That Place Beyond the Sea
"Love is everlasting..."
The night reigned, and all was silent in Canterlot. The calming darkness dominated the vast sky like a comforting blanket over the earth below. Nopony stirred, despite the bright lights shining from the winding paved streets, neatly trimmed trees swaying ever so gently in a fresh breeze which heralded the end of summer. The street lamps lit up the golden roofs of the nearby buildings, crowning needle thin spires and wide curved domes alike with halos of shimmering luminescence. In the darkness, the trees were full of starlight, and the night-blooming flowers displayed their unique beauty to the outside world - though nopony was awake to see them.
Except for one.
Princess Luna walked gracefully through one of the many public parks that dotted the wondrous capital, humming melodically in time with the almost silent music of the wind. The breeze caught her splendid mane, teasing its perfect stands of hair lovingly. The tiny stars that floated in its cloud soft crest sparkled, the alicorn's long tail mimicking it exactly. Luna spread her majestic inky blue wings as she bent her head down low to smell a glowing nightblossom. It smelled sweet, a scent which reminded the Night Princess of the dying summer. She always liked coming here. This park in particular, known as Starfall Garden, was located near the highest point of the city. Canterlot was carved from the mountain itself, or at least a great portion of it was. The older districts climbed up the slopes of Mount Everwhite, giving spectacular views of the city and the surrounding scenery.
The Starfall Garden was the highest park in the city, and the beautiful pony often came here during the night. A gentle stream ran through the centre of the grassy glade, fed by one of the two mighty waterfalls which cascaded down from the summit of Mount Everwhite. The crystal clear springs were nourished by the mysterious magic that seemed to emanate from the great peak, and the trees that grew around the water were tall and strong. A multitude of nocturnal fauna hopped, crept, scuttled and flew about the moon lilies as Luna set her inky blue body down amongst the reeds. It was here, in the most tranquil location in all of Canterlot, and now, at the time when the world was at its best, that Luna could admire her work.
Far above the sleeping land of Equestria, the stunning masterpiece that was the Night looked down lovingly. The silver moon was full tonight, bathing the pony capital in a wonderful lulling light, making the mountain city shine like a flawless jewel in the sky. Around the glowing silver orb, blazed a thousand times a thousand glittering stars, each twinkling gently. Luna sighed in pride. She had taken extra care tonight, each constellation elegantly set in the vast expanse perfectly. No clouds hovered above, giving Equestria an unobstructed view to the dark heavens. Though few ponies would be awake to see it, Luna hoped that she had given them something worth staying awake for.
A sudden flicker of unnatural light caught the Moon Princess' attention. Luna's ever vigilant gaze spied a small yellow glow coming from the newly constructed Library Tower. The brief shadow of the tower's occupant told Luna that there was no need for alarm, but there was need for concern.
This cannot continue. Something...anything, has to be done, thought the dark alicorn forlornly. An owl that sensed her discomfort hooted softly. Luna nuzzled the night time bird, letting it fly away silently into the Garden. Luna too spread her wings, startling a great many forest critters as she gracefully launched herself into the air. With the skill and speed of a master flyer, the winged pony glided back towards the Royal Palace.
Twilight forcibly slammed another dusty tome shut as she failed to find what she was looking for. The thick gold bound book was flung to the steadily growing pile that began to climb higher towards the beamed ceiling. The young Princess' royal regalia and crown were absent from her body, and her stunning, usually flowing mane of violet and magenta stars hung simply down the side of her somewhat pale face. Her eyes of rich dusky purple were red and puffy, and her lavender coat that usually shimmered with magical power now stood dull and lifeless. Even the great pink star emblazoned on her flanks seemed dim and cold.
Her regal horn flaring, Twilight yanked another book to herself. The distraught Princess breathed another sigh of frustration as once again, the information she sought eluded her. By the time the grand gold doors were opened by a another concerned pony, half of the Library's contents were strewn across the floor and desk. The watchpony cautiously entered the darkened chamber carrying a small oil lamp in his mouth. His dark armour clinked as he set the light down. With a frown he gazed upon the sight of the Princess of Magic frantically rushing through massive tomes before casting them aside. Tentatively, the guard cleared his throat.
"Um, excuse me, Your Highness but...are you okay? It's unusual for anypony to be awake this late at night."
"You're here, aren't you?" came the clipped reply.
The guard let out a small chuckle, not noticing the alicorn's tone. "It's my job to check up on ponies up and about after nightfall. To see if there is anything wrong" he looked at Twilight intently for a moment, "is there anything wrong, Your Highness?"
"No. There isn't" said the lavender pony, slamming yet another book away. The guard was unconvinced.
"If you don't mind me saying, Princess, but I think you're holding back on me. I could help, well, I can do what I can. I've been told that I'm a good listener. All my friends say I give good advice. If you tell me what's wrong, I'm sure I can think of something to-"
"Shut up!" Twilight roared. The guard flinched. The angry pony turned a tearful stare to the stunned guard. Her eyes flared brightly, the pain and frustration that had built up in her heart finally boiling over. The candle which she had brought with her suddenly blazed as the flame exploded violently, melting down to a tiny puddle of white wax before the flame died. The only light in the room now came from the poor guard's lantern.
"You know nothing! Nothing of what I feel, of what I bear every day in my heart. You know nothing...noth..." her voice broke, and the alicorn turned away in shame, collapsing in a fit of tears. The guard continued to back away, an awkward expression plastered on his face as he realised that he may have caused one of the Princesses to have some kind of emotional breakdown. Not knowing what else to do, the stallion turned to leave, leaving his lamp on the floor. As he turned however, his muzzle came into contact with a great inky blue coat.
Princess Luna stared at him for a second before the poor pony scuttled away, bowing and muttering apologies as he did so. The Night Princess looked forlornly at her Magic counterpart. The great pointed ceiling of the Library Tower made the sobs of Twilight echo, her anguished cries rising and falling back down again. The sound almost made Luna turn away - not out of irritation or anger, but a great sense of sympathy. Shielding her heart, she took a few tentative steps towards Twilight.
"You cannot keep doing this, Twilight Sparkle. It's not healthy, and nor is it going to make the days ahead any easier. None of this is your fault, you should know that. Celestia and I know that, as does Cadence, and all of Equestria. We all mourn them Twilight, and all the world mourns with us...but...what you are doing now, it cannot bring them back"
"Why? Why can't it bring them back? I've done things before...amazing things! Magic can do anything, all I need to do is find the right spell!"
"No magic, not even the power of Harmony, can bring back the dead..."
Twilight lifted her head from her hooves, casting a wet gaze to Luna. She wanted to shout at her, to tell her she was wrong. But she didn't have the strength nor the will to argue. Maybe, deep in her heart she knew Luna was right...but she had to try.
"Should I wake Celestia?" Luna asked quietly.
"No, no...there's no need for that. It's just...I miss them, Luna. I miss them so much...can anypony blame me for that?"
Quietly, the Night Princess shook her head, and the room seemed a little brighter. "No, but there comes a point when somepony's grief for the loss of a loved one becomes so great, that said grief can destroy the memory of those lost..."
The lavender coated, starry maned alicorn turned away, biting away another tide of sorrow. But not because of their loss, the loss of the ones closest to her...but because what Luna said was true. Twilight felt a terrible aching in her heart. She was being selfish, a selfish, self pitying foal. Her friends, her brother, her parents...they wouldn't want this. But still, it hurt so much. With deliberate slowness, Twilight turned back to face Luna.
"And you being awake during my hours of rule is making you ill. Everypony can see it, Twilight Sparkle. You need to rest." said the blue mare not unkindly, but with enough authority to cause the younger Princess to step away from the wooden desk.
"Come...the night is yet young. You still have time for a good slumber before the dawn comes."
Weakly, Twilight sighed.
"Okay, Luna...okay..."
The dark curtain of the starry night sky slowly began to melt into the rich colours of sunrise. Twilight watched as the deep blue turned into violet to rose to pink. The rays of the approaching Sun blazed upon the drifting clouds, lighting up the eastern horizon like a beacon. The morning stars finally yielded and disappeared as the sky transformed into a serene azure. From her balcony high upon the Tower of Stars, Princess Twilight Sparkle watched the city of Canterlot awaken. Already, the summit of the Tower of Harmony started to shine as the Sun crept upwards. Turning slowly, the lavender pony regarded the impressive sight of her former teacher upon the balcony of the Sanctum of the Sun.
Celestia looked as regal and as beautiful as ever, clad in her shining royal regalia. The golden Sun emblazoned upon her white flanks almost glowed in the dawn light. The Sun Princess' wings unfurled gracefully, every perfectly preened feather catching the sunlight and the golden glow radiating from the elegant spiralled horn. With a great burst of power, Celestia hauled up her burning charge.
The world was drowned beneath a fiery tide of splendid sunlight, the last traces of the night being vanquished with a single burst of warmth. The soft clouds exploded with white, reflecting the sunbeams like perfectly polished mirrors as they danced across the vast blue sky. The gold topped spires of Canterlot blazed as the rays touched their reflective plating, making the mountain city look like some gigantic stone birthday cake. The Sanctum of the Sun looked as if it were on fire, both from the sunlight and the magical inferno that raged from Celestia's horn. The bright rays caught the falling torrents of water that were Ilinata's Tears, and the light was shattered into seven perfect arcs of colour.
Morning in Equestria. There was no sight more glorious in all the world.
Or so Twilight thought once, a long time ago when she was a filly. The memory of her first Summer Sun Celebration was still one that stayed with her closely. That was a long time ago now, a very long time ago. Equestria had changed since then. Skyships now soared the amongst the clouds, and steam driven wagons paraded through the streets of Ponyville and other towns. The sky above Manehatten was now murky with fumes from the vast factories, and sea near Baltimare was slick with pollution. Equestria had changed, and not for the better in many cases...
Twilight stood up after a long while. Her shimmering mane of Stars flowed beside her of its own accord. Her eyes were still red and puffy however, and she was certain that Celestia would notice at breakfast soon. The forlorn pony considered not going down to the Royal Feast Hall at all, but a rather audible rumble in her stomach warned her against it. Cursing her hunger silently, the winged unicorn picked up her own regalia slowly. levitating the elegant star gemmed crown upon her head whilst slipping her hooves into the golden horseshoes.
Spike gave me this crown...
It had all been such a rush, those few weeks after the coronation. Hundreds, no - thousands of ponies from every corner of Equestria had journeyed to Canterlot in the following days to pay homage to the newly crowned Princess of Magic and Friendship, and Twilight remembered how stressful it all became. On top of her own subjects, she was forced to attend royal meetings with the rulers of the Griffin Kingdoms, the Deer-Realm of Concordia, the Zebra Homeland of Zevera, and emissaries from Shanghay, Neighpon, Prance, Germaneigh, Saddle Arabia and Camelu.
If it hadn't of been for the support of her friends, she might not have been able to cope.
But they're all gone now...
Locking her jaw, Twilight turned back to the rising Sun. The fiery orb climbed higher and higher, heralding the new day. Silently, the young alicorn cursed its warm gaze, and the one who raised it. It was all her fault. She did it. She was the one for forced this upon a young, unprepared unicorn. The one she once loved most in the world, the one she looked up to and worshipped. She did this. It was her fault that they were gone.
Twilight had never hated anypony in her life, and she didn't intend to start now. Not knowing what else to do, the lavender pony let out an anguished sigh and trotted towards the Royal Feast Hall. Maybe if she talked to her, told her what she really wanted most...then maybe she would listen.
Celestia was a goddess, after all...
The Royal Feast Hall was a tall, cathedral like room situated on a high seperate wing overlooking the Canterlot Statue Gardens. The hall was lined with twelve high windows, each set in between a pair of mighty marble pillars. A colossal varnished dawntree table ran down the centre of the room, surrounded by high backed chairs set with precious stones.
By the time Twilight started walking down the small set of stairs into the hall, Celestia and Luna were already present at the table. The Sun Goddess sat at the far end upon an elaborate seat decorated with golden filigree and rubies. The table was covered with about half a dozen silver and gold platters, each covered with ripe fruit, freshly harvested vegetables, sweet pancakes and crepes, and overpriced oatmeal.
As Twilight walked over to her seat to Celestia's left, Luna watched the relatively new Princess with a turquoise stare, her mind attempting to see any immediate outward sign of her current mood. She spied none. Celestia sipped a cup of herbal tea as smiled as Twilight sat herself down.
"A good morning to you Twilight, I hope you slept well" chimed Celestia, almost painfully happy. Luna hadn't told her sister of what Twilight had been doing last night. Or the night before that, or every night since the last of her loved ones passed. The young Princess smiled weakly back.
"We have a busy day ahead of us. Princess Cadence has asked us to journey to the Crystal Empire to assist her in the preparation of this year's Crystal Fair. It's the one hundredth anniversary since you and the Bearers of Harmony liberated them from King Sombra. It's going to be a festival to remember."
Twilight simply nodded. She knew what Celestia was doing. She was trying to act normal and make her forget about her friends. Twilight's parents had tried to do the same when her grandmother passed away when she was little. It worked then. It would not work now.
"C-Can I speak to you alone...later...?" Twilight whispered, barely audible. But Celestia heard.
"Of course" she replied. Though she kept her tone serene, something in the timbre of Twilight's voice caused her to frown slightly.
It was getting late into the day, and the Sun had began to fall in the clear, open sky. A soft breeze blew in from the North, cooling Celestia's coat as she ascended the spiralling flight of stairs that led to Twilight's chambers in the Tower of Stars. The Sun Goddess was thankful for the chance to speak to her former student again. Twilight had taken the deaths of her loved ones so hard, ever since the news of Shining Armour's mountainside accident, the young Princess had been drawing ever more distant from those closest to her.
Celestia had taught the young filly many things, but dealing with death was not one of them. The white alicorn had hoped that it would be a great many years longer until such a dreaded situation arose. But Shining's death had been so quick, so sudden, that nopony had time to prepare. Cadence and Twilight had grieved together for many weeks afterwards, but the Princess of Love had learned to mourn her husband well. It didn't take long for Cadence to carry on life without him, despite her dimmer demeanour since.
But Twilight...Twilight had carried the same grief with her over the decades.
The doors leading to Twilight's chambers were open, and Celestia tentatively stepped into the luxuriously furnished room. A wide circular bed covered with plump cushions lay to her right, though it appeared to have not been slept in for days. Four curved bookshelves stood surrounding a cosy hearth to the left. At the far end of the circular room as a great glass wall with two doors that led out onto the sweeping wrap-around balcony. Twilight was sitting on her haunches there, gazing absently into the distance.
"Twilight, you asked to see me?" said Celestia melodically, rousing the starry maned alicorn from her trance. With a small whimper, she turned round to face her mentor. The Sun Goddess strode up to the balcony doors and stepped out into the free air, closing her eyes and inhaling deeply for a moment.
"It is beautiful today, is it not? The pegasus ponies say that these will be the last days of sunny weather until they bring the grey clouds to make way for autumn."
Twilight ignored Celestia's attempt at smalltalk. "Why did you do it?"
"Do what, my friend?"
"This" said Twilight, flaring out her beautiful lavender wings. "Why did you make me a Princess?"
Celestia looked taken aback for a split second before replacing her mask of sweet feminine composure. She chose her words carefully.
"Well, ever since that day when I first met you, I saw the power within you. The power of magic, and the potential for something great. I hoped that you would be able to accomplish something that I never could: true friendship."
"So I was bound to friendship from the very start? You planned it?"
"Not all at first. I saw within you the power to heal Equestria in a way never attempted before. I wanted to see if you could bring the one I loved most back to me."
The words stung. Celestia had used Twilight to bring Luna back to her. So why couldn't Celestia bring back her friends? Her brother? Her parents? Death was like banishment, wasn't it?
As soon as Twilight thought those words she knew them to be folly. Of course it wasn't. Death was final. Cold. Unforgiving. Numb. The more she thought about it, the more she realised it couldn't of been Celestia's fault. Well, not entirely. Twilight had worked out many years ago that the prophecy of Nightmare Moon's escape was misinterpreted.
The Stars will aid in Her escape...
Twilight had learned afterwards from Luna herself that 'the Stars' in fact referred to Twilight's own cutie mark, which glimmered brightly in the afternoon sunlight. And that Nightmare moon wasn't the prisoner, but the prison. The 'Her' had referred to Luna's true self, and Twilight had felt a great sense of pride. Her destiny had been mapped out for her by Fate and Time.
But that still didn't change the fact that her friends were dead and gone. No amount of memories could bring them back. But Twilight was surprised by what Celestia said next:
"Memories are the only true treasures of our lives. They are, in my opinion, our most infinite source of magic. Harmony brought us peace and freedom, but only through our experiences and memories do we find the drive to continue on. We live through our mistakes and learn from them, and we hold on to the events most dear to us to make us remember what and where we came from. Memories can both break our hearts, and repair them, shield and care for them. And the thing which makes our memories most powerful..."
She looked Twilight in the eyes.
"They can raise the dead, and immortalise those who we thought as lost."
A silence descended upon the two monarchs. And the silence lasted. Far above their heads, a snow eagle cawed loudly, creating a keening echo that sounded all around the Palace.
"Fly with me..." said Twilight suddenly.
"Pardon?" said Celestia, only half catching her voice.
"I want you to fly with me..." Twilight repeated, turning her gaze to her mentor.
With a loving smile and a single nod, Celestia spread her wings.
As one, the two alicorns leapt gracefully from the balcony. Twilight sighed as the wind caught beneath her wings, bearing her an softly as a mother bears a foal. The wind rippled through each and every lavender feather, caressing them delicately as the Princess of Magic glided towards the West. A glance behind her checked that Celestia was following.
She knew exactly where she wanted to go.
The Sun hung low in the sky by the time Twilight set her hooves down into the soft, white gold sand. The seagulls above her called across to each other, probably veering off back to their nests. The clouds had multiplied, but only a little. A fair wind stroked Twilight's mane of violet and gold stars softly a Celestia fluttered beside her. The Sun Goddess had a look of wonder plastered on her face as she looked around.
Behind the ponies stood low cliffs, shorter than the old tree Library in Ponyville, but steep. The cream rocks were armoured in dark green moss and grass, making the sight around them even more serene. A great rock arch stood far out in front of the alicorns, below which was a simple, yet so powerful a sight.
A crystal blue, wide, endless, roaring sea.
Celestia suddenly felt a flicker of doubt. She knew this place.
This was Eternity's Crossing, the Great Ocean of the world.
It was also the single most magical place in all of Equestria besides the Crystal Empire. Here, the great lines of magical power converged, creating enchanting displays of natural beauty. For example, the clouds here were perfectly formed, and storms here were rare. The sea was never rough, the waves soft and white. The sand was unnaturally soft and fine, like caster sugar. And the greatest site of all: despite being so far from the polar North, magnificent aurora lights danced lazily across the sky.
But while this was one of the most tranquil places in the world, it was also something much more than that. It was one of the few places where the living world was connected to that of the Spirit Realm. Suddenly, Celestia realised that something wasn't right. She turned to Twilight, asking for an explanation, but the younger pony spoke first.
"I want you to bring them back"
"Twilight..."
"This is the strongest link to the Spirit Realm in Equestria, please! There has to be something we can do!"
"Twilight..."
"I brought Luna back for you...c-consider this a favour...um, a plea. You have to try!"
"Twilight!" Celestia snapped, causing a distant thunderclap.
The lavender pony was silenced, her face contorting into a look of pained desperation. Celestia felt tears start to well up in her eyes as she saw her former pupil mouth the word 'please' over and over. Helpless, Celestia raised a forehoof to her head.
"Twilight...you have to realise, that there is no force in this world capable of raising the dead. It is just impos-"
"But have you tried? Have you ever tried before?"
"No..."
"Then how can you be certain?"
"There are some things in this world...some things are certain. Death is one of them"
Desperate, the smaller Princess turned to the sea and yelled as loud as her voice could allow.
"Mum! Dad! Shining Armour, Spike, Rainbow, Applejack...anypony! Can you hear me?"
The sight broke Celestia's heart. The tears flowed freely now, and she trudged painfully to pull her dearest friend away. But Twilight nudged away her hoof angrily and continued to shout, anguished tears streaming down her face in rivers.
"Pinkie Pie! Rarity! Fluttershy...please...please..."
Exhausted, Twilight collapsed into the sand, the cool waves lapping gently at her long mane. This was it. This is where her grief finally tipped. It cascaded from her like a great flood, sweeping away all other feelings. There was a pain that went on and on, and her voice rang across the tides.
Celestia set herself down beside her and wrapped a comforting wing over her body. This time, Twilight did not pull away. She buried her face into the Sun Goddess' white coat, bawling like a foal. The older Princess swallowed and held back her own tears. They were tears of shame, shame in the realisation of what she had actually done. She had given Twilight the gift of alicornhood, at the expense of everything she held dear.
And for a long while, the pair of monarchs simple lay there in the sand as they let the sea wash their sorrow away.
The Sun now lay on the horizon, the twilight evening coming in fast. The first of the night stars heralded the eventide, and soon Celestia would have to return to Canterlot. But whether she came back with company or not was a different matter. Twilight Sparkle lay curled up in the sand, simply lying still, eyes set on the far horizon.
Out there...beyond the wide and sundering sea...her friends waited for her.
She could almost see them now, and for the first time in many months, Twilight's face broke into a true smile. They were all there.
Rainbow Dash, loyal and unyielding, the avatar of commitment and fortitude. Twilight beamed as she saw her friend soar high into the aurora streaked sky, leaving a stunning rainbow trail in her wake. Dash was then closer, her rosen eyes shining brightly as she looked at Twilight. She opened her mouth to speak...but Twilight could hear no words. As if by magic, the deep rose of Rainbow's eyes flared until it covered all her body. Her wings disappeared...and Pinkie Pie leapt out in front of Twilight.
Oh Pinkie...the life and soul of a good party, the embodiment of laughter and joy. In her own way, she was the most selfless of all the Bearers of Harmony, for she lived to make everypony elses lives happier. She loved everypony, and was loved so much more in turn. How Twilight loved her, like all her friends. She was so happy, so free. The purple alicorn laughed out loud as she saw Pinkie sneeze, confetti sprouting from her nose.
Celestia looked at Twilight, and sighed as she realised what she saw.
Pinkie bounced on the waves merrily, laughing silent laughs when she suddenly disappeared below the sea...and Applejack leapt back out. The most honest and dependable of ponies, thats what Applejack was. A true, true friend who would always lend a hoof or two to help somepony else. Hard work, family, friends. These are what she held dearest, and what she taught Twilight - who smiled as Applejack snared something with her lasso. With a great tug, she pulled to reveal Rarity.
Beauty personified, both inward and out. That was Rarity to Twilight. The stunning young mare represented all that was fair and sweet in the world, from silk pyjamas on a Sunday morning to radiating a heart of pure gold to her friends. Generosity was her Element, and she bore it well. She wanted nothing but the best, and she gave the best to her friends, even if it meant she missed out on it sometimes. But that was Rarity, an elusive treasure.
Then came Fluttershy, the sweetest, kindest, most caring pony Twilight had ever had the blessing for knowing. Demeur and gentle to the last, this pegasus taught Twilight so much of tolerance, kindness, and love. Friend to all creatures big and small, and all kinds.
Celestia bit back more tears as Twilight continued to see those she wanted to see most. It was so heartwarming, and so painful at the same time. For some reason, Celestia knew that these were more than simple hallucinations. These were Twilight's memories brought to life. These were powerful sights, sights which a pony only sees at the end of their life. But Celestia had taken that opportunity away. Twilight was immortal now, a blessing and curse - something which the Sun Goddess knew all too well. And it was for that reason, that Celestia had made her a Princess.
Princesses didn't die, and that was Celestia's greatest fear: to spend all the ages of the world without Twilight. She was selfish, self centred, caring nothing for what Twilight would do when she realised that she would outlive her friends. She had given no thoughts to the consequences. What a fool she had been.
But then something which caught Celestia's attention changed everything. Shining Armour was here. There. Standing on the ocean waves. She could see him. Holding her breath, Celestia watched her former guard captain walked towards the beach. Twilight must have seen him, as she leapt to her hooves and cried out in joy.
"Shining! Shining Armour, its me! Twilight! Oh Shining!" she raced to embrace him, but her hooves found no purchase. Confused, Twilight tried again and again to touch her brother, and again and again she failed. As a look of pained confusion took over her face, Shining spoke. And both ponies heard him.
"Hey little sis. Hey now, don't worry. I'll explain later, okay?"
Stunned, Twilight simply stood there. It seemed as if her brother had come back from the dead, but he now turned his attention to Princess Celestia, who looked just as shocked as she did. With a low, respectful bow, Shining Armour addressed the Sun Princess.
"Your Royal Highness..."
Almost speechless, Celestia nodded serenely.
"Good captain..."
With a barest hint of a smile tracing his lips, Shining spoke again.
"If you can see and hear me, then you know why that is..."
With a tearful gaze, Celestia nodded.
"Yes..." she breathed.
Of course she knew what it meant. She just didn't want to believe it.
It meant that Twilight had made her choice, even if she didn't know she had even made one. Twilight had chosen mortality over alicornhood. She had chosen her loved ones.
In every Princess' life there is a choice: a choice between sacrificing everything you love for the good of the world, or to give up one's immortality to die, and to be with those they lost. Without realising, Twilight Sparkle had made her choice. Her loss was so great, too much for her to bear. And now Shining Armour was here to take her away...away to paradise.
Stunned, elated and confused all at the same time, Twilight spoke up.
"I- I don't understand. What's going on?"
The Sun Goddess broke, choking back the painful realisation. The one she cared about most outside her family, the one she loved above all her subjects. Celestia had been selfish when she had bestowed immortality upon Twilight, which made the pain of losing her all the more great. Her colourful aurora mane faltered in its flowing, and with a steel look of determination on her face, Celestia turned to Twilight.
"Tw-Twilight...in...in every Princess' life, there is a decision which will alter the course of that pony's future: immortality for the good of the world, or personal peace in death. Such, such a choice has been presented before every Princess, and none have backed down from the mantle of leadership. All have chosen immortality, knowing full well what that entails, both the good and the bad." She paused to take a great breath, and to her own surprise, Celestia founded herself smiling as she spoke to Twilight. A proud smile.
"But you, my dear Twilight Sparkle, you chose peace...you chose to relinquish your immortality. And I have never been so proud in all my life..."
Still confused, the young alicorn's brows furrowed, her gaze flashing from between her Princess and her spectral brother. Celestia could already see the process beginning. Her feathers were falling...
"But I don't understand. How did I make the choice? What does it mean...does...it mean I'm going to die...?"
She had never been so helpless, so confused and so scared in all her life. She didn't want to die, she was scared of dying. What did Celestia mean? Why had everything fallen apart so quickly? Desperate, Twilight looked at the image of Shining Armour, and then back at Celestia. And finally she looked out at Eternity's Crossing. She looked at the sea.
And then she realised.
"They are calling..." she whispered.
She knew now why she came here, to the Bridge Between Worlds. Her mind told her that she wanted Celestia to bring them to her, but her heart, her heart had told her to come here so she can go to them. It was the one thing she wanted most in the world, to see and be with her loved ones again.
"Yes, dear Twilight. They call to you..." muttered Celestia tearfully, but tempered with an almost satisfied tone of pride. Her student, her best friend, the daughter she never had, had finally seen the reason for her presence here, at the shores of vast Eternity. But the tranquil peace was broken when Twilight realised something else.
"But, but will I ever see you again?"
And to her great surprise and relief, Celestia realised she wasn't crying.
"Tell me something Twilight Sparkle," she inclined her head to the glorious golden sunset, the evening light tempered with that of the auroras, "what can you see...on the horizon?"
Twilight looked. They were all there, smiling, waving, beckoning her to come. All of them...everypony she loved. With a voice barely above a whisper, Twilight muttered:
"My friends..."
"They are calling from across a distant shore. And that is why the white gulls call across the sea. They are telling you to follow your heart Twilight. White shores are calling, and you and I will meet again."
Twilight turned back to the Sun Princess. "Really?"
Celestia nodded. "And you'll be here beneath my wings. Just sleeping..."
All of sudden, Celestia's horn flared brilliantly. But instead of her usual golden hue, her magic took on a dazzling array of colours, from red to green to blue to gold to violet. The colours of Harmony. With a great tingling sensation running through her spine, Twilight was lifted into the air, her horseshoes slipping off her hooves to rest in the sand. The great breastplate that hung around her neck unclasped and fell to earth, leaving only her jewelled crown resting upon her head. With a gasp, Twilight watched as her great mane of stars melted away, their light being borne away by the ocean winds into the darkening sky. And in their place, flowed a smooth mane of deep blue, streaked with pink and purple.
Her mane.
And with a great burst of light, the beautiful expansive wings upon her back simply disappeared. The lavender feathers fell away, those too carried away by the wind.
And for the first time in over a hundred years, Twilight Sparkle was a unicorn again.
In the overwhelming blaze of magic and light, Twilight heard a voice. It was her brother.
"Come with me, where worries will never bind you. All your grief at last, at last, behind you...come with me, I'll lead you to bliss. And take my love, for love is everlasting."
The white stallion took a final look at Celestia, and nodded.
"Twilight!" she called.
The floating unicorn turned, both elated and petrified beyond belief at what was happening.
"Remember, the truth that I told you once!"
And as one, the three ponies: alicorn, spirit, and unicorn, spoke:
"To love another with all your heart is to see the face of Harmony..."
"You're home" Celestia whispered.
Shining Armour knelt in the air, and Twilight climbed upon her brother's back. She could touch him again. She could feel his soft white fur beneath her hooves, against her coat. After so many years, she had her brother back. With a final look to Celestia, Twilight smiled.
"Thank you..."
And with a great whinney, which echoed across the ages and the ocean, Shining Armour galloped towards the sinking sun.
And so Twilight Sparkle passed from the world...to that place beyond the sea. White shores were calling, and so were her friends.
Celestia paced upon the balcony of Twilight's old chambers. A pale moon rose above her, and the evening stars approached rapidly. What a lovely night it is...
With a great beat of her wings, the Sun Goddess rose into the air of the dying day. The wind caressed her wings and form, lifting her to her destination: the very summit of Mount Everwhite.
Nopony ever came here, not even the pegasus ponies. The only ones to ever set hoof in the secret glade at the top of the mountain were herself and Luna. Here was the source of the two mighty waterfalls that ran through Canterlot. With the grace and care of an expert flyer, Celestia landed in the hidden garden.
All around her, the trees glowed with a soft heavenly light, their leaves shining softly with soft shades of purple, gold and white. The tree bark was covered with intricate and mysterious inscriptions that only Celestia and Luna knew the origin of. In the centre of the wonderful forest, lay a perfect mirrored pool. The source of the falls. The small lake was so still, so perfect, that it reflected the sky flawlessly. It was as if a piece of the heavens had fallen to earth. And it was here that Celestia rested. In her hooves, the Goddess revealed a small golden tiara.
Crowned with a single star shaped gem. Twilight's crown.
Celestia had only ever sung to Twilight once, on the fateful day in the Eye of Harmony. She sung of how proud she was, of how much she had seen Twilight grow. And sung of how she would give her both the gift and the binds of immortality. And now Twilight was gone. She had passed from the world to be with those she loved most. Not dead, no...just, passed.
And now, Celestia raised her voice again.
"The years now before us,
Fearful and unknown,
I never imagined,
I'd face them on my own
May these thousand winters,
Swiftly pass, I pray.
I love you! I miss you,
All these miles away...
May all your dreams be sweet tonight
Safe upon your bed of moonlight
And know not of sadness, pain or care
And when I dream I'll fly away to meet you there,
Sleep..."
And somewhere, out in the vast night sky, Celestia could feel Twilight smiling back.
Author's Note
Oh, and before people start raging, the song Celestia sings isn't mine nor do I claim it to be. It's the final verse to "Lullaby for a Princess" by ponyphonic.
