Four past six. The birds didn't sing, and the trees were still. The feeling of impending rains were strong amid the morning air. In the small cottage, a pile of tissues that had been cried into sat upon a coffee table. A mare laid upon her couch. Her long pink mane flowing off the side of the seat. Her pale tone of yellow coat was being hit by the sun's spilt beams. Clouds sailed overhead, graying the sky to match the dismal tone of the day.
The mare, properly known as Fluttershy, opened her eyes. I don't want to wake up....She thought. Shutting her eyes. Memories hit her like a tidal wave. It felt cold and dead. Thinking back to the last time they spoke. The last words of her friend. What could possibly go wrong? Everything went wrong. Fluttershy knew it was so. But refused to recognize her own part in the passing of her friend.
Fluttershy got up, shaking away the sadness in her heart. Looking at the mess she made on the table. Sighing, she chose to ignore it. There were larger and more important situations approaching. She went to the bathroom. Aiming to clean up her mess of a mane. Picking up a brush, another memory came. Her and her friend's last spa day. The makeover was a fun thing to do. They always loved to do them on occasions.
"What style should I try, Fluttershy?"
"Up to you. You know I always pick a cute one."
"Yeah, but I want to try something new..."
"How about this one? The High Queen?"
"Is that implying something?"
"Maybe!"
Why did that day have to be so memorable? How could it be so hard to tell the date and time that was? When they went and had so much fun? Just them both? Fluttershy brushed her hair. Putting it into the look she wanted to. A bun with parts on each side of her head. Perfect. She went to grab the gift she made.
A hair clip. One with a butterfly on it. It was meant to symbolize her friend's gentle and calming way of going about things. Never impulsive. Always a smart mare. That friend was Twilight Sparkle. She was so nice to Fluttershy. During hard times and bad days. Twilight was the best friend Shy could ask for in life. Thinking of Twilight made Fluttershy begin to sob. Before she could stop herself it flooded out. Tears and sobs.
Angel went to comfort her, but his efforts failed dramatically. She was inconsolable. Angel gave up and decided that she just needed to cry it out. Even bunnies understood pains. Fluttershy clasped her hooves close to her chest, and the clip was in her clutches. She slammed her eyes shut tightly. Paying no attention to the time. It passed 6:32 she had spent most of her morning in a state of reminiscence.
Fluttershy went to town that morning. The clip was at her home. She didn't want to worry about it. It wasn't right to subject herself to a downpour of tears. While out and about, she ran into Applebloom. They began to chat, and Applebloom said that AJ was taking it as best she could. Apples rarely cried about things. And AJ always cried on the inside. Never aloud. It was refreshing to Fluttershy, to get the details on AJ's current state. It was a good way to feel better about her own issue. They parted ways, and Shy went into the Parchment Pavilion.
The store was Twilight's favorite. She could spend hours scanning the shelves. Looking for new pens, papers, journals,and even scrolls. It was a delicate process for Twilight. She wouldn't do as Rainbow did, she wouldn't grab any old pen or paper package. She wanted to find the one. The specific piece she loved. When she found it she's bounce giddily on her hooves and levitate it with her. She'd buy it on the spot. And would always say "It will come in handy."
Fluttershy giggled to herself. Testing the 'find the one' method. To write her eulogy. She didn't want any paper. She wanted the perfect paper. Scanning the shelf, she felt drawn to a thick and rough page of pink paper. It was perfect. The shade of Twilight's mane highlight, just a shade or two paler. It was the key to this. She grabbed the sheet, and paid for it. Rushing home to begin working on her speech.
She trotted, feeling ready. Feeling a spark of distant hope that she could do this without error. A goal she was intent on doing right. A key asset in her grieving. To tell how things felt. She loved her friend. Not like a friend would. Like a desperate and shy lover would. Fluttershy wanted to confess, never got a chance before Twilight died. It was her last chance. She had to tell Twilight. Dead or alive.
She hurried through the soothing countryside, and she never stopped walking. The plains highlighted by a sheeting pass of winds. No rains, as it was merely clouds. Her goal was a pride worthy one. Birds flew away, and Fluttershy felt a sheet of confidence. A shield against the grief. She smiled. For once in a long time, a smile took her face. It was the key to avoiding the heartbreak. Fluttershy, a newly confident mare, gazed to the skies. She looked at the clouds. Not the fliers. Not the birds. The clouds. They were a beautifully crafted collection of lovely pillows.
Twilight would love to nap on those. Fluttershy thought, she opened her door and grabbed the clip. Sitting at her dining room table, getting to the writing as best as she could. It was her best written word. She smiled. Fluttershy had just made a great confession, a lovely speech. A kind of therapy for herself. A letter to her deceased crush.
Twilight would've loved it.
The early dawn was cracked with clouds and rays of faint rising sun. The light shooting through the window and resting on the shattered face of Rainbow Dash. Dash may have been a tough and well managed mare. But the circumstances wouldn't stop following her. The death of Twilight Sparkle. Her friend.
After weeks and months and years. Rainbow found this goodbye to her dear friend the hardest to say. There wouldn't be a better time than now to explain to her friend just what she meant the last time the two of them had a good time. The duo were flying around the training grounds of the Wonderbolts Academy.
"I hope you remember the tricks I taught you!"
"Of course I do! I made detailed graphs and charts on the physics of them!"
"Eeghead. You were supposed to practice them, not analyze them!"
"So what? It's just a set of tricks."
"You really know nothing about what I mean do you?"
"Huh?"
Rainbow needed some time out. Away from home. But the early dawn wasn't too appealing. Maybe she should go bug Rarity, or chat with Fluttershy. No matter what Rainbow said to herself, she just sat in that chair, watching the sunrise. This was a bad day, one that would actually kill her soul. She stood up, grabbed a coat, and stepped into the front hall.
This is where Twilight and their other friends threw that big party for her. The one when she had been accepted into the Wonderbolts. The memory made her smile. Just for a few seconds, she felt happy. And she came up with an idea for a parting gift. She went upstairs, grabbed an empty notebook, and began to write up complicated formulas, detailed graphs, and mathematical functions.
She went from flying, to weather tech, to magic principals. If Twilight were alive, she'd be thrilled by the gift. Saying that she'd study it and even send it to national research centers for verification. Unfortunately, that won't happen. But maybe in her afterlife, Twilight can consult the famed Starswirl.
Rainbow then wrote out her eulogy, telling her the truth. That she wasn't just a dull athlete. She was really smart. She could understand the things Twilight spoke of, even if she didn't care that day. It was all the same. A lesson in this or that. Here or there. Yes or no. Always a lesson.
Rainbow learned many things on her own, but with Twilight's help, she could understand some things even better. Like foreign politics or economic structure. She smiled, embarking on a long rant. But she decided to cut out half the speech, to keep it focused on Twilight's assistance in her pursuit of knowledge.
Some ponies might've claimed that Rainbow was full of it. But she was expressing an element of harmony. Honesty. She didn't want to hide behind a all play and no work exterior. She grabbed the notebook, and the speech. Put them in a saddlebag, and flew towards Ponyville. She gazed at the skies.
They looked like Twilight. Shades of violet, blue, and pink filling the spaces between clouds. She chuckled at the thought, before sailing through the air into town. Looking around for those she recognized. And low and behold, Shining Armor was here. She had expected this. After Spike alerted her loved ones, he shut himself off from everyone. Nopony knew if he was okay in there. But Rainbow remained hopeful. He's fine, right?
"Hey Rainbow Dash." Shining said, as if he had seen her land.
"Oh, hey Prince Armor. I assume your here for the...funeral?" She responded.
"Indeed. Poor Twily. She always seemed to know better..." He grumbled. Cadence walked up to comfort her husband, with a 7 year old Flurry Heart bouncing after her.
"How you holding up, Princess Cadence?" Rainbow asked cautiously.
"It's been surprising. I always expected Twilight to live longer than all of the other princesses. But I was proven wrong recently. I've been comforting Shining, calming Flurry, and running and empire. It's a mix from the worst of places. But I'm managing just fine." Cadence explained.
"I guess I'm doing fine too. You knew Twilight longer than I did. And I'm sorry for your loss, Shining. I know she was a great sister. And you wanted to watch her till your end. But she would want you to move along. To care for Cady and Flurry. But if you feel the need to mourn. Grief is normal." Rainbow said kindly. With a brief wave, she walked around town.
Like magic, a young familiar filly appeared. Scootaloo. Rainbow froze in her place and said "Hi Scootaloo."
"Oh, hey Rainbow. I'm sorry for your loss. I know Twilight was an awesome friend." She says, sounding like the mature made she'd aged up to. At 18, Scootaloo and her friends seemed so mature. So ready for life. So lucky not to lose everything. But instead face new rewards and goals.
"Thanks, wanna fly? Clear our heads?" Rainbow pitched the idea. But Scootaloo shook her head.
"I'm going to help Applebloom and her family. They lost Granny Smith a few months ago, now Twilight. I need to be there for my best friends." Scootaloo's maturity shone like the sun. Which had risen to a morning glow. Rainbow nodded, understanding her choices. And walking along.
Rainbow passed Carousel Boutique, Sugarcube Corner, The Schoolhouse, Sweet Apple Acres, and Fluttershy's cottage. She found herself stopping at a cart. The cart of the magician, Trixie. She knocked on the wall of the cart. After a light fumbling from inside the cart. Trixie opened up and seemed genuinely sorry for Rainbow.
"Hey, I heard about what happened. Are you okay? Would you like some tea?" Trixie offered. Trying to make nice with a pony in a sad situation.
"Sure. Mint tea is good. I'm doing okay." Rainbow climbed into the cart. The two mares spoke for a few hours. Calmly enjoying tea and making nice. Trixie was stunned when Rainbow did something strange. She asked the magician out on a date sometime. She agreed, but she said that they'd have to wait for a week. Give the funeral a bit of time to fade from others. Rainbow accepted these terms, and checked the time. Excused herself to go to the funeral. She walked towards the graveyard.
The zigzags of sky blue between grey, white, and black, were a representation of her thoughts. Jumbled.
