Chapters Twilight Sparkle walked down the long hallway in her castle. Surrounded by the usual boring giant crystals, glittering and sparkling clean as usual. The castle's magic kept it like that. It would be a true pain to have to clean the enormous place.
Twilight's hooves on the crystal floor were the only sounds, echoing down the otherwise quiet hall. She stopped in front of a very familiar large door. It illuminated with her bright pink magic, and opened, revealing the throne room. She walked slowly over to the table, and looked at all the seats. They were cracked and the marks on them had faded, lost their glow of light.
She faced down at the map, over time it had changed. Cities and villages had grown, changing to the newer look of things. There were very few buildings in the old fashion now. But Canterlot Castle had not changed in the slightest. She imagined that Celestia was slumbering while Luna aided ponies in their nightmares.
But it seemed that Luna was too busy and could not help Twilight with her own nightmares.
Over the years, the population of Equestria had grown, especially since they had been more welcoming to other creatures. The last time Twilight had seen Luna, she looked exhausted from the amount of work she's been doing.
But over the many years, the alicorns did not change, they did not grow or age at all.
Twilight looked up above her. At the roots of the Golden Oak library decorated on her ceiling, she still remembered walking through that door and seeing it for the first time.
That was so many decades ago, but it felt like it was just yesterday.
On the roots hung memories, more had been added, and now they all clinked together like wind chimes because of how many there were. She flew up to see them closer, and saw Pinkie's welcome to Ponyville party.
She saw them befriending Discord, she saw their first calling from the map. She saw their last calling from the map. She saw Rarity and Spike's wedding day. She saw Spike holding a little baby dragon pony wrapped in blankets. She saw Rainbow kissing Fluttershy on the cheek. She saw Pinkie throwing a party with Cheese, both had gray streaks in their manes, but they still stayed as energetic as possible. She saw another one of Pinkie, throwing confetti over Applejack as she blew out her birthday cake candles shaped like the numbers 73 . She saw Rainbow Dash retiring from the wonderbolts.
Twilight saw a picture of them, standing together for the last time. They all had grown old, their manes had grayened, their skin drooping, their knees weakened, but smiles were all planted on their faces. Twilight did not look a day old.
The photo had been taken three days before Rainbow Dash was sent to the hospital. She had an illness. They visited her often, but Rarity could no longer leave her home. After a while, Rarity did not see them as much. She couldn't walk well. Her daughter and husband offered the best help, but even they could not stop her death. Death of old age.
That is when it really, truly hit Twilight. Her friends were going to die. One had already died. She would live on without them. Twilight remembered them attending her funeral. All except rainbow, who was still in the hospital at the time. She remembered looking at her friends empty pale face. Her eyes closed, and a bouquet of flowers in her hooves. She remembered them all standing on stage, saying speeches about how great of a friend, a pony, Rarity was. Spike seemed especially devastated. He began to live in the castle again with Twilight, his daughter now an adult and living on her own.
She remembered visiting Rainbow for the last time, her raggedy breathing as she desperately clutched onto Fluttershy's hoof. She leaned up to her lover's ear, and whispered something into it. Fluttershy looked down, and nodded sadly.
The next day they both went missing. They were never seen again.
Twilight assumed they might have run away together, maybe found a cure for Rainbow. But even if they did, they were for sure dead by now, almost 15 years later.
But even after 15 years, Twilight still missed them. She swore she saw them wandering her halls, she saw them in her dreams, memories and memories playing on repeat. Seeing them again made her happy, but sad too.
Each night she had trouble falling asleep, and each night she went to visit a dear old friend, and faithful assistant.
She turned away from the room, closing the door behind her and sighing. She again, walked down the hall, but this time, instead of returning to her room, she turned a corner, and soon before her was a large wooden door. Stones surrounding it, in a way reminding her of old medieval times. She opened the door, and whispered softly.
"Spike?"
The large purple dragon, with spiky scales standing proudly along his body. He was lying down, one claw over another and his tail curled over to his right, on the end a green spike that looked like arrow. He opened his bright green eyes, and looked at Twilight. A gentle smile played across his face. Even with those razor sharp fangs, he was nowhere near intimidating.
The room was dark, but the slight illumination from the fireplace behind him gave his scales a fiery orange glow. Twilight walked over, and lay beside him. His tail wrapped around her comfortingly. He had grown and matured so much, it was hard to believe that he was younger than Twilight. She still remembered him being that silly baby dragon with a cute crush on Rarity.
What they had not realized, is that that simple little crush would become his wife many years later. When he was young, Rarity thought it was cute and played along with him at times. But when he got older, she still saw he was still in love with her, and it was much more than that. She found herself falling in love with him as well.
It seemed Spike could tell what she was thinking about. "Aaah, yes, I miss her too, Twilight."
He looked up at the ceiling, where a mural had been painted of Spike, Rarity, and their daughter, joyful expressions on their faces. An artist had been payed to paint that up there when Spike moved back in. They were all so young and happy together.
"I'm just glad I got to spend the time with her that I did. That she loved and cared for me as I did for her, you should be grateful Twilight. Celebrate her life, and for the others as well."
He leaned down, his large face nuzzling hers, and lifting her head up to look at him. "I miss them as much as you do. But we must move on eventually."
"You're right Spike. I shouldn't let this get to me so much... I-I'm doing this all wrong."
"But that is where you are wrong! We all grieve for them, I prefer to do it here silently, with the beautiful art of my family and the fireplace to warm my broken heart. I'm just glad my daughter has moved on and is just as successful as her mother. Maybe Luna cannot help you to deal with loss, she has never had any pony as close as Celestia. It is not a problem for her. You must do it yourself, but if you need support from someone who has felt the same pain, I am always here."
"Thank you Spike."
Twilight shut her eyes, and leaned against him. Feeling the warmth of the fire and his body, the only sound, the crackling of the fire. She herself getting drowsy, and soon fell into a deep sleep.
Spike chuckled, and lay down his head to sleep beside his adoptive sister.
Outside in the darkness, Luna's stars scattered across the night sky. A slight Autumn breeze rustling the brightly colored leaves on the trees. On one larger tree outside the castle, were two mares lying on a tree branch together.
"We can't keep this a secret forever." Said the former pegasus. "She'll love to see we're alive and well."
"Well... I wouldn't say alive ." Said the other mare.
Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash did not know what the world would be like when they returned. Fluttershy still remembered when a dying Rainbow Dash whispered in her ear.
"I want to become like you."
Rainbow was the only pony who knew her secret. That the spell casted on her, temporarily turning her into a vampire pony, was not really temporary . She was still a vampire pony, no pony had noticed her excessive amount of buying apples after that. Although Applejack did raise an eyebrow, but didn't question it. Applejack only assumed it was for the animals.
Fluttershy told her dearest friend, but was too embarrassed to tell the others. She was afraid of what could happen, she was still afraid to tell any pony.
She knew she could drink blood, she felt a craving for it, but filled that craving with apple juice instead. She didn't need it, she never actually did it. Until Rainbow asked her to.
It wasn't out of true selfishness, to live forever. Fluttershy didn't even know she would live forever after drinking blood. After that, she became a full vampire, she became young again and lost the gray streaks in her hair. She was just little old Fluttershy.
The same happened to Rainbow. From being bitten she became a full vampire, but they ended up living far away in the Everfree forest. They couldn't show their faces for years, and lived amongst the terrifying monsters who ignored them. Seeing them as just other creatures in the forest.
Rainbow felt as though her life was not over yet. She still wanted to be with Fluttershy, her lover, forever. They both had lost their pained joints and wrinkling skin. They had returned to their spry young, happy selves. Even if they did look a little bit different. But Rainbow always told her that Fluttershy was hot as a vampire, which, always made her giggle.
Fluttershy looked at Rainbow Dash, her bright red eyes looking at the castle. Her eyes were focused on one particular window. The only light coming from the castle, even if it was faint. Rainbow looked into Fluttershy's eyes, then pulled her close to kiss her. Rainbow pulled away after a moment, and shook her head, laughing slightly.
"It's funny... I mean, we're aren't really alive are we."
"And we're definitely not alive!" Another voice said. A ghostly white image of a familiar earth pony hopped onto the branch, she tried balancing, walking up to them, but lost her footing, falling while giggling. She then flew back up to the branch to face the two bat pony's.
"You think you could've all bitten us too and we could look all cool with your scary bat wings? Grrr!"
Another voice chimed in, another ghostly image of a mare walking gracefully on the branch towards them. "I for one, would not prefer to have those horrific wings and messy mane."
"Watch your tongue." Said the brave bat pony.
Rarity rolled her eyes. "Well, it's true darling."
"Ponies!" Fluttershy said suddenly. "This is how we return to Ponyville? We haven't been here in years! We haven't seen our friends, our family, Twilight..."
"Well I did visit Manehattan to be with my daughter." Rarity said.
"I wouldn't call that a visit really." Responded Pinkie. "More like a scare the living daylights out of her visit?"
"Pffft, I did not scare her! She just couldn't seem to hear or see me, and her house was a bit messy so I decided to be kind and clean up a little."
Pinkie giggled. "Yeah you definitely scared her! Nice prank!"
"I do not prank . Pinkie Pie. I was only being generous."
Rarity crossed her hooves and floated beside the two bat ponies. "Aah yes, we are going to talk to Twilight hmm? How? We can't exactly walk up to her like this, she'd have a heart attack! Should I get my fainting couch? Actually, I don't know where it is!" Rarity worriedly looked to either side of her, and shrugged.
"It is the middle of the night." Said Fluttershy. "Why don't we go in the morning, we approach her politely and-"
"Again." Rainbow put her hoof over Fluttershy's mouth. "She'll freak out. I don't think that's a good idea."
"Well, what other option do we have?" Asked Fluttershy, tilting her head.
Everypony thought for a moment in silence, but nothing else came to their minds.
"Wait." Rarity said suddenly. "I think I know how to do this."
Twilight yawned, blinking, trying to wake up. It took her a moment to realize where she was, yes, Spike's room. He was still asleep. Maybe she should get them both something to eat.
After a moment, she stood up, and walked out tiredly, shutting the door behind her as quiet as possible. She walked down the hall, through the throne room and to the kitchen. But at the door to the kitchen, she stopped. Seeing a faint glow in the corner of her eye.
She turned around, looking at the cracked a broken thrones of the mane six. Twilight's was the only one fully intact.
The map was glowing. It was something, a sight she had not seen in years.
Four cutiemarks appeared on the map, the cutiemarks of Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity, spun around Twilight's castle.
But, that was impossible. They were dead, this didn't make any sense, and out of all places, why were they being called here? Something must be wrong with the map...
Twilights head jerked as she saw a glow. Through the dark cracks and broken down throne, the three balloons glowed. Pinkie Pie's cutiemark, with one balloon cut off in the middle was glowing.
Her head turned when she saw another glow. Rarity's cutiemark, three bright gems glowed.
Twilight took a few steps away. The thrones marks only glowed when-
When the ponies they belonged to were sitting upon them.
Twilight looked at the two thrones, her eyes widening and her emotions going all over the place.
Sadness, fear, confusion, hope.
Her ears perked up when she heard a loud buzz from her door.
She ran out of the throne room, and as fast as she could to the large doors. Her breathing getting heavier and heavier. She couldn't even think about who might be there, she was too confused about the throne room and map to think straight.
She opened the door quickly and greeted the ponies with that signature princess grin.
But her smile faded when she saw who it was.
Twilight could only stare at the two mares before her. But could she really call them mares?
They were not truly ponies. They were bat ponies, and it had been years... Oh, so many years since she had seen one.
"We're back." Fluttershy said.
Tears began to well in Twilight's eyes. She was beginning to wonder if she was asleep. Dreaming maybe? Maybe her sadness had brought Luna to finally give her a good dream.
But at the moment she didn't care whether this was a dream or an illusion. Two of her friends stood right in front of her.
She began to sob, grabbing hold of both of them and embracing them.
The felt so warm so real... by some magic they had come back to her. Maybe some bat pony magic... Fluttershy nor Rainbow had died.
"H-how are you here...?" Twilight asked, wiping away a tear and smiling.
"Well... I couldn't really live without Rainbow... I didn't realize for a while that I was immortal. I wasn't a full vampire... Until I bit her. She became one two."
It made sense in a way. They both no longer had gray streaks in their hair and Rainbow looked well alive and free of illness. Besides the fact that they had bat wings and crimson red eyes.
"So... you did run away and escape death?"
They both nodded. Fluttershy began to have tears in her eyes as well. As well as Rainbow was at hiding her emotions, she couldn't really hide them now.
"Twilight, we missed you so much... We waited fifteen years... I can't believe we waited so long..."
Something suddenly passed through Twilight's head.
The map.
The map had said that four were to meet up here. A friendship problem... That needed Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie and Rarity?
Where were Pinkie and Rarity? But the real question was... where was Applejack and why wasn't she called?
"The map!" Twilight gasped. "The map was summoning you both to come here! Pinkie and Rarity too, are they bat ponies as well? Oh I can't wait to tell Spike-"
"Pinkie and Rarity are dead Twilight." Rainbow said, Twilight could not read her friends expression or tone of voice. Rainbow did not seem happy or sad about it.
"B-but-"
"But they are still here. Didn't you see their thrones?" Fluttershy said.
"They were glowing... which is only when you sit upon them. Twilight they're in this room right now."
Twilight was shocked. She was unable to see the two mares standing beside Fluttershy.
"Fluttershy darling..." Rarity said, looking concerned. "I would like to speak with Twilight, and my husband."
"Rarity. It will scare her. Let me explain first." Fluttershy said to Rarity.
To Twilight it looked as if she was talking to nothing more than air.
"Sh-they're ghosts?"
Twilight suddenly began to be interested, curious. She looked as if she was going to call out, "Spike! Take a note please !"
"Oh dear heavens." Rarity sighed. "I must talk to her this instant!"
Without warning, Fluttershy shivered, feeling a strange mind away from it's body seem to pass through her. Her body shook then straightened, and she looked up at Twilight with the dark blue eyes of Rarity.
"Spirits, darling. I prefer spirits. Ghosts sounds well, ghastly . I assure you I'm not going to jump out at you and yell 'boo '."
The voice was still Fluttershy's but now sounded much more refined with Rarity's usual posh voice.
Twilight put a hoof to her mouth. "Rarity?"
"Oh, um, yes dear. Sorry Fluttershy... I didn't mean to be so rude. Possession is not very ladylike!"
Rainbow began to back away from her invisible foe, seeing as Pinkie was looking at her hungrily, hunkering down as if she was going to pounce on the bat pony like a cat.
Pinkie giggled and yelled "Roar!" As she leaped at Rainbow dash, who screamed and fell onto the ground as the spirit seemed to merge with her.
Twilight's attention now went to Rainbow Dash- Pinkie- Rainbow bat? Twilight didn't know what to call her.
"Hiya Twilight!" She giggled, jumping up and down and running over to her friend. Smothering her in a hug.
"I was feeling all sicky wicky without seeing you all happy and smily for a loooooooo-" She took in a deep breath, "-ooooooong time! Like really really! I was all sad and droopy because you were all sad and droopy and I just didn't like that so I had to make you all smily Twily again!"
She squeezed Twilight again. A wide grin spreading across her face anther light blue eyes glinting.
Twilight laughed a little, and the smile she had missed returned to her own face, making Pinkie sequel again. "See I made you all smily Twily again! Hehehe!"
"Pinkie, calm down darling!" Rarity huffed. "You're scaring the poor girl! Now ah, where is my Spike...? I wish to talk with him."
Twilight was too shocked to move, she only pointed down the hall and the possessed Fluttershy began to trot in that direction.
The other mare following her, and soon Twilight followed as well. She gulped and yelled "Wait!"
The two turned around to look at her, and Twilight took in a deep breath.
"Where is Applejack?"
Silence.
Pure silence filled the dark castle, it was almost always silent now, but this silence was more painful than any other.
Even Pinkie Pie, the loudest most obnoxious pony she had known, was quiet.
Rarity- or Fluttershy looked at her seriously, taking a step towards her.
"Applejack... has moved on. She wanted to meet her parents."
Rarity stepped closer.
"We know what it's like to feel loss. Applejack truly did die. She left us for paradise, and as much as I wish to be there as well... we couldn't leave you Twilight. Or our families."
Rarity turned her attention back to the door before them. The door that was very obviously to Spike.
Before Twilight could open the door herself- a light blue aura encased the door. Twilight looked at the batpony, and above her forehead appeared to be an invisible horn. as the light blue aura took the form of a horn that was not present.
Rarity took a step into the room, staring into a scaly awoken face.
The dragon smiled.
"Aah... you have returned to us? I knew you could not leave me forever my dear." He said.
Rarity began to sob.
"Spike. Oh my dear Spike..." She basically threw herself upon Spike, he chuckled.
"It's odd seeing you as such a ghastly creature as you put it."
"Well, would you rather me look like your sister?"
They both looked at Twilight, and she blushed.
He laughed again. "Fair point. But I'm glad we can finally speak with our voices to one another. I've been seeing those little love letters you've been writing me."
She giggled in response. "I think I scared our little girl too once."
"She sent a letter to me thinking her apartment was haunted. I never thought of you as much of a prankster. That is their job."
He said, pointing towards Rainbow/Pinkie.
"Oh yeah! We do make a good team! Hehehe! Hey Rainbow maybe we should've- No? Okay, never mind..."
She said, her voice going from excited to sad as she looked down.
"Hey look at the bright side!" She grinned. "We're all together!"
"But I'm wondering what that friendship problem was that we had to solve?" Rarity asked.
Now, what every pony noticed, was that their cutiemarks began to glow, smaller versions of them glowing on their flanks. Except on Fluttershy's flank, was her pink bat's instead of butterflies, and atop that were Rarity's diamonds.
On Rainbow's her cutiemark was doing the same, but instead of a cloud was a white silhouette of a bat. Over that were the balloons from Pinkie.
Rarity began to cough, she lowered her face and when she rose up again her eyes were a bright red.
In Fluttershy's voice once again, the bat mare spoke.
"I think we've already solved it."
Author's Note
Yeah okay, maybe not the best ending. I know it may have been a bit abrupt, but I am working on a BIG story currently and I have been putting most of my focus on that.
I pinkie promise it'll be great and will make up for the not-so-great stories I've been putting out.
Anyway I hope some of you liked this one.
