This day was going to be perfect…and Twilight Sparkle was confident in saying it was.
After four long years of courting, the young unicorn had finally married the stallion who had charmed his way into her seemingly unyielding heart. Until Midnight Shield came along, Twilight had never been one for romance. She had even taken a book with tips on dating with her when they were first going out, consulting it hastily under the table whenever she got stuck. Midnight hadn’t minded though—in fact, he’d laughed and found it downright adorable. She had first been introduced to him at her brother’s wedding to Princess Cadence, at the time one of Shining Armor’s newest recruits. In fact, it was Cadence who pushed them together on the dance floor that night, working the magic of that special love charm of hers no doubt. Thoroughly mortified, Twilight danced with him once, mumbled something that might have been a “thank you” and trotted away, confident she would never hear from him again.
Oh, how wrong she was. Back and forth the letters went between Canterlot and Ponyville, Shining Armor begging his sister to give Midnight a chance, Twilight all but dragged tooth and hooves to her first date with him—and over time, discovering who Midnight Shield truly was. His dark blue mane, nearly black and straggly complimented his light blue pelt nicely, and those deep amber eyes were…well, pretty, for lack of a better term. He was intelligent too, in the top five of his class at Canterlot University where he studied his specialty: protection spells. When she asked why protection spells specifically, he’d answered “well, I’ve always been sort of a protective pony.” He had a younger sister with whom he was very close who had been bullied a lot as a filly. One day, after sending off a group of foals who were being particularly nasty, he saw his cutie mark appear—a golden shield with a heart in the center. Twilight was spellbound—it was nearly identical to the relationship she had with Shining Armor.
The most torturous task of all during this time was keeping these rendezvous a secret from her friends. She was never one to draw attention to herself, and while she loved the other five girls dearly—she knew if they found out she had a special somepony, they would never let her hear the end of it. Especially Rarity, who had been the first to “find love” in a rather smarmy looking unicorn whose name none of them could even remember. It didn’t matter; the marriage was over in a matter of months, just before Pinkie Pie got engaged to Milky Way, Lickety Split’s nephew who came to Ponyville to work at the ice cream shop, and seemed to win Pinkie over with the free samples he always saved for her.
Applejack was next, tying the knot with Braeburn’s best friend Cinnamon Spice and since then commuting back and forth between Appaloosa and Ponyville to keep up her obligations to Sweet Apple Acres. Rainbow Dash had a particularly rough time straightening things out with Soarin when she found out she was carrying his foal—and by straightening things out meaning being terrified of what he would say and withholding the information from him until it was painfully obvious. Understandably, he’d been hurt by the fact that she’d lied and not the fact that he was going to be a father, but the conflict managed to work itself out into a pretty flashy wedding in the end. It was finally when Rarity got engaged to Fancy Pants that Twilight took her friends out to dinner and told them about her long distance relationship with Midnight Shield.
As expected, the responses varied: from Applejack’s congratulatory ruffling of her mane to Rarity’s outrage that she had kept something so huge from her very best friends to Pinkie’s insistence that she plan a party in her honor. Thankfully when they finally did meet Midnight, they were as taken with him as he was with Twilight’s diverse group of friends, and for a long time Twilight was perfectly happy with the pace things were going. That is, until Fluttershy shyly announced she was dating Speed Racer, a cheerful outgoing pegasus who worked at the Ponyville Zoo—and Twilight began to feel self-conscious about the fact that she’d be that last of her friends to get married. The eve before Fluttershy’s wedding, she’d traveled to Canterlot by herself to confront Midnight about where exactly things were planning to go. In a rare display of insecurity, he’d produced a beautiful diamond before her and stammered through a proposal. He needn’t have worried—Twilight had tearfully accepted.
“Is the lucky bride ready?!” Twilight was jolted out of her reverie by Pinkie Pie, standing in the doorway of her dressing room with a beaming smile. Nodding, she checked her veil and mane in the mirror one last time before heading out to the reception hall with Pinkie. Her five bridesmaids waited with smiles and idle chatter until Vinyl Scratch’s music cued them to enter the hall.
“Um…where’s Midnight?” Twilight asked concernedly to Rarity, her mare of honor, suddenly noticing her groom was missing.
“He said something about guard duty and took off with your brother,” Rarity said in an undertone, adjusting the train on Twilight’s dress absentmindedly.
“On our wedding day?” Twilight hissed back, a heavy weight settling in the pit of her stomach. If there was guard duty for Midnight, now a lieutenant, during his own wedding reception, then something told her this wasn’t just a drill of some sort…
“He said he’d be back soon, but—well—that was at least twenty minutes ago,” Rarity said uneasily and Twilight groaned, covering her eyes with her hoof. “Oh darling don’t, you’ll smear your mascara!” Rarity cried out.
“Wouldn’t want to look like a raccoon now, would you?” came a teasing colt’s voice, and Twilight heaved a sigh of relief as Midnight came up behind her, “Sorry I’m late.”
“Where were you?” Twilight asked, her brow furrowed as Rarity made an overdramatic entrance into the reception hall, leaving the couple alone.
“I can’t tell you right now,” Midnight answered, staring straight ahead as they began to walk into the reception hall, greeted by the cheers of their guests. “I don’t want you to worry, not tonight…”
“Okay, now I am worried,” Twilight muttered through gritted teeth as she forced a huge grin for the crowd, “because you said you don’t want me to worry, which leads me to believe that there’s something to worry about.”
“Twi, don’t freak out in front of all these people…” Midnight said nervously through a faux smile.
“Who says I’m freaking out?!”
“You tend to freak out.”
“I’m not freaking out, Midnight, just tell me what’s going on!”
This was a lie—Twilight was now completely neurotic to the point where she was sick to her stomach. Not only was Shining Armor missing from the greeters, but so were Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. She spotted Cadence in the crowd and noticed the strained look in her eyes as she beamed towards her. So much for the perfect day.
“Okie dokie lokie, lets slow things down for our new husband and wife’s first dance!” came Pinkie’s voice over the microphone. A soft piano melody floated towards them, and Twilight looked over to see Spike sitting at the keyboard, his little fingers dancing across the keys. Amidst her newfound concern, she couldn’t help giving her number one assistant and honorary little brother a genuine smile. Turning back to Midnight, she rested her head against his mane and closed her eyes as they swayed back and forth to the music. All at once, she felt completely at peace as he nuzzled her mane gently, using his foreleg to pull her closer to him. Perhaps it was his specialty with protection spells or his complete and utter devotion to her from the beginning, but Twilight felt so safe at that very moment—as if nothing and no pony could touch her as long as Midnight was there holding her. Raising her head slightly, she whispered in his ear, “Tell me…”
At once, she wished she hadn’t said anything as he whispered his response—words that made her blood run cold. “It’s the Changeling Queen.”
“What?” Twilight said aloud—luckily the music was too loud for any pony else to hear them, “Chrysalis? How—when—?”
“She’s threatened the princesses, claiming her army is much stronger now than during her previous attack,” Midnight explained, spinning her around on the dance floor distractedly. “Shining is on look out right now with our top guards on duty.”
“Then what in Celestia’s name are you doing here?” Twilight pulled away from him, catching her friends’ puzzled looks out the corner of her eye.
“Dancing with my wife,” Midnight frowned, attempting to pull her back against him, but she resisted.
“You should be helping my brother defend Celestia and Luna!”
“He’s the one who told me to come back here!” Midnight’s voice had reached the point where it echoed over the music, causing several ponies to gasp in their direction. Awkwardly, they wrapped their forelegs back around eachother with sheepish grins to the onlookers, assuring that everything was fine.
“What do you mean?” Twilight hissed into his neck as they started to sway again.
“I mean this is where I should be right now,” Midnight said, pulling her, if possible, even closer. “With Twilight Sparkle, the most astoundingly wonderful mare I’ve ever known. If we were attacked, my fear above all else would be for your safety. If I’m here with you, then I know you’re safe.”
“Midnight Shield,” Twilight breathed, pulling back to rub her horn affectionately against his, truly touched by his words. “I appreciate your concern—but the guard needs you more than I do. Should anything happen, I think I can handle myself. I am the bearer of the Element of Magic after all.”
“Twilight, I can’t just—” A round of applause followed the fading out of the ballad as Twilight and Midnight jumped apart, realizing the song was over. Once Vinyl Scratch switched over to a more upbeat tune and ponies began spilling out onto the dance floor, Twilight pushed herself away from her husband once again.
“You have to go,” Twilight said with an air of finality, “I’ll warn the others.” Turning away, she trotted over to where her friends and their significant others were standing at the bridal party table, sipping drinks and tapping along to the musical beat.
“Twi, what happened out there?” Applejack asked her once she reached the table. “We heard you two yellin’ at eachother, but—”
“We have a situation,” Twilight blurted out, getting right to the point. “Can I talk to you all in private?”
“Aw, but Milky was just going to time me to see how fast I can eat all this ice cream without getting a brain freeze—”
“Now, Pinkie,” Twilight clarified, her voice hardened, and Pinkie sighed and pecked Milky Way on the nose before joining the others in a far corner of the room where Twilight had led them. Once there, she told them exactly what Midnight had said.
“Oh my goodness,” Fluttershy gasped, her hoof over her mouth. “What do we do, Twilight?”
“I suggest we retrieve the Elements of Harmony before anything happens,” Twilight said in an authoritative tone. “We need to be prepared, not like the last time the Changelings attacked.”
“But what about Princess Celestia?” Rainbow Dash asked, glancing out the window worriedly. “I mean, has any pony seen her since the ceremony?”
“She and Luna together can withstand anything,” Twilight waved her hoof dismissively, “They’ll be fine. The first thing we need to do is get your husbands to safety. If Chrysalis targets any pony, it will be those closest to the Element bearers.”
“What about your husband?” Rarity asked in an almost tragic tone, and Twilight’s heart clenched a bit in her chest before she answered, “Midnight’s left to see to my brother and the guards—I told him to.”
“Then why is he still here?” Applejack asked, pointing her hoof in the direction of the dance floor, where he stood speaking anxiously with Cadence.
Before Twilight could open her mouth to let out a groan of exasperation, the music cut off suddenly and the lights flickered until they went out. Screams echoed across the room as the floor began to rumble, and the six friends huddled together so as not to lose eachother in the darkness. All at once, the room was bathed in a sickly green light that Twilight recognized as the magic of the Changelings—those that fed off of the love within ponies’ hearts. She felt some pony trembling beside her and recognized Fluttershy’s whimpers, reaching over and grasping her hoof tightly.
“Canterlot has fallen!” came the booming echo of the Changeling Queen’s voice, and several ponies shrieked from the sudden disruption of the silence. “Celestia is dead and your kingdom has collapsed! Surrender the Elements of Harmony and I shall spare your lives! Resist and my subjects shall feed on every last pony that stands in my way!”
The sickly green light flickered away and the candlelight was restored to the reception hall. All around them, ponies were gasping, crying, shrieking in fear. Yet Twilight was unable to move, standing shocked still, breathing heavily, the horrible roar of the Queen’s words running nonstop through her mind:
Canterlot has fallen…
Your kingdom has collapsed…
Celestia is dead…
“Earth to Twilight Sparkle!” screamed Applejack. “We have to go!”
She whirled around and saw her friends each conversing desperately with their husbands amidst the chaotic noise around them.
“Git goin’, Spice,” Applejack assured the colt beside her, and he nodded hesitantly, “Go home and don’t look back.”
“Are you sure?” Speed Racer asked Fluttershy, who nodded vigorously—then kissed him gently on the cheek.
“If you can’t get home, hide underground if you must, just stay safe,” Rarity murmured in Fancy Pants’ embrace.
“I’m staying,” Soarin said firmly. “I can’t just take off—I need to know you’ll be okay.”
“And I need to know you and Shooting Star are okay—as far away from here as possible,” Rainbow retorted softly, nuzzling his cheek. “Get back to Cloudsdale and take care of our son.”
“I’ll see you later, Milky!” Pinkie called out cheerfully with a wave as Milky Way trotted towards the exit with the other colts, her smile faltering as soon as his back was turned. “I hope…”
Throwing caution to the winds of what little time they had now, Twilight whirled around to speak with Midnight once more—only to find an empty dance floor, from which most of the ponies had evacuated. Where is he?! I literally just saw him! The last pony he was talking to was—
“Cadence!” Twilight called out, galloping in search of her sister-in-law. Finally locating her urging a group of small, whimpering fillies into a basement safe house, she rushed up to the princess, nearly tripping over her bridal train.
“Twilight!” Cadence called out, her eyes widening. “What the Queen said…you don’t really think Aunt Celestia’s—?!”
Celestia is dead, and your kingdom has fallen!
“She’s bluffing, she—she has to be,” Twilight shook her head, a quiver in her voice. Shaking her thoughts clear, she grasped Cadence’s hooves tightly in her own. “Cadence, where’s Midnight? I just saw you speaking with him.”
“I don’t know,” Cadence said with a note of fear in her voice. “He was there when the lights went out, and as soon as they came back on, I turned around and he was gone.”
“You don’t think she…?” Twilight couldn’t even voice it aloud, and Cadence reached out to wrap a foreleg around her.
“I’m sure he rushed off to help Shining Armor, I’m sure of it,” the familiar comforting voice of her old foalsitter penetrated the now terrible thoughts swirling in Twilight’s brain. After yelling at him and getting agitated like that, when all he wanted was to protect me…I didn’t even get to tell him I love him…
“Twilight…” Cadence whispered, watching her eyes fill with tears.
“Cadence, I—I’m so scared!” Twilight burst out as Cadence stroked her mane, “If anything happens to him, to any pony, I’ll never forgive myself!”
“Twilight, we have to go!” Rarity called out to her, and Twilight wiped her face impatiently.
“If what the Queen said is true—”
“It isn’t,” Twilight said firmly in a cracked voice.
“But if it is, I must go and see to Aunt Luna,” Cadence said, giving her one last hug, “I’ll send for you immediately if I find Midnight, I promise.”
“Thank you,” Twilight nodded before dashing back to Rarity, the constant rumbling of the floor making her unsteady.
“Let’s move, Rainbow and Applejack have already gone ahead,” Rarity panted, tossing back her now frazzled mane.
“What?!” Twilight cried as they, Pinkie and Fluttershy started out at a full gallop to the shrine where the Elements of Harmony were held, the panic settling in full force. She couldn’t have the six of them getting separated from eachother under such dire circumstances. In any other situation, the lack of organization would have driven her up the wall, but now…all she wanted was for every pony to make it through this night alive.
“Look!” Pinkie cried out, pointing up towards the night sky. Hundreds upon hundreds of insect-like Changelings darted about, smoke and fire polluted the once still air, filled with the screams of ponies heading for cover—at least that was what they hoped.
“We don’t have time to stop!” Twilight shouted, ripping the veil from her head and yanking the train off her dress—much to Rarity’s gasp of horror—so it wouldn’t hinder her galloping.
“It doesn’t look like the Changelings have made it to the shrine yet,” Fluttershy called down as loudly as she could, hovering above the others for a better view.
“Then the Elements are still safe,” Rarity sighed in relief as they resumed their run. “I do hope Applejack and Rainbow made it there alright.”
“We’ll cross that bridge when we get there,” Twilight said curtly, sweat beading her brow. With every other surrounding building smoking at the rooftops, gnawed at by those savage beasts, she did not like the looks of that eerily untouched shrine.
Suddenly, Fluttershy shrieked above them, and Twilight looked up to see a handful of Changelings converging on their group. Two of them grabbed her by the mane and began tugging at it painfully, most likely to keep her from getting to the Elements.
“Oh, no you don’t!” Rarity roared, a beam of blue magic shooting from her horn and blasting the two Changelings away. “I spent three hours on this bride’s mane!”
“Thanks,” Twilight panted, feeling her now matted mane as Pinkie Pie’s party cannon sent off a herd of Changelings surrounding a terrified Fluttershy. They were so close now, galloping the last few feet to the doors, where six gems of different colors adorned its golden finish—representing the six Elements of Harmony it contained inside. Twilight reached up and grabbed the handle and the door creaked slightly.
“Oh good, it’s open!” Pinkie exclaimed happily, bouncing into the air. Twilight sighed in relief, before a red flag shot up in her brain…It’s open.
Flinging the door ajar, the four ponies gasped at the sight that befell them. Eight Changelings restrained two struggling captives—Applejack and Rainbow Dash—as the shadow of a ragged, insect-like pony emerged into the dim light, whose glowing green eyes could be detected from a mile away: Chrysalis, the Changeling Queen.
“So the blushing bride has decided to join us!” chuckled the Queen, moving closer to the group. A beam of green magic shot from her horn and enveloped Twilight, pulling her face to face with Chrysalis. “You didn’t think I would just leave you be, did you Twilight Sparkle?”
“Twi, git outta here now!” Applejack called, her voice hoarse from grunting against the bonds that held her.
“What have you done with the Elements?” Twilight asked angrily, using her own magic to free herself from Chrysalis’ grasp.
“Oh you mean these?” drawled Chrysalis, levitating a cocoon where five necklaces and a tiara were trapped inside. “My little hostages over there tried to take these when they thought I wasn’t looking. I thought I made it perfectly clear that any pony that tried to intervene with my acquiring of the Elements would be punished. I was just about to let my subjects feed on them until you—and just what do you think you’re doing?!” She shot a particularly violent blast towards Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie, who had sneaked over to try and free their captured friends, causing them to be blown into another corner of the room.
“You horrid monster!” Rarity shouted, her face and mane disheveled with grime.
“Let them go,” Fluttershy said firmly, though Twilight could see fearful tears dewing her eyelashes.
“It’s all up to Twilight whether or not they’re freed,” Chrysalis said, caressing the cocoon that held the Elements possessively as she looked down into Twilight’s violet glare. “I could free your friends this instant, and in exchange you’ll allow me to leave your torn kingdom with the Elements of Harmony in my control. However, should you choose to take the Elements, it will be impossible for you to use them.” The Queen was grinning now as she prepared to deliver the final blow. “For should you take them…the Elements of Honesty and Loyalty will be lost to my subjects, as they feed on the love and friendship that dwells in their hearts.”
“I won’t let you,” Twilight growled, her horn glowing at the ready.
“Do not test my patience, Twilight Sparkle,” Chrysalis shot at her, her booming voice echoing in the vast space. “I’ve already done away with your mentor—”
“I don’t believe you,” Twilight declared, shaking her head. ‘Celestia is dead’…she can’t be!
“Twilight, she’s not ly—”
“Silence, you foalish pegasus!” Chrysalis yelled to Rainbow, who struggled hardest against her captors. “If you do not comply, Twilight, I will not hesitate to make sure your husband meets the same fate.”
“You disgust me,” Twilight hissed, her entire body shaking with rage. “If you lay a hoof on Midnight Shield, I swear you won’t live through this night!” The others stared at her in shock, unable to believe their friend had just issued the Changeling Queen a death threat.
“You are in no position to be proclaiming such things,” Chrysalis snarled at her. “Now choose wisely.”
Twilight bit her lip, looking from the Elements hanging from the ceiling to Applejack and Rainbow, two of her very best friends, who shook their heads upon meeting her glance. They didn’t care about what happened to them, just as long as the Elements were out of the Changelings grasp, and that cut Twilight far deeper than anything else. Swallowing hard, she glanced back and forth between her two choices once more, her mind working frantically…
“Give me the Elements,” she said at last.
“Twilight!” Rarity and Pinkie screamed as Fluttershy burst into tears.
“Well,” the Queen exhaled, removing the Elements from their cocoon and levitating them over to the determined unicorn. “I must admit, this was not the answer I was expecting.” The five necklaces clattered at her feet as the tiara landed atop Twilight’s head—just as she hoped.
“Thank you…” Twilight smiled, then added for emphasis, “Your Majesty.” Her horn glowed more brightly than ever as she willed enough magic to come to her aid.
“What are you—?!” Chrysalis cried out, jumping away as the power radiating from Twilight shot towards Applejack and Rainbow Dash, blasting aside the Changelings restraining them.
“Now, girls!” Twilight shouted. The five ponies darted towards the necklaces on the ground while punching, swatting, and bucking Changelings along the way. Rarity ended up having to levitate the Element of Kindness to poor passive Fluttershy, who flew beside Rainbow Dash into their formation, hovering in the air.
“Your love for eachother will only be magnified now that you wear the Elements of Harmony!” Chrysalis laughed insanely to cover her fear of the battle she was about to lose. “This will be more than enough food for my Changelings!”
“No,” Twilight whispered dangerously, “because this friendship…has more love than you could ever hope to attain.”
With a blinding flash of light, the six Elements began to glow as the Changeling Queen desperately tried to scamper away—but not before the forceful power of the Elements combined blasted her through a stained glass window, out into the night air, a force so powerful that every Changeling had no choice but to retreat. They flew off so fast and far that one could barely see the specks of black against the inky night sky, just as the light from the Elements began to fade, the six friends gasping and panting heavily when they hit the ground.
“It’s…it’s been awhile since we…did…that,” Fluttershy choked out between gasps of air, clutching a stitch in her side.
“We did it!” Pinkie shrieked in happiness, letting out a whoop as she leaped into the air. “We really did it! Again! Group hug!”
“Stop it, Pinkie Pie!” Rainbow shouted angrily, shocking every pony in the room. Tearing the necklace from her throat, she threw it on the ground before collapsing beside it, breaking into sobs. “We didn’t do anything, okay?! We—didn’t—d-do anything!”
“Rainbow, darling!” Rarity knelt down, wrapping her forelegs around her as Rainbow’s weeping echoed in the empty room—setting off Applejack’s tears she had been desperately trying to hold back.
“What—why—what’s the matter?” Pinkie asked, her mane deflating slightly as she rubbed Applejack’s back soothingly.
“It’s—it’s—” Applejack raised her head and looked directly into Twilight’s eyes. And all at once, Twilight knew what she was going to say; the one and only reason any pony would be crying after a triumph such as theirs. “The P-Princess. Twi, she—she wasn’t lyin’!”
“No…” Her breath was coming in short, shallow puffs of air as she watched Applejack break down completely against Pinkie’s mane.
“We saw her,” Rainbow continued, turning her tear stained face to Twilight. “The Queen said Princess Celestia used every last bit of her strength, all of her life force to try and keep the Changelings away from your wedding. And now she’s—she’s lying in the castle c-courtyard!”
“Stop talking like that!” Twilight screamed out, squeezing her eyes shut tight, willing the inevitable tears not to come. How could she cry over something she was not even willing to accept was true? It certainly didn’t help when Fluttershy pulled her close, feeling her tears soak into her mane as she sniffled, “I’m so sorry, Twilight…”
“We’re all to blame,” Rarity sobbed, her hoof pressed against her mouth to choke back tears, “All of us!”
“Take me there,” Twilight finally said, shaking Fluttershy off of her, “I need to see this…for myself.”
Applejack and Rainbow hung their heads and nodded as the six of them slowly walked out into the chilly night air. Or perhaps it just felt chilly due to the cold shock that had overcome each of them as the courtyard of the castle came into view. It seemed nearly every single pony in Canterlot was milling about—some talking softly, some crying, but most gathered in a semicircle around something neither Twilight nor her friends could see at first. Pushing through the crowd, she saw Cadence standing at the head of the group with Shining Armor, her eyes red and puffy. The second she noticed Twilight, she nudged Shining Armor and they both made their way over to her.
“We saw the Changelings withdraw,” Shining said huskily as Cadence hugged her gently. “Well done, little sis.”
“No it’s not,” Twilight whispered, clinging to Cadence just as she had when she was a filly. “We couldn’t protect Princess Celestia…”
“No, Twilight,” Cadence said, overcome by tears. “It’s not your fault. By the time we found her, there…there was nothing any pony could do.”
The cold, harsh reality of this revelation did not hit Twilight until she looked up at Shining Armor and saw tears in his eyes. She had never seen her brother cry before, and it scared her. Flinging her forelegs around his neck, she managed to choke out one inquiring word: “Midnight—?”
“He’s alright,” Shining Armor whispered back to her. “I made sure of it. I would have thrown myself into the line of fire if it came down to that.” That only made her hold him tighter.
And as Twilight turned her head, she gazed down at the figure sprawled on the grass, so majestic and so graceful that had the circumstances been different, Twilight would have called it beautiful. But there was nothing in Equestria more tragic than this sight—the sight of Princess Luna cradling her elder sister’s head in her lap, weeping inconsolably with her head bowed. She could finally see now the still, broken, lifeless form of her mentor, eyes closed, hair wafting in the evening breeze.
Without thinking, Twilight broke away from her brother and dashed over to the fallen body of Princess Celestia. Taking one of her limp hooves, she pressed it against her face and leaned into its touch, letting her tears stream freely down her face onto the grass beneath her. Princess Celestia, once the most powerful goddess in Equestria, nothing short of a second mother figure to Twilight…was gone.
No amount of willpower could stop the wave of sobs that shook Twilight to her very core as she felt the surroundings plunge into eternal night.
~~~
It was a good thing the last will and testament was a long one—then Twilight could read it slowly to help pass the time. The royals had looked at her like she was mad when she requested a copy for herself to keep. It was only when Cadence declared that she had every right to make such a request, as Princess Celestia’s personal student, that they drew one up for her without question.
Cadence was the new bringer of the morning, the mare that would rule the land by day—an honor that brought the young princess to tears when it was officially decreed. Twilight, however, had been completely stone-faced when the will stated she now owned the entirety of the Canterlot Library, including all of the records stored away for thousands of years. She didn’t care about having all of that information at her hooves, nor did she care that these incredibly rare books she had once only dreamed of owning were now hers. All she wanted to do was curl up in her bedroom at her parents’ house and fall asleep in her old bed—where she had spent every night since her wedding.
Princess Celestia had been her mentor for as long as she could remember. She was the one to see her potential for great things before any pony else did, the only pony Twilight had ever turned to for advice. All those friendship reports, those lessons she’d learned…it was as if half of her soul had been ripped from her and beaten into the ground when she realized that figure she looked up to would never be there for her again.
“Twilight?” came her mother’s voice, knocking softly on the bedroom door as she poked her head in. “Your friends have returned from Ponyville.” She could only nod in response, and her mother looked at her sadly for a moment before stepping aside to let Applejack enter, followed closely by the others. Folding the will up and tucking it safely back into the envelope, Twilight got up off the bed to face her friends for the first time since the tragedy of two days earlier.
“Is every pony safe?” Twilight asked in the most businesslike fashion she could muster after Fluttershy closed the door behind her. “Your husbands? Rainbow, your son?”
They all nodded before Rainbow added, “Soarin had to take out some Changelings on his flight back, so he’s bruised up a little. But Cloudsdale was untouched.” She smiled, “Shooting Star was fast asleep…as if nothing happened at all.” Her lips began to quiver, and as Twilight looked around, she realized every pony was on the verge of tears. She closed her eyes for a moment to collect herself.
“Girls, if you need to cry then go ahead,” Twilight said softly. “Don’t feel like you need to be strong for me.”
“Oh thank goodness,” Rarity burst out, flinging her face into her hooves just as Fluttershy began to weep vocally as well.
“I feel so helpless,” Pinkie Pie cried out brokenly, and Twilight’s heart ached for her. All Pinkie ever wanted was to make ponies smile and be happy—an option that was not in the cards at the present time. She could only imagine how hard it must be for her to watch all this sadness, to feel it overtake her as well.
Twilight couldn’t share her own sorrow with them now, even though she wanted so much to. If friends should laugh together, shouldn’t they also cry together? Between her parents’ comfort, her husband’s embrace, and the solace of her childhood bedroom, Twilight had cried for two days straight and thus had nothing left in her. A particularly horrible episode had occurred early the previous morning when she hysterically tore apart the spell section of the Canterlot Library, searching for a spell to bring ponies back from the dead. It was Spike who finally managed to pull her out of her tirade, gently reminding her that there was no spell to bring ponies back to life—“You learned that in Magic Kindergarten,” was the last thing she heard him say before breaking down completely right there on the library floor.
“Twi, all of us are plannin’ to stay in Canterlot with you for a while—even after the funeral,” Applejack explained, staring down at her hooves. “We—we don’t want you to be alone while you’re goin’ through this.”
“You were closest to the Princess and we want you to know that we’re here for you,” Fluttershy said once she had composed herself. “We’ve all agreed that if you ever need to talk to one of us, we’ll drop everything and come see you.”
“Girls, I…I understand what you’re all trying to do,” Twilight said quietly, shuffling the floor absentmindedly. “But in all honesty, I really just want to be by myself. And it’s nothing you’ve done or anything, I’ve barely spoken to Midnight as well—”
“You’re neglecting your own husband in your time of need?!” Rarity shouted, her head shooting up from the handkerchief she’d levitated to her face.
“I’m not neglecting him, Rarity,” Twilight sighed, not in the mood to put up with her friend’s theatrics. This was only partially true, however. With everything that had happened, they didn’t even have a proper wedding night—Twilight had spent most of her time with him wailing as if her heart would break.
“Butt out, Rarity, it’s none of our business how she and Midnight cope with this,” Rainbow said, sounding even more annoyed than Twilight.
“Actually, as Twi’s best friends, it kinda is our business how she copes with this.”
“Since when do you side with Rarity, Applejack?”
“I resent that!”
“Enough! Stop fighting, all of you!” Pinkie cried out, her damp eyes narrowed. “We came here to comfort Twilight, not fall apart in front of her!”
“You know I’m right here,” Twilight said glumly.
“We apologize, Twilight,” Rarity said ashamedly, mascara-soiled tears rolling down her cheeks. “It’s just—she was our Princess, too.”
“I know,” Twilight soothed. “And that’s why I want all of you to help me give my eulogy at the funeral tomorrow.”
“Are you serious?” Rainbow said, her eyes widening in disbelief as the others gasped softly. “Speak at the Princess’ funeral?”
“Oh I don’t know if I could, Twilight…” Fluttershy trailed off—she would rather face fifty full grown dragons than speak in front of all of Equestria.
“I promise I’ll have you say the least, Fluttershy,” Twilight assured her.
“So where is this here eulogy?” Applejack asked, looking around the bedroom desk, “I reckon I better start rehearsin’ my lines.”
“I…haven’t started it yet,” Twilight said hesitantly. “I don’t really know if I can start it.”
They all gazed at her sympathetically just before Pinkie Pie piped up, “Well I guess we better leave you alone so you can write it, huh?” The others nodded and filed out one by one, Twilight closing the door behind her departing friends. How was she ever going to be able to sum up how much the Princess had meant to her in a concise fashion? She flopped back on her bed facing the ceiling, covering her face with her hooves. Why had she practically pushed her friends away instead of allowing them to comfort her? And why—a pang shot through her heart—why was she avoiding Midnight Shield? In good times and in bad, for better or worse, right?
Because every time she looked at him since that night, Twilight was reminded that she was supposed to be happy in marital bliss. And I just…can’t do that right now.
A sudden cry of a bird caught her attention and she opened her eyes, sitting up on the bed to look out her window. Soaring in all its majesty above the castle, over all of Canterlot, was Celestia’s phoenix Phillomeena in all her radiant glory. It wasn’t a cry of triumph, but a note of mourning for her lost master. To Twilight’s surprise, she flew closer and closer to her window, angling upward at the last moment to ascend towards the roof—but not before dropping a rolled scroll of parchment beside Twilight on her bed. Furrowing her brow, she levitated the parchment to her eye level, wondering who could have sent the phoenix to deliver her a message. She unrolled the paper and read the first line:
My faithful student, Twilight Sparkle… A soft gasp escaped her throat as she read on:
At the time I am writing this, I’ve just finished presiding over your marriage to Lieutenant Midnight Shield. Due to the formal nature of these things, I never truly had time to speak with you and offer my true feelings on the matter. So now that I am able to summarize my thoughts on paper, I just want to let you know how exceedingly proud I am of you—and how happy I am for you. It doesn’t seem that long ago that you were the young mare I told to get out of the library and make some friends, and over the past few years you have exceeded my expectations above and beyond your initial obligation.
Marriage, in many ways, is not unlike friendship. It is opening yourself up to another, and allowing them to see you for everything that you truly are, both good and bad. If he truly loves you in turn, then he will accept all that you are, good and bad. I am confident that you are ready to take this next step in your life, my faithful student, because you’ve found him.
There will come a time when I will not be able to be there for you anymore. I am not as young as I once was, nor as powerful, and as the years go by I feel that time growing closer than ever. I knew that in order to prepare you for that time, I could not have you relying so heavily on me—which is why I asked you to let other ponies into your life, for your own sake. You have five wonderful friends who love you, and now a husband who adores you. Never lose sight of them or the impact they have had on your life—and you will never lose me. When one door closes, another will open for you, Twilight Sparkle. I will always remember you as the daughter I wished I had, and no matter where I am, I will smile upon you warmly as you carry on your life.
Your loving teacher,
Princess Celestia
Twilight gave up trying to fight back the tears as she let the letter fall, weeping silently. What in Equestria was she doing here, holed up in her room—exactly as she always had during that time before she met her friends? Was she really going to let everything she’d learned go to waste? She hadn’t failed the Princess the night she was killed. She had failed her when she made her friends leave, when she told them she wanted to be alone—when she kept her distance from Midnight Shield when all he wanted was to be by her side. And no matter what hardships would come her way in the future, she would never ever go back to being the filly who believed a life of solitude and studying was more important than having friends.
Bounding off the bed, she breezed past her bewildered parents in the family room and out the front door as she started at a full gallop towards the castle. In the very courtyard where Celestia’s body had once lay, she could see the royal guard lined up, most likely practicing their funeral ritual for the deceased Princess. And there he stood, right at the front of the ranks with her brother. In a voice hoarse from crying and lack of use, she called out to him: “Midnight!”
Startled, he whirled around to face Twilight, who came to a halt a little ways away from the guards. “Give me five minutes,” he murmured to Shining Armor, who nodded and nudged him in her direction. He trotted towards her with a trace of alarm in his features, “Twilight, what’s the matter? Are you alright?”
“Yes, I…I am,” Twilight choked out, catching her breath. “I—I really think I am.” She looked up at him, her violet gaze meeting his amber eyes—as the smallest of smiles graced her mouth.
“Oh Twi…” Midnight breathed, relieved to see that his wife was no longer in such anguish. Reaching out a foreleg to embrace her, Twilight suddenly leaned forward, closing the distance between their lips. A couple of hoots and catcalls were heard from the younger guards, until Shining silenced them with a sharp, “Hey, that’s my sister you know!”
“I’m so sorry I’ve been avoiding you,” Twilight whispered when she and Midnight broke apart.
“It’s fine,” he said, running a hoof through her mane affectionately. “You needed your space and I wasn’t going to force you to—”
“No, that’s not true,” Twilight went on. “I didn’t need space, I wanted space. What I needed was the love and support of every pony who cares about me. I’m sorry I got so irritated with you during our reception as well. You…you just wanted to stay close to me so I wouldn’t get hurt. By the time I realized that, you were gone. And I was so afraid that I wouldn’t get the chance to tell you once more that—that I love you so much, Midnight Shield.”
“I love you too, Twilight Sparkle,” Midnight smiled, pulling her close for another kiss. “I’ve got to get back to the ranks, but I’ll see you later tonight.”
“I’ll wait up for you,” Twilight said. Midnight raised his eyebrows at her and she winked at him in turn—causing a beaming smile to break out on his face before trotting back to the guard.
“Well, you sure made him happy, sugar cube,” came a familiar southern drawl, and Twilight turned to see Applejack and the others grinning at her.
“How long have you all been standing there?” Twilight asked, a blush creeping into her face.
“Long enough,” Rainbow said with a sly smile, watching her blush even harder.
“So…are you feeling a bit better?” Fluttershy asked tentatively, rubbing her hooves together nervously.
Twilight nodded, “When I said I wanted to be alone…that was the furthest thing from the truth. Celestia’s passing made me realize I need you all now more than ever. Because…” They all glanced at her sadly as she hung her head, “Because I miss her so much.”
Applejack went up and engulfed her in a firm hug, each of the others following suit before Pinkie pulled them all together. It wasn’t one of their occasional cheerful group hugs, but a consoling embrace as they clung tightly to eachother, in silent assurance that this bond between them could withstand even the darkest of times.
“I think I needed that hug more than I thought,” Twilight sniffled, wiping her eyes as they all managed to laugh lightly.
“So, what are you going to do about the Princess’ eulogy?” Rarity asked as they started back down the road into the city.
“Well, I was thinking...maybe we could compile some of the best friendship reports we’ve written to her into some sort of speech,” Twilight said thoughtfully.
“Wait, so you want us to help you write it?!” Pinkie asked excitedly.
“Of course. After all…” She turned around and smiled genuinely at each of them, “I’m not the only pony she was important to.”
