Twi-ling

"We should be at the base of the Crystal Mountains right now," Twilight announced. "Once we get over these guys, we should be at the train station, which isn't too far from the actual empire."

Pinkie Pie yawned loudly. "Can it wait? I'm sooo tired right now."

"Same," Rainbow agreed, sitting down on the cold snowy ground.

"Okay," Twilight said. "But I want you all to keep a weapon on you, just in case something attacks while you sleep. I stored these here long ago, just in case something were to happen." She trotted over to where the mountain started its incline and began to dig. Knives and clubs were shortly revealed. "Choose one or two," She added after selecting two of her own.

After the ponies had divvied up the sharp objects, they all found a spot near by to sleep. As usual, Twilight fell asleep, but she really wasn't planning on staying awake anyways. She doubted the changelings had followed them this far, and now they had weapons.

If only...

Applejack was slumped against the mountain base when Twilight opened her eyes. She would've been worried, but AJ woke up like that yesterday, too. "Applejack!"

No response. Twilight went over to the earth pony and began talking to her. "I know it's been really hard for you because... Rarity... But we're almost to the Crystal Empire. We almost made it. We're almost safe. You can make it, AJ. I know you can."

No response. "AJ..?"

She turned to face her completely and let out a small yelp before covering her mouth with her hoof. Two cuts. Right on her wrists. Gone. Wasted. Dead.

Why the hell did her friends keep dying?! Tears slid down her face. She was the Princess of Friendship, and yet there was nothing she could do to keep her friends safe, to protect them. She was utterly useless. She now understood why Applejack had took it upon herself to end it. She just wished the pony hadn't. She could've used the regular AJ's enthusiasm and help.

"You alright, Twi?" Pinkie asked, her voice groggy. She had obviously just woken. She trotted over to the alicorn. "Hey, we almost made it!"

Twilight turned AJ's body over for Pinkie to see her blank unseeing eyes. "She slit her wrists," she said numbly. This couldn't be happening. There was no way that three of her friends were gone. Nope. No way in hell. She rose to her hooves shakily and went over to Rainbow to wake her and tell her the most recent death of their best friend.

After explaining and tears were shed, the three remaining ponies began the steep incline of the mountain and the journey to safety which was so close. After they made it to the tip of the mountain, Pinkie nearly fell to her death, but Rainbow grabbed her just in time. Twilight didn't know if she could handle two deaths in a mere few minutes. Death was... Not a stranger to her, but rather a long lost friend she'd nearly forgotten about. And it was here to remind her.

"Let's keep moving, guys," Twilight said to the two and began a very careful descent. When they reached the train station, only a few steps away from the wall of mountains, it was clear that the trains weren't running, and there was no ticket pony in the booth. They carried on, careful to avoid snow holes. The holes were covered with a thick layer of snow, but if somepony were to step on it, they'd fall into the far North, otherwise known as what was under the ice and snow. 'It isn't even North though,' Twilight told Celestia many years ago when learning about it in her studies. 'It doesn't make sense!'

She smiled a bit at the memory before grimacing, remembering of the fate of the other alicorns. Even Flurryheart, the precious young foal. The alicorn that never got to live up to her title and power. She briefly closed her eyes and imagined the foal being murdered before Cadence's own eyes and shuddered, letting out a quiet squeal. They crossed the border to the empire, prepared for the snow and cold to leave, but Cadence was no more, and the Crystal Heart did little to protect its ponies. Speaking of ponies... Were the Crystal Ponies still alive?

"Hello?" Twilight asked, politely knocking on the door of one of the crystal houses, but her heart was practically jumping in and out of her chest.

"P-P-Princess Twilight?" a glittery blue earth pony with silky purple hair tied up in a bun asked nervously, stuttering a lot.

"That's me," Twilight replied warmly. "Are you okay?"

"T-T-The C-Crystal Heart isn't w-working," the pony responded in terror. "A-And we can't survive w-w-without it!"

With that, she slammed the door, sobbing loud enough so the shivering ponies standing outside could still hear.