Forgotten

The seven ponies all let their tears fall freely around the body of their friend. Their minds had been taken to a severely dark place, and every one of them wished with every fiber of their being that they might be allowed to leave it. The lightning and thunder crashed around them, and it roared in their ears, even though it was a perfectly sunny day. But no amount of Celestia's beautiful orb could make this pain evaporate. Not even the reunion of friends who had been torn asunder by Sombra's evil could defeat the searing agony each of them felt.

"So…what happens now?" Rarity asked bluntly through a thick voice.

None of them answered her, because they didn't know how to. They weren't prepared for this. They figured that Twilight's true power, and their combined magic of friendship, would save the day as it always had. Part of that had come true, as they looked around them and saw happy ponies embracing each other as they remembered their precious relationships. But the other part lay dead at their hooves.

"I guess," Starlight began before choking up. She fought through her sadness and continued, "we mourn."

"How do we mourn?" Fluttershy asked, "we've never dealt with death before."

"I believe the best way to mourn is to remember Twilight with happiness," Flame said.

"But how in Equestria can we be happy right now?" Dash asked, "I mean…Twilight's dead!"

"Yes," Flame said, "she is, and it crushes my soul. My heart is in a million tiny pieces right now, and I may never be able to reconstruct it. Even so, I'm remembering all the wonderful and happy times I spent with her. That might be the key to rekindling our own joy in this world."

"Flame's right, y'all," Applejack said, "we've gotta be strong in the face of what's happened, and remember Twilight with all the happiness that she'd want us to remember her with. Ain't nothin' wrong with celebratin' a life."

"Celebrating her life is all well and good," Dash said, "but forgive me if I don't exactly feel like doing a dance right now."

"Dash, I'm not saying we should throw a party," Flame said, "I'm saying we should honor her memory by focusing on the good times that we all had with her. Those are engrained into our psyches now and forevermore, and we must not allow them to be taken from us."

The friends all gathered together and embraced once again, feeling the power of their friendship flooding their veins. They knew they could lean on each other through this terrible time. Equestria might have been set free from Sombra's bondage, but they still felt chained to a rather large part of it. They had to rely on their togetherness and unity to break those chains.

"What in the world's going on here?!" A voice suddenly asked out of nowhere. It startled the group, and they all turned to see Princess Celestia standing there. She was rubbing her head and looked completely bewildered. They all bowed in respect to their leader, but she quickly waved them back to their hooves.

"Now's not the time for formalities, my friends," she said kindly, "though I do appreciate your respect. But I feel a little bit lost. Everypony's greeting each other as if they haven't done so in years, and my head feels like one of the Canterlot construction workers has taken a jackhammer to it. What on Earth happened?"

The ponies stood as a wall in front of their dead friend. They wanted to delay the tragic news for as long as they could. Flame Mane looked up and saw kindness and wisdom emanating from the princess's eyes, and he felt incredibly comfortable talking with her. She reminded him of Twilight in so many ways. "Your Majesty," he said solemnly, "King Sombra unleashed an evil on the land, causing friendships to be destroyed and causing you to lose your mind…literally."

"What? What are you talking about?"

"It's true, Princess," Applejack said, "he forced Flame Mane here to cast a really difficult spell, and then weaved his magic in so that everypony forgot everypony else. Twilight, Starlight, and Flame were the only three that remembered until we escaped from limbo. He was also playin' you like a prize fiddle, Princess. That there burnt spot is where Sombra disappeared whenever Equestria was set right again." She pointed to the black, disheveled area where Sombra once gloated a victory. "I guess it was our friendship that saved Equestria."

Celestia smiled, "I have no doubt of it. I'm also not surprised that Sombra attempted to take Equestria once again. But, tell me…where is my dearest former student, Twilight Sparkle?"

The group all looked at each other as they tried to think up words to describe the impossible. How could they tell Celestia that Twilight's blood ridden body was lying in a heap right behind their posteriors? How could they, such lowly ponies, even think of delivering such news? The fact is that none of them could, and so they simply moved aside and Celestia saw the devastating sight.

Her mouth gradually opened as her eyes widened. She stepped in between the ponies and bent down to nudge her faithful student. Tears brimmed at her eyes as memories flashed in her mind, memories of when Twilight was first introduced as her new student, when she passed her first magic exam, when she was sent off to Ponyville…and when she made her five friends. Celestia lay on her stomach and nosed into Twilight's coat, silently crying and saying a final farewell.

Everypony saw the solemn occasion, and decided to join her in grieving their terrific loss. Fluttershy and Rarity lay on each side of Celestia, daring to press their flanks up against hers. The princess gave them looks of silent gratitude, and continued her mourning. Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Starlight, and Rainbow Dash each took up their own part of Twilight's body, nosing their way into her fur and speaking words of quiet thanks for her part in showing them the amazing power friendship held. Each one of them wept their own tears, and each drop reflected a happy memory that they shared with the deceased princess.

Flame Mane went directly to her face and kissed it, bending his head beside hers for one final moment with his beloved. He could still see the kind love in her eyes, and he could hear the sweet words that emanated from her lips. He still loved everything about her, and wanted more than anything for her to leap from the grave. He wanted there to be a "happily ever after." But, I guess…not every story has a happy ending. He turned and nosed into Twilight's mane. I'll never find another mare like you, he silently told her, and I don't want to. I shall love you and only you forever, my darling Twilight. I'll never, ever forget you.