//------------------------------// // Part 4: Accident // Story: Statues // by TypewriterError //------------------------------// “I can’t believe I didn’t bring my shawl. It really is too chilly today.” Majesty’s mother remarked, shivering a little. It was their annual trip to visit the Statue Garden during the morning of Nightmare Night. Princess Celestia walked next to Majesty while her parents walked on the other side of the now 21-year-old unicorn. Majesty no longer dressed up for the occasion, as she had done when she was younger, but she still wore the shield across her back and had even smoothed and braided her mane. Celestia always seemed happy to see her wearing the shield proudly. She had magically shrunk the shield to fit the unicorn’s shoulders more easily, once Majesty was sure she had stopped growing. The garden was full of other pony families, all of them with small children. Candy was always scattered in the grass for the fillies and colts who were too young to stay up for Nightmare Night. Majesty had many fond memories of finding delicious treats she was never able to have during other times of the year. Her mother had made so many beautiful and fun costumes for her. How she missed being that young...no responsibilities outside of cleaning her room. She had definitely wasted that time trying to grow up. Her father strolled a little closer to her mother. “You know, if you're cold, I could do something to make you blush. Would that help?” he said coyly. “Nevermind I think that just did the trick...” her mother said. Majesty suppressed a snicker. Still, growing up wasn't too bad. She had never realized, when she was younger, how cute her parents were as a couple. She had never appreciated their relationship, or really them, before. She had love them, yes, but never truly appreciated them. Her smile faded as she recalled all the times she had talked back, lied, stolen, and done other things that hurt her parents. She wasn’t sure what had made her realize just how much she owed them, but she was glad she had at least realized the debt she had accumulated and could never pay back. “By the way, Majesty, I forgot to tell you but we got a letter from your Aunt Peony. Your cousin, Day Lily, just got engaged.” “Really? How old is she?” “About your age.” Majesty stopped the deadpan expression she had inherited from her dad so she wouldn’t offend her mother. Lately her mother had begun to push her in a way that reminded her of Grandpa Bass. Majesty couldn’t blame her. She just wanted to be a grandmare and only had one daughter who could fulfil that wish. The truth is, Majesty had almost no close guy friend and they all had girlfriends or dating them would just be awkward. She’d rather not risk losing a friendship by forcing a relationship. Besides, they hadn't been as close recently since Majesty had started working and spending more time with Celestia, but her mother wouldn't be happy about that explanation at all. It wasn’t that her mom didn’t understand...it just was that she also had a plan for her daughter which she believed would make her happy. “I would like to thank you all for allowing me to walk with you. However, I must do another candy drop.” Celestia said and bowed her head to each of the ponies. “Thank you, Princess Celestia.” her mother said. “We’ll probably head back anyway—” her father added. “May I finish walking through the garden?” Majesty asked. “You’ve seen it hundreds of times!” her mother laughed. “Well, Yeah...” “I do need you to do the dishes.” her mother stated simply. “All right...” she said and masked a sigh. “Take care, all of you.” Celestia said and took off to fly over the grass and scatter a blanket of candy that magically sprouted from her horn. Majesty turned around and walked back to the entrance of the garden, somewhat grudgingly, among the cries of joy coming from fillies and young colts as they ran to select their favorite sweets. “I’ll be back down in a moment. I just need to put this away.” Majesty said, indicating her shield as they entered the house. “All right. Just don’t play around.” her mother reminded. Majesty climbed the stairs to her room and opened the door with her magic. Her room had not changed much in the last few years. It was still the same yellow-and-red walls with the same wooden bed, desk, dresser, bookcase, and black trunk...that she still needed to go through. She magically unstrapped the shield and placed it on her bed. No matter how many times she had worn it it still looked brand new. A spell was most likely responsible for that. A note from Celestia sat on her dresser and she opened it up eagerly. Perhaps she would allow her into the garden again tonight? Dear Majesty Song, Meet me in the garden as soon as you can tonight. Yours, Princess Celestia Majesty couldn’t help but frown. Usually the notes inviting her to enter the garden at night were just that: invites. This almost had a command attached to it. “Majesty!” her mom called from downstairs. “Coming!” she shouted and galloped downstairs before her mother had to grow insistent. The clean plate clinked against the one next to it as Majesty placed it in the drying rack. Her mother stood next to her, drying the silverware before placing it in the drawer. “So, Majesty, why do you always want to spend time in that garden?” “It’s beautiful, Mom. It helps me relax.” “I think you need to spend less time in the garden and more time on finding another job.” “But, Mom, I’m happy at the bakery. I’ll move out but I haven’t saved enough for an apartment yet.” “I just think you should set goals that are a little bit higher than baking bread and pastries your whole life.” “Like what?” Majesty asked and handed some spoons directly to her mother with magic. “Well, I hear that they could use some help down at the Opera House...” “Did Grandpa Bass ask you to do this?” she groaned. “No, I mean as a stage hand. You might like it. It would be a wonderful opportunity.” “Who told you more people were needed there?” “Your Grandpa. He might be able to help you get ahead in the list of applicants.” “Mom...I..." Her mother looked at her expectantly, but Majesty thought better of saying what she wanted to, "I’ll think about it. But can we please stop talking about what I need to do with my life?” “I just want you to spend more time working and less time playing around with a few statues.” “Ok. I understand.” “You have to decide what you want to do and sooner is better than later. It's a good opportunity and I think you should take it.” “Mom...please,” Majesty said, putting the last dish into the drying rack none too gently, “I know you love me and I know you’re concerned that I’ll die old and alone but perhaps I have no idea what I want to do with my life yet!” Majesty facehoofed. A gentle nudge from her mother’s muzzle touched her right temple. “I’m sorry. I won’t bother you about it again.” her mother’s gentle voice said. “I’m sorry, too. It’s just...you and dad and Grandpa Bass and...just everyone. It seems like everypony in this family is trying to get me to be something...and it’s like they...they don’t want me to be somepony they want me to be them... Well, you and dad aren’t quite that bad but...you know...” Majesty said, staring at the last few plates in the sink. “I understand.” her mother said and they stood silently by the sink for a few moments. Majesty finally lifted the last plate from the suds and moved the sponge over the surface. It clinked against the other plates. “Thank you for helping. I’ll take care of the rest of this.” her mother said. Majesty nodded and climbed the stairs. She felt like she needed a nap. Why was it that she tired so easily lately? Was this her growing...older? She entered her room and turned to look at herself in the mirror. She tried to see the pony who had stood there the first time she was planning to visit the garden at night: the filly with no cutie mark who had devised a way to finally see all the Garden’s statues. A pony who didn't need to decide right that minute what she wanted to do with her life. She was echoed in the face Majesty saw now, but only echoed. Now, the mare staring at her...had to be a grown up. It was then that Majesty thought she understood why she felt as if she owed an unpayable debt to her parents: they were growing old. Her mother's mane had faded slowly over the years from deep brown to more of a hot chocolate with milk color. Wrinkles crinkled the skin around both of her parents' eyes. Her father had to wear glasses now and seemed to be taking more time to walk the distance to the Garden each year. They no longer were allowed time to have fun and goof off. If they had time they didn't have enough energy. They had responsibilities that they couldn't escape. They had invested over half of lives into her and one day...they would no longer be there. Was all they had done for her going to be wasted? She so often felt that she was heading that direction of wasting all the work they had put into her. But, working under Grandpa Bass's constant stream of urging to practice singing wasn't the way to pay them back for all they had done for her. Majesty looked to her door when she heard a thud from downstairs. What was that? She hurried down the stairs and cantered into the kitchen to find her dad kneeling down next to her mother who was collapsed on the floor, but conscious, and crying into her hooves. Her father placed his left foreleg over his wife and rested his muzzle in her hair. “What happened?” Majesty asked, dumbfounded. Her father lifted a letter to her with his magic and continued to comfort his wife. Majesty took it and recognized her Aunt Peony’s thick but small handwriting: Cocoa, I hate to not tell you this in person but right now but I figured you’d need to know. Cherry Blossom was in an accident yesterday morning. She passed away last night. The funeral will be held in two days. Love, Your sister, Peony Majesty couldn’t stop reading the letter again and again. It couldn’t make sense. She hadn’t seen Cherry since... since she crawled out of a butterfly bush, too scared to speak to Princess Celestia. Had it really been that long ago that she had last seen her? She read the note over and over. The words were there but she couldn’t believe it... she didn’t want to believe it. It just...didn’t seem real. She looked back to her parents, huddled close together. She heard the sobs her mother was trying to suppress, but didn’t know what to do. Cherry Blossom...was ten years old now. She stood there, watching them, and let the letter drop to the floor Majesty walked into the garden without her shield this time. It just didn’t seem appropriate for some reason. She was still somewhat in shock over Cherry Blossom’s... passing away. The paved path glowed in the moonlight shining freely without clouds to hinder them. She hoped that the Princess wasn’t expecting her to be cheerful. She turned the corner after entering and almost ran into her. “Oh! I’m sorry! I...” “Shh!” Celestia cautioned. Majesty blushed from humiliation and followed the Princess who stood, ready to lead her down the familiar path. “Princess Celestia...I...” Majesty looked down and the alicorn turned her head to see her. “Majesty...what’s happened?” she asked, surprised at Majesty’s demeanor. “I...my mother got a letter today...” “One of your grandparents?” Celestia asked, sympathetically. “No...do you remember my cousin Cherry Blossom? She kept on hiding in the butterfly bush when you visited?” “Yes...Majesty, what’s wrong? Where's your shield?” Celestia asked, frantically. Majesty didn’t realize she had started crying. “I...I left it...she was...she was in an accident...” Majesty gasped and hoped her voice would stop wailing, “I don’t know what happened...she was...she was 10 years old...the funeral is in two days...I don't know how she...” “Majesty, I am so sorry.” Celestia said, genuinely sympathetic. “I don’t know what happened...she was just ten years old! She was ten years old! How could she....she...she's...gone...but, she was ten years old! How could she be...” The Princess did nothing for awhile. She almost seemed as scared as Majesty had been to see her own mother cry. Majesty didn't care. something was slowly releasing itself from her in each tear and gasp. Celestia very slowly, and cautiously, lifted her foreleg and rubbed the unicorn's shoulder with her hoof. She let the unicorn weep noisily into her regal mane. She knelt down with Majesty resting her forehead on her left foreleg while her right hoof rubbed her back, trying to comfort her. Majesty began to keen. She wasn't able to stop it and Celestia seemed to have forgotten the need for silence and no longer hushed her. She covered the back of Majesty's head with her chin and wrapped her right foreleg around her now, holding her close. How long had it been since she had hugged somepony like this? Sobs echoed, along with occasional babble, among the statues, silent watchers who were unable to move, unable to help, unable to comfort. They were stuck standing on their pedastals. Cold, smooth, polished, unmoving stone. After what felt like half an hour, Majesty finally exhausted her tears. She still rested her forehead against her friend but her voice was more calm when she spoke, “It just...how do I even deal with...with her...being gone?” Celestia was silent for awhile. “It's hard...I know...it's hard...perhaps...perhaps it is best to cry...” Majesty looked up to see the Princess had cried too, "You know...it's funny. Luna once told me that tears were nothing to be ashamed of...tears are...not weakness...and that I should never feel sorry to feel grief like what you’re feeling now." Celestia swallowed as she continued to force herself to speak what she was saying, "She told me...sometimes being brave is...letting others know you’re hurting. That it’s ok to talk about it and cry over it. Even if you just cry over it and don’t say anything that is better than to pretend as if nothing happened. It’s unhealthy to deny grief a chance to be purged...” she said, more to herself than to the unicorn still under her foreleg. Majesty slowly and politely stood up, easing herself from under Celestia's foreleg. Celestia rose too. "That makes sense...but, why is it funny though?" Majesty asked, wiping her muzzle with her hoof. "I'm not sure...I think because...she was the one who told me that...maybe that's why I never...Well, it's hard to explain...but to me it's...ironic really." she said, ending with a weak laugh that was almost a sharp gasp. "Well, thank you for letting me just cry, Princess Celestia..." “Majesty...my title is no longer needed when you are addressing me. To you, let me be Celestia.” “Thank you...Celestia...” she wiped her muzzle with her right foreleg, “You did say you wanted me to come here...” “I had hoped to talk with you about something tonight, but circumstances indicate that you might not be ready to... discuss what I had planned. We can speak later. I come to the garden every night. Just meet me when you’re ready.” Celestia said with a comforting smile. “Thank you...” Majesty said and sniffed, “I’m going to head back home now. Thank you for letting me...talk with you.” she said with a smile and eyes that were hard to see out of through a film of tears. She turned around and walked back a few steps towards the entrance. The statues could wait for another visit. She had to comfort her parents now.