6-day National Mourning declared
Royal student presumed dead after search halted
CANTERLOT – Equestria (Ponyville Mirror) – The Royal Equestrian Government has declared six days of state mourning starting from tomorrow, in honor of the royal student Twilight Sparkle, who was hailed as a national hero after she stopped Queen Chrysalis of the Changelings from taking over the capital and was presumably killed in a giant blast along with the changeling leader.
The announcement came shortly after the Royal Equestrian Guards have called off their country-wide search for the missing student. Early reports had indicated falling debris included live changelings, fueling hope that the student might be found in similar manner. A moon of searching involving three royal platoons, border guards, weather teams and volunteers have not found any sign of the student.
The Royal Judicial Committee has subsequently issued a plea of no challenge towards the declaration of the student’s death in absentia.
“As a mark of our highest respect to Twilight Sparkle, six days of state mourning will be observed throughout Equestria.” An official statement said.
During the period of state mourning, the national flag, as well as flags in Canterlot and Ponyville, will fly at half-mast on all buildings, and there will be no official entertainment. The first three days will be government holidays.
The date, time and venue of the state funeral will be determined later, it said.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The mares and Spike sat at the table in the Golden Oaks library. They grimaced as they looked at Rainbow Dash’s face, which turned from normal to seething rage.
Rainbow Dash tossed the paper on her hooves onto the ground and said. “They called off the search? How dare they?!”
Spike winced. “I don’t like it either, but the princesses have given their orders.”
Rarity sighed. “She also sent us a letter through Spike a few moments ago.”
“She apologized a lot.” Applejack said. “But the gist’s that the royal coffer’s bleedin’ red both to rebuild the castle and to organize such a large search mission.”
“Can’t they just lay off sleeping on comfy beds for a moment?” Rainbow Dash gritted her teeth. “Twilight’s life’s on the line here!”
“Rainbow…” Pinkie Pie frowned. The cyan mare remained adamant that Twilight was still alive. However, by now her demise was accepted by most ponies, including the four of them except Rainbow. It felt weird to see somepony who’s like part of themselves perished, but they gradually got used to it, however unwillingly.
“Part of the bits went to building monuments in memorial of Twilight in both Ponyville and Canterlot.” Fluttershy quietly added.
“Yeah, a darn stone statue of Twilight means buck all.” Rainbow Dash huffed.
“Don’t be like that, Rainbow.” Rarity said, “This is not helping any of us cope.”
“… I guess the princesses just want to grant us and themselves some closure to all of these.” Fluttershy said.
Rainbow Dash bared her teeth, but managed to swallow her outburst.
Some steps were heard from below, and a blue mare emerged from the stairwell.
“Sorry to interrupt.” Trixie said. “But I want to tell you that when you’re all out, Shining Armor came by.”
“Huh?” Spike said. “What did he do?”
“He just wanted to take some mementos back to Canterlot.” Trixie said. “He took away a photo of him with Twilight, and an old doll he calls Smarty Pants. He said he made it for Twilight when she’s small.”
The mares let out a sad breath. “So… what about he and Cadance?” Rainbow Dash asked.
“I don’t think they’re over it yet.” Trixie shook her head. “They just don’t want to be reminded of the entire affair.”
Suddenly, Spike burped out a green magic flame, and a letter scroll materialized in front of him. He skillfully grabbed and opened the letter. However, his face turned into a sad and awkward grimace as he read it.
“Is there any news from Canterlot?” Rainbow asked eagerly.
Spike glanced at Rainbow Dash nervously.
“What? Spit it out already!” The cyan mare impatiently huffed.
“The princesses invited us to attend the, um, uh…” Spike gulped. “… funeral…”
“Funeral?!” Rainbow Dash pounded on the table, startling her friends a little bit. “Buck this, I’ve had enough.”
“Wait! Rainbow, where’re you going?” Fluttershy asked.
“I need some time to think on my own.” Rainbow Dash turned and said.
The cyan mare then stormed out of the library, leaving other ponies simply glaring at the door with stunned expressions.
“… We should check up on Rainbow later.” Fluttershy sighed. “We couldn’t afford to lose another friend.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ponies have gathered in the largest hall in the Canterlot Castle. Thousands of ponies gathered in the hall to remember the life of the purple mare who sacrificed herself to save Canterlot and Equestria from the changeling invasion. The hall was decorated in white and purple, and all the ponies was wearing purple memorial ribbons. A giant photo hanged in the middle of the hall.
“Would Dashie make it here in time?” Pinkie Pie frowned. “I wonder if she came here on a later train.”
“You did told Rainbow Dash the details, right Fluttershy?” Rarity asked.
Fluttershy quietly nodded.
“Let her make up her mind herself.” Applejack closed her eyes.
Suddenly, the moving crowd of ponies in the memorial hall went still. Celestia and Luna walked out on the podium. However, Cadance simply sat among the audience with Shining Armor. They were too sad and emotional to face the crowd.
Celestia took the stage. Her face was serene and sorrowful.
“Friends, Family and Fellow Equestrians,
This has been a dark moon for Equestria.
A light that bridged us to the shining ideal of harmony has tragically been extinguished.
We have lost our beloved Twilight Sparkle. She was young, but she was a paragon of all qualities we treasured as a nation, namely her fervent love and desire for friendship with everyone, as well as her dedication towards Equestria and her citizens.
Twilight was an outstanding student of magic. I recall the day I personally selected her from the School for Gifted Unicorns for her incredible magically ability. In fact, she was one of the most talented unicorns I’ve ever seen. Given my rather advanced age, that’s saying a lot.”
Some ponies could not help but quietly smile at the joke Celestia made at her own expense.
“Twilight did not only metaphorically represent the ideals of harmony. She personally embodied them, as she and her dearest friends succeeded Luna and I, and wielded the Elements of Harmony along with her dear friends. Using the Elements as well as her wit and skills, she helped the nation of Equestria through hurdles upon hurdles. She defeated the evil besetting my sister and returned her to us anew. She ushered in an environment of neighborly love and prosperity in Ponyville where she had resided. And of course, she saved us all from the brutal subjugation by the changelings through her selfless sacrifice. For this, we can never thank her enough.”
Celestia continued her officiating speech, as she showered her former student with all her praises. And then as her speech drew to a close, the four mares inhaled sharply as they realized it was their turn to speak.
As Celestia retreated to the side, Rarity walked onto the stage and began.
“Twilight Sparkle is a name that inspires adoration and respect, but to us, she was a simple mare and dear friend.
She was the quintessential mare from worked herself from an upstart to greatness. Through her selfless sacrifice, she became a symbol of hope and steadfast devotion.
Yet that was not the Twilight we know most dearly. The Twilight we knew was brave against danger, yet soft and sensitive with her friends. She feared for rejection, and always clamors for warmth and companionship. She tried her best to better herself and the lives of everypony around her. Instead of 'goodbye', let's say 'till we meet again'. For the place she went to visit, we must visit some day ourselves.”
The crowd inhaled at the speech. The princesses raised their eyebrows and slowly tasted the implications of Rarity’s last sentence.
Applejack then followed Rarity’s hoof steps. She carefully adjusted and practiced in her mind, and began to speak with a plain accent accessible to most guests.
“Together we're all here, paying tribute to a purple mare many of you only know through news or friends. And yet, we mourn with the same intensity as if we too lose a loved one. Such was the shining goodness of her deeds, that it exceeds the boundary of relations and sends our beloved Twilight onto the pedestal of adoration.”
Applejack turned and looked to the portrait of Twilight.
“Yet as Rarity said, Twilight was a... unique and noble specimen of a mare by herself, without all that myth and legends about her sacrifice. We risk turning her into a hoofnote in history if we reduce her to a symbol of cheer, while forgetting about her humor, her laughter and her friendliness.”
Applejack then turned her gaze back at the mesmerized audience.
“Twilight was a clever mare and a very magical unicorn. But aside of that, she was like a simple foal at heart. She was very insecure, desperately wanting to do good and be loved. And so she threw herself at problems without regards of her own safety. Such was her willingness to please, such was her willingness to serve.”
There were gasps in the crowd. The princesses especially were slightly stunned at the revelations of something they never sensed in the seemingly confident mare.
“… With that in mind, we're thankful for Twilight. She... let us into her life, and her journey has now been tragically cut short. But this is not the end of the journey. We shall carry her memory in our own minds, and walk with her image in our hearts, towards the future she longed for.”
After Applejack, Fluttershy trotted up slowly and bowed.
“I’m not as good a public speaker as my friends. So I would simply dedicate our feelings and thoughts for Twilight in a song. Hopefully, my sentiments will be adequately captured by this song, which both Twilight and I loved.”
She closed her eyes and slowly sang to the keys of the pipe organ,
“O Twily dear, the pipes, the pipes are calling
From glen to glen, and down the mountain side
The summer's gone, and all the flowers are dying
'Tis you, 'tis you must go and I must bide.
But come ye back when summer's in the meadow
Or when the valley's hushed and white with snow
'Tis I'll be here in sunshine or in shadow
O Twily dear, O Twily dear, I love you so.
And if you come, when all the flowers are dying
And I am dead, as dead I well may be
You'll come and find the place where I am lying
And kneel and say an Ave there for me.
And I shall hear, tho' soft you tread above me
And all my dreams will warm and sweeter be
If you'll not fail to tell me that you love me
I'll simply sleep in peace until you come to me.
I'll simply sleep in peace until you come to me.”
The crowd was moved by the heartrending melody evoking a sense of longing and memories. It was a different experience altogether compared to listening to a stirring speech.
After the ponies calmed down, Pinkie rose to the stage in a smile colored by sadness, succeeding Fluttershy.
“So um… my friends were either really eloquent, or has really good singing voice. I’m merely a baker who happens to also plan parties. Well, Twilight was also a mare who loved to make friends and a good laugh. But she once told me that her big fear when she dies, they’ll have her picture in the news, and they always have underneath it, in quotes, ‘She loved to laugh.’ Oh, she loved to laugh. Well, that doesn't tell you anything. Everypony loves to laugh! That's like saying, ‘She hungered for food!’”
Pinkie smiled as she looked at some of the snickering guests, “Twilight would want ponies not to be sad, but be happy and cheerful because of her work. That’s what drove her to help other ponies and achieve so many great things. In times of troubles, difficulties and struggles, humor is often a good way to channel our remembrance into a positive motivation to build a better future. That’s also what one of the driving forces for Twilight’s unyielding desire to make progress and change the world for the better. She wanted to see smiles blossom on our faces, as well as our children’s, and what’s a better tribute for us than to discard our frowns and think fondly of Twilight’s everlasting goodwill?”
Celestia and Luna nodded at the outstanding speeches by Twilight’s friends. The moon princess stepped forward and took the stage after Pinkie finished hers. Shining Armor sat straight seeing Luna coming out, and he inhaled sharply.
“Ladies and Gentlecolts, it is my sad privilege today to be authorized to make a special induction and award. For Twilight Sparkle’s exemplary service to the realm, the Royal Crown had decided to posthumously award her the titular duchy of Ponyville, which entitled her to the address ‘Her Grace’. We have also officially inducted her as a Dame Grand Collar of the Most Ancient Order of Star Swirl.
I would now ask Shining Armor, who has so kindly agreed to be with us today, to accept this special Medal as a tribute to the memory of his late sister, in whose loss we sympathize so deeply with him and his family.”
Shining Armor stepped onto the stage with unsteady gait. He tried his best to suppress his tears, but a few drops still managed to overflow from the corner of his eyes, as he sadly but proudly took the medal into his hooves.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The memorial service extended well into the night, as streams of well-wishers came and went. The princesses, the mares stood tall as they oversaw the entire procedures. They were tired, but also spirited to see so many ponies came to give their appreciation to a mare that saved them from the ignominy of thralldom.
As the last guests departed, only a small group of close friends remained.
Pinkie Pie looked to the ground and quietly muttered. “Dashie didn’t come after all.”
“If she chose to remember Twilight in her own way, we should let her.” Fluttershy shook her head.
“Indeed.” Rarity said. “This is just a form… a ritual if you will.”
Suddenly, a shuffling figure emerged from the back door of the hall. The mares turned and expected to see Rainbow finally arrive. But to their shock, it was someone else.
“I come here to—”
“To do what?” Shining Armor leapt forward and said angrily. “To sully my sister’s memory?!”
‘Not again…’ Spike sighed.
Fluttershy grimaced and said to Shining Armor. “Shining Armor, we had a deal with the princesses to oversee Discord’s reformation. Please listen to what he has to say first, I beg you.”
“Thank you, Fluttershy.” Discord said.
The draconequus walked forth and said the princesses, who looked at him with suspicious looks. “I originally wanted to come here and tell everyone that my action did cause Twilight’s demise and ruin everything good up and including sliced bread. But Shining Armor’s right, I would hate to besmirch the ceremony by my presence.”
The draconequus tidied his suit. “To be perfectly honest, I felt no obligation towards the nation of Equestria, or indeed any of you pony princesses. Twilight was the only one pony that I… cared for, and I still do. But Twilight did wish strongly for me to attune my desire for chaos, as well as doing some good for this land.”
“I just wish to do something that would have brought a smile to Twilight. So I want to pledge myself to do good for the realm, until a day Twilight comes to me and releases me from the duty.”
The mares gasped. Discord’s words implied that he’s going to sign off on an indefinite pledge, simply in memory of the purple mare he had been with for several moons.
Fluttershy observed the draconequus. He’s much subdued since the tragedy, almost unlike himself. The spirit of chaos had been a mischievous, carefree trickster, who thought he could play around with ponies like toys on his palms. Twilight’s death must have weighed heavily on him, for she had not heard him speak in jest for quite a long time, and even when he did, it was half-hearted and tame.
“Who on Earth wo—”
“Are you sure about that, Discord?” Celestia stopped Luna’s outburst and asked calmly.
“Oh yes, I’m serious.”
Celestia closed her eyes and exhaled, “None of your actions, however more you atone, can bring back my beloved student.”
Discord simply gazed directly at Celestia’s eyes.
Celestia narrowed her eyes. “But if you so wish, I will not object. However, your disloyalty and flippancy compel me to do something before I can accept your proposal… Now, just wait here.”
The others waited expectantly as Celestia left seemingly to fetch something. When she came back, a large crystalline neck ring was also suspended in air nearby by her magic.
“You know Tirek, Discord.”
Discord nodded.
“This is a power-limiting torque we put on him before we could send him to Tartarus for imprisonment. It is made from crystals from the Tree of Harmony. That means only the magic from the Elements can open it once it locked onto someone.”
Celestia then floated the neck ring in front of the chaos spirit, “Now if you—”
Discord snapped his fingers, put the power limiter onto his neck and buckled the lock.
“Hey, it matches my color.”
“… Just like that?” Celestia asked, a bit stunned.
Discord ignored the princess, and he snapped his fingers again. Instead of the expected yellow flash, only a few tiny sparks came out.
“Whoa, this thing’s a real deal.” Discord grimaced. “I can barely use my magic better than when I was in the stone.”
“Serves you right.” Luna huffed.
“This power limiter shall restrict your power to that comparable to a somewhat powerful unicorn.” Celestia explained. “Since you’re willing to accept this self-imposition, we will believe your sincerity, for now.”
“But uh,” Rarity asked. “How can Discord use his power to help now that he’s… powerless?”
“Powerless?” Discord huffed. “I can still win against you even with this thing on me.”
Rarity rolled her eyes and grinned. “Yeah, winning against a helpless mare, heroic.”
For some reason, the sardonic face Rarity made somehow reminded him of Twilight being teased.
‘I’ve been thinking too much.’ He lightly shook his head.
“You don’t have to wield world-shaking power to make a positive change to the world.” Celestia merely said. “I believe when you’re needed, what was lost in raw power, you can make up with your versatility.”
“Maybe.” Discord shrugged.
“Discord.” Celestia said. “I’m still willing to put trust in you, because Twilight did so, and her friends continue to do so. I don’t ask you not to disappoint me, but not to disappoint her. I shall call upon you and other former Element-bearers shall the realm needs you. But now, you’re permitted to stay in Ponyville with your… friends.”
Discord said nothing, but the mares and Spike looked at him with thoughtful gazes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After the service, the mares stayed at Canterlot took the morning train back to Ponyville. They were exhausted by the time they were back, so it was not until another day that they noticed something was wrong with the absence of Rainbow Dash.
The mares and Spike was waiting anxiously in the library. Trixie brewed a tray of tea to give everyone something to drink and calm themselves with. That’s when Fluttershy came through the wooden door of the library.
“Did you find Rainbow?” Rarity asked.
“No, it took me some time to locate her house because it has floated off quite a distance.” Fluttershy sighed. “But she’s not at her cloud home either.”
Pinkie Pie yelped. “Oh, oh dear! Dashie’s missing?!”
Fluttershy grimaced, “The door was open and the house was almost empty, I was afraid that someone might have burglarized her home.”
The mares and Spike gasped. Fluttershy then held up a piece of note, “But then I find this…”
Fluttershy put down the paper on the table. They then all crowded next to it and read.
“To my friends,
By the time you’re reading this, I have already gone south. I’ve heard that quite a lot of the changelings were blasted towards the Badlands, so I wanted to have a go to see if I can find Twilight there as well.
Do not, I repeat, do NOT under any circumstances try to look for me. I’m a grown mare, I can protect myself and I have made my own decision. And that decision is to confront my nagging doubt and look for Twilight myself. I know many of you might think this is foolish and futile, but I’m foolhardy enough. Plus, I’ll never be at peace with myself if I never try. Believe me, if I scour the place and find nothing, I’ll be back.
Unlike most of you, I don’t really have a lot of things that tie me down in Ponyville. The weather team can find another substitution, and Wonderbolts can wait. However, my biggest concern is Scootaloo. The little scamp sees me as her only family, since she doesn’t really have any around here. I’m pained to leave her alone, but I have to. I hope that you girls can look after her from time to time. Tell her I’m just on a long trip and I’d definitely be back. Not exactly a lie, isn’t it?
Anyway, wish me luck! Don’t miss me, I’ll be fine.
Best,
Rainbow Dash
P.S. Tank won’t leave me alone, so I took him with me. Don’t worry, I will take good care of him on my journey.”
“That is indeed her hoof-writing.” Rarity said.
“Ah thought Ah’m the stubborn one.” Applejack shook her head. “But Rainbow really takes the cake.”
Pinkie Pie muttered. “Rainbow’s gone too…”
The pink mare gazed at the ground and went silent.
“Now, now Pinkie.” Fluttershy cooed. “We’re still here with you, aren’t we? Plus, Rainbow will definitely come back.”
“She knows you’re way too clingy to just leave behind.” Applejack added.
“Yeah.” Rarity chuckled. “Even if she’s moved to the other side of the world, she would still fear that you might suddenly pop out of a potted plant to tackle her.”
“Hey, I’m not that clingy!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed with a blushed face.
“Really?” Rarity and Spike looked to one another, and then gave the pink mare a meaningful gaze.
Pinkie Pie shushed them, and then smiled. “You’re right, Fluttershy, I should put trust on Rainbow.”
“Um…” Trixie said hesitantly, “You all seem quite accepting of her just leaving all of a sudden, going to Badlands not least! It isn’t a place to be trifled with. I’ve been there once, and there’re strange ponies and dangerous creatures beyond the southern border!”
The smiling faces on the mares turned disheartened and they sighed.
“We’d be lying if we say we don’t want to go out and find Rainbow.” Applejack said.
“But Rainbow is very determined, or I should say… hardheaded.” Fluttershy said, “She definitely knew that we’d want to look for her, so she must have flown away at full speed and arranged it so that we can’t find her easily.”
“Don’t look at Dashie and think she’s book-dumb and unthinking.” Pinkie Pie smiled sadly. “She’s actually very clever, and she can be as slippery as a skating rink!”
“Well.” Fluttershy quietly said. “It’s not that we’re afraid of how daunting that would be, but given that Rainbow has expressly told us not to pursue her, to do so regardless will be hugely disrespectful of her will.”
“Moreover Rainbow’s right, we have way too many things that bounded us to Ponyville.” Rarity sighed. “I don’t care about my personal fortune as long as it’s enough for me to eat and live, but now we four each have businesses of our own and therefore a lot of ponies who looked upon us.”
Applejack nodded. “It’s one thing to slow things down or take them down a notch because of what happened last moon, but to leave things hangin’ in the air while we’re gone will definitely cause disasters. Mah employees are like mah family, some of them are literally mah cousins. If somethin’ happens when we’re not here, we’d be facin’ a lot of unhappy and hungry ponies.”
“Actually.” Rarity said. “That’s also why we declined when Rainbow wanted us to join the search in the early days. We couldn’t afford to leave Ponyville for more than a few days. These ponies came from all over Equestria just to find a place to live and a job to sustain, we can’t disappoint them by shirking our duties and just making this all about ourselves.”
Trixie slowly took in the explanations. Although she’s not entirely comfortable with the idea of just letting Rainbow Dash go, she eventually nodded. “… I see.”
The blue mare sighed and stroked her chin. “Let’s hope that she would succeed then, Trixie really hope so.”
Applejack looked at Trixie curiously. The blue mare at first felt a bit awkward by the sudden gaze, and then grew increasingly uncomfortable.
Trixie finally couldn’t bear it and asked aloud. “Wh—what are you looking at?”
“As we’ve just talkin’ ‘bout Rainbow, Ah’m suddenly reminded of her remarks about you.” Applejack smirked.
“Eh?” Trixie was surprised and piqued. “What remarks?”
“She was one day wonderin’ aloud that how could a pony change so much in such a short time.” Applejack smiled. “She said you turned from a, quote, ‘insufferable blowhard’, to a demure but hardworking student just a few moons with Twilight.”
Trixie’s face was red from embarrassment but also irritation at being called name, “Tri—Trixie was not an insufferable blowhard! It was just an act! A show persona!”
“A very convincing act, if I may say so.” Rarity chuckled. “As those stage play critics would say, it blurred the line between acting and real life.”
“There’s some of it in you, isn’t there?” Pinkie Pie giggled.
Trixie was initially flustered, but she slowly collected her calm and explained. “Well, Trixie had to, didn’t I. Trixie was a professional showmare, and I still love to play tricks to impress ponies. Just ask Pinkie."
Pinkie Pie nodded and smiled. “Trixie is the best pony around to kick parties up a few notches!”
Trixie grinned. “Trixie had been motivated by a strong desire to impress, and so I had created a persona that was bombastic, powerful and larger than life. It represented what I wished I actually was and what I hoped I would become, not to mention it drew ponies into my show. I guess as time went on, I did get carried away, and my act started to get mixed up with my real feelings. Too into it, you might say.”
Trixie then smiled bashfully. “Trixie was not always like that. When I was young, I was always the quietest mare in my family, and I often just played by myself as other unicorn foals think I’m too, uh, lame to hang out with.”
“I’m sorry about that…” Fluttershy said.
Trixie chuckled. “Trixie is over it long ago. You’re over yours as well, aren’t you?”
Fluttershy widened her eyes. “How’d you know…?”
“Oops.” Trixie covered her mouth. “Trixie, uh, just heard about it from Rainbow.”
Fluttershy shook her head and chuckled, “Oh, don’t worry. As you said, I’m over it too.”
“… Well, Trixie learnt a lot from Twilight.” Trixie said. “She not only taught me magic in a way that no teachers of mine had tried before, but also allowed me to clarify my thoughts and my aspirations. I now know that I do have useful talents, but I shouldn’t be too consumed and blow it up to unmanageable proportions. It just blinds us to possible improvements. Besides, what if I’m needed to save the day, but I don’t actually come through because other ponies overestimate my ability? I dread about disappointing others like this.”
“You’ve indeed learnt a lot from her.” Rarity smiled, “Just like us.”
“Trixie do sometimes wonder though.” Trixie said. “How did she know so much?”
The mares raised their eyebrows at Trixie’s remark.
“I don’t mean in terms of magic, since I always know she’s very good at it.” Trixie said, “I mean… all other things. When we were still in the School for Gifted Unicorns, the Twilight I knew back then was brilliant, but neurotic and to be honest, she had the social skills of a blunted buck saw.”
The mares and Spike snickered.
“I totally agree.” Spike said.
“But the Twilight I learnt from as a student was, well, in some parts the same as the Twilight of old, but in other parts like a wise old mentor. I wonder what happened in between?”
The mares smiled awkwardly and remained silent, as they knew the truth to that question. Spike, though, was again reminded of something he had not thought about for a while; what happened to Twilight in the few moons before they came to Ponyville?
Spike sighed deeply. Although it piqued his curiosity, but it was ultimately a moot point now that Twilight’s… no more. He did hope though that Rainbow Dash could find something, anything about Twilight in her journey. Even a small memento would be nice.