful of food. “You guys have everything back there.”
“Huh.” Was all Twilight offered before taking the cover off her dish and looking at the expertly prepared salad in front of her. She sighed.
“What's up?” Rainbow asked, looking up from her plate and swallowing. “Not hungry?”
Twilight shook her head, picking up a fork and nudging the leafy greens halfheartedly. “Just trying to remember when the last time I had something not... well, Canterlot.”
“You grew up here, Twi; I though you liked this stuff.”
“I used to, but then I moved to Ponyville and had Pinkie's cupcakes and Applejack's pies and... well, I guess I just miss it. I miss them,” Twilight explained, ultimately deciding she wasn't as hungry as she thought and pushing the dish away. A small part of her felt guilty for wasting the cook's time and the food, but most of her mind was focused on home.
Rainbow smiled amiably. “They don't come out as much as I do, huh?”
“It feels like it's been months, Rainbow. I can't even remember when I last saw the rest of them.” Her ears perked as something dawned on her. “You go back to Ponyville all the time, right? Between shows?”
“If I'm not at a show or here with you, I'm back in Ponyville.”
Twilight grinned. “How is everypony?”
“Well...” Rainbow's face scrunched for a moment, mulling the question over. “They all miss you, and always say they want to come up here more often to visit. They've gotten pretty busy recently. A lot of stuff's changing.”
“Tell me,” Twilight urged, resting her elbows on the table and her head in her hooves as she leaned forward eagerly
“You're kidding!?” Twilight asked disbelievingly, a grin splitting her face.
Rainbow shook her head, smiling ear to ear as well. “Nope! You should have seen Rarity's face, Twi; I swear i thought she was gonna burst into flames. Took her a week before she'd eve look at me and Pinkie again. I still don't think she's forgiven us.”
Twilight guffawed, rocking back in her chair and nearly toppling over.
“Ahem. Excuse me, your highness?”
“Hmm?” Twilight turned, noting the presence of a guard behind her, shifting from hoof to hoof awkwardly. “Yes?”
The guard glanced around the room, shaking his head as though to clear it of a thought. “Your presence is requested in Day Court. Please; allow me to escort you.”
Twilight sighed, turning back to Rainbow. “Sorry; duty calls. Will you still be here tonight?”
“I wouldn't dream of leaving,” Dash assured with a smile. “I have some things to do today anyway. I'll meet you in your room later tonight?”
“Sounds good.” Twilight stood nodding curtly at the guard as they trotted towards the door. The armoured stallion looked over his shoulder with a raised eyebrow, scanning the room once again. Rainbow waved sheepishly when his eyes fell on her. He shrugged his shoulders and turned his attention forward again just in time to open the door for Twilight.
Twilight groaned as the door to her bedroom swung open in a haze of purple magic. Her eyes drooped, and she wanted nothing more than to fall into her overly-comfortable bed and sleep away the stresses of the day. However, when she stumbled into her room in a fog, a cyan ball of fur resting on one of the many cushions around the room caught her eyes and she smiled.
Rainbow snored lightly, her chest lifting and falling in time with her breaths and a ray of silver moonlight fell on her through the window like a lunar angel.
“Come on, Dashie,” Twilight whispered, calling on her magic for the final time that night as she lifted the snoozing pony and placed her gently in the bed, shuffling the sheets so she lay beneath them. The pegasus stirred, tired magenta eyes blinking open slowly as she yawned widely.
Stretching languidly, Rainbow shifted and sat up. “Hey Twi. Long day?”
Twilight sighed. “Yeah. A lot of ponies had a lot of questions for me, and after that I had to do a few things for Celestia. It was weird though; it was like she didn't want me doing anything at all, always trying to hurry me through, especially when ponies asked me questions. Half the time she wouldn't even let me answer.”
“I'm sure it's nothing, Twi; she's just letting you get used to things before taking on too much responsibility. We all know how you are; you'd dive straight in and work yourself half to death.”
The alicorn, pursed her lips, climbing in to bed beside the rainbow maned pegasus. “I don't know; it feels like I used to have a lot more stuff to do. Now if Celestia gives me any work at all it's usually down in the archives. I can't remember when I last made a true public appearance.”
Rainbow rolled her eyes, rolling over to face her marefriend. “You're worrying over nothing again, Twi.”
“Am I, though? Something fishy is going on, and I can't help but think it has something to do with you hanging around so much recently. It started around the time you took your vacation from the Wonderbolts.” Twilight chewed her lip thoughtfully, but stopped when she felt a gentle hoof fall onto her side.
“Relax, okay? I'm sure it's nothing. If you're really this worried, just talk to Celestia tomorrow.”
“I tried that!” Twilight groaned, laying on her back and staring up to the ceiling. “It's like she's avoiding me...”
Sighing quietly, Rainbow slid over beneath the covers and wrapped her hooves around Twilight's barrel. “She's probably just busy. Get some sleep; you'll feel better in the morning.”
Twilight took a deep breath, smiling as Rainbow's scent filled her head with a warm fuzz. “You might be right.” She yawned, turning and giving the pegasus a quick peck on the cheek. “Good night, Dashie.”
“'Night Twi.”
Closing her eyes and blowing out a small breath, Twilight's breathing slowly evened out until the steady rise and fall of her chest was the only movement she made beneath the shining silver moon.
The next morning Twilight awoke with a quiet start as she unconsciously shifted into a bright sunbeam. She flinched, cringing as she opened her eyes and was momentarily blinded. Pulling herself upright Twilight yawned and stretched, noting the distinct lack of a pegasus lying next to her. Not an entirely uncommon event; she woke up almost every morning without her marefriend next to her.
She knew it was only a matter of minutes before they'd meet each other out in the palace gardens in front of the familiar marble statue. With a flare of magic Twilight set about fixing her dishevelled state, summoning a brush from her vanity and a toothbrush from her bathroom. Out the window the sun rose out from its nighttime hiding place and greeted the world with a golden brilliance.
Before long Twilight found herself in a presentable state and trotted out of her room, closing the door behind her and smiling politely at the guards lining the hall.
“Good morning , your highness,” one said, bowing. “I hope you're feeling better today.”
Twilight tilted her head at the odd choice of words. “Better?” she echoed curiously.
The guard flinched, and the stallion next to him smacked his helmet, whispering something harshly into his ear before smiling a little too wide. “It's nothing, Princess. Please, ignore him.”
Eyes narrowing, Twilight scrutinized both guards, though they both returned to their well-trained neutral expressions. She sighed, shaking it form her head and proceeding down the hall. “Odd, but it's time I go meet Dashie.” A noticeable skip entered her step at the thought and she hurried out of the castle, rounding the corner into the gardens.
As she walked to noted the statues of the rest of her friends, celebrating all the achievements they'd made. Each was given their own private space f the gardens, and as Twilight walked down the path and past her immortalized friends tears started streaming silently down her cheeks. She wiped them away with the back of her hoof, frowning at the wetness on her fur. Why was she crying?
Around the final corner she found Rainbow's statue, the tears coming harder and harder now as she laid down in front of it. Small sobs escaped her throat as she read the plaque.
Here lies Rainbow Dash, Wonderbolt.
The loyalist of friends
and most faithful of lovers
“What's the matter, Twi?”
Twilight jumped at the voice coupled with a hoof resting itself on her shoulder. She turned, wiping away her tears and smiling at the pegasus behind her.
“Nothing, Rainbow. I guess I just miss the rest of the girls.”
Meanwhile, on a balcony above the famous gardens of Canterlot castle, two alicorns stood, looking down at a lone lavender pony in the gardens, watching as she talked to the air behind her.
“It has been three months since the last Element's passing, sister.” Luna muttered, a pensive frown stretching across her muzzle. “You need to talk to her.”
Celestia watched, a tear sliding down her cheek. “She'll be fine... she just needs more time...”
“She is not fine!” Luna shouted with a stomp of her hoof. “You have forbade me from being the one to talk to her, and until now I have respected your request, but this has gone for far too long. I see the way you avoid her, how you hide her from the public eye in the archives. The guards have started whispering, Celestia. You must do something.
Taking a deep, shuddering breath, Celestia nodded slowly. “I will...”
“Good-”
“Tomorrow. If she's not better tomorrow I'll talk to her.”
Author's Note
Started as a practice in foreshadowing, became... well... this... feels good to have another one-shot out. As always, let me know what you thought! I love comments!
Happiness is short and fleeting, but sorrow is eternal. We must all cling to what little joys we can find, lest we drown in the sea of our own grief, our own tears. Never forget those you have lost, but do not let loss consume you, lest you be too absorbed in your own sadness to see the occasional bliss that makes life worth living.
Twilight laid silently in the cool grass, staring up at her immortalized lover. The marble sculpture captured Rainbow Dash's essence perfectly. From the proud, cocky smile across her face to the wind-swept mane and wide-spread wings. She cared little for the dark trails running down her cheeks as she read over the golden plaque again and again.
A gentle, feathered wing slid over her back.
“Hey, Dashie,” she greeted without turning away. “It's a nice day out; we should go flying.” Her tears dried, slowly, leaving only her matted cheeks as evidence they were ever there at all.
“Twilight...”
The alicorn jolted at the voice that most certainly did not belong to Rainbow Dash. She snapped her head around, eyes widening. “P-Princess!”
Celestia sighed quietly, shifting herself further into the grass. “Just Celestia, Twilight. Please.”
Twilight smiled, relaxing into the comforting wing of her former mentor. “Right, sorry; old habbits die hard, I guess.”
She could see the pain flash in the older alicorns eye as she said; “Some harder than other, it seems.”
“Celestia? Are you alright?” Twilight asked, tentatively. She craned her neck, struggling to get a better read on Celestia's face. The princess, however, seemed unable or unwilling to meet her gaze, and Rainbow Dash's words came back to her; If you're really this worried, just talk to Celestia tomorrow.
Taking a breath, Twilight steeled her resolve. “You've been acting... odd around me, these past couple months. What's wrong?”
Celestia visibly shuddered. “It's... it's nothing, Twilight; don't worry about it.”
“I've known you long enough to spot where you're lying,” Twilight said pointedly, narrowing her eyes slightly. “What's wrong?” She repeated, more forcefully this time.
For a time there was a hesitant silence floating in the air, the most notable noise being the pair's own breathing. Eventually, Celestia sighed, the weight of centuries carried on her breath.
“Do you know where we are, Twilight?”
Twilight quirked her head to the side. “The castle's Statue Gardens?”
Celestia nodded before asking again; “And specifically, where are we?”
“Oh..” Twilight trailed off, looking to the statue in front of them but deliberately avoiding the plaque. “We're... we're at Rainbow's statue.”
“More than just her statue,” Celestia corrected solemnly. “Twilight... this is her grave.”
A quiet breeze blew through the gardens, hindered only slightly by the tall, bordering hedges. Twilight felt the tears coming again, felt them beading in the corner of her eyes. “I-.... I know...” Her voice was shaky and uneven, like a foal's first steps.
“And yet, day after day, you walk through the halls talking as though she were standing right beside her.” Celestia finally turned to look the smaller mare in the eye. “The guards think you're delusional. That you couldn't handle the passing of your lover so soon after your friends.”
She was crying openly now, struggling not to simply break down and start sobbing. “M-maybe they're right...”
“I don't think so,” Celestia continued, looking over the ornate statue. “I think you know full well what happened, but you don't want to accept it. So you pretend, you shroud yourself in your memories and pretend it never happened.”
“So what!?” Twilight shouted, suddenly, staring resolutely at the dirt. “So what if I do!? They... they were my friends! My... my wife... and they're all gone! Why can't I pretend!?”
“Twilight-”
Twilight growled as she stood, forcing Celestia's wing from her back. “Don't you know what it's like? To see everypony you care about, everypony you love die right before your eyes, helpless to stop it? Rainbow's the only thing stopping me from going mad with grief, and you'd have me, what, just forget about her!?”
“Of course not,” Celestia protested in a quiet voice, the kind that commanded attention. “But you can't live like this.”
“Why can't I!? I loved- love, her. Why can't I just pretend, why can't I just be happy!?”
“It's not healthy, Twilight; you have to know that. Death is something everypony must deal with, at some point,” Celestia said, as soothingly as she could manage. “You have to deal with it and, one day, move on from it. Death cannot define you.”
Twilight's hooves shook beneath her. “Nopony has to deal with death like I do – like we do. Immortality is nothing but a curse. Rainbow Dash keeps me sane, keeps the pain away. I just-” she broke off into strangled sobbing, her tears raining down on the grass that had often welcomed her sorrow.
“I just want the pain to go away.”
“Twilight please-”
“No!” Twilight snapped, glaring through her crying eyes. “I'm not giving up; I'm not letting her go.”
A deep frown creased Celestia's lips, the corners of her mouth weighed down with an empathy few others could offer. “I'm sorry, Twilight. I'm so very sorry, but you have to let her go.”
“No, I don't. I never will.”
Celestia felt a single tear rolling down her cheek, her options growing more and more limited by the second. Until only one remained “I'm... I'm sorry it has to be this way, Twilight.” She lit her horn. “But I can't stand to see you like this, and neither can Equestria.”
Twilight's head snapped up. “Wh-what are you-” Then she felt it. That familiar, aged and practised magic.
In her mind.
“No! No you can't! Please no!” Twilight's own horn sputtered to life, but in her emotionally distraught state she could produce little more than a few harmless sparks.
Celestia's cheeks grew wet as she closed her eyes to focus. “I'm so sorry, this is for your own good.”
Twilight shook her head, as through trying to shake off the magic in her mind. “You can't take her from me! No! Please no you can't!”
With a strangled sob, Celestia's horn flashed once, and then went dark. Twilight's hooves flew to the sides of her head and she screamed into the grass before slumping to the ground in silence.
Doing her best to regain composure, Celestia only barely managed to stop her tears as Twilight woke up with a groan.
“Ugh... my head... Celestia? What happened?”
“You fell asleep,” the alicorn answered calmly. “It is rather peaceful out here.”
Twilight blinked, mildly confused, before turning to the statue in front of her. She could feel the sadness welling up in her chest, but she didn't cry. Her eyes trailed down to the plaque, and she tilted her head curiously.
Here lies Rainbow Dash, Wonderbolt.
The Loyalist of friends
and most faithful of lovers
“That's odd, I don't remember Rainbow ever marrying...”
Celestia bit her tongue. Hard. “It's just something nice to put on the tombstone.”
Twilight chuckled weakly. “Like they would run out of things to say about her. She certainly never did.”
Laughing quietly, Celestia nodded. “True. Now, it's about time we return to the castle, don't you think? I've allowed my work to pile up recently, and could use some help.”
“I'd love to be of assistance,” Twilight answered with a smile. More genuinely happy than Celestia had seen in months.
Author's Note
I'm sorry.
That I'm not sorry.
So... this happened. What can I say? I felt like using that good old dark tag. And I wanted to explore this. And... well, really I just did this for a little bit of fun. I hope you enjoyed it.
I'm sorry if it seems a bit rushed, as it is 3:30 in the morning right now. Kinda wrote this as a spur-of-the-moment thing.
This could have been longer, I realize. More time spent on building it up. But I wanted to jump straight into it, and since this is just an afterthought epilogue to an already established story I don't feel it's damaging the product as a whole.
Just a bit of fun, that's all. Don't take it too seriously; sometimes I like to play with some darker ideas.
Still, do let me know what you thought. This is the first thing I've published in quite a while.
