It was a sunny day in all Equestria, not a cloud in the sky. The trees had begun to shift in color, while the grass below began to slowly turn brown with the cool, dry air of autumn. The birds chirped beautiful melodies while the ducks prepared for their long voyage south for the winter. Many ponies trotted around, doing mundane tasks essential to their lives, oblivious to the fact that their beloved Princess Twilight Sparkle of Canterlot, had, in fact, just died...
Applejack had awoke to knocking on the front door of the ranch. The previous night hadn't been filled with much sleep, as the sun hadn't set for an extra few hours, but the guards stationed in Ponyville assured them all was fine. Rainbow Dash, however, had fallen asleep anyway, and was still somehow dozing even with the beauty sleep.
Applejack nudged Rainbow's side "Hey, Rainbow, wake up. it's nearly midday."
Rainbow Dash rolled over, opening her eyes and gazing upon Applejack. "Do I have to?"
The knocking persisted, louder this time.
Applejack hopped out of the bed. "Hold on! Quit your bellyachin', I'll be down shortly, ya' hear." AJ once again turned to Rainbow, who had attempted to retreat into the pillows, only to be pulled out by AJ, who wasn't really about to put up with this kind of action. "C'mon, missy, we got work to do."
"Fine..."
Once again, the knocking on the door returned, but it was essentially banging this time.
"What in tarnation..." Applejack rushed down the stairs, half worried and half angry. She got to the door and began to open it "Now who in Celestia's ancient flank is-" AJ opened the door fully, revealing a Royal Guard, not just a normal one. "Oh, sir, what seems to be the issue?" Applejack's face scrunched up a bit. "Did Apple Bloom do something dumb again?"
With a tear in his eye, and a trembling cheek, the guard pulled a letter with the Royal wax stamp sealing it. "I'm afraid not, ma'am. Miss Applejack, and presumably Miss Rainbow Dash, I apologize for the rude awakening, but... Her Majesty ordered this to your residence immediatly. Now if you will excuse me, I have to deliver more notices..."
The Royal Guardpony flew off in a blaze of speed, AJ closing the door in his departure. "Notice? Now why would he be delivering notices this early in the morning?" Applejack sat down at the table to read the note, breaking the wax seal and unfurling the small scroll...
Dear Applejack and Rainbow Dash,
If you are reading this, then in all likelihood, I, Princess Twilight Sparkle, have passed away. I am terribly sorry, my good friends, but my untimely demise has befallen our country. All relevant information for the funeral procession will be filled in, post-mortem, by an attendant.
Sincerely, your friend always, Princess Twilight Sparkle of The Monarchy of Equestria
Applejack slumped back in her chair, speechless. She didn't want to believe the words written on the paper, but in her heart she knew it was true. Why else would the sun have hung high in the sky at midnight? Probably because they were scrambling to find Celestia and Luna after... after they found Twilight.
"Hey, what's up, babe?" Rainbow pulled Applejack out of her catatonic state. Barely able to contain the rush of emotions she felt, Applejack decided to keep it as simple as she could, not wanting to burst out in tears.
"RD?"
"Um, yeah?"
"Sit."
Rainbow followed directions, taking a seat next to Applejack with a worried look on her face. "Did something happen?" She rolled her eyes "Did Apple Bloom get in trouble again?"
Applejack opened her mouth, but no words came out. She just looked away, tears forming in her eyes, pointing at the notice, which Rainbow promptly picked up and read. She pulled the letter to her face, mouthing out every word, as her face contorted in anger.
"That's impossible! How could Twilight just die like that!? This is obviously fake!" Rainbow jumped from her seat, looking antagonistically at Applejack, who was once again ripped from her thoughts.
'It's not fake, RD! The sun didn't come down last night for a good reason. And that reason is..." Applejack just collapsed at the thought, instead focusing on what needed to be done. "Go get Zapp Apple, I need to go tell my brother that we're going to be gone for awhile. Don't tell nopony that we are going to Canterlot, don't want no stampede blocking our path now."
Rainbow dropped to the ground, with her head hanging. "So she is really gone, huh?"
Applejack got out of her seat and went to comfort Rainbow. "Now, now, sugarcube. Don't go getting the waterworks on me now. We have to stay strong for Zapp, even if it is a facade. Can't have her crying about her aunt just yet now."
The train ride was... normal, even though, by all means and purposes, it shouldn't be. At least, that was the way it felt to Applejack, who was at the moment tightly hugging her filly, Zapp Apple, while Rainbow Dash talked to a vendor for something to eat. Applejack just couldn't understand. Why? Why did Twilight just up and die like that? How did she just up and die like that? Losing Granny Smith was hard enough, why did the one thing that was't supposed to die, die?!
"Mommy, your hurting me!" Applejack was alerted to Zapp's complaints. In Applejack's sorrow, she had failed to realize her grip on Zapp had slowly been getting harder and harder, responding by releasing the small creature from her grasp. Zapp, much like her other mother, had issues with waking up at a reasonable time, and was a bit groggy.
"Oh! I'm sorry, Zapp, mommy's just... hurtin' is all." AJ looked out the window to continue her downward spiral, just wanting the pain to run its course, to melt away. But it just lingered. Every thought she had was either concerning as to how or why Twilight had passed on. She couldn't imagine the horrors she must have felt in her last moments. Why couldn't she have been there for her?
Rainbow had returned with snacks and coffee. Neither of them usually drank coffee, but today they needed all the energy they could muster.
"Babe. Babe!" Rainbow had to shake Applejack in order to get her to respond, her eventually coming around to drink the brown liquid from the small mug it lay in.
If it were up to them, the small family would have sat in silence for the remainder of the ride, but Zapp couldn't control her curiosity, turning to Rainbow Dash. "Mom, Mommy said she was hurtin'. I think she needs some help."
Rainbow put down her coffee to try and explain. "Zapp, I don't think thats what Mommy meant-"
"I'm sure there is a doctor somewhere on the train! We can go find them!" Zapp had leaped out of her seat, instead standing in front Rainbow, with pleading eyes. Rainbow, however, just pulled the filly into a hug, calming both of their nerves.
"Zapp, this isn't a hurt that a doctor can fix with a band-aid. This is... a special kind of hurt. Me and Mommy just need to sit down and talk about it. But for now, why don't we just sit down and rest. The train to Canterlot is going to take awhile."
Applejack looked over, her eyes locking onto Rainbow's. They managed to smile together, knowing that it was probably the last time to do such a thing for a long time coming.
The train screeched to a halt at Canterlot Station. Ponies milled about, greeting loved ones, saying goodbyes, all standard practice. Spike had flown down from the castle to greet them, and presumably escort them to the castle. His face said it all: Twilight really had died...
Applejack went to greet the mourning dragon, his figure being several times larger than when they had first met, all those years ago in Ponyville.
"Spike, I..." Applejack flopped around in her head, hoping the proper string of words would just fall out, but nothing came. Instead, Spike just held out his paw, motioning for the family to follow him. As they walked, Applejack and Rainbow gave concerned looks at each other, while Zapp hopped around, looking at the architecture of the city, amazed. Spike didn't cry, he didn't pout. No, he just stared forward, as if all of the emotion from his body had been tore out.
They were nearing the castle, but Applejack couldn't bare to see her friend hurt like this. Pulling Spike into a nearby allyway,she sternly kicked up a conversation, Rainbow and Zapp waiting out on the street.
"Now listen here, Spike, I know what your feelin'. Apple Bloom did the same thing when Granny Smith left us, an' I know the only way to work through it is to talk about it... an' we could all use a bit of talkin'."
Spike, back against the wall, slouched down and pulled his claws to his face, mumbling a barely perceptible explanation of the previous days events.
"You know, the doctors still have no idea why. As far as they are concerned, she just... just died." Spike pulled his claws away, revealing a tear riddled face. Applejack embraced the gentle giant, in an attempt at comfort.
"I went to sleep last night, oblivious that she had passed on. I only found out by the commotion that awoke me at midnight when they, found her." Spike started sobbing at those last words, curling up as Applejack closed in and gave the dragon a well-deserved hug. The noise had attracted the attention of Zapp, who came barreling down the alleyway towards the pair before Rainbow Dash could stop her.
"Uncle Spike, what's wrong?" Zapp hopped up on one of Spikes massive shoulders, splaying out and looking Spike in the eyes.
Spike in return composed himself, probably realizing that AJ and Rainbow hadn't told her yet. With a sniffle and a wipe of his eyes, Spike pulled the little filly into a hug. "Nothing I need to bother you with, RJ." Setting her down, Spike arose from his stance, and breathed in deeply. "C'mon, the Royal Guard are waiting for us at the gates, wanna race?"
Zapp's eyes lit up at the offer. She said with a mischievous grin, as if she had already won, "Does my hair yell '20% Cooler!'?", but Spike had already took off, leaving the 2 mares behind as Zapp quickly followed.
Applejack looked at the two as they disappeared behind the marble wall, letting out pained sigh. "Want to go get some cider in us before we go in?"
Rainbow lethargically turned towards the farmpony, a smile daring to come across her face. "Does this hair yell '40% cooler'?"
Applejack and Rainbow had looked for some cider, but sadly, none could be found. They decided to head into the astle anyways. The castle's courtyard was mostly empty, save for the few guards still on-duty from the night before. Many of them were barely keeping themselves from falling over, the exhaustion nearly vertaking them. Applejack and Rainbow had entered the castle many times, but today was different. They weren't here for a meetup, at least not one that would bring joy. Fluttershy and Rarity had already arrived, but Pinkie was oddly absent...
They great marble doors of the castle swung open as Rainbow flew in, Applejack not to far behind. Rarity was absorbed in a mirror while Fluttershy wept silently in a corner with Discord, him combing her hair while he rocked her like a foal in a crib. Rarity, upon noticing the new arrivals, put away the miniature vanity and trotted over to greet her friends.
"Oh, darlings, so glad you could make it. I was afraid you might not arrive."
Applejack gave a rustling of her hair, a bit offended by the assumption. "Now look here, Rarity, you know I wouldn't miss something like this. Twilight meant a lot to all of us and it's only proper to see her off. What, because I have got a family to take care of, I couldn't make it in time?"
Rarity took the comment worse than Applejack had intended, spiraling into a near-unintelligible flurry of insults. Rainbow, who didn't see that as very appropriate, shoved Rarity, the whole group erupting in a wave of yelling and kicking.
"ENOUGH!" The trio heard a snap, and all found themselves glued onto stools in a corner with conical caps labeled 'DUNCE'. Discord stepped up from his corner and walked over to the three, who were all still attempting to insult each other despite having no way of seeing where they were tossing them.
"Look, I know everypony here is very upset, but Fluttershy is taking it pretty hard, and your fighting is only making it worse." He once again snapped his fingers, the entire room, guards and all, appearing in a circle facing each other. Discord had poofed himself some half crescent glasses and a notepad, but still held Fluttershy in his other arm. "Now, Applejack, why does Rarity's comment make you mad?"
The three looked down in shame, but Applejack was the first to speak up, but ignored Discord's question. "Discord's right, y'all. We cant be at each other's throats at a time like this. I'm sorry for what I said Rarity."
Rarity let out a lady-like grunt, but relinquished her position and apologized back. I'm sorry to, Applejack, but you know that's a sore spot for me."
Rainbow, reluctantly apologized, sorry that she had thrown a few sluggers, but still peeved.
Once again, Discord snapped, returning everypony to their respective positions, and summoning a pair of earmuffs over Fluttershy's whimpering frame.
"Look, between you and me, I don't think Fluttershy should attend the funeral."
Applejack bellowed, once again confrontational, "And why is that?"
Jumping up in the air and doing a few swirls, Discord explained "Well, you know how Fluttershy gets when she's sad. First comes the sobbing, then the wailing, and then she just... blows up."
"Well, that don't mean she isn't allowed to attend."
"Sure, but she won't be the same for weeks!"
Rarity interjected. "Discord, darling, you must understand that if she doesn't get through her grief now, she won't ever recover."
"I suppose you got me there." Discord snapped, taking the muffs away and replacing it with a mug of tea, mumbling something to Fluttershy. She graciously accepted the offer, opening her eyes. Upon noticing her three friends in the foyer of the castle, she leaped out of Discord's grasp and into Rainbow's, who recoiled a bit, but returned the hug.
