Princess Celestia is sick, and she may die. She summons Twilight Sparkle to her bedside. Will Twilight lose her beloved mentor?
Princess Celestia is sick, with a disease that is very unlikely to survive. She summons Twilight Sparkle to come to her deathbed, certain she's about to die. But Twilight won't let it happen, no matter what the cost. Is Twilight strong enough to save her?
CAUTION: a couple gory scenes... Not recommended for readers with a vivid imagination and weak stomach.
The sun beat down on the quiet town of Ponyville, weighing heavily on the buildings below. A small purple mare strolled along the streets, carrying a small package in her mouth. She slowly approached a tall tree with windows poking out of the thick trunk, and some windows were propped open to let some of the searing heat out. A cool drop of sweat slid down the mares back.
Her navy mane was cut in a straight line above her eyebrows, and it fell perfectly down her back, and curved around her neck. A pink streak ran through her hair, and was rested next to a horn which poked out from her skull. Her tail looked the same as her mane. On her rump, a pink star sat among sparkles, and it danced when she kicked open the door.
"Twilight!" A small voice exclaimed quietly.
"Oh! Fluttershy! You're here!" responded the purple unicorn. She dropped the box on the round table in the middle of the room. She looked up, and looked at all of the books on the shelves. She knew she was staying in a large library, but it still was baffling how this tiny town could hold so many books in one place. She scanned the rows of books, narrowing her violet eyes until they focused on a floating pony.
The pony was a soft yellow, a pair of delicate wings holding her up, with a rose-coloured mane and tail that fell from her scalp to her hooves. Three pink butterflies floated on her flank; her cutie-mark, her love and understanding of animals. A dirty rag covered her hoof, covered in dust and dirt. Fluttershy slowly lowered herself to the floor, and placed the cloth on the table, beside the package.
"Oh, yes. I decided to help you... clean the library... so it... wouldn't be so... um... dirty," she mumbled shyly.
"Oh, well, thanks Fluttershy! What brought you to the library?" Twilight asked, tilting her head curiously.
"I was wondering if you had a book on animal first aid... Angel caught some sort of illness, and I don't really know how to treat it and it's getting worse. And I was just wondering if you had any sort of book. But if you didn't, that would be okay... I mean, I don't want to interrupt anything that you were doing..." she said softly.
"Oh, Fluttershy, it's nothing at all!" Twilight replied happily. "Spike! Come here!" she called.
A small purple dragon with round spikes running down his back came out from behind a bookshelf. His green eyes wide. "You want me to find a book?"
Twilight glared at him. "Were you eavesdropping, Spike?" she joked. Spike looked nervously to the ground.
"Erm... Uh... I was..." the dragon stammered.
"Oh never mind. Just go get the book on animal sicknesses." Twilight rolled her eyes with a giggle. Spike ran up the stairs quickly. Fluttershy walked over to a book that was laying open, pages on the ground, and picked it up. Twilight saw, and her horn began to glow a pale hue of purple, and the book began glowing the same way. Fluttershy, startled, gasped and let go of the book. It floated over to an empty space in the shelving, closing as it went.
Twilight stopped using her magic, and trotted over to where the package sat on her table. She tore it open with her teeth, and took out a perfectly folded present. Whatever was inside was a small rectangle about the size of a children's book. The mysterious gift was covered in a rough, dry paper. Twilight carefully ripped open the paper, and a picture of her and princess Celestia was resting comfortably in the the wrapping paper. The picture had been taken at least a week before Twilight had arrived in Ponyville. The princess looked as stunning as ever, her long, slender legs were folded neatly underneath herself in a casual, yet regal position. Her ivory coat was gleaming in the light, and her flowing, colourful hair surrounded the reading Twilight Sparkle. Her perfect amethyst eyes looked lovingly at Twilight, who was too lost in her book to realize the princess's attention was on her. The princess's blue and pink mane and tail could easily be seen as waving in the wind.
Twilight gazed at the picture with shining, happy eyes. The princess was like a second mother to her, and she loved and admired her to tears. Minutes past before she realized that Spike had not returned yet.
"SPIKE! HURRY UP!" she shrieked. The purple dragon plodded down the stairs, carrying a book so thick that he couldn't see above it. The cover was brown and leather, and looked very ancient. Spike dropped it with a dull thud, and sighed.
"Here you go," Spike grumbled. "'A Book on Animal Sicknesses/Diseases and Their Remedies,'" he read. Fluttershy grunted with the attempt to carry it, but she dropped it beside Twilight's hoof. Twilight jumped back a couple feet, and she cried out.
"Ohmygawsh! Twilight I'm so sorry! I really didn't mean to, are you okay? Did the book hit your hoof? It was too heavy for me... Ohmygawsh I feel really bad, can you forgive me ever? I'm so so so sorry!" Fluttershy was close to tears, her delicate hooves covering her open mouth.
The flurry of words knocked Twilight back, she couldn't think straight. She was still processing everything when she numbly replied, "huh? Yeah, I'm okay, Fluttershy. It didn't even touch me anyways, it only startled me."
Fluttershy sighed with relief. She nodded her head in thanks and left. No sooner had the door clicked shut then Spike turned green. Well, greener than usual. He moaned, and his cheeks puffed out like one of Pinkie Pie's balloons. Twilight looked at him worried. Spike opened his mouth and belched, a wave of green flame burst from his throat, warming the air around him. The fire disappeared, and in its place, a neatly rolled parchment with a red ribbon tied in a bow around it fell to the floor.
"A letter from princess Celestia? Now?" Twilight looked at Spike, who was clutching his stomach and leaning against the wall. His tongue fell out of his mouth, and he shrugged.
Twilight picked up the letter with her magic, and opened it, handing the ribbon to Spike. Two simple words were written on the paper, yet they had enough to power to knock all of the wind out of the purple unicorn. Her eyes slowly widened and her pupils shrunk to minuscule dots, leaving large purple voids. Her thoughts were too tangled to understand this... this... news. Spike saw this and got worried. He poked her flank, and Twilight closed her open mouth, and dashed out the door in a lavender blur, dropping the letter. Spike snatched it from the air, read it, and ran out the door behind her.
Twilight raced down the street to a building that resembled a gingerbread house; a cream store with a chocolate brown roof. White lacing around the rims of the roof resembled icing with decorative swirls running up the sides. A weather vane stuck out from the roof that had a rearing pony holding a candy cane. A tall, white dome poked out from the top of the building with a pink roof. It looked like a cupcake with candles. A sign hung from above the door. It had a painting of a cupcake and said Sugarcube Corner.
Twilight dashed in, and almost ran over a bouncy pink pony. Her frizzy mane and tail were a darker shade of pink than her body, but she was all pink. On her rump, three balloons, two blue and one yellow, floated joyously. Bright blue eyes peered excitedly into Twilights.
"Hiya, Twilight! Wow! You sure came in here in a hurry! I thought you were Rainbow Dash! We were going to bake cupcakes today, so I was excited to see her, but then I saw it was you, so I -"
"Yeah, okay, Pinkie Pie. I need to borrow your hot-air balloon now! It's an emergency!" interrupted Twilight.
Pinkie stopped bouncing, and the smile fell from her face. "Okey dokey lokey. I'll go get it up for you," she said slowly, and she hopped away. A few seconds later, Twilight heard a high-pitch screech, like metal grinding metal, and she walked out of the sweet shop. She looked up at the top of the shop, and the pink cupcake at the top was splitting open at the top. As it opened, a large pink balloon with yellow lace floated upwards slowly. Pinkie Pie was sitting in the basket that hung from the big pink balloon. Pinkie pulled a string, and it drifted down towards Twilight. Twilight climbed into the basket, and Spike, who just arrived, quickly climbed into the wicker basket before the balloon flew away.
* * *
The pink balloon floated quickly, but not quick enough for Twilight. The purple unicorn paced in the small basket, while Spike sat, curled up in a little ball, in the corner. Twilight started to murmur inaudibly to herself. Spike looked up at her, staring with big, round, sad eyes. He slowly stood, and crept over to Twilight. He gently tapped her shoulder. She jumped slightly, and stopped pacing and mumbling. Her scared, purple eyes gazed into his green eyes. They stayed like that for a while, then Twilight used her magic to grow the fire that powered the hot-air balloon, and the balloon went twice as fast.
Now that the balloon was moving at an acceptable pace, Twilight sat at the edge, and watched for Canterlot. She stood up when it came into view, clouds moving aside as they flew. The large palace sat on the edge of a mountain, towers and buildings and domes were placed almost randomly. The balloon drifted over the gate, dozens of guards craning their necks to get a look at who was in the basket. Twilight waved nervously over the edge. Spike brought the airship to a halt, and landed it on a make-shift landing strip. Twilight leaped out of the basket and ran to the nearest guard.
"Where is Celestia being kept?" she asked, panting slightly. The guard pointed up some stairs. Twilight threw Spike on her back, and ambled up the steps. At the top, there was a set of two large, simple doors. Twilight turned around, and using her back legs, kicked the doors open. The room was fairly large, with a high, domed ceiling. It was empty, except for a round bed that was placed right in the middle. Curtains draped from the top point of the roof, and flowed freely from the gentle breeze that drifted from the open window on the far side of the room. Twilight squinted. She could not see any princess. Had the guard deceived her? A sudden gust of wind tore open the curtains, and there was a bulky figure hidden under the sheets. Celestia's younger sister, Princess Luna, was sitting loyally at the frail lumps side. The lump turned, and looked at Twilight and Spike with hollow, rose eyes. Her pure white coat had thinned. Twilight let out a small choking noise, and stumbled over to the bed that held her beloved mentor.
Twilight looked up at Princess Luna with eyes that flooded with tears. The indigo mare stared sadly at Twilight with her dark blue eyes. Her starry hair resembled the night sky, and it waved majestically in the slight breeze. She closed her eyes slowly as two thin streams of tears poured from her eyes. Twilight heard a low, raspy gurgle, and saw that Princess Celestia was attempting to speak.
"T -- Twi -- Twilight?" Celestia pushed out with effort. Her wide eyes searched wildly. Twilight held her breath, placed her forehead beside her teacher's and cried..
The world was full of darkness. Twilight stood on nothing, her hooves suspended by air. Dark swirls of wind danced their way around her. Then, she fell. The black walls rushed by. The bottom approached quickly.
Twilight gasped. She jerked awake, and soaked in her surroundings. She was in the round room, her head was resting in her arms, perched on the bed. Twilight glanced at Princess Celestia. She was sleeping, her breaths rapid, and raspy. Twilight looked up, and saw Princess Luna sitting nearby, gazing out the window. Twilight trotted over.
"So, Luna. When did all of this happen?" Twilight broke the silence. She had weakly stoned herself, unwilling to let her emotions go easily.
"About 2 weeks ago. My fair sister had traveled to Manehattan to check on the festival. About 3 days later, I realized that the sun's heat had intensified. I sent many guards down to fetch her. When they returned, Celestia had a high fever. She was in much denial. Saying how we are immortal! Illnesses should not be able to ail us! They cannot claim our lives.
"It was just yesterday that the effects of her sickness took hold. Her face caved in on itself, her cheekbones jutting out like mountains, and her eyes are bulging. Her rib cage sticks out at all angles. Her stomach sunk back, touching her spine it seems. and her legs are like twigs. Ready to snap under pressure." Luna's eyes started to flood. she choked on her words. "THIS ILLNESS IS GOING TO TAKE MY SISTER AWAY!" she screamed at the sky. "WHY? WHY HER?" She broke down, and collapsed into Twilight's arms, sobbing. Twilight softly stroked Luna's night sky hair.
Luna's sobbing turned to weeping, which then turned to slow, broken breaths. She slept restlessly. Twilight gently set her down on the floor and walked over to Celestia.
"Is this sickness really that fatal? Will you leave me? You can't leave me, Princess! You were like my mother to me!" Twilight's emotions broke through her weak barrier, pouring out her eyes in liquid form. "No! You can't!"
Princess Celestia stirred. Opening her eyes, she saw a blurry figure of someone she cared about deeply. She had raised her. Taught her all she could. Celestia could only fathom one thing. She was dying, and she was going to leave Twilight alone.
"T - Twilight. I'm - I'm sorry," Celestia moaned. Twilight looked up with glimmering eyes. Tears dropped onto the bed, darkening the colour.
"Oh, Princess! I will do everything in my power to come up with a cure!" Twilight told her.
"Twilight, my beloved, faithful student. You were like a daughter to me," she started.
Twilight shook her head furiously. "No. No. Don't say it. It's starting to sound like goodbye, " she started choking on her emotions. "Goodbyes are forever. You aren't leaving me forever!" She pushed Celestia's paling hair from her face, where it stuck firmly with sweat.
Celestia broke in. "Twilight. My time is coming." She paused, and swallowed some air. She laughed weakly. "I never thought I, the goddess of the sun, could even have a time." She clutched her throat as another wave of coughing cut her short. "I need you to be strong for me, Twilight. Be strong and don't lose your magic." Princess Celestia grabbed onto Twilight with her dazzling pink eyes, and clung to the sight of her beloved student until she faded into the darkness.
"Princess Celestia?! PRINCESS! Wake up. Please!" Twilight Sparkle collapsed to the floor, tears streaming from squinting eyes, her face masked with depression. She cradled her mother-figure, and snuggled into her chest, while sobbing loudly. A small titter made her pause. She looked up, and searched Celestia's face for any twitches, movements. Any signs of life. The princess' eyelids closed even tighter, then slowly opened, revealing her shining pink eyes. They searched blindly, until they focused on a certain purple pony, her face swollen with emotion. The princess gasped in air, swallowing as much as she could, and filled her failing lungs.
"Twilight," she started, "I have not much life left." Twilight tried to interrupt, but Celestia cut her off with a slight twitch of her hoof. "I need you to take over raising the sun for me." A fit of coughs shook her entire body, she curled up into a white ball and as she coughed, Twilight could see splatters of blood staining her marble coat as she coughed up blood. "No! Princess! Please, hold on for me! I will be back in one day.
"Princess Celestia suddenly turned limp, falling with a muffled thump on the bed. Three guards, a doctor, and Princess Luna ran over to her, and heard her breathing heavily. Twilight released her breath cautiously, and sprinted out of the door.
Spike was waiting nervously outside of the large wooden doors, hearing voices, but they fell apart before they met his tiny dragon ears. He nearly squealed when Twilight burst through the door. Her face was caked with tears, old and new, her face scrunched with determination. Her horn started to dimly glow purple, and so did Spike. He started to levitate, and traveled over to Twilight's back. Once the magic had left, a gust of wind struck him in the face.
"Twilight? What's going on?" Spike leaned over slightly, putting all of his weight into his thighs to keep his balance.
"We must go and find a cure for Princess Celestia. If I know anypony who knows how, it'd be Zecora." Twilight's hooves started pounding on the ground like a drum, steady and loud. Twilight raced toward Ponyville quickly, and passed each one of her friends, and each one surprised to see Twilight moving so fast. They didn't attempt to follow, as they saw that independent look on her face, and the quick shake of the head Spike gave each one.
As Twilight galloped into the Everfree Forest, A thick mist had descended on Equestria, making the forest even more creepy as it surrounded the wild plants and animals. Twilight went faster. She approached a large tree with a door on the side. Torches were set up on each side, the flames swayed curiously. Twilight slowed to a jog, used her magic to open the door for her, and trotted in. The place was very cluttered, yet everything was organized neatly. Native wooden pony masks hung in every corner of the one roomed house. From behind a large black cauldron a white pony with black stripes peeked over top of the rim. Her large mo-hawk was striped like her body. The zebra stepped out from behind the pot, and put down the small bottle in her mouth. Her golden hoop earrings jingled like her necklace and bracelets, and stole light and shot bright beams everywhere. Her flank held a gray swirl with triangles surrounding it, like a sun a filly would draw.
"Twilight, you come barging in, with tears in your eyes.Whatever the problem, this was not very wise." Zecora furrowed her brow, and stuck out her bottom lip. Her pout had some sort of magic in it, causing Twilight's legs to wobble. She shook her head to clear her mind.
"Zecora, stop with the magic. Princess Celestia is dying and I need a cure." Spike hopped down from Twilight's tense back and went to stare at a mask of a dragon, wooden horns painted a rusty colour jutted out from above his evil eyes.
"I know of only one thing, but it needs a sacrifice; a half of a Pegasus wing. Without this, the spell will not cure. The flesh must be of a single Pegasus who's pure." Zecora looked down and shook her head. She picked up the bottle she carried earlier, and poured the clear liquid into her cauldron. She looked at Twilight and said, "I will begin to make the brew. You should think of the right thing to do."
Zecora explained to Twilight how this potion could cure any rare, deadly illness, but to heal one life, another life must be taken. When Twilight asked who, Zecora replied, "Someone close, someone daring. Someone loyal, someone caring." With moist eyes, Zecora turned and worked on the potion.
Spike ran over as Twilight walked out the door. "Did you figure out how to save Princess Celestia?" He asked innocently. Twilight's eyes faded, turning distant, "I'm afraid I have to do something terrible, Spike. To save one life, Zecora says, I have to take a life in return." Tears started to flow from Twilight's eyes once more. Spike realized how unstable she was, and cautiously asked, "and who's life must you take?" Twilight stopped walking.
Twilight trudged into town, a vacant look in her eyes, with a shocked Spike on her back. Her friends were having a lunch together to discuss Twilight's mad dash into the Everfree Forest. It was Rarity who saw the forlorn couple sulk to the cafe.
"Darlings! We were just talking about you! Why in heavens did you barge out of town like a couple of ruffians?" Her purple hair bounced with the dramatic swing of her head. her pearly white face scrunched up in disgust. Twilight walked right past her, ignoring her question. She strolled up to a bright blue mare with a messy rainbow mane.
"Rainbow, I need to talk to you. Alone." Twilight looked up at her friend with sorrow in her eyes.
"Eh? Oh yeah sure, Twi." With a wild swing of her rainbow mane and a wink to her friends, the blue pegasus flew after Twilight. Her wings flapped gracefully, and the strong muscles rippled underneath. Twilight eyed the feathered limbs. If those are the only things to save the princess... Oh, I hope she understands. Twilight guided Rainbow Dash into an abandoned sugar mill, down the street from the cafe. Rainbow Dash had to land and walk in, her hooves treading lightly on the thin layer of dust that had gathered on the floors.
"Um, Twi? Why are we in this creepy place? I mean, I don't find it creepy, but maybe you might..." Her smile was brave, but her eyes were clouded with fear.
"Dash, I need to tell you something." Twilight whispered. "Something terrible."
"Aw, Twilight. What is it?" Rainbow Dash trotted over from where she was sitting to beside her friend, and awkwardly placed her hoof on the violet unicorn's shoulder. This only made Twilight start sobbing. Rainbow is a true friend. Why does she have to die for the princess? She is so caring. So loving. So awkward. So perfect. Twilight started to sob out every bit of information, from when the letter first blew out of Spikes throat to the moment when she left Zecora's. The entire time, Dash's grip became looser and looser, until it had left Twilight's shoulder and started wiping off tears of her own.
"So, I have to have my wings torn off. To save Princess Celestia. My pitiful, worthless life to save the most important pony in Equestria. Twilight, do you even have to ask?" Rainbow Dash tilted her head to the side, a sad smile etched on her face. Her raspy voice said each word slowly, her brain slowly digesting this news.
"No! Rainbow Dash! You're life is not worthless! You are one of my best friends! Even if we were to follow through with this, you will leave this world as a sacrificial hero. Your name will go down in history books. The Wonderbolts will engrave your name onto a golden statue of you. They will master the Sonic Rainboom, and preform it at every one of their performances. As a salute to your bravery, your loyalty. If they disagree, I will do all that and more by myself." Twilight paused, realized she was standing atop of an old abandoned barrel, and hopped down. "I mean, you aren't worthless." She gave a nervous cough, and looked up to see Dash smiling proudly.
"Of course. The Wonderbolts will honor my bravery and I will be remembered in their eyes as the most awesome pony ever!" The light in her eyes dimmed. "But when you take my life, will you do it quickly? I don't like pain." Her eyes were roud, but behind the mask, Twilight could see pure terror. Twilight embraced her.
"Of course. But, how about you say good bye first." Twilight could see confusion flicker across Dash's face.
"Good bye?" Dash sat her rump on the dusty barrel as Twilight steeped to the doorway and motioned to the cafe. Rainbow Dash's face dropped. "Oh."
"Hey there Twilight! Hey Rainbow! How's y'all doin'?" The happy orange pony greeted the couple with a grin and a toss of her cream hair, pulled loosely into a ponytail.
"Hey, Applejack, replied Rainbow Dash. "Um, guys? Twilight and I have something... um... crushing, I guess, to tell you." Dash looked at her feet and stirred the dust on the ground. She looked up when she heard and excited gasp.
"Is it a party? Is it a 'Super - Awesome - Wonderbolts - Invitation - Party'? Because you should totally invite the Wonderbolts to your magical floatie cloud house thing." Pinkie Pie's face scrunched up, thinking hard about Dash's house. Dash gave her a sad smile.
"No, Pinkie, I am not throwing a party."
"Of course not. You throw parties," Pinkie said with a giggle. "Throwing a party might hurt somepony. Parties are big! Especially my parties!" Everypony chuckled. "But if you aren't hosting a party, what are you doing? What's the big super duper looper news?" She had gotten up from the table and was not bouncing around Fluttershy, who shrieked a bit, and began hovering above the circling party pony.
Rarity got up, showing off her gemstone cutiemark, three diamonds in a triangle formation, and waltzed over to Twilight.
"Daaarrrrlings. Won't you tell us what your news is?" Her heavily mascaraed eyelashes slowly fluttered over her bright blue eyes. Twilight nodded.
"Everypony might want to sit down for this." Twilight glanced at the group, not even bothering to hide to shame. Pinkie Pie slowed her hopping a bit, and pranced over to her chair, where a purple dragon sat, picking under his claws. With a muffled oomph, Pinkie sat on him. Rarity flipped her curled purple mane, and delicately sat on her stool. Rainbow Dash looked at Twilight pleadingly. Twilight cleared her throat nervously.
"Um, Princess Celestia is sick and dying." She tore her eyes from the ground and flickered her gaze over her friends. All of their mouths gawked, hanging down to the ground. "And, when I searched for help from Zecora, she said that the only think that has a chance to save her, was a pegasus wing." Fluttershy gasped a bit, tears swelling in her eyes. Rainbo zipped over to her.
"Fluttershy, it's not you. Don't worry. It has to be somepony a bit... different..." She faltered, an rested onthe ground. her rainbow mane dragged in the dirt as she hung her head and trudged over to Twilight. "Keep going, Twi." She mumbled.
"Zecora told me that this pegasus must be loyal. She must be daring. She must be true." Twilight's friends just looked around confused. Twilight's heart sank so much, she was afraid it would hit the ground. "It - it's - it's Rainbow Dash." She would not look up to meet her friends eyes. Will they shun me? Banish me? I wouldn't hate them if they did. They have every right, especially Dash. She felt hot tears flood to her eyes, when a warm embrace caught her off guard. She looked up, and saw Rarity shedding her own tears.
"Oh Twilight. How awful." Soon, Everypony joined the hug. First Pinkie Pie, then Rainbow Dash, then Fluttershy, Applejack, and finally Spike. They stayed like that until the manager of the cafe shooed them away.
Will they keep embracing me once they find out I am the one murdering her?
The six friends all piled into Zecora's little tree house, cramming into the tiny room, brushing sides. The zebra sat in the middle of the room, staring glumly into each of the ponies eyes. Each, except for Rainbow Dash.
"I am sorry it has come to this. But the choice didn't have much of a list. Rainbow Dash is the only one, and the potion is almost done." She swung her head at Twilight. "How do you feel about this young pony? Celestia is laying in her room, quite pale, and quite bony. She lay there all alone in bed. Coughing, staining her sheets red." Zecora finally looked deep into Rainbow Dash's eyes. "Young pony, do you wish to die? So the princess can once more fly?"
"Now hold on one minute!" All eyes went to Rarity, her sudden outburst bringing a slight blush to her ivory cheeks. "Isn't there another way? Zecora, PLEASE!" She forced out the word so much, a deep rumble pushed out, causing the word to growl. Zecora flinched.
"I am sorry, but there is no other way. If you don't hurry, the sun will grey. Without the goddess to protect, the power of the sun will be wrecked." She lowered and shook her head slowly.
"So, Rainbow Dash will die?" A sad voice drifted around the room, from a deflated Pinkie Pie. Her hair no longer a mess of curls and springs, but a small pink waterfall, pin straight hair hanging to her hunched shoulders. Her blue eyes filled with tears, looked at Zecora pleadingly. "Who will I do pranks with now?" She sniffled, a single tear sliding down her cheek. Rainbow Dash zipped over and hugged her sobbing friend.
"I'm so sorry, Pinkie." She whispered into the pink hair.
***
Luna sat beside her sister, watching her chest rise and fall with her raspy breaths. Her hair was turning grey, barely even blowing in the wind. it just hung off the bed like any other pony's mane might have. Celestia's hair was supposed to wave in non-existent wind, like Luna's mane and tail. The very thought that she was losing her sister brought fiery tears to her eyes. She remembered Twilight Sparkle's words. Please, hold on for me! I will be back in one day. Luna held onto those words with her very existence. The sun was already going down towards the horizon, Luna had done it herself. Twilight was not one to give up on those she cared about. Luna heard a disturbance behind the barred doors, and wiped her face, putting up a wall of an emotionless steel.
The doors burst open, and a white stallion barged in. His hair ruffled, yet perfectly wavy, tore behind him like a cape. His blue eyes were painted with worry, and tears spilled down his cheeks. On his flank, rippling with muscles, was a simple compass rose, a diamond of gold, like his mane, and spires of lilac poking out behind them. He wore a collar and bow-tie, with a daisy pinned to the side, which ripped off with the sudden speed. The daisy floated to the floor, and rested there.
"Prince Blueblood!" She smiled sadly. He ran past her, shoving her over so he could sit beside Luna's sister. Her blood boiled, but she managed to keep her emotions in check. Although he could be a royal pain, he was family, and rude by nature. He bowed his head and started mumbling to himself. Luna glanced over and saw his sturdy shoulders shaking with sobs. Her gaze softened. Luna trotted over to Prince Blueblood, and gently tapped him on the shoulder.
"May I sit with thou?" Luna gazed into his bright eyes, shining with tears. He nodded and she sat, tucking her wings to her waist. "It helps to talk about thou problems," Luna prompt. Blueblood sighed.
"All of my life," He began. "I've pushed people away. I am a rude, disrespectful unicorn. But, that's an act." He gazed up into Luna's eyes, pleading, and Luna could read his message, please do not tell anyone about this. She nodded, and he continued, "I'm afraid that, since I am a prince and full of riches, people will treat me differently. They will take... advantage, let's say... of my wealth. So I've forced them to be repulsed by me, to think I am the most dishonorable prince in all of Equestria.
"Yet, when I first met Princess Celestia, she was kind, regal." Blueblood grinned through his tears. "As much as I tried, and trust me, I tried, and I tried, but she would always say, 'dearest Blueblood. I see into your heart, and I see a prince, strong and true.'" The prince lowered his head and laughed weakly.
"Finally, when I dropped the act, we became fast friends. I look up to her. I respect her, as no one else has ever done to me before. I don't allow others into my life. She was the first pony that I've ever actually accepted. And now she's dying. The only person who's accepted me. Seen behind my crude act, pushed, and crumbled my walls with her kindness, bashed down my doors with her voice. And now, the only person whom I thought who couldn't die, other than you of course, is being ripped from me. Torn from her immortal strands, although she still holds on, she's weak. I do not know who she is holding on for, however. How do you say goodbye if you don't even know if they'll hear you?"
Luna waited for a while, then realized he was done speaking. "For all it's worth," she said quietly, kissing his cheek, "I accept you." She walked out of the room, leaving prince Blueblood with his thoughts.
***
Zecora led them further into the Evergreen forest, off the trail, through gnarly roots, and hanging branches. Twilight was shocked. Through all of the dirt, and leaves that fell from the sky, she hadn't heard even a small gasp from Rarity. She glanced back multiple times, gob-struck each time. Rarity's head was held high, occasionally ducking under leaves. Her mascara smudged from dewdrops and tears, smearing down her face and up her cheekbones, and her face was scratched up and bloody, little raindrops of red dripped down her face. Mud covered her hooves, and her mane and tail her cut unevenly, thorns tearing off chunks of hair. Twilight saw that everypony else looked the same, yet it looked... planned on Rarity. She pulled it off. She probably thinks that her pain doesn't matter as much now, as Rainbow Dash is off to have her life taken away, Twilight thought to herself. And although Rainbow's head was held high as well, Her eyes were flooded with fear, and nervousness.
Zecora slowed her pace when they reached a large clearing set up with torches ringing the center. A large, wooden table was set up in the middle of the torches, shadows dancing on the top. A large, pointy stake was set off to the side, along with a large butcher knife. Immediately, Twilight felt sick. She heard gasps of shock from everypony. Rainbow Dash started to weep, not even caring about her last impressions, yet it was her friends, so it didn't matter anyway. Twilight stumbled up to her friend and embraced her, pulling her down to the ground. Fluttershy, who was a crying mess, came up and snuggled with her friend as well. As Pinkie Pie, Applejack, and Rarity joined, they ended up sitting down, surrounding Rainbow Dash, and became one big blubbering mess.
After Twilight and everypony else calmed down, they stood in a defiant line, facing Rainbow Dash's death together. Rainbow, with tears in her eyes, began to slowly walk up the steps.
As soon as Rainbow Dash got to the top of the table, a blur of creamy yellow collided with the blue pegasus, ruffling her multicolored mane.
"You don't have to do this, Rainbow!" Fluttershy sobbed. "There must be another way. Don't throw your life away!" Rainbow carefully pulled away from her shy friend. Looked into her rose eyes, and whispered to her friend.
"Fluttershy. If I don't do this, Princess Celestia will die, the sun will go out, and we will all die anyways." Fluttershy squealed and backed away. "I have to do this. One life for millions." Rainbow Dash smiled, turned and settled in to the wooden table. She eyed the sharp knife and stake beside her, and shivered as the cool metal of the blade slid under her pelt.
Zecora trotted up the stairs, and stood at one of the torches, and faced Twilight.
"I have six jobs for you and your friends. Each important for Dash's end. One for me, and five for you, so that her flesh can complete the stew."
"Can you not talk like that in front of me? I may be on my death bed, but I would still like some respect." Rainbow Dash scowled, her pink eyes still looking at the sharp objects. "So, what's the plan?"
Twilight walked over, "Everyone will be at a torch. Except for me. I am the one who has to kill you." Rainbow widened her eyes as Twilight continued. "Zecora told me that the one who feeds the potion, must be the one to kill the victim. And since I am the one who will be giving the potion to Celestia," she choked back a sob, "I have to rip off your wings. I'm so sorry Rainbow Dash." Twilight collapsed and hugged her friend, sobbing loudly, tears streaming down her face. Rainbow stroked her back comfortingly, and stared blankly at her friends, wo had all taken their posts at each torch.
Twilight stood up, and turned her back, mumbling goodbye, when a voice rang out through the forest.
"TWILIGHT! RAINBOW DASH?" Spike stumbled into the clearing, guided by the dim light of the torches. "I didn't... I... say..." He gasped, hunched over from running through Everfree Forest. All the ponies just stared at him in shock. "I... didn't... get to... say... goodbye..." He managed. Rainbow Dash suddenly flew straight at the little dragon, and held him close to her chest, while Spike sobbed into her coat.
Rainbow Dash and Spike stayed like that for a while, until Rainbow Dash pushed away, and flew up to her spot on the table, her front was soaked from her tears mixed with Spike's. Spike turned, and hid behind the tree.
Twilight Sparkle then steeled herself, and forced herself to think about all of the memories that she'd had with Dash. The times when Rainbow had been so daring. She barely even registered her magic picking up the stake, holding it high above Rainbow Dash's cowering head, and bringing it down on her skull. She couldn't of lived through an impact like that. Rainbow Dash had died instantly. Her skull cracked, her skin peeling away from the bone, revealing the thin cracks. The sharp stick pushed harder, past Rainbow's thick skull, and into the grey matter, mushing it around like stew. Blood splattered onto Twilight's violet coat, staining it red. She could barely feel her tears, dripping onto the wood, swirling around with the red liquid.
All Twilight could see was Rainbow Dash soaring through the sky, her face lighting up when she had done her trick successfully. In a daze, Twilight staggered over to Rainbow's side, almost slipping in the blood and brain that leaked out of Rainbow Dash's head. She dropped the stake, and picked up the knife. With her hooves, she grabbed one wing, pulling it out at full max, the joints popping and straining. The knife, with it's jagged edge, ground against the feathers on the muscular wing. A thin stream of blood started dribbling from the base of the powerful limbs, and soon turned into a steady flow. The knife started shaking as it hit muscle, tearing past the well built tissue. Blood now came out in spurts, squirting Twilight in the face. She only registered it as water when she and Rainbow Dash were lounging in the spa, the spa ponies massaging their backs.
The knife reached bone, blood now dripped from the knife's handle, and quivered as it still cut through. Bone splinters popped out, scattering across the forest floor. One wing shot off of the body. And Twilight began to work on the other one. She dropped the knife, and just began pulling on the delicate limb. The skin on the base pulled, until small lines ripped open, blood shooting out. Blood covered a torch, and the cream pony beside it began screeching and crying. The muscles resisted, each little fiber giving way one at a time. As soon as the last little string ripped away, the bone gave an ear shattering shriek before being torn away from Rainbow Dash's body.
The deed was done, blood pouring out of Rainbow's open wounds, when Twilight came back from her daze. She saw Rainbow Dash's head crushed, blood and brain matter caked everywhere, and the ripped flesh on her torso, bone joints jutting out at odd angles. Blood covered everything. The table, the body, Twilight, and all of her friends. They had abandoned their stations, and were all cowering behind Zecora, who had tears in her eyes, dripping silently to the ground. Twilight realized what she had done, and fell to the ground and sobbed as her vision went black.
When light returned to Twilight's eyes, she blinked. As her eyes adjusted, she rose to her hooves, and shook her head to clear it from the dots that danced in her vision. When she looked around, she realized she was in the library, sitting in the middle of the floor.
"Twilight! Oh darling! You're awake!" Rarity slowly trotted over to her fellow unicorn, and helped Twilight steady herself. The rest of the group and Zecora was sitting in the corner, having burned Rainbow Dash's body and were mourning over the ashes. Seeing Rainbows remains, Twilight remembered the events of the night before, with the pain, the blood, the death.
"Where are the wings?" She asked, numbly. Zecora motioned to a small wooden box near the door. Twilight leaned her weight onto Rarity's flank and stumbled to her friends. Sitting down, Twilight began silently crying, tears sliding down her face. Everyone did the same, crying over the loss of their friend. The Element of Loyalty was gone. Almost an hour went by when she was reminded of her promise to Princess Luna.
"I have to go to Canterlot!" She said, jolting up from her spot. Grabbing the two bloody wings, she darted out the door. Running through the streets, her satchel bag, which carried the blue pegasus wings, felt heavier and heavier with every step. When she arrived at the train station, it felt as if Twilight was carrying a full grown stallion in her bag. Casting a magic spell on the wings to keep them as fresh as possible, she hopped on the train.
Arriving in Canterlot, Twilight ran as quickly as her legs would carry her until she was at the large dorm. Bursting open the large wooden doors, she trotted over to the bed.
Princess Celestia had gotten worse in the hours Twilight had been away. Her eyes now bulged, their violet eyes had a slight gray haze, and a glazed look in her dilated pupils. The skin around her scalp had shrunk, giving her once graceful face a horrifying look. Her body was all bones, with a thin film of flesh covering it loosely. Clumps of rainbow hair lay around the bed, having disconnected from other hairs long ago, her mane now falling to her jaw, framing her face against the red pillow. Her wings, once large and majestic were now spindly, weak, and pale. Her chest rose and fell like it was full of cotton; choppy and quick.
Twilight had made it to the large castle in a daze, and it was only when she spoke did Twilight realize Zecora had followed her. The zebra silently walked to the skeletal princess, and hovered her hoof over the princess's stomach. Zecora opened her eyes and trotted to her saddle bags, muttering under her breath.
"Twilight, the wings?" She said after a couple minutes of pulling out multiple bottles of elixirs. Twilight floated over the wings, biting her lower lip and blinking away stinging tears. Zecora took them, drunk a small blue bottle of clear liquid and grimaced. Her eyes glazed over and her movements were almost robotic.
Zecora poured a round bottle of pink, thick syrup into a large cylinder filled halfway with dark fluid, and shook it until it turned a shiny white. Twilight turned and let the zebra mix and brew her potion. She walked over to Luna, who's eyes had dark circles around them, and were swollen red from crying. Twilight was about to tell her something, when the door slammed open, with Twilight's mouth hanging agape. In walked in Prince Blueblood. Twilight scowled. Why is he here? She thought to herself. Princess Luna rose, and hugged the broad stallion. Twilight closed her hanging mouth.
The prince trudged over to where Twilight was sitting with hunched shoulders. Twilight sighed. This was Princess Celestia's nephew, she remembered. She patted his back awkwardly, and he sat in a daze, looking past the princess's body and out the window. He turned to the purple, friendly unicorn beside him.
"I'm sorry." He said quietly. Twilight was shocked. Wasn't this the rude, stubborn prince Rarity told her about? She had read about him in the Daily Wings, which made him look like a huge jerk.
"Pardon me, Your Highness?" She asked, but faltered when he shook his head with a weak chuckle.
"You need not call me 'Your Highness'. I was apologizing because I am quite sure your stunning friend Rarity --"
"Stunning? But she said you treated her like shi --"
"Don't interrupt me," Twilight blushed. "I'm sure she told you how utterly absurd I was, but I was just pushing her away. I push everypony away, as I am vulnerable. As a prince, ponies assume I have everything. Respect, money, mares. Things like that. So, they might use me. It has happened before. Your mentor, my friend, was the only pony who actually saw me as a pony who was lonely. Princess Celestia cracked my weak shell, and befriended me.
"Offence is not intended, but Rarity did not care enough. She did not try hard enough. I almost decided to break down to her, she seemed determined, putting up with my attitude with attitude of her own. Then she was the one who broke. And here I am. Sitting beside my only friend. My idol. She taught me how to accept. She taught me how to forgive." His words were cut off by a choking sound. Twilight realized he was crying. He had turned and was hiding his muzzle behind his long hay-coloured mane. His cheeks lifted in a smile. Prince Blueblood turned, and his cheeks were streaked with tears. Twilight's heart shattered, and she wrapped her forehooves around his neck. Blueblood tensed, unsure how to react.
Finally, after Twilight squeezed his shoulders, Blueblood relaxed and wrapped his strong arms around her waist. He buried his face into the soft fur in her shoulder and cried. This is the first time someone has tried to calm me down in such an affectionate way. I never was in such a state around Princess Celestia. And yet I am here allowing a mare, whom I had just met, comfort me. And it doesn't feel... bad. Blueblood thought, smiling shortly through his tears into the unicorn's shoulder.
*~*~*
After a while, the two ponies fell asleep in each others embrace, and awoke when Zecora nudged them with a large bottle.
"Twilight, only the killer shall complete my brew. That means it must be you." She pushed the large, wide bottle towards the purple pony. The fluid inside couldn't decide what colour it was, shifting from red, to blue, to green. Prince Blueblood went to sit beside Princess Celestia. Twilight looked at the cyan wings at the edge of the room. Each one had 32 ripped out, which was 64 of Rainbow Dash's feathers in this bottle. Twilight's stomach twisted at the thought. She picked up a small stick with a leaf on it from Zecora's bag, and just before it hit the potion, Zecora handed her a feather. The feather was a light blue, and belonged to the Element of Loyalty, Rainbow Dash. Twilight felt tears stinging the backs of her eyes. Slowly, she dropped the stick, and dipped the tip of the feather into the bottle. The stem was sticking out of the bottle's mouth, gripped with Twilight's magic. The feather spun around in the glass container and spun until the colour changed from inconsistent to red, a small puff of black smoke lifted from the surface..
"It is done." Zecora said simply. She picked it up, and brought it to the bedside, quickly asking the royal white earth pony to move. She sat, and poured the elixir over the princess. As soon as the liquid left the bottle, it became heavy vapor, pouring over the princess's frail body and spreading over it like fog. The vapor did not dissipate. It lay like a blanket on the Princess, until the red vapor covered the bed. Twilight was unable to see Celestia's body for multiple minutes, until the fog began to disappear from the edges.
The fog had disappeared entirely, but the princess's body still lay on the bed, ribs showing, legs ready to snap, and eyes closed. Twilight spun on Zecora, who stood with wide eyes.
"Why didn't it work, Zecora? Why didn't it work?" The fire in her eyes was intense, and angry. Zecora simply shrugged, unsure what to say or what to do. The spell didn't work. Princess Celestia was dying, and there was nothing anypony could do.
Twilight ran to the bed side and cradled Celestia's head in her lap. The rosy eyes opened slowly, and started filling up with tears. She had heard and grasped the situation immediately. She flopped her head to look at Twilight.
"Twilight, you understand I am dying." Twilight nodded. Princess Celestia looked at her will eyes full of goodbyes.
"I don't want it to be time for goodbyes," Twilight whispered.
"Princess Celestia?" Tears poured down Twilight's face as she held the scrawny head of her beloved mentor. "Where did all the time you were supposed to have go to?" The words fell out of her quivering mouth, shaking with sobs.
"I don't know how this happened Princess. You were supposed to live forever!" A sob racked against her chest, her heart fluttered against her ribs like a trapped bird's wings.
"Can you help me stop this... this river of tears? I can't stop them, Princess." Princess Celestia heard her words as she drowsily closed her eyes, still listening, but her consciousness quickly fading. Twilight widened her eyes and cried even more, her tears dropping on the pale rainbow hair.
"I'm holding you close, Princess. I will keep you safe until you fly away. Raising the sun behind you." Twilight laughed weakly. "I don't know where my life is going to lead now. I've lost Rainbow, and that didn't work. Her life was supposed to save yours! Now I've lost two people? I don't know how to say goodbye! One lesson I never thought I would have to practice with you! Why did something so simple have to take you away from me?" More tears flowed from Twilight's eyes, soaking the Princess's face. Celestia's eyes opened partly, blurring her already dizzy vision.
"My dear student," she rasped. "You need to learn how to move on. After I'm gone, learn to laugh, instead of cry. You have other friends you need to support." She coughed. "You and I will meet again, my most faithful student. Don't say goodbye, Twilight Sparkle. We will meet in some place far away. Unknown," she said weakly. Her vision was blurring at the edges, her time running short. "I understand losing someone close o you is hard. I have lived for a long time, I have watched many of my loved ones disappear. Let my memory live on and give you strength." The sight of the violet unicorn was beginning to fade to black.
"But Princess... How do you say goodbye to someone you can't live without?" Her words faltered as the white alicorn in her arms let out a final breath, and didn't stir again. Twilight's violet eyes searched Celestia's face with fear, her breath increasing. Time slowed, and the room went silent. Princess Luna rushed over, and calmly said her goodbyes. Prince Blueblood was shaking Celestia's shoulders, while everything was slowly floating in the air. Blood rushed in Twilight's ears, and her vocal cords vibrated with silent screams. When time sped up, a bloodcurdling cry ripped from her throat, and guards were dragging her to the door. Twilight screamed until her throat burned.
At the funeral, one week later, Twilight Sparkle sat solemnly at her table. Many ponies stepped up and spoke for the Princess, including Luna, who had taken over the responsibility of raising the sun. Twilight was focusing solely on a vase, with a sun painted carefully on the side. When the celebrant stepped up to ask if anypony wished to speak any words, nopony answered. As the ponies were leaving, a weak voice cried out.
"I would like to speak." All heads swung to see Twilight, the pony who hadn't spoken since the death, climbing the stairs. The ponies returned to their seats. Twilight looked at the crowd, who loved the Princess as much as she had. She couldn't leave, lock herself up. She had to say her goodbyes and continue. She let the thoughts that were trapped in her mind pour out of her mouth, flipping herself inside out for everypony to see.
"Today is the day I finally say goodbye. After so many years, we have made so many memories. I never thought you would end. You never stopped believing in others, you were kind. You were smart, and loving. Your pretty face, your big eyes full of compassion. I held you in my arms that day, and now, there is nothing left to hold. You practically raised me, showing me love, compassion. It's time for you to rest now. I remember you complaining to me one day, saying how raising the sun is a job that has no day off. Well, Princess Celestia, you are resting now. There is nothing left to raise. Even though you've gone, you will remain with me. In memories. My mentor. My teacher. My friend. You have meant so much to me.
