There was a time for Twilight when it was easy to accept everything that was happening around her, with friends getting older and others passing on. There was a time when it was just another pony to leave mortality, but things change. A simple letter, and nothing more, is all it can take to break even the strongest of spirits.
Twilight Sparkle sat at the edge of her bed, a single beam of sunlight illuminating her cutie mark through cracked curtains. Over the years, what was once a bright purple coat became something dull and nearly gray. Even her cutie mark lost color over the years, but that was just a simple fact of life. What wasn't something that wasn't added through the years however, were the sagging bags under her eyes. The look that she gave to anypony wasn't one that they would have ever recognized from the famed Twilight Sparkle, but it was the look of somepony who had become broken. Everypony becomes broken sometime in their life, but they usually have somepony there to comfort them through these times. But for Twilight, she was alone.
There was a time when she and all of her friends sat together, and wished that they would all pass on together, so that they could be together even in the afterlife. It wasn't something that was seldom talked about as if it was a taboo, but it was brought up nearly every day as they talked. It was something that should have been done, leaving with them. The plans had all been in order, and when they felt it was their time, they went to one of the furthest fields in Ponyville, the one with the sweetest smelling grass. All they wished to do was just lay there in each others presence as they passed. Laying in the tall grass as it swayed in the spring drafts and watching the small tufts of clouds pass in the sky they held each others hoof in hand. One by one, they said their last words, which were often nothing more than just a loving look to one another thanking them for the great life they helped each other lead. The looks they gave penetrated deep into the soul, leaving a mark to last for an eternity.
And just as they had thanked each other for what they had done, they passed one by one. Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash. Pinkie Pie, Rarity, then Applejack. They passed as they wished, hoof in hoof as they lay together. As for Twilight, she stayed in the grass for hours with her eyes closed loosely waiting for death to come and take her to her friends. Death never came to take her, but she felt it come for each of her friends as their presence left Equestria, and their hooves went limp in her own. She waited for what seemed like an eternity, cursing death for holding her away from her friends.
Night eventually fell over the fields as Luna arranged the stars in the sky, specially setting a constellation for each of the elements. Twilight opened her eyes and looked over to her friends, who were all looking to the skies with a smile on their faces. But for her, Twilight just sat there with a tear in her eye, jaw hanging slightly open to let a small cry escape. She watched the sky as they came into being, the stars moving ever so slowly to form an apple, a diamond, a butterfly, a lightning bolt, a party balloon, and even that of her own cutie mark. Even though she hadn't passed, something had died inside of her, and Luna knew it. Without her friends, she was nothing. Without them, she was just another pony.
Weeks passed, and every day she visited the newly dug graves of her friends, bringing flowers for each of them whenever she came. She even tried to talk to them, hoping there would be some response as they talked to her from beyond. They never did, even though she cried for them to come back, and even begged to Death to release her friends. She knew it was selfish, but it was all that she knew. They had meant everything to her, and they had even planned to go together. But Death, that cruel creature, never came and took her as they had wished for. She couldn't help but think that there was something just over the horizon, waiting for her to drop her guard and hit her when she was most vulnerable. Just as Death does, Death did.
Late one night Twilight sat over the graves silently, just thinking about everything that was happening to her. She had lost everypony that was dear to her, and even Spike had left many years ago to find his way once again. A slight flapping of feathers could be heard in the distance as Derpy came to her even in the dead of night. Her face showed nothing other than an expression of guilt, as she said one line to Twilight before handing her a scroll and flying away.
“I didn't want to hurt anypony... but Derpy.... Derpy Hooves mail is always urgent...”
Twilight held the scroll in her hoof, tears already forming in the corners of her eyes. It held the seal that her parents had only used, and it was something that her mother used only in the most dire of emergencies. Using what little of what willpower she had left, Twilight slowly tore the seal open to reveal the letter inside.
Dearest Twilight,
Should you be receiving this, it has become your father's and my own time to leave. There isn't much to say to you as you've become such a fabulous mare as we've heard about your adventures and talked to you over the years. We've been so proud of you, and you should always remember that. No matter where we are, remember that we love you, Twilight Sparkle.
Love,
Mommy and Daddy
It was yet another pony that she had cared so deeply for... the ones who had conceived her and raised her up from a small foal. There were so many memories that she held from her early years. The playing on the swing sets, playing in the sand, and even turning them into cacti on her first test in Canterlot. A smile rolled across her face for a brief second as the joyous memories flowed across her mind, but soon it turned to furious sobs as the new really sunk deep into her heart. Another piece of her gone from the world, just as it had gone and taken her friends in the weeks before.
Now she sits on the edge of her bed for the better part of her days, besides getting the necessary things to survive. She sat there, the letter she received from Derpy rolled in her hoof and resealed to help preserve the memories of the past. A beam of Celestia's sun made its way through a crack in her curtain, slowly making its way from her cutie mark and up her body. By mid-day, it had reached her lips, which were now coated with a smile as her hooves lay limp at her side.
Rarity? She called in an endless echo.
Rainbow? Twilight yelled, just to have it echo back again.
Applejack?
Pinkie? She said, pausing as she thought she heard a giggle.
… Fluttershy?
She only heard the echo of her own voice, the faint sound of trotting hooves slowly getting closer.
