On The Other Side Of The Dawn
Flurry stood on the castle tower balcony, staring down at the sprawling metropolis below her. Snow whirled around her like a tribute to her very name. Icy wind clawed at her as it howled through the roiling, starless night sky.
It mattered little. All she had left to feel was stark, numbing reality.
She’d stood on this very balcony, all those many centuries ago as a filly with her Aunt, staring wide eyed across what to her eyes was an endless landscape of plains, forest and rivers.
“It’s so big Aunt Twi!”
“It is!”
“Where’s home from here?”
Her Aunt had turned her around and nodded her head northward. “The Crystal Empire is straight in that direction.”
She had looked down at the bustling parades of Ponies going from here to there on their daily business.
“There are so many Ponies! Mom says one day I’ll rule them all.
Twilight nodded. “That’s true. One day you will. All of Equestria will be counting on you. For leadership. For wisdom.”
She had looked around the endless landscape, wide eyed. “There’s so much Aunt Twi. I’m not sure I can do it.”
A purple wing came down and wrapped her warmly in a hug. “Of course you can Flurry.”
“Will you be there, Aunt Twi? What about Mom and Dad? Aunts Tia and Luna?”
Twilight had smiled down at her. “We’ll always be there Flurry.”
“Always Aunt Twi?”
“Always.”
She blinked against the polar wind, trying in vain to summon some of the comfort of those childhood platitudes.
She looked down at the ocean of lights below her. The city should have been a hub of activity at this time of the night.Her eyes flicked across the gleaming steel and glass cityscape. How it stretched down the mountain and far into the valley below. She thought back to her first childhood memories of the metropolis. She could remember how it looked back then, with its simple wood and brick buildings. When airships ruled the sky instead of airliners. She looked downwards to her own doorstep.
Uncountable creatures stood outside the castle gates, choking the streets and walkways for miles. Ponies, changelings and hippogriffs stood waiting for some small snippet of news. Any news. Many were crying. Some praying. Parent’s comforted young ones as they themselves sobbed. Many looked up at the castle, hoping against hope that the news from the castle might be false. That they might get another day. Another week. Another month. They’d been there for days, more coming all the time from every corner of Equus.
She wanted nothing more than to fly down and give them that news. That it was a close call. That they’d pushed time back and things had turned and she’d pulled through. To comfort them. To comfort herself.
The sting of tears danced in the corner of her eyes.
No. Stop it.
She heard hoof steps on the balcony behind her. “Princess Flurry Heart?”
She took a deep, quiet breath and blinked the tears away. No. Not you. They can’t see you like this.
She turned. “Yes Lily?”
Her assistant stepped out of the glass, balcony door and took a shaky, deep breath. She tilted her head towards the room behind her. Past the windows and curtains, framed in low, gentle light was a stallion's silhouette standing next to a bed.
“The doctor…is requesting you…she’s…she’s waking up…” the smaller Pony stopped, choking over the next word. She took a deep breath and whimpered before turning her head and wiping away tears.
“My apologies…your Highness…I…”
Flurry leaned down and wrapped a leg around her old friend. She felt Lily shudder as she felt warm tears against her chest.
“I am…so sorry…Flurry…I….can’t imagine what you’re going through.”
In that moment she wanted nothing more than to embrace the grieving mare with all her strength and weep together,
No. You don’t get to cry. Not yet.
“Shhhh. I know Lil. I know. I’m ok.” She squeezed and stood back up, resting her hoof on her friend’s cheek. “Why don’t you go outside and wait with everyone else? Windstream and I will be ok.”
Lily wiped the tears from her eyes with a leg. “Are you sure? I…I can stay if you need me.”
Flurry Heart shook her head. “Thank you Lily but I’m ok. I’ll let you know if I need anything, ok?”
Lily Vale nodded and turned, doing her best to maintain her composure as she and Flurry entered the bedchamber. A gray maned stallion, clad in white doctor's coat and stethoscope turned from the clusters of medical instruments around the bed and looked over at them. She heard Lily take a deep breath as she passed the bed and left the room, gently closing the door behind her. Flurry walked over to the doctor, listening to the whirring and beeping of the machines as he reached out and put a hoof on her shoulder.
“Are you doing ok Princess?”
A thousand words choked in her throat as she gave the doctor a small, reassuring smile.
“I’m ok Windstream.” She looked down at the bed. “How is she?”
The unicorn looked back at the bed and shook his head. “She’s coming to. She was calling for you.”
“How is she…otherwise?”
He looked up at the gently beeping instruments. “Honestly I’m not sure. She’s…fading. That’s all I can really say. I don’t even really know what’s wrong with her.” He looked away for a moment as he composed himself. “I just don’t know your Highness. It could be days…maybe hours. She isn’t suffering, I know that. There isn’t much more we can do now than make her comfortable.” He gave a frustrated sigh as he let his trained stoicism slip away. ”I…just wish we knew more about Alicorns.”
She shook her head and put a hoof on his shoulder. “You’ve done all you can, Wind. I know you have. I’m sure she does too.”
His eyes glistened as he looked back at the bed. “I’ve been her physician for fifty years. All that time I’d dearly hoped I wouldn’t be her last.”
They looked down as she shifted in the bed and moaned gently.
“Do you want me to stay here with you?” Windstream said.
She shook her head. “No. If I need you I’ll call.”
He nodded before reaching down and grabbing his bag before giving Twilight a gentle smile. “Good night Princess.”
He walked to the door and shared a nod with Flurry before shutting the door behind him. She heard Twilight shift again and as she looked down, faded, purple eyes opened and scanned the room.
“Flurry? Flurry Is that you?” She reached out and hoofed at the air in front of her.
Flurry reached both front hooves out and wrapped them around the tiny, withered purple hoof. Paper thin skin under purple, gray streaked fur felt like it was going to rip in her hooves. She swallowed back a memory of her as a filly, being thrown into the air over and over, both of them laughing endlessly as they played. She remembered feeling absolutely safe. Absolutely confident those hooves would always be there to catch her.
“Yes Aunt Twilight. I’m here.”
The eyes turned and finally focused on Flurry. “Ah. There you are. It’s so dark in here.”
Flurry activated her magic, gently increasing the light in the room. She gently squeezed Twilight’s hoof. “Is that better?”
Twilight nodded. “It is. I’m glad you’re here.”
Can we just stay ‘here’ forever? “I’m here, Aunt Twi. I’m not going anywhere.”
A smile brightened and stretched the wrinkled, ancient face. “Do you remember when you were a filly? You were so scared of the dark. I remember when I’d watch you.”
Flurry gave a small, sad chuckle. “You’d stay in my room in your castle with me until I fell asleep. You’d tell me about your adventures. I remember falling asleep so many times to your stories.”
Twilight nodded. “You always used to tell me you couldn’t wait to go on my adventure’s with me.”
Flurry nodded. “They sounded so exciting. You and the other Elements. Mom and Dad. Aunt’s Celestia and Luna.”
She reached her other hoof up and cupped her niece's hoof. “And I’m glad that now you have your own friends and you have your own adventures. That Equestria is safe. I can leave it in good hooves.”
Don’t talk like that!
Flurry felt her heart slam upwards into her throat. She still couldn’t admit this was happening. It seemed like just days ago the two were sitting in the same room, drinking tea as Flurry received her Aunt’s advice on whatever was plaguing the kingdom. Just days ago Lily had burst into the throne room and the world had ground to a shuddering halt on the news that Princess Twilight had been found collapsed upstairs.
She was fine! How is this possible?
She shook her head. “Aunt Twi. You aren’t leaving. We’ll….we’ll get through this. You’ll have more adventures. I…” Her throat clenched as the first burning tears ran down her cheeks. She slammed her eyes shut, trying to stop the flow. She swallowed. Took a breath. Clenched her stomach. Everything she could think of to dam off the river of pain inside her.
Stop! Stop it! She needs you to be…
Her eyes snapped open as she felt hooves gently rest on her cheeks. She immediately turned away, trying to keep her Aunt from seeing her.
“Flurry. Flurry sweetheart….look at me.”
“No. No Aunt Twi.” The first cry escaped her throat. “I can’t….”
“Flurry. Please….honey. Look at me.
Flurry took a long, shaky breath and looked at her Aunt through a blurry, stinging gaze.
“It's my time, Flurry. Soon. I know it. I can feel it. I’ve had a long, long life.” She set her hooves back at her sides and looked up towards the ceiling. “Sometimes I feel like I can hear them. I see them in my dreams.”
Flurry shook her head. No! No dammit!. “I don’t know what to do. Without you…I…I’m all alone.”
Tears poured as she thought back to all of her goodbyes. Her parents. Twilight’s friends and their descendants through time. Luna. Celestia. Her Aunt was the last thing she had. Her last anchor to those days so long ago.
She looked up as Twilight shook her head. “Flurry. You won’t be alone. I’ll always be there. Always.”
She thought back to the balcony. “Aunt Twi…I’m not a filly…I know….”
Twilight settled back into the bed and shook her head. “I’ll be there Flurry. They’re there for me. I saw her Flurry.”
“Saw who?”
“Rainbow Dash. While I was resting.”
Flurry looked down at her, unable to bear reminding her Aunt how long it had been since her friend had passed. She reached down again and wrapped her hooves around Twilight’s.
Maybe telling me will help her feel a little better.
“Tell me about it. Where did you see her?”
“We were…flying…getting ready for something.” Her Aunt smiled and nodded. “Yes. A…party I think.” She seemed almost…excited.
Flurry held a sob back and wiped her tears away. “Do you remember anything else?”
“I was…at the library….”
—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Twilight turned the page in her book. She was lying on a blanket on the upper terrace of her library. In the weeks since she’d moved to Ponyville, it had rapidly become her new favorite spot.
She muttered to herself. “Let’s see…you can take the foundational structure of Temper Habe and combine it with…” She trailed off as she realized she needed a different book to cross reference her idea.
“Spike? Spike, would you please go get Starswirl’s Codex on Temporal Arcana Volume 3 for me? Please and thank you.”
She called out after a few moments of silence. “Spike?”
She looked up and over to the drake’s little rest pillow to see nothing.
“Spike..?”
Where is he?
“SURPRISE!!”
She yelped and jumped to her feet as a rainbow colored blur shot over her.
“RAINBOW!”
“Ha ha ha! Gotcha!” Rainbow Dash chuckled as she rocketed around and settled into a hover above Twilight.
Twilight rolled her eyes. “Very funny….”
“Not my fault you were so distracted! You eggheads and your books.”
Twilight closed her book and set her hoof on the cover. “You know…you could try it sometime. Books are great. Reading never hurt anyone.”
Rainbow smirked. ‘We’ll see. Maybe someday. What are you doing?” Wings flapped as Rainbow settled on the deck next to her.
“I was working on…..” Twilight stopped and thought for a moment. What had she been working on? The spell…but…was there something else? It seemed like just a second ago she’d been doing something incredibly important.
Wasn’t I just…in Canterlot? Talking to…who? Who was I talking to? She suddenly felt heartsick for someone she wasn’t sure she had ever met.
Rainbow tilted her head. “On what?”
“I…I can’t remember. I was doing something. Talking to…somepony. About something very important. It seemed like it mattered a lot.” She shook her head. Maybe I was just reading. “It might come to me later.”
Rainbow shrugged. “I’m sure it will. In the meantime, mind giving me a hoof with something?”
“What are you doing?”
Rainbow looked towards the north end of town. Twilight jerked back at a massive, roiling wall of black clouds coming over the horizon towards Ponyville.
Where did that come from? Seems like it was clear just a moment ago. She turned and looked to the opposite side of the sky. It was completely sunny. Not a cloud in the sky.
“I have to get that cleared before this afternoon.”
“Why? That storm looks dangerous. Why not just let the storm move on?”
Rainbow shook her head. “I can’t, silly. There’s a big party tonight! Can’t have a storm ruining it.”
“Oh. That makes sense.” Wait…what party?
“What party are you talking about? I don’t remember anything about a party today?
Rainbow’s wings flexed as she took off into a hover above her.
“I’ll tell you on the way. Let’s go!”
Twilight nodded and looked over at Spike’s empty pillow again.
“Twilight? What is it?”
“Rainbow…have you seen Spike? He was just right here.” Wasn’t he?
Rainbow waved off her concern. “He’s fine. I saw him just a few minutes ago. He’s got something he needs to do! He always catches up. Come on! We don’t have much time.”
Twilight nodded. Rainbow was right. Spike always managed to catch up to her.
They took off towards the storm, gliding over Ponyville. She spotted the CMC on the ground below her, waving up at them.
They look like fillies….when…?
Her attention snapped back as Rainbow pulled up next to her. “You know, I remember giving you flying lessons when you first got your wings.”
Twilight rolled her eyes. “I remember me being absolutely terrible. I’m amazed you had the patience to put up with me.”
“Pffffff. That’s what friends are for, remember?”
“I didn’t really get good at flying until after I got…” She shook her head.
Rainbow tilted her head. “Your what?”
“My castle…” She turned back and looked at the library. I don’t have a castle.
Rainbow nodded. “That’s true.”
“Rainbow.. I don’t have a….”
Before she could finish, Rainbow turned to her grinning from ear to ear. “I’m really excited about this party tonight!.”
I can ask her later. “What’s this party for anyway? I don’t remember anything about a party tonight.”
Rainbow stared straight ahead for a moment, before turning and giving her a small smile. “It’s a welcome home party!”
“Oh?! For who?”
“A friend. A very old friend.”
Twilight thought for a moment. She wasn’t sure she really knew anyone outside of her core group in Ponyville to call an old friend yet.
“Is it anypony I know?”
Rainbow smirked as they reached the edge of the stormhead. “I think so. Maybe not all that well yet.” Rainbow shot forward and began kicking away clusters of clouds. Twilight joined her at her side and did her best to keep up with the veteran pegasus. They descended further into the storm, breaking entire banks of clouds apart as they went. Wind and rain began slamming into them as they continued their work.
‘Well what’s their name? I might remember them.”
Rainbow shook her head. “I’m not sure you’d recognize who she is now.
Twilight frowned. “And what in Tartarus does that mean?”
“I just know she hasn’t been around in a long, long time.”
Twilight banked upwards and began kicking away clouds next to her friend. “Then how am I going to know her?! I’ve only been here a few months!”
Wait. Has it only been a few months? It seems like so much longer.
She turned as Rainbow drifted veered away from her heading further into the storm. Lightning crackled around them as the sky grew even darker around them.
“How in Equestria did this storm form this fast? It seems like it was clear just a second ago!”
Rainbow burst through a set of before jetting even deeper into the storm. “It happens Twilight! Storms can come out of nowhere! You get used to it!”
Twilight used all of her strength to keep up with her friend. The wind was deafening now. She had to strain to hear Rainbow.
“Isn’t that what the forecast is for? Don’t you plan the weather?”
Rainbow gave her a gentle smile before rocketing past her and towards the core of the storm. “Can’t plan for everything! Sometimes things just happen! All you can do is fly and break up the clouds as best you can!”
Lightning lit up a cyclone of black clouds ahead of her. In the center she saw Rainbow, silhouetted against the tempest, still kicking away clouds. Twilight could barely hear her above the wind. “Rainbow wait for me!”
Before long she could barely see Rainbow, no matter how hard she flew. Before long her friend disappeared into the dark, writhing cloud bank.
“Rainbow! Slow down! I can’t see you!
A voice called out from the storm. “I’ll have the storm cleared before the party! Get going egghead! Someone else is waiting for you! I’ll see you at the party Twilight! I promise!”
“Rainbow? Rainbow!?”
The world went dark as the storm clouds closed in on her.
—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Flurry looked over as she heard the mechanical hum of the IV pump next to them. Almost immediately, Twilight settled back into the bed.
“It…felt so real Flurry…it was like she was RIGHT there.”
Flurry nodded. “It sounds like a very good dream.” Talking about her friends seemed to be helping her settle.
Twilight looked up at the ceiling. “Was it a dream? I’m….I’m not sure, Flurry. It felt so much like those days.” Twilight smirked. “She even called me an egghead.”
Flurry shook her head. “Egghead? Why would she call you that?”
“She….” Twilight shifted and closed her eyes for a moment as the medicine began its work.
“She used…to make fun of me for reading…” A wide smile crossed her Aunt’s face as she fought against the drug induced sleep.
Flurry’s eyes went genuinely wide. She thought back to the Rainbow Dash Memorial Library in Cloudsdale.
“Funny…isn’t it? Where life goes…” Twilight’s eyes began to close as sleep took her.
Flurry reached down and put a hoof on her Aunt’s cheek. “Rest, Aunt Twilight. You need to rest.”
“I wonder….where….he…”
Her voice trailed off as her breathing slowed and finally settled. Flurry watched her for a moment longer, listening to the life sustaining hum of the room around her. When she was absolutely sure Twilight was asleep, Flurry knelt down on the bed and laid her head down on the blankets, tears streaming as she watched her Aunt. She took a deep, shaky breath as she stifled the first cry. Soon a second and a third. She couldn’t bear to disturb Twilight and it would have taken all of Equestria to move her from this room. She buried her head into the blankets, silently waging war with the inevitable. She clutched at the blankets as she raged against immutable tragedy. Raged at her own powerlessness at the slow, inevitable tide of time.
Eventually she felt her eyes getting heavy as the last of her rage washed away with her tears. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d slept. Had it been days? Weeks? Yesterday seemed a lifetime ago.
Sleep finally took her as she looked up at her Aunt. You can’t go….Aunt…Twi…you can’t….
—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Twilight?”
Twilight jerked and turned from the ovens in Sugar Cube Corner. Pinkie was standing over a mixing bowl, furiously working at a bowl of batter. The work table in front of her was stacked chaotically with mixing bowls, sheet pans, ingredients and all manner of things needed to bake. “What is it, Pinkie?”
“Would you please come taste this cookie dough? I can’t seem to get it quite right.”
How did I get here? Wasn’t I just talking to…Rainbow? Or….
Pinkie blinked from over the bowl of batter. “Twilight? Hellooooo? Coming?”
Twilight shook her head and nodded. “Sorry. Yeah.”
Twilight walked to the counter and grabbed the spoon Pinkie held out to her in her magic. She chewed and thought for a moment.
“It’s a bit oversweet. Maybe add some more of the other ingredients to compensate?”
Pinkie spooned a sample of the batter into her own mouth. She facehoofed and bounced over to the ingredient cupboard. “D’uh! I can’t believe I didn’t notice that. Hello Pinkie!”
Twilight looked around the kitchen. It wasn’t in any better shape than Pinkie’s work table. It looked like a pastry factory had exploded. It was absolutely overflowing with mixing bowls full of prepared dough. Trays and trays of cookies, pies and other treats sat on cooling racks as others baked in the ovens.
“Sweet Celestia Pinkie. Who is all of this for?
“It’s for the party, silly!
Party?
“Rainbow had mentioned something about a party.”
Pinkie nodded. “Yuppers! Gonna be a pretty big one too!”
“Pinkie, where is Rainbow?”
Pinkie looked up at her and blinked. “Clearing the storm away, remember?”
“Oh…yeah. I was…” Why do I know that?
“She said something about a friend coming into town?”
Pinkie as she added things to the bowl and began mixing furiously again. “You got it! A very old friend actually!”
“That’s what Rainbow said. I don’t have any old friends in Ponyville.”
Pinkie looked up, head tilted in confusion. “No old friends? You have plenty! Especially the other girls!”
Twilight smiled. “I appreciate that Pinkie but I’ve only been here a year. I love you girls but…,mmmf”
She stopped talking as Pinkie jumped over and shoved another spoonful of cookie dough into her mouth.
“How’s that?”
Twilight frowned and swallowed the dough. “Much better. You could have just given me the spoon you know.”
“That wouldn’t have been nearly as funny!”
Twilight rolled her eyes. “Hilarious.” She looked around at the kitchen again. “Seriously though Pinkie. This is a ton of food! How many Ponies are coming to this party?”
“Pretty sure everyone, Twilight. Our friends, Luna, Celestia. Starlight, Sunset. Thorax. Tempest. The town ponies.” She smiled gleefully before returning to her mixing. “Everyone!”
Twilight nodded. “That really is…” Everyone? Who’s…Tempest? Starlight?
Before she could finish her sentence, she smelled something off and she turned to see smoke coming out of one of the ovens.
“Pinkie!” Twilight ran over to the oven and yanked it open with her magic. A plume of black billowed from the box as she floated the smoking, charred remnants of a pie towards them.
Pinkie ran up and frowned as she examined the carbonized disk. “Whoopsie!”
Twilight frowned. “I’m sorry Pinkie.”
Pinkie looked up and raised an eyebrow. “Sorry for what? You didn’t burn it.”
Twilight shrugged. “I know…I guess I just feel bad you’ve got to remake this one.”
Pinkie guffawed and looked over at a counter of abandoned treats. “It wouldn’t be the first time!”
Twilight gasped as she scanned the counter. It was an absolute pile of mistakes. Cookies that had burned. Cakes that had collapsed. Pies that were little more than a sludge of fruit and scrapped crust.
“Goodness Pinkie! That's a lot of mistakes for you!”
“Pffff! I mess things up all the time Twilight! We all do!” Pinkie reached over to an oven glove, put it on and grabbed the smoldering confection out of Twilight’s magic and tossed it over to the pile. “Just gotta try again and move on!”
Twilight nodded. I wonder how many things I’ve messed up as a Princess. She shook her head. Wait..I’m not a…Princess….
She turned back to see Pinkie scanning the kitchen. If Twilight didn’t know any better she would have thought the other Pony looked almost….wistful.
“Pinkie?”
Pinkie’s gaze settled on the pile of ruined treats as she gave a small chuckle.
“Pinkie…are you ok?”
Pinkie locked eyes with her for a moment before giving Twilight one of her signature grins and nodding.
“I am! I was just thinking that it’s really kind of funny.”
Twilight tilted her head. “What is? The burnt food?”
Pinkie nodded. “Yup! Think about it!” She began walking around the kitchen, gesturing around at the piled of confections. “It’s like anything else! Too much of this or that and it’s just not right. Cook it too long or too little and it’s either raw or burnt! Too much flour and it’s too dry. Too much mixing and what once worked suddenly falls apart. The effort has to be just right!”
Pinkie?
“It’s like you just said, sometimes things are too sweet. Sometimes you need something bitter to balance it all out. To make the sweet work!”
Pinkie gave a gleeful chuckle and nodded her head towards the ruined pile. “And sometimes…it doesn’t work no matter what you do!”
“I suppose that’s true.” She felt like someone dear to her probably needed to hear those words right now.
“I think I need to get back to work Twilight!”
Twilight looked up at Pinkie, once again furiously mixing the cookie dough.
“I thought you needed help Pinkie.”
Pinkie winked at her. “You’ve helped plenty. Besides, I think AJ and Rarity are waiting for you.”
Twilight nodded. I was supposed to go see them.
“Oh…ok.” She turned for the door before stopping and looking over her shoulder. “Oh..by the way Pinkie. Have you seen Spike around? Rainbow said he’d be catching up.”
Pinkie nodded. “He just left actually. He’ll be here soon.”
“Left? Left from where?”
Pinkie tilted her head. “His home, silly!”
—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Princess!”
Flurry Heart jerked awake and inhaled sharply. Her vision was blurry as she blinked away the crust of tears. What? What time is it?
She looked over a clock on the bedside table. She had only been asleep for a few hours. She looked over her shoulder at the still dark, wintry night. The weather had gotten worse in the hours she was asleep. What had been a bad snow storm was now a full on blizzard. Ice crawled its way across the balcony glass as snow began building up in the corners of the ledge.
“Princess Flurry Heart!” She looked up. Windstream and Lily were standing next to her, shaking her awake.
She stood up and looked over to Twilight, shifting in the bed, eyes slowly opening.
Windstream stepped up next to her and looked at the instruments and panels.
Flurry winced as she stood up. Her legs had fallen asleep kneeling on the floor. “Is there any improvement?”
He shook his head. “No, your highness…she….” He paused in mid sentence and sighed deeply. “I don’t think we have much longer.”
Flurry screwed her eyes shut as she desperately negotiated with time. There had to be something. A medicine. A spell. Something. Anything. Her mind furiously raced through every adventure she’d had. Every magical artifact. Every potion.
There has to be SOMETHING!
“Flurry…”
They all turned to Twilight, now awake and looking at her niece.
“Aunt Twilight!”
Her Aunt turned slowly in the bed, looking out the balcony window.
Twilight gave a small smile. “I saw Pinkie. She’s at Sugar Cube Corner.” Twilight reached a hoof up and pointed out the windows.
She looked out the window where Twilight was pointing. Even through the clouds, Flurry knew exactly where she was looking.
Ponyville.
“She said he was leaving, Flurry.”
Who’s leaving?
Aunt Twilight…I…”
Flurry watched as Twilight’s smile widened and Flurry realized finally she wasn’t looking over her to the window. She was looking past her. Through her.
Flurry shook her head and gently pressed her Aunt back down against the bed. “Aunt Twilight. You need to lay down. You need to rest.” Twilight settled back into the bed and looked up at her niece.
Twilight turned back and smiled widely at her niece. “He’s on his way, Flurry. He’ll be here soon.”
Lily stepped forward. “Who is she talking about Princess?”
Flurry shook her head. “I don’t know Lily. I think she might still think she’s dreaming.”
They all looked up as a gentle knock on the bedroom door rang across the bedroom. She looked at Lily Vale, who promptly nodded at her Princess and trotted angrily towards the door.
“For the love of…this had better be…”
Lily opened the chamber door and was immediately bowled over as one of the castle guards burst into the room. He immediately saluted Flurry and bowed as deeply as he could.
“My apologies, Princess. My deepest…deepest apologies but I need to speak with you immediately!”
Lily rounded on the young guard. “I have absolutely no doubt whatever this is can wait!”
Flurry held a hoof up. “It’s fine Lily.” Her assistant backed off as Flurry quickly stepped forward. “What’s going on?”
“Your highness, our outer boundary scouts just reported that…that….”
“That what?”
The guard swallowed and shook his head, trying to find his words. “That…SOMETHING is heading straight towards Canterlot at incredible speed. We think it came from somewhere in the north.”
The north?
“It’s enormous, your Highness. At least a hundred feet long, possibly more. It blew past our guards like they were standing still. They couldn’t identify what it was before it was already out of their view.”
“Did they provide any kind of description?”
“Nothing much besides the size ma’am. It was hard to tell in the dark. One guard reported he thought it had purple and green markings.”
Purple and green…what in Equestria could…! Her eyes went wide as her Aunt's words replayed in her head.
He’s on his way, Flurry. He’ll be here soon.
Flurry shook her head. There was no way. He hadn’t been seen in centuries. She thought back to the day so many centuries ago when he said goodbye and secluded himself in the unreachable parts of the world. He’d grown too large. Too powerful. It was his species' way to slumber alone at the ends of their ancient lives. Twilight had told her endless stories of him. How she had raised him. Their adventures together. Flurry could remember how sad her Aunt had been the day he’d left.
Pinkie said he’s leaving, Flurry.
She felt a strange numbness wash over her. Like reality had finally penetrated her guard and smothered what was left of her feelings.
The guard continued. “We’ve dispatched squadrons in pursuit but I don’t think we have any chance of catching up to it. General…”
Flurry reached out and put a hoof on his shoulder. “Stand down the guard.”
The guardspony shook his head “Princess?”
“I know what it is, young one. Trust me. It’s of no harm to us.”
The guardspony nodded, obviously confused. “Yes, your highness.” He ran off to relay her orders.
Flurry walked back into the room and looked over at her Aunt, who was again looking out the window, smiling gently into the dark. Flurry made her way to the side of the bed and turned to Lily.
“Please notify the castle staff…” She took a deep breath and swallowed. “Dr. Windstream is right. We don’t have much longer.”
Lily looked up at her. “Are you sure Princess? How do you…”
Flurry sighed before turning and looking out the window at the whirling flakes outside. “He’s coming, Lily.”
“Who? Who is coming?”
She turned back to her Aunt, still looking towards the window and smiling. “An old friend Lily. A very, very old friend.”
—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Consarn’it Twilight! Would you pay attention!?”
“Sorry! Sorry, Applejack.” A long, wooden table plummeted towards the ground in front of her before she caught it in her magic.
Wasn’t I just…where’s Pinkie?
“Sorry AJ. Spaced out there for a minute.”
“Ah can see that. You ok, sugar cube?”
“Yeah. Just…” She shook her head. “Never mind. What were we doing again?”
Applejack sighed. “We’re laying out these tables, Twi. This one needs to go over there with the others. The banquet line. It’s gonna be where all the food’s goin.”
Twilight nodded and began levitating the table over to the others. “Is this for the party?”
“You got it! Gonna be a heck of a shindig!”
Twilight looked around. “I’ll say.”
The entire front of Sweet Apple Acres had been cleared. Rows and rows of tables and chairs were lined up. It looked like they were going to host all of Ponyville.
“Applejack, do you know who….”
Before she could finish, Applejack wheeled around and yelled towards the barn. “Rarity, for the love Celestia, you got those tablecloths ready yet?”
“Almost, love! Just ironing out the last of the wrinkles!”
Applejack facehoofed as hard as Twilight had ever seen. “Are you kidding me? We’ve got to get this ready! Creatures are gonna start arriving soon! Pinkie’s gonna be here with the food anytime! A few wrinkles ain’t gonna matter none!”
Rarity emerged from the barn, trotting towards the tables and carrying a stack of perfectly pressed, silken table cloths with her magic.
“Nonsense darling! Where’s the generosity in a half assed presentation?”
Twilight chuckled. “You sound more like your wife each day Rarity.”
Rarity rolled her eyes. “Mmmmmm. Sadly it’s true.”
Applejack snorted. “Ah just got her to be a little more honest, is all.”
It had always amazed Twilight how perfectly the two complimented each other. A mismatched conglomeration of personalities, lifestyles and interests that seemed all at once completely incompatible but somehow worked perfectly.
Sometimes life just works out that way I guess.
Rarity set the tablecloths down and walked over, kissing Applejack on the cheek. “She can be a bit…blunt at times. But I think that’s part of the…rustic charm I married her for all those years ago.”
Years? Didn’t they…just get married? It seemed like she had officiated their marriage yesterday.
Applejack rolled her eyes, though Twilight couldn’t help but notice the subtle blush under her orange fur. She nodded out over her family's land. “Just figure I’m lucky she agreed to move out here to Sweet Apple Acres. Wasn’t sure she’d take very well to farm livin.”
Rarity smirked. “It’s taken some…adjusting but I’ve managed. Besides, isn’t home just where those you love are?”
Twilight nodded. “It is. Speaking of Applejack, where’s Apple Bloom?”
“She and the girls have a class to teach this afternoon at yer school. They’ll be joining us with those six students of yours as soon as they’re done!”
School? “Teaching? Is that part of their CMC activities? Cutie Marks in teaching?”
Rarity and Applejack shot each other a side eyed glance. “You…might say that Twi.”
Twilight walked over and started helping them straighten the tables out. She looked around the small, homespun charm of the farm. “You know…I never really thought I’d get used to Ponyville when I first got here. It was so…small. And I was only focused on figuring out what was going on with Nightmare Moon.”
Applejack looked up at Twilight. “You weren’t exactly the most neighborly that first day.” She winked at Rarity who giggled before returning to her table arranging duties.
Twilight stuck her tongue out. “It’s not like you five are the…simplest of ponies to get to know either.”
Applejack guffawed as Rarity giggled and nodded. “As we’ve all learned…we can be…a lot.”
They all shared a laugh as Twilight looked back towards the town. The purple star at the tip of her castle was barely visible above the orchard. “And now I can’t imagine living anywhere else.”
Rarity stepped towards her. “Oh I’m sure your journeys will take you to other places. You’re a Princess after all darling.” Rarity wrapped a hoof around her shoulder. “It’s going to be a sad day when one of us has to leave Ponyville, sure. But I imagine we’ll all wind up here again sooner than later. I’m sure there will be plenty of chances to see each other!”
Twilight shrugged. “I know. I just…I have this weird feeling there’s going to be a lot of goodbyes between here and there.”
Rarity gave her a gentle smile. “It will be sad. We all miss you.” With that she turned and began laying the table cloths out on the tables again.
“Miss me? Rarity…I haven’t gone anywhere.”
Rarity chuckled. “Slight…slip of the tongue darling. In any case, AJ and I need to finish what we’re doing. You scoot along now. We’ll see you soon enough.”
“What? There’s still a lot of work to be done. I can help…though…” She looked around the farm yard. “AJ, Rares? I don’t suppose either of you have seen Spike? I’ve been looking for him all day. I just seem to keep missing him.
Rarity looked up and smiled gently at her. “Spike’s going to be here any minute, Twilight. Go ahead and head on so you can meet him. We’ll take care of things here.”
“Are you sure?”
Applejack snorted. “For lands sakes Twi. We got this! Go meet him!”
But where is he….?
—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Princess…I think…you might want to….”
Flurry walked up and stood next to the doctor. “What is it, Wind?”
Windstream looked up from the instruments to her and took a deep, shaky breath. “Not long now. You may want to say anything you need to say….”
She heard Lily let out a choked sob before turning and running out of the room.
It took everything Flurry had to swallow back what felt like her entire soul as she nodded.
“Doctor…can I be alone with her?”
He nodded and paused before turning back to Twilight, tears streaming down his face as he nodded at Flurry and left the room.
Flurry stepped forward and sat at the edge of the bed. She had no idea what to say. What to do. She turned and looked out at the whirling snow outside. Was this really happening? Was he really on his way? Was she supposed to just sit here and let her go?
He should be here soon.
Was this really happening? How did she know he was coming? Magic was a fickle thing. The two of them carried a bond that had lasted millenia. One born of and forged in the arcane. Perhaps he just knew. Perhaps she had called him somehow.
Or maybe…she really is seeing them? Did they tell her?
Flurry shook her head as she sat next to her Aunt, staring back and forth from the window to the bed. What do I do now? Do I just…sit here? Wait for him to come? What then?
She stared out into the storm, wondering if every shadow in the heavens was him. How far is he now? Minutes? Hours?
She looked back to Twilight. Is this really all I have left? Her mind barreled through millenia in a matter of seconds as she grasped for every second more. All the things she still wanted to say. To do. She had been allowed more years with her Aunt than almost any other two creatures and she would trade everything she had right now for just a few moments more.
Mere moments went by before she heard a gasp from the bed. She turned as Twilight suddenly sat up in the bed with more speed than she had seen from her Aunt in decades.
“Aunt Twilight!”
Before she could make for the bed, purple magic began swirling around Twilight’s horn. Flurry froze in her tracks as she watched her Aunt’s wings unfurl.
No. NO! Not yet!
—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Twilight….how are the eggs doing?”
Twilight blinked and looked around. She was sitting in Fluttershy’s cottage, basking in the warm glow of her fireplace as Fluttershy moved around the kitchen, preparing something for them.
Wasn’t I just waiting on someone?
Movement on the coffee table next to her caught her gaze. Three small eggs sat nestled in a nest, basking in the heat from the fire. Twilight’s ears perked up as one of the eggs jerked.
“Just fine, Fluttershy! Still nothing major!” The eggs had been moving in their nest for the last hour or so. Twilight had been lucky enough to be at Fluttershy’s cabin when the joyous event had begun.
“It should be any minute now!”
Twilight shook her head in amazement. “How do you even know that?”
Fluttershy emerged from the back of her cottage, a steaming pot of tea in her mouth and two cups held in her wings. She set everything down before pouring both her and Twilight a cup each.
“I don’t know. I just do. I can hear them. Their voices get louder the closer they get to hatching.”
Twilight blew on her tea and shook her head. “It still amazes me, even after all these years!”
“What does?”
“Your ability to understand nature. I’ve never seen anything like it. I…” She trailed off as an odd sadness took her.
“What is it, Twilight?”
“I’m not sure. I just kind of feel like I might never see anything like it again.”
“Well you can’t know what for sure, right?”
Twilight shook her head and nodded, trying to fight off the feeling.
“That’s true. In any case, it’s still amazing!”
Fluttershy blushed as she took a sip of her tea. “Thank you Twilight.” She looked over at the nest as sadness spread across her face.
“Flutters?”
Fluttershy sighed. “I just…I wish their mother had survived. I’m glad I found the nest when I did. I can raise them. I’ve done this many times but…”
Twilight reached out and put a leg around her friend's shoulders. “It’s never any easier?”
Fluttershy shook her head. “Never.”
“You see a lot of this don’t you?”
Fluttershy nodded. “I used to hope I’d get used to it.”
Twilight sighed. “I’m not sure death is something you should ever get used to.”
They sat in silence for a moment as Fluttershy watched the twitching eggs. Eventually she looked at Twilight with a sad smile. “I can’t imagine what it’s going to be like for you.”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s just…you’re an Alicorn. Even if you aren’t immortal, you’re going to live far longer than the rest of us.”
Twilight took a deep, heavy breath and hoofed at her cup of tea. “Honestly it’s something I’ve been trying to avoid thinking about.”
Flutterhy’s smile turned oddly…knowing. “But you already have.”
Twilight looked up, surprised by the bluntness in her normally demure friend. She thought back to Fluttershy bluntly laying the truth out for Rainbow the day Tank passed. How taken aback she had been as her gentle, passive companion logically laid out the cold truth of life to Rainbow, who was soul deep in denial at the time.
She handles this incredibly well.
“I suppose I have. I guess I’ve just figured I would throw myself into my work after you all pass. Flurry is going to need help learning to rule Equestria. Cadence is going to need help with the Crystal Empire. Luna and Celestia are going to retire soon….”
“I’m glad you’ll be there for Flurry. It’s going to be tough for her.”
Twilight nodded. “It will. But she’ll be ok."
Wait…how do I?
“How do I know that Fluttershy? How do you?”
Suddenly a soft tapping noise brought their attention to the nest. The first etchings of a crack began to appear in one of the eggs. They both jumped off the couch and crouched around the nest.
“It’s almost time!”
Over the next few moments and with no small degree of encouragement from Fluttershy, the shell of the first egg fell away and the first chick emerged.
It took everything Twilight had to not reach out and pick the newborn up. “It’s sooo cute.”
Fluttershy nodded. “They really are.”
Twilight shook her head. “Kind of amazing to think it’ll only be a little while before you let these three go as well.”
“Like I said, I’ve done this many times. All I can do is give them their best shot.”
Twilight looked up. “I hope I’ve done that with Flurry.”
Why…wait…why did I say…
Fluttershy nodded. “You have. She’s ready. She doesn’t think she is. But she’ll be ok. And she’ll be here before you know it.”
Twilight shook her head. “Fluttershy…how do you know that? I feel like I’ve been waiting for something for a long time now. I was helping Rainbow and Pinkie. I saw Rarity and Applejack.”
Fluttershy nodded. “You were. You were helping them with the party.”
Twilight stood up, wings flaring in frustration. “What party?! For who? Who is this party for? Where’s Spike? What in Tartarus is going on?!”
Fluttershy shook her head. “That’s not important right now. You’ve got other things to do.
“Like what?”
“Say goodbye.”
Fluttershy turned as there was a gentle knock on the cottage door.
“He’s here.”
—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Flurry had no more than a second to process what was happening when her Aunt’s magic enveloped her. Her eyes were two glowing pools of pure magic. There was a blinding flash and then silence as she stared at an empty bed.
“Twilight?”
Flurry looked around in a panic. No! NO! Where did she go! “AUNT TWILIGHT!”
She needs to be….
She whirled around the bedroom before she saw a single, brilliant point of purple light in the night outside the window. She burst out the balcony door into the frigid night.
“AUNT TWILIGHT!”
She could barely make her out, floating in the sky just beyond the castle tower balcony. She was simply floating there, seemingly immune to the winter storm raging around her.
She flared her wings, preparing to launch off the balcony when a sudden onslaught of wind slammed into her. She braced as she was pushed backwards.
Damnit! I have to….
Her breath caught in her throat as he emerged from the black of the night. It seemed like the storm parted out of respect to a greater force of nature.
She swallowed as she stared up at him. He’s here.
She heard hoofsteps behind her as she turned and looked over her shoulder. Lily, Windsteam and several guardsponies burst onto the balcony behind her.
Lily’s eyes went as wide as saucers. “Mother of….Celestia…..”
Windstream whispered breathlessly. “Is that…a dragon?”
Flurry nodded. “It is. His name was….is…Spike.”
Her guard had wildly underestimated him. His size. His span. He seemed as large as the castle itself. The air around him seemed to convulse with every flap of his field sized wings. His scales, so long ago shiny and new, were now dull, rigid and cragged. Like armor from some ancient battle. Bright green eyes shone like emeralds in the darkness as magical fire flickered from his bearded mouth.
He settled in a hover in front of Twilight, looking down as she flew towards him. She could hear the Ponies below them clamoring as they tried to make sense of what they were seeing.
Lily shook her head. “I thought…dragons that old would disappear before they died. I’ve never even heard of one that big around Pony lands.”
She heard her guards step forward. “Princess, do you need us to…”
Flurry held a leg out, silently ordering them all to stay where they were.
“Stay where you are. He’s…..” She took a deep breath…forcing herself to live in the reality of the moment in front of her. “He’s here for her. To take her.”
“Take her…where?”
Flurry looked up at the reunion in front of her. How long had he been waiting for this moment? Holding on until she was done. Holding on to take her….
“Home Lily. Home.”
The wyrm held his front legs out, as Twilight gently settled between his claws. She turned, looking back down at her niece. Here now, at last with her last two anchors to the world.
A warm smile spread across Twilight’s face as she mouthed three words to Flurry.
“I love you.”
All the pain of these last days, last hours coalesced into this single moment. The pain and desperation. She felt herself relive it all again in the course of an instant. And she knew. She knew there was nothing more she could do. She took a deep breath as the waves washed over her.
It’s time.
Flurry locked eyes with him for one, brief moment as he nodded very slightly. Flurry bowed her head, returning the gesture.
“Take her home Spike.”
She heard the ponies behind her gasp as Twilight turned and looked up at Spike. The ancient drake looked down at her. He brought her up to his face, gently leaning forward until they were face to face. She watched as her Aunt stepped forward and gently leaned her head against his. Through the dark of the night and the snow, Flurry almost swore she saw him smiling.
A moment later, a burst of purple erupted from her horn. The energy spiraled from her horn and around them until they were completely engulfed. A moment later Spike pulled his head away and looked straight up into the sky. He took a deep breath and soon a stream of green, magical fire erupted from his mouth. The two streams intertwined, spiraling around them. Within seconds the magic peaked, briefly turning brighter than the sun before dispersing into a cloud of purple and green motes in the sky. Within seconds there was nothing.
She heard the Ponies behind her murmur.
“Goodbye, Princess Twilight.” Windstream said.
Flurry turned and looked at her guards.
“Will you please send out a notice to the county. Princess Twilight has passed away.”
She heard the guards bow and vacate the balcony as Lily and Windstream stood a moment longer.
“Flurry…do you…..”
“Lily….could you and Windstream keep everyone out for a little while? I’d like to be alone. I’ll…be there in a bit.”
“Of course.”
The two of them left the balcony as she just stood, staring up into the sky.
I hope you’re with them. I hope he’s with you. Wherever you are.
Goodbye Aunt Twilight. I love you…and…I’ll see you again….someday.
—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“WELCOME HOME TWILIGHT!!!”
Twilight jerked, fur standing on end as she whirled around. She was standing in Sweet Apple Acres in front of a gigantic crowd of Ponies.
What the?
The entire town was there. It seemed like the entire country was there. The Elements, Starlight, Sunset. Luna and Celestia. Cadence and Shining. Ember and Thorax. Her students. Her family. Everyone.
She shook her head. “Welcome home? I was just….”
Her eyes went wide as it all slid into place. It all flashed in an instant.
Flurry….
“This is….”
Her friends stepped forward. Applejack tipped her hat to her old friend. “We’ve been waitin’ a long time for ya honey.”
“AJ….I…..I’m sorry but…I had to…wait”
Rarity shook her head. “It’s ok Twilight. We know. You had things to do. We had all the time in the world to wait.”
“I was….I had to make sure Flurry was ok.”
Rainbow grinned at her. “Sure seems like you made the most of it!! That fillies gonna be a kick ass Princess! Trust us! You’ll see!”
Twilight took a deep breath. “I just…I wish I had been able to….”
Pinkie stepped forward. “You did everything you could. She’s ready.”
“And she will be ok now that you’re gone. You made sure of that.” Twilight looked up to see Fluttershy nodding at her.
Twilight shook her head, trying to take it all in.
“I just…I hope you’re right.”
Fluttershy smiled and nodded. “In the meantime…I think you’ve got someone else you need to see.”
Twilight looked around. “Who?”
She felt a tugging on her tail and she turned around. A tiny purple and green drake stood looking blushingly up at her.
It can’t be…
“Hey Mom.”
Tears welled in her eyes as Spike smiled up at her. Tiny, innocent, Spike. Her friend. Her son.
She whirled around and tackled him in a rolling hug that left both of them laughing and crying. She clutched him to her, squeezing with every bit of strength she had.
“Where have you been? I missed you!”
She felt him squeeze her in return. “I’ve missed you too. I was just waiting for you. We both had things we needed to do. But I’m here now. We both are.”
She had no idea how long they sat there, simply holding each other. Living in a moment that was two lifetimes in the making.
Eventually they heard Rainbow call out. “Will you two hurry up?! You’ve got forever to hug! Literally! Let’s party!”
Twilight let him go and wiped the tears from her eyes. She gave a laughing sigh. “I suppose she’s right. You want to get over there?”
Spike nodded. “Been waiting a long time for this party. You bet I am!
Twilight took one last moment to turn and look over her shoulder at the sun above them.
Flurry. You’ll be ok, baby. I’ll be watching you. I love you.
With that they turned and walked into the party.
