//------------------------------// // Loss of Students // Story: The Stranger // by Maniac92 //------------------------------// Celestia and Luna walked down the darkened hallway, their hearts heavy. As they approached the door at the end, a pink-furred pegasus with a blue mane walked out. She tried to wipe the tears from her eyes and gave the two princesses a sad smile. “She’s been asking for you two.” said the pegasus. She made to pass the princesses. “Aren’t you going to stay?” asked Luna. The pegasus shook her head. “All of us were in there earlier. We thought it would best if we all came in to…” She paused and wiped the tears falling from her eyes. Luna put a hoof around the mare’s shoulders and hugged her. “It’s ok. We’ll be there with her.” The mare sniffled. “You won’t be alone. He’s in there too.” Celestia smiled sadly. “Of course he is.” She walked over and hugged the pegasus. “Go be with your family. We will watch over her.” The mare simply nodded her head. She sobbed as she walked away. Luna turned to look at the door. “…Well. We should not keep her waiting.” She made to move towards the door, but noticed that her sister was standing still. “Celestia?” she asked, looking at the other princess, “Are you ready?” Celestia closed her eyes for a moment. “…No.” she said quietly. She opened her eyes and moved towards the door. She reached Luna and nodded. Luna took a deep breath and opened the door. The room was large. The massive window leading out to the balcony was letting the setting sun’s light cast an orange glow on the room. There was a large bed against the wall. A lone figure was sitting in a wooden chair at the side of the bed. The figure turned his head as the two princesses walked in. He got up and walked over to the two, giving them both big hugs. “You’re here.” he said quietly. “I thought-” “There is nothing that would keep us away.” said Celestia. She stepped towards the figure and gave him a hug of her own. “It’s good to see you, Spike.” Spike was no longer the small, baby dragon he was when he arrived in Ponyville all those years ago. He was taller, standing almost as tall as Celestia. While he was not overtly muscular, he had lost the baby fat of his youth and was lean and lanky. His claws were sharper and his fangs bigger, but his eyes were still the same brilliant green they had always been. Celestia noticed that his eyes were red, as though he was either crying or hadn’t slept in awhile. Celestia figured it was both. “How is she?” asked Luna, pointing to the bed. “About as well as to be expected.” said Spike softly. “She’s resting now.” He made his way over to bed. “You don’t have to wake her.” said Celestia. “You can let her sleep.” Spike smiled at her. “She would want to see you.” He leaned close to the figure on the bed and gently whispered, “Twilight?” Twilight Sparkle awoke, her purple eyes unfocused. “Spike?” she asked softly. She peered at the dragon, her wrinkled face giving him a sweet smile. “Are they here?” she asked. “Yeah,” said Spike as he gently moved her gray hair out of her face, “Yeah, they’re here.” Twilight slowly moved her head and smiled at the two princesses. “I knew you two would come.” “Greetings Twilight.” said Luna sadly. “Hello, my dearest student.” said Celestia with a smile. Twilight laughed softly. “I haven’t been your student for over a century, Celestia.” “I know.” said Celestia. She and Luna moved closer to the bed. “But can you forgive an old mare for hanging on to her memories?” Twilight did her best to snort at that. “Old, my flank.” she said. “Twilight!” said Spike, chuckling. “Oh hush, Spike.” said Twilight. “I’m 183 years old, I can swear if I want.” She looked to the two princesses. “You say you’re old, but you two haven’t changed one bit.” “Neither have you.” said Luna. Twilight laughed quietly at that. “Now I know that’s a load of horse apples.” She yawned and said, “I started visibly aging again after I gave up my immortality.” Celestia closed her eyes. She remembered that day. Ten years after Applejack had passed away, Twilight came to Celestia and Luna. She announced, with resolve, that she was giving up the immortality that came with being a princess. “I’ve decided.” she had said as she stared at the two princesses, “I’ve already talked to Spike and the others. Spike was the only one who really understood.” She had sighed deeply at that point and closed her eyes. When she had opened them again, they were full of tears. “I miss them. I miss them so much. I can’t bear to live forever without my friends.” Celestia and Luna, who had lived for thousands of years, understood. They knew the pain of losing a friend. It took Celestia years to get over Star Swirl’s death, and Luna, once she was redeemed and realized what she did, spent a long while refusing to interact with the public, and finally stepped outside a full year later to attend her first Nightmare Night. And so, the princesses reluctantly agreed and set up the ceremony to remove Twilight’s immortality. When the magic had been cast to remove her immortality, her wings went with it, leaving her a unicorn again. That had been almost seventy years ago. Twilight, although she never married, became an almost-matriarchal figure for Shining Armor’s and Princess Cadance’s grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Presently, Twilight coughed harshly. Spike quickly grabbed a glass of water sitting on the nightstand and helped Twilight drink. Once she had ceased coughing, she looked at the two princesses and said, “You just missed Heart and her family. You should have seen her little son. He was trying to hold back his tears and be so stoic.” She chuckled. “He reminded me of Shining. He was never good at holding back his emotions either.” She sighed and looked up at the ceiling. “I’m so tired.” “You should rest.” said Luna. Twilight looked at her. “No.” she said softly. “Not yet. This is the last time I’m going to talk to either of you.” “Twilight…” whispered Celestia. “I know this is the end, Celestia.” said Twilight, with surprising steel. “I’m ready for it, but I want to talk to each of you one last time.” She turned to the dragon by her side. “Spike. You’ve been at my side my whole life. I cannot remember a single day where I didn’t see you. You’ve helped me so much throughout the years. I know I didn’t always treat you the way you deserved, but know this. I love you. You’re as much of a brother to me as Shining was.” Spike nodded, tears falling from his eyes. “I love you too.” he choked out. Twilight smiled and looked to Luna. “Luna. I know we weren’t exactly close during those early years, but you’ve become one of my best friends. I wish I could go back and befriend you earlier.” Luna struggled not to sob. “You brought me back.” she said quietly. “You redeemed me. That was more than enough.” She swallowed, unable to speak further. Twilight cast her purple eyes to Celestia. “Celestia. It’s still a little weird not to add ‘Princess’ in front of that.” Celestia laughed softly, tears clouding her vision. “I always put you on a pedestal.” continued Twilight. “You were…are…the one I look up to the most. It was an honor to be chosen as your student and I loved every second of it. I viewed you as a goddess without flaws.” She smiled and said, “I was wrong. You do have your faults. But that’s ok. Realizing that you were just like everyone else made me stop viewing you as some sort of idyllic image, and allowed me to see the pony behind the crown and the regalia. It allowed me to see you as a friend.” “Twilight…” began Celestia. “When I chose you to be my student, I never imagined the impact you would have on my life. You brought back my sister. You saved Equestria time and time again.” Tears fell from Celestia’s eyes. “I felt so guilty at times. Forcing you to confront the likes of Tirek and Sombra. I treated you like a weapon rather than a student. But you never said a word of complaint. You never said you were fed up with it, or that the task was too hard. You went above-and-beyond what you needed to.” Celestia sniffed and said, “You are a far better pony than I ever could hope to be. It…” She took a deep breath. “It was a joy to have you as a student, a fellow princess, and a friend.” Twilight smiled and rested her head on her pillow. “I’m so tired…” she repeated. “Would…” began Celestia, “Would you like to rest?” “…Yes.” said Twilight. Her breathing got heavier as she looked around the room. “Where are the others? Where are my friends?” “They…” said Celestia, choking back a sob, “They’re coming. They’re coming to see you. You just need to rest.” “Good…idea…” said Twilight. She closed her eyes. “I hope they hurry.” she said softly. “I want to see them so badly.” Celestia, with tears running down her face, said comfortingly, “They’ll be here soon. When you wake up, you’ll see them again.” Twilight relaxed and closed her eyes. The three occupants of the room watched her chest slowly rise and fall. After what seemed like hours, her chest stopped moving. Spike leaned back in his chair and put his head in his hands. Celestia watched as he broke down in tears, shaking. Luna muttered something about raising the moon, but Celestia could see the tears running down her face. Luna quickly moved to the window and used her magic to finally lower the sun over the horizon. Celestia turned back towards the body lying on the bed. “Goodbye, Twilight Sparkle.” she whispered. She stared at her former student’s wrinkled face for a long time. When she finally looked up, she noticed a new visitor in the room. The white stallion had his hood lowered and he cast his black eyes down at Twilight. “No.” whispered Celestia. The black eyes shot up and stared at her. “Please don’t take her.” she quietly pleaded. The stallion looked at her. He closed his eyes and said softly, “I am sorry. She is gone.” He disappeared, leaving no trace that he was ever there. Celestia sobbed and put her face in her hooves. “Please don’t take her.” she repeated quietly.