Chapters Chapter 1: Solitary Departure
The Sun had not yet risen when Twilight slowly opened her eyes and sighed deeply, knowing she would not manage to fall asleep again, not before the rest of the World woke up in a few hours. She spent some time thinking about simply grabbing a book, and reading until sunrise, but she shook her head.
Instead, she got out of bed and washed her face, but when she returned to her room, she noticed the beautiful, cloudless, and starry night sky, and she decided to head out for a walk. Since she would soon be very busy, perhaps she should make this a routine, so she could take some time for herself.
Early in the morning, Ponyville Palace was dark and quiet, and Twilight did not make a sound as she wandered through its empty hallways towards the doors. Although the Castle had grown into her home, she still missed the Golden Oaks Library, and she loved to watch the new sapling grow in its place.
When she stepped outside, and felt the gentle breeze flow through her mane, a small smile grew upon her face, and she forgot about all her worries as she walked to wherever she wanted. Though the day she had long been dreading would arrive by sunrise, she had been preparing for its arrival as well.
As she walked through town, and listened to countless leaves fluttering in the wind, her smile only brightened, while her eyes welled up with tears. For the first time in many years, after travelling everywhere with her friends, she would head off on a quest by herself, and she was afraid to leave.
After a short walk, Twilight left town, and made it to a small hill, where she sat down in the cool grass, and quietly watched as the Moon and stars slowly drifted overhead. Luckily, knowing Luna and Celestia would stay after they stepped down, as Royal Advisers to the throne, put her mind at ease.
Still, even though it would be a few more months until that day, there was a lot she had to do, yet few were as important as her solitary journey. She would go home when the first light of the rising Sun hit the spire of Ponyville Palace, and showered the whole area in a beautiful array of colours.
At that moment, she heard the faint and familiar sound of the Apples harvesting the fruits from the orchard, so she headed to the farm after drying her tears. Twilight was so glad see at least one of her friends before she left that she called out to Applejack, who quickly rushed over to greet her.
Without an ounce of effort, AJ jumped over the fence to embrace Twilight, when she admitted that it was unusual to see her so early, so she asked her if she was all right. When Twilight merely looked down as a small smile grew on her face, AJ offered to bring her inside for something warm to drink.
In turn, AJ sweetly smiled as she gently took Twilight by her hoof, and led her back to their home, where she asked Twilight to take a seat on the couch. After she hung up her scarf, AJ went into the kitchen, and returned a moment later with tea for them both, and a paper bag of baked apple treats.
With a quiet sigh, Twilight politely thanked AJ for her hospitality and the bag of treats, to which she merely replied that it was the least she could do. It was never easy to leave your home behind, especially without friends or family by her side on such a journey, even for just a couple of days.
AJ warmly smiled as she looked at Big Mac and Applebloom in the orchard, before she said:
"I know how hard it is, sugarcube. I promise we'll be there when you leave, and when you return."
After Twilight thanked Applejack for her reassurance, she also turned around to look at Big Mac and Applebloom, while Applejack merely smiled as her eyes welled up with tears. When she started to cry a moment later, out of sight of her Siblings, Twilight took her hoof, and gently hugged her friend.
Holding back tears herself as Applejack cried into her shoulder, Twilight quietly promised her that she was there for her, just like the day when her facade broke. Out of all the townsfolk present at the funeral, not one Pony's face was left unstained after Applejack started to weep uncontrollably.
Eventually, when Applejack sat upright again, and looked at her all too familiar scarf, she let out a great sigh, and kindly thanked Twilight for letting her cry. In return, Twilight smiled warmly as she grabbed a few tissues for Applejack, and helped her to wipe all the tears off her stained face.
As the dark night sky slowly brightened over the horizon, after they had cleaned her face, Twilight finished her tea, and sweetly thanked Applejack for inviting her inside. Now, she added, she had to return to the Palace, have breakfast, and place everything she needed for her journey by the doors.
With a bittersweet smile on her face, Applejack walked Twilight to the door, promising her that she would be there to wave her goodbye before she left. But after she left, Applejack started to return the cups to the kitchen, when she saw the bag of baked treats she had given her still on the table.
Since she could not let Twilight leave without something to eat for on her way, Applejack picked up the bag of treats, put on her scarf, and ran after Twilight as quickly as she could. To her relief, after she took a shortcut through the apple orchard, she caught up to Twilight to give her the bag.
Before Twilight could apologise for forgetting the bag, Applejack said that she understood how busy she was, and wished her the best of luck in preparing what she needed. After AJ leapt back over the fence, she whistled to Big Mac and Applebloom, and asked them to reach out to all of their friends.
While the three Apple Siblings rushed around, Twilight headed home, now carrying her bag of treats, when the Sun shone on the spire of the Castle, and lit up the area with countless colours. In turn, Twilight stopped walking to admire its beauty, and took some time to listen to the World waking up.
It had been some time since she last watched the Sun rise, but no matter how much she read about it or how often she saw it, she would never stop loving the view. As the first Ponies left their homes to start their day, Twilight got up to fly home, never noticing the Apples stopping by her friends.
When Twilight stepped through the doors to the Palace, she noticed the wonderful scent of breakfast being made, and found Spike in the kitchen preparing all sorts of goodies. He only realised she was there when she cleared her throat, and he happily wished her a good morning, standing at eye level.
In an instant, Spike could tell that Twilight had been crying, but he just smiled gently as he told her that he would call her downstairs in a little while when breakfast was done. Without uttering a word, Twilight slowly nodded to her lifelong friend, and turned away, when Spike asked her to wait.
As soon as she saw Spike open his arms, she deeply embraced him, and exhaled shakily, when he said:
"You'll be all right. We'll all be all right. I promise. You can do this..."
The two stood in their embrace in the kitchen for some time, as Spike would not let go of Twilight, nor would she let go of him, until she felt her eyes well up again. In turn, Twilight put her wings in front of her face, thanked Spike for his kindness, and told him that she would be back upstairs.
Although Spike wanted to tell Twilight so much, that he was there for her, or that he would go with her wherever she went, or that he treasured their friendship over everything else, he said nothing. Instead, he just smiled warmly, and just sweetly told her to take her time as she left the kitchen.
When Twilight made it to her room, she sat down in front of the mirror, and smiled as she looked at all the pictures around her reflection. But her smile was accompanied by tears, which streamed down her face faster as her smile grew brighter, until she turned away before she broke down completely.
Eventually, when Twilight managed to compose herself again, she took a deep breath, and grabbed her satchel, in which she carefully packed the last few items from her desk. But although she picked up almost everything with her magic, some items were so delicate, she only held these with her hooves.
After Twilight placed the satchel over her back, she went over the route on her map, while just out of sight, a familiar blue Pegasus hovered outside, before she flew away. Back downstairs, Spike had finished cleaning the kitchen, and was serving breakfast, when he heard somebody tap on the window.
When Spike opened the window, Rainbow Dash slowly appeared, and quietly greeted him, before she let him know that everyone would meet them by the train station after breakfast. In turn, Spike thanked Rainbow for telling him, since he knew for a fact Twilight would greatly appreciate their presence.
With a quick nod, Rainbow flew off, moments before Twilight appeared in the kitchen, where she took off her satchel, and carefully placed it on her lap. But although Spike saw how red Twilight's eyes were, he knew how much she already had to deal with, so he just served breakfast, and said nothing.
To his great relief, soon after Twilight started eating, her face lit up, and she smiled again, and she sweetly thanked Spike for breakfast, and for all of his support in this tough time. So much had changed so quickly, yet he was always there to help, and she could never thank him enough for this.
As a small smile grew upon Spike's face, he nodded to Twilight, and reached out his claw for her to hold. In turn, as Twilight laid her hoof in Spike's claw, while keeping a close eye on her satchel, he told her that after all she had done for him and countless others, it was the least he could do.
But despite the warm and sweet smile on the face of his closest friend, which put his mind at ease, Spike worried about Twilight. Too well did he remember how often she sacrificed herself for others, and how much she had helped him in the most challenging moments in his life, without any complaint.
And now, Twilight was heading on what Spike knew would be the most difficult journey she would ever face, all alone, no matter how many times her friends insisted they join her? After he finished his breakfast, Spike sighed, and discreetly dried his tears, when Twilight slowly got up from her seat.
But before Twilight left the kitchen, Spike gently took her hoof with his other claw, and said:
"I know you don't want anybody else to join. But would you please promise me you'll stay in touch?"
It had taken Twilight a long time to prepare everything for her journey, and every step of the way, her friends said that they would be glad to join her. But no matter how dearly Twilight wanted them to come along, even if it was just so they were there, she had to turn down their offer every time.
Although Twilight knew they all meant it well, and that they were just concerned, she knew that she could only do this by herself. So now, to hear Spike finally tell her that he understood she needed to do this alone, Twilight smiled warmly, and promised she would send a message whenever she could.
When Spike let go of her hoof, Twilight wished him well, and said goodbye as she headed towards the doors, until he reminded her of her bag of treats. As she carefully packed it in her satchel, Spike sweetly offered to join her to the station, as he thought it was polite to wave to her as she left.
With a solemn nod, Twilight accepted Spike's offer, and together, they made their way through town, but neither of the two said a word, as there was little they had not already talked about. The only thing that Twilight did not know was that their friends were waiting for them at the train station.
As they walked past the growing sapling, Twilight stopped for a moment to look at the town in which she had lived for so long, and she smiled, but sighed deeply, too. Though she would return in a few days, soon enough, she would have to leave Ponyville behind, and all the memories she made with it.
As she started to well up, Twilight could console still herself with the knowledge that it would be a little while before she had to leave. In turn, she hastened herself to the station, as she wanted to come back quickly, and spend as much time as she could with her friends and Family in Ponyville.
But when the train station appeared in the distance, Twilight's hopes to leave quietly were dashed, as she saw that a massive crowd of her friends had gathered on the platform. But just as she slowed down and stopped, Spike walked up to her, wearing a gentle smile, and gestured for her to continue.
With a racing heart, Twilight waved to her friends as she slowly headed towards the platform, where she anticipated with dread to have to reassure everyone she was all right. But the loud clamour she expected never arose, as everyone just smiled to her in silence as she passed by them to the train.
After she opened the door to the train cabin, Twilight took but one step inside, before she started to get choked up, and felt tears streaming down her face. It felt wrong to leave on her own without talking to her friends, so she turned around, and made no effort to hide her tears as she ran back.
Mere moments later, Twilight deeply embraced her friends with her wings, and quietly cried out that she could not do it, to which she just heard Applejack quietly tell her she would be all right. All she needed to know was that they were here for her, no matter what, just like they always had been.
Every single one of her friends on the platform agreed with Applejack, however tough it was to hold in their tears. When the train conductor blew his whistle, Twilight got up, but Applejack would not let go of her, not until she had sweetly dried her friend's tears with a knowing smile on her face.
Twilight smiled warmly, and, as she gave them all a gentle forehead kiss, whispered to her friends:
"Thank you..."
And with her heart now put at ease, she waved goodbye, and boarded the train.
To her relief, Twilight saw few other beings on the train when she boarded, and despite her status, and fame throughout all of Equestria, nobody was at all unnerved by her presence. Even the youngest Foals she saw only sweetly smiled to her, and waved as she passed by, to whom she nodded in return.
When she found a quiet cabin to sit in, Twilight gently took off her satchel, and placed it between her legs as she sat down, just before the train started to move. In turn, with one hoof on her bag, Twilight opened the window to lean outside, and waved at her friends, who all waved back in return.
The station faded into the distance not long after the train picked up speed, so Twilight let out a sigh, and closed the window after she returned inside. For the first time in ages, her friends were not by her side, and as she travelled ever further away, she worried about what could come to pass.
If her ascension to the throne of Equestria required her to move to Canterlot, what would happen to their friendship? Would it survive the test of time, or would it wither? If she could only reliably reach out to them by letter, how long would it take for them not to reply to her messages any more?
But even though countless unfounded fears and doubts flooded her mind and overwhelmed her thoughts, Twilight did not listen. Instead, she carefully reached into her satchel, grabbed one of the treats from the bag Applejack gave her, and when she took one bite, she felt all of her worries fade away.
The smile on her face brightened once again, as the delicious pastry instantly reminded Twilight of everything she held dear: her home, her Family, and her friends. She felt comfortable, warm, and at ease, as if everyone she loved was sitting right next to her, and she had never left their embrace.
In turn, Twilight sighed quietly, yet contently, as she leaned back in her seat, and made a note to thank Applejack for the treats when she returned. She could not understand how a single bite helped her to feel like she was still at home, nor could she explain how glad she was to have it with her.
With her mind now reassured and unburdened by worry or doubt, and plenty of pastries left, Twilight placed the paper bag back in her satchel, and closed her eyes. Though her journey would be terribly exhausting and long, she felt at peace, knowing she did not need to worry about anything back home.
Since the School was safe in Starlight's hooves, Spike was watching over the Palace in her absence, and her friends were nearby, if they needed a helping hoof, there was nothing they could not solve. It gave Twilight enough peace of mind that she nearly fell asleep, when she remembered her satchel.
Fortunately, her bag was still safely on her lap when she startled awake, just as the train started to slow down for the next station. But though there was plenty of space for her to put her satchel, Twilight held on to it a little more tightly, as she would not dare to let it fall, or topple over.
There were only a couple of stations along her Northbound journey, but apart from Canterlot, all of these were small and far apart, and Twilight knew the train would not get crowded anytime soon. The train stopped a few moments later, and the doors opened for a hoofful of passengers headed her way.
At that moment, an older Stallion entered, wearing a too familiar tiredness in his remaining eye...
Most of the passengers who boarded were young of age, mostly Foals on their way to school, laughing as they played around with their friends, which brought a warm smile to Twilight's face. But out of all the Ponies that entered the wagon, there was one who stood out from the others in every aspect.
Although Twilight paid little mind to other passengers, she placed her hoof on her aching chest and exhaled shakily when she saw one particular Pony: tall and old, bearded and grey, and wearing a red bow tie, and an eyepatch, the Unicorn that boarded the train last slowly let out an exhausted sigh.
When the Old Stallion entered the cabin, Twilight discreetly watched as he looked for any available seats, before he realised he could only sit opposite her. With a solemn nod, the Stallion, who bore a red cross on his flank, quietly greeted Twilight, and politely asked her if he could take a seat.
A gentle smile grew upon Twilight's face as she nodded to the Stallion, who warmly smiled to her in return, before he gracefully thanked her, and sat down. But as the Stallion longingly looked out of the window when the train started to move, Twilight found it difficult to not look at his eyepatch.
But when the Stallion closed his eye, and quietly acknowledged that he knew Twilight was looking at him, she quickly looked away, and apologised for her rudeness. In turn, the Stallion let out a deep sigh, and admitted that he understood how distressing the sight of his eyepatch could be to others.
The sorrowful voice of the Stallion told Twilight he had received comments about his appearance far too often, so she apologised to him again, to which he smiled, and slowly nodded. Although he never looked at her, and only watched the landscape outside, Twilight realised he had started to well up.
The smile on his face only grew bigger and brighter as a tear rolled down his cheek, before he took a silver ring off his horn, and gently placed it in his hoof. But he did not care that Twilight was looking at him as he held the ring close to his chest, and whispered she would have loved the view.
At that moment, Twilight put her own hoof to her chest when she felt the same ache as before in her chest, when the Stallion snapped his head to look at her. But Twilight could not even apologise for disrupting him while remembering a lost loved one before he sweetly asked her if she was all right.
Not wanting to cause further concern to the Old Unicorn before her, whom she could tell already had too many worries to bear, Twilight smiled, and said she was fine. But when she saw the red cross on the Unicorn's flank start to glow, he gently took her hoof, and kindly asked her not to lie to him.
It was clear that the Old Stallion saw more with his one old eye than she saw with both of hers, so Twilight sighed, and admitted that she had probably sensed his pain. When she saw him step into the wagon, and when he whispered with his ring in his hoof a moment ago, she felt an ache in her chest.
Now, the Old Unicorn sighed as a small smile grew upon his face, and he showed her the ring that he always wore on his horn, and carried with him wherever he went. It was a simple ring, with only two initials engraved on it, but it reminded the Stallion of the first steps he took into his new life.
When Twilight asked the Unicorn, who introduced himself to her as Doc, about his old life, he said:
"Truthfully, 'tis a tale too terrible to tell... But the one who gave me this ring helped me heal."
When Twilight put her hoof to her mouth, she quietly apologised to Doc, and promised that she would not bring up his past again. But to her great relief, he smiled, and told her it was all right, for not only could she not have known, but thanks to Selene, it did not even worry him as much anymore.
For a brief moment, Doc's smile fell, and he closed his eye, but when he held his ring close to his chest, his smile swiftly brightened again, and he sighed in relief. In turn, Twilight politely said that it warmed her heart to know he took such great care of that which reminded him of his beloved.
As Doc turned aside to look out of the window, he sombrely admitted that he had prayed for her safe return every day since they parted ways. But no matter how dearly he wished to see Selene again, to hear her laugh, see her smile, and hold her close one last time, he knew he could not reverse time.
The small smile on Twilight's face slowly fell as she offered Doc her condolences for his loss, and said that she understood his wishes very well. Doc smiled sweetly as he looked at Twilight to thank her for her gentle words, before he added that the pain of Selene's loss would probably never stop.
After Twilight briefly looked at her satchel, she discreetly wiped away a tear, and promised Doc it would become easier to bear in due time, but she warned him that it would worsen at first. Too well did she remember how quickly her friends appeared to improve after such grief, only to break apart.
But to Twilight's surprise, Doc chuckled, and told her that he while knew how great a burden it was to carry around this pain, he said that it helped him, too. Although his memories showed him a time he could never go back to, he could also not help but smile when he remembered his lost loved ones.
Since she had never considered his perspective, Twilight merely looked outside as she thought about what Doc told her, and her eyes welled up with tears. As her smile steadily grew brighter, Twilight thanked Doc for his kind words and his wise advice, while he carefully placed his ring on his horn.
With a slow and solemn nod, Doc added that his ring always allowed him to feel connected to Selene, but there was more she gave him that he could remember her by. But when Twilight asked him what her gifts were, Doc chuckled quietly, and apologised to her for not being clear enough by what he said.
Although they had indeed given many gifts to each other over the years they were together, what Doc meant could not be wrapped up and given to someone else. Instead, he picked up a couple of Selene's little quirks, such as her reactions to sweets, or how she walked around with a spring in her step.
While these things were rarely noticed by others, they were very important to Doc, as it meant that Selene could live on through him. But Twilight just smiled in return, as she fondly remembered that she got her love of reading from Shining Armour, only for Spike and Rainbow to pick it up from her.
As tears of joy stained her face, Twilight politely told Doc to hold on to their quirks, since they could never know how much these would mean to them, until it was too late. The familiar look in her eyes told Doc enough, and he nodded, and quietly added that he hoped their memories would not fade.
At that moment, Twilight's ears perked up, and she offered Doc a treat from the bag in her satchel.
"Please, take one of these. A sweet apple treat to say thank you, but also to help you remember..."
Though Doc did not fully understand what Twilight meant, the warm smile on her face and the sadness in her eyes told him there was something special about her treat. After he politely thanked her for her offer, Doc slowly grabbed a treat out of the bag, and managed to avoid spilling a single crumb.
As Twilight put the bag of treats back in her satchel, Doc took a bite, and quietly squealed in joy as he flapped his hooves, until he noticed that she was gazing at him in wonder. As her eyes welled up, she put her hoof on her chest, and sweetly asked him if this was what he picked up from Selene.
In return, Doc nodded to Twilight with a shy smile, and happily continued eating his treat, when he slowly started to cry. But before Twilight could ask Doc if he was all right, he turned towards the empty seat next to him, and the bright smile that swiftly grew upon his face said more than enough.
Eventually, Doc's smile turned bittersweet, and as he gently grabbed Twilight's hoof, he said, in a terribly raspy voice, that he could not thank her enough for her beautiful gift. He figured she was but one of a tiny hoofful of Ponies who knew exactly what he just experienced, if not the only one.
With a kind smile, Twilight solemnly told Doc that it was the least she could do for him, but asked him to save his gracefulness for her friend, Applejack, who gave her the bag of treats. She did not understand how she made them almost magical, but she was glad that she visited her before she left.
It was strange, Twilight added with a brief chuckle, that something so simple as a small bag of her friend's treats, which she had eaten so many times before, could mean this much to her. Though, she admitted that she would have forgotten to pack it in her satchel, had her friends not reminded her.
At that moment, Doc quietly let out a deep sigh, and he slightly lowered his head, before he looked throughout the entire cabin to watch everybody else happily speaking with others around them. Then, when he turned back to Twilight with a pained smile, Doc politely said that she was very fortunate.
After he glanced at the empty seat next to him, Doc told Twilight to hold her friends close, and to spend as much time with them as she could, to make memories that last many a lifetime; for even the wisest in Equestria could not foresee what the future held, nor what one could lose in a heartbeat.
But before he continued, Doc stopped himself, and he just shook his head as he let go of Twilight's hooves, and sincerely apologised to her for his harsh tone as he leaned back in his seat. He should know better, after everything she and her friends have done for others, and what they have endured.
To Twilight, however, Doc's tone was not harsh at all, for although she felt that he spoke sternly, she could tell that he spoke from a position of wisdom, and experience. As her eyes started to well up, she softly asked him whether anyone was awaiting his return, but Doc shook his head in silence.
The smile on Twilight's tear-stained face faded, as she felt defeated, and she did not know what to say, until she glanced at her satchel. After Twilight took a deep breath, she promised Doc that she would do everything she could to grant others a chance to be with their lost loved ones once again.
To her confusion, Doc gently took her hoof again, and as he softly squeezed it, he kindly told her:
"Your Highness- no, Miss Sparkle, please... We cannot avoid these evil days, nor change them..."
Although Twilight clearly recalled him telling her he would do anything to see his lost beloved one more time, she struggled to understand why Doc had changed his mind all of a sudden. After a moment of silence, Twilight solemnly asked him why he was now saying she could not undo what had happened.
But Doc did not answer Twilight's question before he closed his eye, and slowly exhaled, whereafter he gently squeezed her hoof as the cross on his flank started to glow again. As it lit up, however, Twilight noticed that she steadily felt calmer, as if a great weight had been lifted off her chest.
For a brief moment, countless thoughts flowed through Twilight's mind, until Doc's smile brightened again a split second later, to her confusion. Then, she realised that a tear was rolling down Doc's cheek right below his eyepatch, which stunned her into silence before she could utter another word.
As Twilight leaned back in her seat, Doc discreetly glanced at her satchel next to her, and sighed, before he quietly told her that he understood her desire far too well. To lose somebody so close to you, someone you love dearly, whom you never expected would leave you behind, it did not feel fair.
However, no matter how she planned to fix what had happened, Doc continued, to bring back those who passed away would only ever result in more pain, similar to how he was helping her now. Although he could find the pain she was suffering from, and ease it, it was nothing more than temporary relief.
After Doc sincerely apologised for doing this, he let go of her hooves, and in an instant, Twilight could feel her calmth fade, and she slowly took a breath as her pain returned. But she realised too late that it kept climbing, and over the course of a few seconds, it reached a very familiar level.
Since Twilight had often found herself at these depths, she had learnt to climb out of these again, but now, for reasons she slowly started to understand, it felt impossible. In turn, Twilight stared blankly into the distance as her eyes welled up with tears, and she carefully embraced her satchel.
The mere sight of Twilight's tear-stained face, as well as her nigh silent crying, almost moved Doc to tears as well, so after he briefly shook his head, he laid his hooves on hers again to help her. A moment later, Twilight shakily let out a sigh, and she wiped away her tears as she nodded to Doc.
As he solemnly nodded to Twilight in return, Doc apologised yet again for putting her through this, but he wanted to make sure that she wholly understood why her admirable goal would not work. If she tried to undo what had happened, it would only bring constant worrying, false hope, and more grief.
Silence fell between the two as Twilight let what Doc told her fully sink in, until she took a deep breath, and thanked him for telling her what she needed to know. Even though it hurt to accept that her idea was flawed, she now knew she would not make that mistake, and she closed her eyes to rest.
When the train started to slow down a moment later as it approached Canterlot station, however, she quickly glanced between the window and her satchel. But before Doc could ask her anything, Twilight worriedly told him that she was briefly meeting a few Ponies here, but she could not leave her bag.
With a firm nod, Doc promised he would guard her satchel with his life, to which Twilight replied:
"Thank you... it holds some... what's inside is... of great importance to me... just... Please..."
The sincerity Twilight saw in Doc's eye as he promised to look after her satchel greatly warmed her heart, and she joined the other passengers who were headed towards the doors. The train slowly came to a halt, and just as Twilight cleaned her face of tears, she saw her two Mentors on the platform.
Fortunately, none of the passengers paid any mind to Twilight, nor either of the Royal Sisters, who opened their wings and arms to catch the lone Princess. Without uttering a word, Twilight fell into their embrace, and she let out a deep sigh as she pulled Luna and Celestia closer to her in return.
But neither Luna nor Celestia uttered a word to Twilight, and they just smiled as they held her, as they knew how heavy her burden was. Not long thereafter, though, after the two Princesses nodded to each other, they sweetly whispered to Twilight that she should drop her facade, since she was safe.
After a few moments of silence, the Sisters felt Twilight's embrace weaken, and heard her breathing drastically quicken when she started to quiver. But just as she sank through her legs, Celestia and Luna slowly helped her to sit down on the ground, where Twilight quietly wept into their shoulders.
Through her heartbreaking sobs, Twilight sincerely asked the Sisters if she would ever learn how to avoid feeling such incredible pain, to which they could unfortunately give no answer. All they were able to do was hold her close, as they did not know how to tell her that they still struggled, too.
Instead, as they gently caressed her mane, the two Sisters sweetly told Twilight that they knew how much it hurt to feel like this, but she should not let it fade. No matter how tough it would be, or how long it seemed to last, this, too, would pass, and they told her that she could not give it up.
There had been many times in the past that they both feared their hearts would never heal, but over time, they promised her that the pain would become easier to bear. But if she decided she would try to avoid it, she could not experience the true beauty that was life, with all of its ups and downs.
At that moment, Twilight looked up at her Mentors, and she watched as both Luna and Celestia's eyes welled up with tears when they looked at each other, and she understood. They experienced the worst anybody could go through, but in turn, their reunion was too wonderful to describe, and she nodded.
But when Twilight heard the Conductor's whistle, and she was forced to let go of the Princesses, to her dismay, she started to shake her head as she pulled them closer. But Celestia and Luna promised her that she would be all right, and that they, and all her friends, would always be there for her.
As a bittersweet smile grew upon her tear-stained face, Twilight sombrely let go of the two Sisters to return to the train, all while waving to Celestia and Luna. Then, when she sat down next to Doc, Twilight let out a relieved sigh, and thanked him for looking after her satchel as he gave it back.
After Doc moved over to sit across from Twilight, they waved to the two Princesses on the platform, when Doc placed his hoof on his chest, and gestured taking off a cap. But although the two Sisters' eyes widened in response, they only briefly shook their heads, and warmly smiled as the train left.
The train departed, but the Princesses motionlessly thought in silence, until Luna softly asked:
"Thou hast seen it too, Sister?"
The startled expressions that Twilight briefly saw on the faces of the two Princesses confused her, until she noticed the gesture that Doc made, which she faintly recognised, yet could not place. But she put this matter aside, and kept waving to Celestia and Luna, for as long as she could see them.
As Canterlot station faded into the distance, and the Royal Sisters, who were both deep in thought, returned to the Castle, Twilight slowly let out a deep and sorrowful sigh. Even though she was glad to have met the two Princesses on her journey, they had spoken about far less than what she wanted.
With a small smile on her face, Twilight made a note to herself to visit Celestia and Luna when she was on her way back, as she had a good feeling they had more advice to offer her. This would take a while, though, since she still had a long road North ahead of her, which she would not spend alone.
After she put the note in her satchel, Twilight gently embraced it to calm herself down, and looked at Doc, who sweetly smiled back at her, to thank him yet again for watching her satchel. In return, Doc solemnly nodded, and said that he always found it odd how such a light bag could feel so heavy.
The sincere and sombre tone in Doc's voice spoke volumes to Twilight, and told her that he had been burdened by the same weight she now carried far too often before. But Twilight discreetly shook her head, and instead, she softly told Doc that she wondered about the gesture he gave the two Sisters.
To her surprise, Doc quietly chuckled in return, and politely told Twilight that it was nothing but a sign of honour from his past life. When he saw the two Princesses, and Celestia in particular, he thought it was fitting, even if it was related to recent events that had never happened for others.
Unfortunately, Twilight only grew more confused at Doc's answer, so she sighed, and grabbed a piece of paper and a quill from her satchel to write to her friends, and to avoid hurting her head. After she wrote about her journey, as well as her meeting with Doc, she sent it away, to Doc's amazement.
As he watched the magic mist holding the letter fly out of the window and back to whence they came, Doc kindly asked Twilight if she could teach him how to send a letter by magic, too. Since he would not join her all the way North, he figured it would help them stay in touch after they parted ways.
Although Twilight felt her heart sink when she heard Doc admit that their paths lead elsewhere, she warmly smiled as she nodded to him, and offered her quill and another piece of paper. A few moments later, after Doc had finished writing a letter, he listened to Twilight as she explained the spell.
It took a long time and a lot of practice for Doc to figure out the spell, but after he took a deep breath, he focused on whither he wanted to send the letter, and at last, he was successful. When he opened his eye, and watched the same magical mist fly out of the window, he quietly cheered in joy.
But they took so long to learn the spell that his cheers were interrupted by an announcement, which told them that the train was approaching the station where Doc had to depart. Since it was the last station before the Empire, Twilight would reach her destination very soon, and Doc got up to leave.
Then, Twilight stopped him, and sincerely asked him not to go yet, to which Doc sombrely said:
"I shall write to you, Miss Sparkle, you have my word. Fare well, and until our next meeting."
With a final solemn nod to Twilight, Doc waved her goodbye with a warm smile, and left the train...
Chapter 3: End of the Line
Many Ponies were leaving the train at this station, and Twilight listened as the wagon in which she sat grew quieter, until just a few Ponies were left. But as she waited for the train to depart, she noticed Doc waving at her from the crowd of Ponies, wearing a bright, yet sombre smile on his face.
A warm smile grew upon Twilight's face in turn as she waved at Doc, when the train started to move, and he walked alongside it for some time. But Doc knew he could not keep up, so he stopped walking, and solemnly made the same gesture towards Twilight, but also mouthed something she could not hear.
But when Twilight opened the window to wave to Doc one last time, the train slowly turned away from the platform, and she could no longer see him, so she went back inside. After she closed the window with a deep sigh, she watched as the landscape became more barren the further North the train went.
Then, she heard another announcement, which let her know that the train was approaching the tunnels through the Mountains, and they would be slowing down for the passage. In response, Twilight leaned back in her seat, and tightly embraced her bag as the shadow of the Northern Mountains grew larger.
At that moment, as the train entered the tunnel, back in Ponyville Palace, Spike received a letter, and swiftly flew into the Great Hall to let the rest of the Mane Six know. Even though they had all been enjoying their tea, when they saw Spike, they worriedly asked him if something was the matter.
Fortunately, the smile that grew upon Spike's face easily put their minds at ease, and they all let out great sighs of relief when he read out Twilight's letter. In the letter, she had written to her friends about her journey, as well as Applejack's wonderful apple treats, and her meeting with Doc.
When Spike read that everything had gone smoothly for Twilight so far, and she could hardly express how thankful she was to everyone for their support, the others all smiled brightly, as well. Before Spike had even read the entire letter, though, they all agreed to send Twilight a letter in return.
It took quite some time for everyone to add something to the letter, which swiftly became over half a dozen scrolls that they struggled to make sense of. But a moment after Spike finished writing his part, as he took a deep breath to send off the whole collection, a snip of paper appeared overhead.
Soon after the first snip had gently landed on the table, to the others' confusion, more snips grew out of nothing, until at last, a sealed scroll addressed to Twilight appeared. But Spike merely put aside the scroll that appeared, before he added a quick note to his scroll, and sent the pile away.
Back in the train, where the lights had turned on for the long journey through the tunnel, Twilight shot awake when she suddenly heard the sound of flames nearby. But she was not upset for very long, as the package that fell on her satchel told her that her friends had sent her something in return.
After she cautiously placed her bag on the adjacent seat with a teary smile, Twilight unwrapped the bundle that appeared from that familiar green flame, and found that it contained a pile of scrolls. Although she knew not when they would reach the Empire, she would take her time to read everything.
It took a long time to read just a few scrolls before Twilight found the message Spike had written.
When she passed the aura around the Crystal Empire, Twilight felt her heart grow warm, and heavy...
For a mere moment as the train rolled through the aura of the Crystal Heart, Twilight felt like she was back at home, and that none of what she had been through had happened. But her heart started to ache again a split second later, so she focused on reading Spike's letter to keep herself occupied.
To her immense relief, the message that Spike had sent her brought tears of joy to her eyes, as her Dragon friend had written a formal and sweet message of reassurance and support; for in the letter, Spike repeated what he told her that morning, that all of her friends would always be here for her.
At that moment, just as Twilight wept away her tears, the train left the tunnel, and she was caught off-guard by the sudden brightness of the Sun, which she blocked with Spike's letter. When she did, however, she noticed that there was a small note shining through from the other side of the scroll.
After her eyes had readjusted to the light, with immense effort, Twilight read that Spike wanted to let her know that a clawful of paper snips and a scroll addressed to her had just arrived. When she read this, Twilight smiled, and quietly cheered, knowing that Doc successfully sent her his letter.
As she glanced outside, and saw the Castle of the Crystal Empire in the distance, Twilight knew she was nearly there, and she was looking forward to seeing her Family again. For now, Twilight decided to continue reading until she arrived, and she put the scrolls she had already read in her satchel.
But as she tried to keep reading her friends' letters, Twilight realised that her eyes were welling up yet again, but she knew these tears were not of joy, nor caused by anything her friends said. As Twilight gently embraced her satchel, she struggled not to cry over it as the train came to a halt.
When Twilight had put her unread letters in her satchel, and left the train, she found that she was one of a hoofful of passengers who were departing, as the platform was nearly empty. But as soon as she saw three familiar Ponies waiting for someone, her pace quickened, and her smile grew brighter.
It took but a moment for Shining, Cadance, and Flurry to notice Twilight trotting towards them, and they quietly exhaled in relief, before they ran towards her in turn. But when Shining realised that Twilight was carrying a satchel, he swiftly slowed down, and pointed at it without uttering a word.
As she opened her wings for a warm embrace, Twilight solemnly nodded to Shining, whose facade broke in an instant as tears started to stream down their faces. As the Siblings wept in silence, Cadance and Flurry briefly glanced at each other, before they sweetly suggested to head back to the Castle.
After they let go of one another, Shining and Twilight both nodded to the two Princesses with small and sombre smiles on their faces, and the four slowly walked to the Castle. When they made it there some time later, Cadance kindly told Twilight to have a seat while she and Flurry made some drinks.
Before she followed her Mother, though, Flurry skipped back into the Great Hall to bring her Father and Aunt a box of tissues, for which the two solemnly thanked her. In return, Flurry warmly smiled, and flew back to the kitchen, while Shining and Twilight silently waited, unsure as to what to say.
Just as Cadance and Flurry returned with tea and cake, Shining sincerely asked Twilight:
"So, the final stretch... You really don't want an extra hoof? I swear I'd be happy to join you..."
With a bittersweet smile on her face, Twilight solemnly nodded to Shining, and said that it was not his duty to carry a burden as heavy as this, as he had far too much to look after already. The only thing he could do, she added, as her eyes welled up with tears, was to be there when she came back.
To Twilight's frustration, her tears only flowed ever faster as she looked at her Niece and Sister, and promised them and Shining that she would be all right. But while she would not be away for very long, if they could all welcome her back to the Castle afterwards, she would greatly appreciate it.
While both Cadance and Shining merely smiled in response, Flurry quietly asked her if she knew what she could do for her to make her feel better, to which she struggled to give an answer. Eventually, after she thought for a while, Twilight let out a deep sigh, and told her that a hug would be nice.
Before Twilight could even open her arms for an embrace, though, Flurry already dove towards her to hug her Aunt, which made her aching heart hurt a little less, to her relief. When she told Twilight that she would be all right, however, her Niece's sweet gesture made her heart hurt all over again.
In turn, as a small smile grew upon her tear-stained face, Twilight gently embraced Flurry, and she thanked her for her optimism, even if she could never thank her enough. But she did not tell Flurry that Shining and she would both need a very long time to move on from what they were going through.
After the Princesses let go of each other, and Flurry had sat back down, everyone took some time to enjoy both their cake and tea, which ended up making Shining and Twilight weep again. In nigh utter disbelief, the Siblings asked Cadance and Flurry how they were able to make them taste so familiar.
All that Cadance said was that she could not have so successfully cared for her as a Foal without a little help from a certain cookbook, in which she found many notes about all their preferences. But luckily, she remembered to copy every recipe just in case, which she then taught to Flurry as well.
If they wanted her to, she sweetly added, she could share all the notes she took with them, so they could try to make the same recipes, just in case they no longer had the cookbook. She hoped that it would at least help them be reminded of better times, before the tragedy they had both experienced.
Neither Shining nor Twilight uttered a word as they gently embraced Cadance and Flurry, before they briefly thanked them in a quiet whisper. But as soon as Twilight let go of the two, she got up from the couch, her legs feeling like lead, and told the trio that she would be back before the Sun set.
With warm smiles on their faces, and a promise that they would be there for her, the three followed Twilight to the doors, where they waved her goodbye as she flew to the Mountains. Fortunately, when she passed through the Aura, her ascent went smoothly, as the weather was calm, and the area quiet.
The closer she got to the top, the more her heart started to ache, but also, the greater the burden lifted off her chest, devastated, yet relieved, over having to close this chapter of her life. When she reached a plateau overlooking both the Mountains and the Empire, she sat down with a deep sigh.
Here, Twilight took two urns from her satchel, and as she placed these next to her, she whispered:
"Well... Mom, Dad, I made it... WE made it... and the view is even more beautiful than you said..."
Chapter 4: Return to a Changed Home
As she stared out over the scene she had only heard about in stories before her, with endless tears streaming down her face, Twilight's lips started to quiver. It felt as though she was back in time, sitting next to Shining at their Parents' bedsides, anxiously watching over Velvet and Night Light.
Even though no illness had befallen them, no pain had tormented them day and night, and Night Light and Velvet were both peacefully resting at home with their dearest loved ones right by their sides, Twilight and Shining wept in silence, as they knew the time to say goodbye would soon be upon them.
The last thing that Twilight remembered was looking up at her Parents, sweetly holding their hooves with Shiny, just like back when they were Foals, and watching their faces brighten when they smiled through their tears, before they told their Parents they loved them, and begged for them not to go.
The familiar smiles on their Parents' faces, still as bright and kind and warm as every other time, only made their hearts hurt more, and the two Siblings struggled to keep on smiling, even as Velvet kindly reassured them they would be all right, and Night Light promised they did not need to worry.
All that mattered to them was that their brave little Colt and clever Filly were safe, and healthy, and happy, and that there was nothing that would burden them throughout their lives. But after they gently squeezed Twilight and Shining's hooves, they quietly said that they would like to sleep now.
Immediately, both Siblings started to cry uncontrollably as they laid their heads on their Parents' chests, and listened as their breathing steadily slowed down. Then, a deafening silence fell in the room, as Velvet and Night Light passed away, still softly holding on to the hooves of their Family.
Back on the plateau in the Mountains, Twilight had dropped to her knees, crying uncontrollably once again. But now, sitting at the end of the longest chapter of her life, she did not know what was in front of her, and she wanted to delay the inevitable closing for as long as she could, to no avail.
With incredible effort, she rose to her hooves once more, and carefully opened the two urns she had looked after for so long, before she scattered the ashes into the wind, and let Nature itself carry her Parents whither not even the wisest in Equestria knew, no matter how often they experienced it.
As if the very air had heard her cries, the wonderfully warm wind picked up, and twirled around her for a moment, before the area grew silent, as it flowed away from her in every direction. But while Twilight had feared she would not be able to continue, she slowly realised she could breathe again.
Even though she knew it would take a long time for this pain to fade, she took great comfort in the fact that she was able to fulfil her Parents' last wish, all by herself. But as she grabbed another apple treat from her bag, Twilight sighed as she returned to the Empire, so she would not be alone.
Fortunately, despite stopping along the way to take in the beautiful view of the Sun slowly setting over the Mountains, it did not take her very long to reach the Crystal Castle. But when she stepped through the doors, Twilight could feel that something was wrong, so she rushed into the Great Hall.
Her heart ached again when she saw Shining's tear-stained face, before she slowly nodded, and said:
"Th-They're gone... It-It's d-done..."
All of her energy instantly left her again as Shining and she walked towards each other, before the two Siblings fell into a deep embrace, and sank through their legs. As they let out their emotions, even Cadance and Flurry felt how immense their pain and grief were, without uttering a single word.
Neither of the two Princesses, wearing bittersweet smiles on their faces, dared to disturb them, so they quietly left the Great Hall, where they decided to make some tea. But when they made it to the kitchen, Flurry asked her Mother if they could make something for Twilight and Shining to eat, too.
With a solemn nod, Cadance agreed, and a little while later, they returned to the Great Hall, where Shining and Twilight were sombrely and silently sitting still on the couch, with stained faces. But they were snapped out of their focus after Flurry asked her Father and Aunt if they were all right.
Just before they politely thanked Flurry, they picked up the familiar scent of their Mother's stew, and they smiled warmly at the memories, before their smiles fell again just as quickly. Then, after Cadance gave them the bowls of stew, she offered Twilight a folder, filled with the notes she made.
Even though Twilight was speechless at her generous gift, Cadance just smiled as she looked at her, before she sweetly bade her to eat her stew. It was getting late, and she had clearly spent all her energy today, so she was free to stay the night if she wanted to, but Twilight just shook her head.
In response, she told Cadance that they had been very kind, but since she still had much to arrange at home, she said that it was best for her to collect what little she took with her, and leave. But Twilight could tell at a glance that she, and Shining, and even Flurry, were all worried about her.
In reality, she did not want to burden her Family for any longer, so she quickly finished her stew, warmly embraced them, and headed to the doors. But Shining offered to accompany her to the station, even if only to wave goodbye, as it was the least they could do, which she accepted, to his relief.
Save for the Conductor, the Royals were alone on the nigh abandoned station, where Flurry, Cadance, and Shining softly wished Twilight goodbye, before she boarded the train, and left. When they could no longer see her, Cadance took out a scroll and quill, and quickly wrote to Spike and her friends.
For her entire journey home on the empty train, Twilight silently read all her friends' letters and watched the landscape change, as she struggled to keep her mind in the present. She had little left to do before her ascension, but she feared what could be ahead of her without her Parents' support.
Eventually, after the long dark of the tunnel through the Mountains, past countless villages across the land, and stopping at Canterlot, Ponyville appeared on the horizon. When the train stopped, Twi put all her letters away, and stepped onto the platform, when she saw her friends had been waiting.
All her energy left her once again as Spike slowly walked over to embrace her, with the rest of the Mane Six following right behind him, before she collapsed into his arms, where she slowly let out a great sigh, wholly drained, yet incredibly relieved that all her loved ones had been there for her.
As Twilight relaxed her tensed body in her friends' arms, her facade faded, and she solemnly said:
"Thank you..."
And the silence of their embrace was only broken by Twilight's devastated and overjoyed crying...
Eventually, Twilight slowly managed to stand up again, wearing a small smile on her teary face, and quietly asked her friends to join her back to the Castle. Though she knew not whether she wanted to tell them anything about her journey, she did know their presence was something she dearly desired.
After the group made it back to Ponyville Palace, Spike and Fluttershy flew inside to grab the tea, joined by Applejack a moment later, as she still had to trot to the kitchen. The rest of the group, meanwhile, sweetly led Twilight into the Hall, where they sat her down in front of the open hearth.
Before she could utter a word, her friends helped to make her and themselves comfortable by placing many pillows on the ground around her, and covered her with a blanket. Then, as the others returned with tea and cakes for everyone, Twilight's eyes welled up again, but this time, with tears of joy.
As Spike quickly and carefully poured out the tea, Twilight softly asked him if he had arranged all of this, to which he merely looked around at the group with a smile on his face. After he sat down, he told her that he figured her journey would be challenging, even before Cadance's letter arrived.
It only helped to encourage them even more to give her a warm welcome upon her return to Ponyville, where she had one final thing that she had not yet done. For a brief moment, Twilight looked around in confusion, until Spike offered her the scroll, addressed to her, which arrived earlier that day.
In response, Twilight politely thanked Spike for keeping it safe, before she opened it, and read:
"Dear Miss Sparkle..."
"I hope the rest of your journey passed without issue, and that you have achieved your objective. I wish I could give you advice on how to carry on with such a great burden upon your mind and heart."
"There are no pains worse than what follows the loss of a loved one, but to feel twice that pain in your chest, yet to continue wearing a smile regardless, requires strength far greater than I know."
"Always remember that there are countless beings in your life who will be there to support you, and listen to you, and stay by your side during the toughest and darkest moments, such as these times."
"Until our next meeting, which I dearly hope is soon."
Doc's letter left everyone speechless, but eventually, Twilight took a scroll and quill, and wrote:
"Dear Doc..."
"Few things in my life had been tougher than this impossible task, but it should please you to know that I have completed my Parents' last wish, and I am writing to you in the company of my friends."
"I am certain there are many things that both of us prefer to leave far in the past, but the advice you gave, the kindness you shared, and the compassion you showed are all memories I shall cherish."
"Though I may never truly know the weight you carry with you, I know that one should never carry it alone. Know you are welcome to visit at any time, no matter how long it may take us to meet again."
"Your friend indeed, Twilight Sparkle"
Then, Twilight sent the letter, drank her tea, hugged her friends with her wings, and laid down.
Simultaneously, elsewhere in Equestria, Doc also finished drinking his tea, and reading her letter, when he took off his ring, and gently placed it in front of a painting of Selene and himself. Then, he and Twilight turned off the lights in their rooms, and fell asleep, with warm and calmed hearts.
Both the Ageing and the Ageless looked forward to meeting again, but in happier and easier times...
