It was a cool, sunny mid-November day in Ponyville. The town’s residences were going about their daily lives, minding their own business. The market place was bustling with afternoon shoppers wanting to get their grocery shopping in before the weather got colder.
Rarity, the town’s local fashionista and seamstress, was just closing up the Carousal Boutique after a long day when the she heard a knock on her front door “Just a moment, I’ll be right there” she turned back to the dress she had been working on, finishing up a complex stich when the knocking sounded again, only this time harder and in quick succession. Rarity’s eye twitched a little as the needle poked her thumb
“I’m coming, I’m coming!” she set the needle and thread down before walking over to the front door. Using her magic she unlocked the door and opened the door “I’m terribly sorry but the boutique is closed for today” Rarity stopped talking when she saw who the visitor was. A young Earth Pony mare stood on the other side of the door, panting for breath. She was in her 20’s, deep hot pink in color with long purple hair. What made her special was the single pink stripe through her hair and her multi colored eyes, the right being violet and the left deep blue. Rarity instantly recognized her oldest daughter, Diamond Star.
“Diamond sweetie is something wrong?” Rarity asked her daughter with a hint of worry, Diamond panting for breath indicated she had been running. “Mom, you have to come to the hospital quick! Something’s happened to Twilight!”
All the color drained from Rarity’s face as she quickly threw on her designer boots and grabbed her coat with her magic as she bolted out the door, running as fast as she could through the streets of Ponyville, heading towards the hospital. Diamond was following close behind her, though having trouble keeping up with her mom. Rarity plowed through anyone who stepped in her way, determined to get to the hospital and her wife before it was too late.
She burst through the doors, startling everyone in the waiting room as she skidded to a stop in front of the front desk “PRINCESS TWILIGHT SPARKLE, WHERE IS SHE?!” she was basically leaning over the desk, yelling right into the nurses face.
“R-Room 124. Down the hall on the left” before the nurse could finish, Rarity had already taken off down the hall. The plain white walls of the hospital blurred by as Rarity rushed down the hall. She quickly skidded to a halt in front of room 124. She took a moment to compose herself, in which time Diamond managed to catch up, panting for breath “D-Damn mom”
“Sorry Diamond” Rarity took a deep breath before opening the door and walking in. The hospital room was like any other: Plain, dull white walls. A window overlooking the town. The beeping of a heart monitor echoed through the room, indicating the beds occupant was still alive but it was clear she was barely clinging to life.
Princess Twilight Sparkle was laying on the bed, hooked up to all kinds of machines recording her vitals. She slowly turned her head upon hearing the door opening, offering a weak and tired smile upon seeing her beloved wife “Hey Rarity” shortly after a horrendous cough rattled her throat, taking all her breath away as well.
The fashionista quickly made her way over to the chair next to the bed and promptly sat down “Twilight, darling, what happened?” she reached over and took Twilight’s hand in her own.
Cold, Twilight felt cold to the touch. Rarity didn’t understand, she had just seen Twilight that morning at breakfast and she was perfectly fine. She looked tired and fragile, even more so for her age
“Rarity. I know you’re not going to like what I’m about to say, but I need you to be strong.” Her grip was weak, and seemed to be getting weaker by the minute. Her heart rate sounded like it had slowed a little before returning to normal. While, yes, they were married, Rarity seemed to spend most of her time working and the last time see saw Twilight she was perfectly healthy.
“Twilight, what are you talking about? You’re going to be fine! You’ve pulled through worse” tears had started to form in Rarity’s eyes, as much as she tried to hold them back. She had a feeling of what her wife of 26 years was going to say, though she kept praying she wouldn’t.
Twilight merely shook her head slowly “I’m sorry Rarity, but I’m afraid this is something I won’t pull out of” she took a deep, shuttering breath. Tears had started forming in her eyes as tears cascaded down Rarity’s cheeks. Diamond was simply looking at her mom in shock. Finally, Twilight revealed the truth “I’m dying Rarity. The doctors have tried everything to prevent it, but it’s inevitable”
That comment alone was enough to break Rarity’s heart. She couldn’t stop from crying now as she laid her head down on the bed, still grasping Twilight’s hand “N-No! There has to be something they can do! Celestia- should know something, anything!”
Twilight gently lifted the seamstresses head, the same tired smile on her face as the tears flowed freely “Rarity. There’s nothing that can be done. Please, be strong for me. Don’t ever forget, that I will always be in your heart and your memories. I don’t have much time left, so allow me the pleasure of sharing one final kiss with the love of my life?”
Rarity sniffled and wiped her eyes before she leaned over the bed and planted her lips to Twilight’s in a deep, loving kiss. While the rest of Twilight’s body was growing colder, her soft lips remained as warm as they were the day they shared their first kiss. After at least a minute they finally parted the kiss “I love you so much, my precious gem”
“I l-love you with all my heart, m-my beloved princess” Rarity gently placed her hand against Twilight’s cheek. The lavender alicorn continued smiling as she softly closed her eyes
“I will always love you, my precious gem……” and with that, Twilight took her final shuttering breath as her chest fell still. The heart monitor echoed a few more beeps before finally flat lining.
Rarity started panting as she heard the monitor “Twilight? TWILIGHT?! DARLING, PLEASE COME BACK!” She broke down into tears again as she laid herself over the motionless body of the one and only mare she ever loved. She continued sobbing as she gently shook her “DARLING PLEASE WAKE UP!" She kept shaking Twilight's motionless body, hoping that it would bring her beloved wife back, but it didn't "P-Please Twilight........... I can't live without you...."
Diamond couldn’t stand seeing her mom like this anymore. She walked up to her and gently placed her hand upon the unicorn’s shoulder, tears cascading down her own cheeks “Mom, she’s gone” with a little effort, she managed to pry Rarity off Twilight’s deceased body as hospital staff rushed into the room. All Rarity could do was bury her face into her daughter's chest and weep as her best friend, the love of her life and wife till the end, passed away.
1 week later
Rarity was dressed fully in black, as was everyone else who was in attendance at Twilight’s funeral. As much as the Princess of Friendship was loved by all of Equestria, the funeral was kept to a handful of her closest friends and family. The front row was reserved for Rarity, Diamond and her two younger sisters Mistletoe and StarBurst. Mistletoe, a Pegasus mare with a coat as white as her mothers with a red and green mane and tail thus the name, couldn’t stop the tears falling down her face. Her twin sister StarBurst, a Unicorn mare with midnight blue fur and deep navy blue mane and tail, kept her piercing red eyes locked on the casket containing the body of her mother.
Twilight’s parents occupied the other seats in the front row. Her mother, Twilight Velvet, wept over the loss of her daughter. The rest of their friends: Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie took up the remaining seats. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna opted to sit in the rear.
As the service began, Rarity stood up and walked towards the casket. She stopped in front of it and gently laid her hand upon the mahogany wood “Twilight Sparkle, the greatest friend you could ever ask for. She had the biggest heart of gold, and she had been the greatest thing to have happened to me for the last 26 years. I had always dreamed of being married to royalty, but never had I expected it to be a mare that just randomly walked into my life almost 30 years ago. The countless adventure's we shared over the years, all the sleepless nights we both had when raising our three beautiful and wonderful daughters" By now Rarity couldn't stop from crying as hard as she did the day she lost her "I will never forget her, and she will always be My Beloved Wife and Royal Princess”
After concluding her speech, the rest of those in attendance came up and paid their respects before stepping back. Nearby, a brown Pegasus stallion with dirty blonde mane and tail proceeded to play a set of bagpipes as the casket was lowered down into the earth. It was then that the headstone was revealed.
Twilight’s cutie mark was carved out of the top of the stone as it read:
Here Lies Princess Twilight Sparkle[i/]
Princess of Friendship
Loyal Friend
Devoted Wife
Beloved Mother
R.I.P
Upon returning home, Rarity went to her sewing room and changed out of the satin black dress and into her usual relaxing clothes. For the past week, Rarity couldn’t focus on doing her work. She had just lost the mare she spent the last 26 years of her life with. She didn’t know how to move forward.
As she sat down at her desk, something caught her eye. It looked to be an envelope slightly hidden away on her desk “Hello, what’s this?” she picked up the envelope, the words To My Precious Gem written on the front. Immediately she knew it was from one mare and one mare only. She quickly opened the envelope and took out the letter. She started crying again as she read the last letter Twilight had written:
Dear Rarity;
By the time you read this, I sadly will no longer be in this life. I know, not the news you wanted to hear. I am so truly sorry Rarity. But you have truly been the most amazing thing to ever walk into my life.
The last 26 years of my life have been the greatest time of my life. Finally proposing to you, and hearing that you shared my feelings truly made my heart skip a beat. But our wedding day was the most amazing day of life. Having you in my life is something that will stay with me even in the afterlife.
I need you to stay strong Rarity. I know it will be difficult to go living without me there, but remember I will always be watching over you and the girls. From now till the end of time. You will always be My Precious Gem, Forever More
With all my love,
Twilight Sparkle, Your Beloved Princess
Rarity finally put the letter down before her tears stained the page. It was then that Rarity felt a warm, comforting feeling envelop her bringing a smile to her face as she wiped away her tears. She stood up and walked over to the window, looking up towards the night sky. She kissed her hand and placed it upon the glass “Goodnight and goodbye, my beloved princess”
Just then, a shooting star shot across the sky leaving a purple trail behind it as it exploded in the sky with a purple twinkle.