Angel Wings, Broken Rainbows

The royal cemetery was decorated in brilliantly contrasting light and dark colors and flowers of all shapes and sizes. A long red carpet wove its way through the center, surrounded on all sides by black-dressed ponies leading up to a large portrait of Cadence and the beautiful black coffin inlaid with her cutie mark.

Even the skies of Canterlot shed tears as Rainbow Dash stood alongside her friends as Princess Celestia stood up. On one side of her was Princess Luna and on the other were Twilight and Shining Armor, the latter of whom was bandaged and looked to be in physical pain as well as emotional.

"Fillies and gentlecolts, we are gathered here today to mourn and celebrate Princess Mi Amore Cadenza. We all knew of Cadence' kindness. Whether it be her goodwill missions to the poorer villages, her renown beauty, or her foalsitting in her younger days, we all loved her. And that was her special talent. She spread love wherever she went. However, this talent came at a price. She once came to me with tears in her eyes. She said she loved helping other ponies love each other and she would keep helping them for as long as she could, but she was often left all alone. Luna was still away, so I was her only family. I invited her to stay at the palace for as long as she needed. It just so happened that was the day a promising young colt ascended to the rank of lieutenant of the royal guard. She was truly happy. None of you can ever doubt that. Tragedies happen, but real love lasts forever.....Cadence pro.....Cadence proved that....."

Everypony watched as Celestia, perhaps the most powerful being in the world, was cradled in her sister's forelegs, openly weeping. She deserved to as much as everypony else did. Rainbow watched as Shining Armor and Twilight walked over to the beautiful portrait of Cadence and stood still. Then, as if on cue, crying erupted from Shining Armor's saddle carriage. The tiny alicorn's screams cemented the somber atmosphere and everypony dissolved into tears.
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When the torrent of tears subsided, it was Princess Luna who spoke up.

"Attention everypony: Shining Armor has opted to take his son home for the evening. We will remain for a while yet to take any questions or condolences anypony may wish to offer. We thank you all for coming. We did not have as much time to get to know Our niece as Our sister, but We loved her nonetheless.....We will miss her dearly....."

Fluttershy looked all around her. She saw tears in everypony's eyes except one. The one that mattered more to her than anything else in the world. Those beautiful rose colored eyes were not stained by a single tear. She saw that Rainbow felt the same concern. She reached a hoof up to her cheek.

"I'm not crying either?.....Why?"

"Thank you all for being here with me," Twilight said as she walked up to group, Spike at her side.

"Twi- there's nothing Ah could to make this any easier on you and yours, but just know that the Apple family is here for you. And all of us too. You're never alone." Applejack said, speaking on behalf of the group.

Fluttershy joined the others in a loving embrace. It was a warm feeling among icy horror that had befallen them as of late. Fluttershy suddenly realized something. Something was missing.

"Where's Rainbow Dash?!"
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Rainbow Dash always had trouble navigating the expansive halls of the royal palace. But today there was a sound guiding her through. The baby's wails led to an ornately decorated room, but somehow it seemed dank and dreary and forgotten.

"Rainbow Dash? What are you doing?" Shining Armor appeared, a now-quiet foal in his foreleg.

"I-I wanted....."

"Please.....I don't want to see anypony right now. And my son is finally asleep."

"But I need to know.....what happened to Cadence?!"

"What does it matter? She's dead. My son will have to grow up without his mother.....she's gone.....I couldn't do anything to help her. All the magic, all the medicine, her own power.....none of it did any good. She just.....she....." He broke. The tears began freefalling in an unstoppable stream as Rainbow shot forward as quickly as she could to take the unicorn knight in her legs. Her tears still would not come but his grew all the more violent.

"My son.....he has so much power inside him. Cadence.....her body just couldn't take it. Even an alicorn can't handle an alicorn's awesome power."

"I'm sorry.....nopony deserves this.....but its not your baby's fault."

"I know that. I wanted to blame him, blame somepony.....but I'm his daddy. I'm all he has."

Rainbow tightened her grip and she felt the unicorn's tears subside.

"Rainbow.....I hope you're prepared for what's coming."

"I do too."

"For her sake."
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Fluttershy sat motionless on the extravagant bed in the hotel room Celestia offered her. Her mind was overtaken by a single thought.

"Dashie....."

The door opened and Fluttershy looked over, knowing full well who it was.

" Hey 'Shy."

"You went to see him didn't you?"

"Cadence' body was destroyed by her baby's power."

"I figured."

"I want you to be ready.....for when I-"

A pair of golden forelegs shot forth and wrapped around Rainbow Dash.

"No Dashie, you promised me you weren't going to die. I'm holding you to that. I know you. You would never in a million years make me do this by myself. I need you with me. You are everything I could ever want from my life. I'm so in love with you Rainbow Dash and I could not make it without."

The tears finally came for both of them. They fell freely and without end.

" 'Shy, I promised you.....and I'll keep it. We'll always be together."

"One way or another."