Life is Beautiful

Twilight leaned against the windowsill, watching as the clouds rolled by for a moment, her mind a bit troubled; tonight was the one year anniversary of the day she died, and she had a funeral to attend. It seemed a good day to plan a symbolic funeral, it had given her a chance to settle in, a chance to recover, a chance for life to return to normal. A smile slipped onto Twilight’s face, things weren’t just normal, it had been one of the best years in her life.

Not every day was perfect, there were troubles around town, and she had troubles in her daily life as her recovery progressed. She had slip ups, bad days, days where her friends had nearly had to tie her down to keep her from running off and doing something stupid, but those were few and far between now.

And Dawn was growing, she was growing into one of the most beautiful fillies in all of Ponyville, at least that was what Twilight thought. Twilight’s eyes strayed from the stray fluffy clouds and the occasional zip of rainbow across the sky, looking to the playground where she saw Glorious Dawn and Gerald playing together with other foals. No pony ever gave Dawn any trouble, Gerald was always there, and was a fierce defender of the tiny filly if anypony ever even looked at Dawn wrong. Those two were always together, like two peas in a pod, they did everything together. Except when Gerald was in school, then Dawn was waiting on the playgrounds most days, waiting for him to finish with the days lessons.

It warmed Twilight’s heart to see them together, and made her think fondly of her own brother. As long gone as her brother was, she thought of him often in these days. Twilight’s eyes drifted to the clouds again, almost picking out her brother’s face for a moment as two clouds came together, right before a rainbow streak smashed into them, and shattered them into a dozen little cloudlets. Twilight blinked at that, and shook her head, laughing softly to herself.

Big Brother, I’m not alone any more. I don’t feel that hole in my heart where you were any more. I miss you, and I love you, but I will be alright now. We’ll see each other again, one day, Twilight said in soft prayer.

There was a bit of a groan from behind Twilight, and a soft, masculine voice, “Come back to bed Twilight, you have a big night tonight, come get some rest.”

Twilight looked back to Shadow, and smiled softly as she watched him laying in the big bed she had purchased, “It’s almost lunch time, we should be getting started with the day.”

Shadow let out a soft pfft, “lunch smunch, come on, just give me another half hour, I’ll make it worth your while.”

Twilight blushed at that, and at the look in Shadow’s eyes. She lowered her head a bit and slipped off of the window sill, trotting back to the bed and pulled the sheets up with her magic, slipping into bed. Shadow hardly waited, a hoof slipping around Twilight, and bringing her broad tongue to run up along Twilight’s horn, drawing a gasp and a shudder from the lavender mare, before she just dissolved into the ebon stallion’s embrace.

***

The full moon was slowly rising over the horizon, filling the land with its unearthly light, bathing the landscape in a hazy glow. The procession of nine ponies, a gryphon, and a dragon made its way from the library where it had gathered, the mood somber and reserved as they marched for the edge of the Everfree Forest, a long, simple wooden box held between them.

The procession wended its way over hills, and through small groups of trees, and over an old bridge in silence to where a pyre waited. The wood was stacked as high as a full grown pony’s shoulder, with brush and twigs at the base, and logs stacked high. The box was lifted with a combination of purple, light blue, and black colored magic, placing it on the pyre.

Twilight stepped forwards, a glow from her horn igniting six torches that ringed the small clearing, providing a flickering light that cast away the ghostly glow of the moon. Her voice thick with emotion, Twilight spoke up, “I want to thank all of you, my best of friends, my children, and my guardian and lover for joining me here tonight.”

Twilight’s voice wavered, a moment, before steadying, “As we all know, this started several years ago, I think it started with my brother’s funeral. It was the hardest time in my life. It was a time I should have turned to my friends to support me, but I did not. Instead I tried to bury my problems, I tried to run away, and in the end, I did run away. I ran away from the love, the kindness, the generosity, the honesty, the loyalty, and the joy of my best friends. I ran to the darkest place in all of Equestria. And it was there that I died.”

“As I died, I was given new life, a new hope,” Twilight looked down to Glorious Dawn, “You my lovely daughter.” Dawn galloped over for her mother, and together the two embraced, holding each other for a moment as they cried softly, before Twilight lifted her head to continue, “I also found a renewed faith if my friendship, a faith you all placed in me, but I failed to uphold. Shadow reminded me of the love and friendship I had shared with all of you. He reminded me of the loyalty and bravery we all found with each other so many years ago. He reminded me of the kindness in the simplest of things. He reminded me of the honesty of a true and pure heart. He reminded me that even in the darkest of places, there was still a way to laugh. He reminded me of the incredible generosity of a true friend, willing to give even his life for a friend.”

Twilight looked to Shadow, and smiled, her voice shaking as she shifted her head to lean against him, “Thank you Shadow.”

After a moment of regaining her composure, Twilight stepped forwards, pulling an old raggedy doll off of her back, old Mr. Smart Pants. “I want to fill this coffin with memories. Memories that will always be in our heart, but things we do not need to hold on to. Shining Armor made me this doll once, a long time ago, when I was having trouble with my new schooling under Princess Celestia. It helped me so long ago, but Shining Armor will always be in my heart, I will be fine now without him by my side.” Twilight lifted the doll up with her magic, and laid it in the coffin.

Rainbow Dash was surprisingly the next to step forwards, her wings fluttering to carry her up a moment, and she pulled a Wonderbolt’s uniform off of her back, laying it down in the coffin. “This was my dream for so long. It was a dream I achieved, but in the end I realized it didn’t matter. All it was, was flying around, showing off, and performing. I may be a natural athlete, but when Twilight vanished, I realized I wasn’t really doing anything. There was nothing important out there, everything I needed was right here in Ponyville. Maybe I will do another tour with them, but everything I need is right here. Besides, if not for me, who would teach these two how to fly?” she asked, grinning at Glorious Dawn, and Gerald, before wiping the back of her hoof across her face as she flew back to a landing.

Pinkie Pie stepped forwards, and lifted a few rocks, tossing them up into the coffin, “I remember the old rock farm, how boring and dreary it was. But I also remember my family, even though I moved away from there. They are special to me, even if they still live on that rock farm, and that sad old place. I know it’s not much, but I have to remember my roots.”

Fluttershy stepped forwards, an old faded picture held to her chest as she flew up, before she laid it down in the coffin, looking at it sadly, “Oh Angel… I know it has been years, but you were one of my dearest friends… I… oh…” Fluttershy darted back, wrapping her hooves around Bic Mac, who returned the hug, trying to comfort her.

Rarity looked to Spike, before leaning to kiss him on the muzzle, and taking a large ruby from her paws with her magic, and lifting it up to place in the coffin, “I remember the generosity Spike once gave me, so long ago, and the generosity I was able to return to him, and I have tried to give to all those in my life. I don’t need to hold on to that anymore, because I have the most wonderful dragon with me.”

It was finally down to just Applejack, who stepped forwards with an old cane, which she lifted up in her teeth to place in the coffin, “Ah wanted to take my Granny’s cane. It has been lying around the house for years, but Granny Smith is long gone. Granny Smith raised both Big Mac, little Apple bloom, and mahself almost all by herself. Thank you Granny, wherever you are, you did right by us, we’ll do right by your memory.”

Twilight smiled, looking around at all of her friends, speaking up again, “Thank you all for this. This here I think ends a chapter in our lives, but we can always begin a new one, and we will. It is time to let go of all the pain we have gone through, and remember that we are here for each other. I love each and every pony here, and every gryphon, and dragon,” she added with a soft laugh.

Together, the six bearers of the Elements of Harmony moved behind a different torch, and as one, the torches were pushed inwards until they fell, landing against the pyre. As the flames spread, they all drew back, standing by it as they watched the whole thing go up in flames, spreading warmth through the cool night air.

Twilight leaned against Shadow, nuzzling into his neck, just relaxing and basking in the warmth and love. After a few minutes, as the pyre began burning high, Shadow stepped away from Twilight, causing Twilight to look at him with some surprise, “Shadow?”

Shadow only smiled at first, before moving around to stand before Twilight, and moved down to kneel on his knees. Out from beneath Shadow’s mane floated a small box, a jewelry box, “Twilight, you mean the world to me. This past year with you has been the happiest time of my life. I love you, and I love Dawn, and I love Gerald, and I love your friends. But most of all, I love you. I want to be with you for the rest of our lives. Twilight Sparkle, may I have your hoof in marriage?”

All the rest of the ponies turned to stare, looking with surprised expressions at Twilight for a response.

Twilight could only stare in shock at Shadow as the box opened, a bracelet of gold and silver resting there, a simple piece of jewelry, but it was beautiful. Twilight’s jaws moved up and down as she tried to say something. She had hoped he would propose, but even still, it caught her off guard, and left her stunned.

Finally the lavender mare managed to find words, breathlessly whispering, “Yes, by Celestia yes, a million times!” Shadow smiled widely as the bracelet floated from the case, and Twilight held out her left hoof as the bracelet floated to it, and slipped around it to rest on her ankle. Twilight threw herself forwards into Shadow, hugging him and kissing him deeply as the other ponies started cheering and offering their congratulations.

Twilight hardly heard anything, her mind spinning as she held and kissed Shadow, not caring about anything else right then, she was going to get married!

All of a sudden, off from deep in the Everfree Forest, there was a great roar, and the sound of trees smashing, heading for Ponyville. Twilight broke the kiss as she looked up in surprise, blinking, it sounded like trouble!

Looking around a moment, Twilight saw all the other ponies staring too, but she couldn’t wipe that smile off of her face, “Spike! Big Mac! Get the children home safely, I know what that is. We have work to do girls! Come on!” Twilight reared and wheeled, galloping off in the direction of Ponyville as the other ponies turned and galloped after her, Shadow increasing his stride to catch up to Twilight and run besides her.

Rainbow Dash’s voice sounded from a bit above as she caught up, “Since when do we bring colts with us when we do these things?” The sound of laughter rose in the air from the seven ponies as they galloped in towards danger.

This was the way things were supposed to be, Twilight couldn’t imagine them being any other way.

Author's Notes

I put the heavy duty notes in last night's chapter, chapter 11, so i'll try to keep this short.

I had a INCREDIBLE time writing this, as much as i obsessed over it, i enjoyed it like nothing else in a long time. I will admit, writing those notes for chapter 11 had me in tears last night.

I hope my work is enjoyed and appreciated, however i have no plans as of yet for another story. If I come up with a decent story, i will absolutely let everypony know, and i will get it out as soon as i can, but good ideas like this are few and far between. I do look forwards to the next chance i get to write like this, and i hope to make the next story even better.