The Next to the Last Unicorn

by Hivemind

The Last No More

All around, the winds calmed themselves down to a mild breeze before dimming out completely, halting the storm. It was finally over. Everypony let out a deep sigh of relief as the hero of the hour turned and locked eyes with Amalthea, smiling a short, wrinkly smile.

She wanted to break down in tears; happy tears, joyful for the rather dramatic return of her closest friend, but Amalthea knew better than to make a scene such as that. She needed closure, of both friends and family.

“It’s been too long, dear,” said Schmendrick with a chuckle as he slowly made his way across the snow, using his staff as a walking stick to balance his creaky steps. “Never thought I’d see the day when you would step out of the grove.”

Amalthea smiled, taking heart to the old man’s dull antics. “You brought me out of the grove, remember? When the bull--”

“Aye, I did...” Schmendrick cut in, raising a hand before lowering it again. “But it was for your own protection. That you must remember.”

The great magician took notice Amalthea’s two similarities, who were both smiling short, friendly smiles as complement.

“I take it that these two are your family long forgotten?” asked Schmendrick. Amalthea nodded. “Alicorns, eh’? And to think I’ve seen the last of them...”

The aging magician was truly a marvel to behold. During the heated argument between the bull, Celestia must have detected energy levels at least five times that of what any other unicorn could put out. His power might even be a match for her own magic, given the proper circumstances.

The princess looked behind her to find the girls shaken, but alright. Most of them looked upon the face of the stalwart magician in awe while Twilight stared at Celestia with hopeful, pleading eyes. Taking the hint, Celestia sent a smile and a nod her way. Twilight smiled back and coaxed the girls to follow her with her hoof, leading them to her mentor’s side.

Schmendrick turned his gaze away towards the girls and smiled, not appearing the least bit surprised.

“Well, Amalthea, I can certainly say this,” said Schmendrick before he began chuckling. “For being one of the last, I’d say that Mother Nature prefers coloring over design...”

“Mother what?” questioned Twilight, cocking her head.

“Nothing, nothing at all,” Schmendrick waved it off. Celestia tried her hardest to contain a goofy grin.

Suddenly, another clap of thunder roared in the air just as the sun began to set over the sky hole’s horizon. Alarmed, Schmendrick looked down at his wrinkled, cracked...fading hands. He smile dipped down into a sorrowful frown. He knew this moment would come as he dug his staff into the ground and leaned against it.

“Sch-Schmendrick?” stuttered Amalthea, looking worried. “What’s wrong?”

“I-is he sick?” asked Fluttershy.

“Is the poor soul tired?” asked Rarity

“Ah’ think ya’ll better take a look at this...” said Applejack, standing at the base of Schmendrick’s feet.

Everypony followed the cowpony’s gaze down to the base of Schmendrick’s robes, only to gasp at an alarming sight, or rather an alarming shadow.

After looking down at Schmendrick’s base themselves, the three sisters became frantic with worry.

“Sch-Schmendrick? What’s happening?” asked Amalthea, taking a step forward. She reached out to try and help the old man to his feet, but to great surprise, her hoof went straight through him, going through him from front to back.

“I was hoping to have departed by now, but I’m afraid it’s come to this...” uttered Schmendrick as he watched Amalthea slowly pull her hoof away in confusion. The satin unicorn’s eyes started to quiver as she examined her snow white forehoof.

“Schmendrick...” Amalthea whispered, her eyes hastening the threat of tears.

“I am still a dead man, Amalthea, merely a shadow of what I once was,” said Schmendrick. “My corpse was defiled and my burial sight burned to ashes, but my soul lived on. With it, a great of deal of magic remained with me, allowing me to communicate with the world of the living...”

“So that’s how you spoke to me each time I went to visit you...” Amalthea muttered.

“And every time in between,” Schmendrick continued. “When the bull attacked, I used my magic to send you away. It hurt, but at least you would be safe. For days I wandered the land, a lone, restless soul searching for the one he cared for the most. When I learned that the bull had found you here, I feared the worst. I saw you from up high, here, taking your stand against the beast with your friends and family. The bull had gotten stronger, and I couldn’t just stand there and do nothing! I tried calling to you, shouting at you from afar, pleading you to run away!”

“So the thunder...” Amalthea whispered.

“That was you?” questioned Twilight. Schmendrick nodded.

“It failed, and the situation seemed hopeless. Confronting the bull, even with your sisters would have been a terrible mistake. You might feel strong in numbers, but it would not be enough. I myself had to confront the bull, but doing so cost me a great deal of my strength, and whatever magic I had left was all that was keeping me on this earth, until now...”

“But if that’s what’s been binding you here...” Twilight started.

“Then very soon, I’ll be gone for good...” Schmendrick finished, releasing a pent up of sigh. “Amalthea, we must leave. I only have enough power within me to send you back home, but I certainly cannot force you. You may do as you wish.”

Amalthea was on the verge of releasing the floodgates. Her lips and legs quivered as Luna motioned to comfort her. Sadness and anger toyed with her mind several times in the past, but never as much as this. In her mind, she questioned herself repeatedly as to why.

Why did the Red Bull return?

Why did she forget about her sisters, and how special they were to her?

Why did Schmendrick take such a stupid, foolish risk that only succeeded in breaking her heart?

She looked all around, taking in the smiling faces of the girls. A scene such as this had to be the biggest mystery of all to her. Amalthea was in pain, yet instead of physically comforting her like her sisters did, they just stood back and smiled. It made her feel warm inside, like being wrapped in a blanket near a log fire.

Then, she looked to her sisters. While they were not smiling, their still, patient expressions managed to give her some comfort.

“He’s fadin’ pretty fast gals,” warned Applejack. “We’d better hurry.”

“Amalthea,” said Celestia, moving close to the satin unicorn’s side. “No matter the choice, know that Luna and I will always be with you,” she said with a smile and a nuzzle to Amalthea’s neck.

The white unicorn nuzzled back before turning to face the magician. “Schmendrick...” Amalthea started with a calming smile. “For countless centuries, you have cared for me, and watched over me, never once turning away...”

“Well, I did my best anyway,” The old man managed a chuckle.

“Of course,” Amalthea chuckled back. “My friends, my relations; you watched over us all, and for that, I thank you. My life in the forest was a peaceful one, but when the Red Bull found me, I imagine that he did more than just attack me.”

“Aye, once he destroyed my burial site, he burned everything, and in the rain no less! How he did that, I do not know. Sadly, I could not find the others. They either ran, or were killed. I’m sorry.”

“You have nothing to be sorry about,” said Amalthea with a smile. “You saved me from death, and now I can return home, but what home is there to return to?”

Amalthea looked back at her smiling sisters before continuing. “At long last, I’m with my family again, and though my memory of them is short, I could never be happier.” Amalthea turned back to the grinning magician. “This is where I belong, with my family, and my new friends...”

“Noh’, Thea!” said a smiling, teary-eyed Luna as she wrapped her forelegs around Amalthea, squeezing her tightly. Celestia chuckled lightly before joining in on the sisterly hug. The moment was just too adorable for a certain group of friends to pass up. Only seconds later, everypony joined the equinal hug, delivering a brand new welcome that Amalthea would certainly cherish forever.

“And so, it is decided,” said Schmendrick, looking up to the sky before looking back down again. “It is time. I must depart...”

“I will miss you Schmendrick, deeply I will...” uttered Amalthea as the girls broke away from the hug.

“And I you. Farewell.”

Without any assistance, Schmendrick rose to his feet and limped away to where the bull once stood before turning around.

“W-wait, Schmendrick!” yelled Amalthea, startling her sisters. “How...how is your wife, Molly?”

“Oh, dearie, I’m doing just fine...” spoke an angelic voice from up high. Alarmed, everypony looked up to the sky, gasping at the sight of a strikingly beautiful, off-white winged angel hovering above the ground. The angel smiled and gave a short wave before turning to Schmendrick. “Ready to go?” asked the angel.

“You never were the patient type,” Schmendrick replied to the angel with a chuckle.

“I’ll never forget you Schmendrick.” said Amalthea.

Schmendrick said nothing, but instead nodded his head in reply before taking the angel’s hand. Within moments, the last of his essence vanished into the ether, the angel following suit, neither entity to be seen ever again. The hole in the sky sealed itself as a still breeze rustled through everypony’s hair.

For once in Amalthea’s life, the entire world seemed at peace.

Comments

[Yoshifan30]

R.i.p Schmendrick and Molly 😢

[Yoshifan30]

so Amalthea Decide to stay in equestria with princess Celestia and luna I think that's a pretty awsome decision for her to be with her family 😢😭