//------------------------------// // Tomorrow Epilogue 2 // Story: Tomorrow // by Kodeake //------------------------------// Tomorrow Epilogue 2 Humming quietly to herself, Twilight lay on a plush pillow before a fire. In front of her was a book, picked randomly from the shelves of Golden Oaks. Its content didn’t matter much to her; the simple act of reading was a reward in and of itself. Out the window the moon shone gently, surrounded by stars as wind gently blew through the branches of her tree home. There was silence save for the crackling fire and the occasional turning of the page, until suddenly there was a loud bang. Twilight jumped, turning in time to see the front door slam closed. “Hey, Twi.” There was nopony there. Her entry way, her tree, remained empty save for herself. The feathers of her wings bristled. “I uhh… I wanted to talk to you about somethin’.” For a moment Twilight could have sworn she heard a voice, and again she looked up from her book to find an empty house. She sighed, shaking her head. She nearly jumped out of her skin when the pillow below her shifted and she felt another pony press up against her side. “I know you’re taking this whole ‘alicorn princess’ thing pretty hard.” There was nopony there. But she could still feel another’s warm coat against her own. Twilight’s heart hammered in her chest, her legs rooted to the spot even as she tried to pull herself away. A name lingered on her lips. “Don’t even try to hide it, Twi; you’ve been totally freaking out. Talk to me.” Twilight squinted at the air next to her, and she could have sworn she saw it shimmer vaguely with a blue hue. “Oh Twilight I… I didn’t even think about-... I’m so sorry, Twi.” Again the alicorn had to suppress a shriek of surprise when she felt hooves wrap around her, squeezing her tight. It felt… familiar. When did she start crying? “I can’t even imagine what that’s like… what that’s going to be like.” The air shimmered again, and she could see the outline of a pony. Her tears flowed in rivers down her cheeks, but there was something running deeper than her sorrow. “Listen to me, Twi; I promise I’ll always be with you. No matter where you are or how long you live, I’ll be with you forever. So long as you promise me something, too.” Rage. Twilight Sparkle felt anger, hatred toward somepony, but she didn’t know who. Or why. The ghostly form next to her took on more shape, more colours. Like a rainbow after a rainy day. “You gotta promise you won’t forget about me.” “Rainbow,” Twilight sobbed, grabbing the spectral pony next to her and crying hard into its shoulder. She cried and she cried and she didn’t know why. Again there was anger, boiling deep in the pit of her stomach. “I love you, Twilight,” There was a flash of light and Twilight slumped forward, the ethereal form of Rainbow Dash disappearing just before she could fully form. Her body was wracked with sobs as she looked around, finding herself in an endless void of starry sky. From the darkness above a midnight blew alicorn floated gently down, a sorrowful smile on her lips. “Hello, Twilight,” Luna greated gently, sitting before the younger alicorn. “L-luna,” Twilight sniffled, smiling slowly. “That was a dream?” Luna nodded. “I felt strong emotions from your dreams that I have not seen from you in many months, so I came to make sure you were alright. I assume Celestia spoke to you?” “A bit,” Twilight nodded, “She had me help with some work she’d let pile up. Felt good to get out of the old archives for a while.” Frowning, the Princess of the Night shook her head. “I meant about Rainbow Dash and her… passing,” she ventured cautiously, a ball of dread forming in the pit of her stomach. Something was wrong. “The passing of a loved one is always hard.” Sighing quietly, the younger alicorn nodded. “It’s been… hard. She was one of my closest friends.” “Friends?” Luna echoed wearily, noticing the tears streaming down Twilight face even as she herself seemed to remain unaware. That ball in her stomach rapidly began to change to a small flame. “What was your dream about? If you don’t mind me asking?” Twilight shook her head. “No, it’s okay. I was just.. Reading in the library?” Her voice grew confused, struggling to remember what had happened. Why she’d been crying. Why she’d been so angry. But her memories were fleeting, and all she could think of was reading in the library. “I… don’t remember anything else.” Luna bit her tongue. “I see. Well, I have duties to attend to. I’ll leave you to a peaceful night’s rest. Farewell, Twilight.” “CELESTIA!” Luna’s voice boomed through the throne room, its volume alone enough to send most of the guards scrambling to get out of her way. With a furious blast of magic the doors were nearly blown off their hinges. Her eyes burned like the flame of tartarus as she marched right up to her sister sat on the throne. “WHAT DID YOU DO!?” Celestia sighed. “Hello, sister. Would you care for some tea? You seem on edge.” Luna practically growled as the last few guards slipped out of the room and the doors were slammed shut in her midnight blue aura. “Don’t play dumb. What. Did. You. Do.” “I took her pain away,” the elder alicorn answered simply. “She needed to move on. I merely helped her do so.” “She needed a therapist, not a lobotomy!” Rolling her eyes, Celestia stood from her throne and pushed her sister back. “Don’t be so dramatic. All I did was alter her memories so she remembers Rainbow Dash as a friend.” Luna was seething. “You took away her happiest memories-” “Her most painful memories, now that she’s gone,” Celestia corrected, her calm facade beginning to falter as tears gathered in the corner of her eyes. “And I didn’t want to, But I couldn’t bare to see her like that anymore. She was in so much pain, Luna. I did everything in my tower to make it so she didn’t hurt any more. You’d have done the same.” “I would not!!” Luna defended, aghast at the very prospect. “What you did is…” she floundered, truly a loss for words. Taking a breath, Luna continued in an even tone. “You stole her wife away from her. You may as well have killed Rainbow Dash yourself. All because you couldn't take it. All because you felt bad.” “I merely-” “Where is it?” Luna demanded, tired of her sister’s excuses. Celestia frowned. “Where is what?” “You know perfectly well what,” Luna hissed. “You can’t just take those memories away from her; they have to go somewhere. Where. Are. They. The vault? The archives? You chambers? Tell me now or I swear to the nine gods I will personally lock you in Tartarus until I find it myself.” “You can’t give them back!” Celestia argued loudly, stomping her hoof. “She’d be driven mad by the conflicting memories and the grief if she’s lucky. If she isn’t she could very well fall into a coma and die from the shock.” Luna didn’t budge, her glare steely and unbreakable. “Where?” “No,” she repeated. “Celestia,” Luna’s voice was shockingly calm. “If you truly cared about your student at all, you’d give her her memories back before she works out what’s going on for herself. You can’t honestly believe nopony will ever mention her own wife to her?” “The guards know better.” “She will hate you for as long as you both live when she finds out.” “She won’t find out,” Celestia stressed. Luna laughed bitterly. “I’ll tell her myself. Where did you put them?” The pearl white alicorn gasped, taking a step back. “You can’t.” “Try me,” Luna threatened again, advancing just as much as Celestia retreated. The elder soon found herself pressed against her own throne. “Where? She might just forgive you in a couple millenia if you give them back to her.” Twilight groaned as her eyes fluttered open to stair at the ornate ceiling of her similarly ornate bed chambers. She laid there for a moment, just staring out into space through her roof. Her dreams had been… odd, to say the least. “You’re awake.” Shrieking, Twilight sat bolt upright in bed, using her blankets to cover herself. At the food of her bed stood Luna, ethereal mane blowing in a non existent wind. She didn’t look happy. “L-Luna? Is… this another dream?” Luna sighed heavily, her shoulders slumping. “I wish it was. We need to talk, Twilight.” “And this is an emergency?” Twilight guessed, already getting out of bed and coming to stand next to the older princess. “Where’s Celestia?” The alicorn visibly bristled at the mention of her sister. “She’s… busy. Listen; I need you to think for me. In your dreams, you experienced something strange, yes? Something that didn’t quite make sense to you, but you felt like it should have, right?” “Y-yes, but how-” Twilight was cut off as Luna brought forth a small crystal shard, glowing a faint lavender. “I’m sorry, Twilight. This is going to be very hard on you, but this is what has to happen. What she did to you is unforgivable, and it falls to me to make it right. Please, forgive me for putting you through this again.” Before Twilight could ask any more questions Luna’s magic on the crystal strengthened, her grip tightening until, with a crackling sound that filled the room, the object shattered to dust. A shockwave rocked the room, knocking the wind from Twilight’s lungs as she was knocked back onto her haunches, her vision swimming. Visions filled her mind, of things she’d never seen. Rainbow Dash consumed every thought. Her very being seemed loss in an endless wave of visions. No, not visions; memories. Suddenly she remembered everything. Every date she’d ever gone on with the brash pegasus mare. The first time she realized her love. The first time she said it. Their wedding… Her death. Weeks of being consumed by her grief. Weeks of pretending. And then Celestia. Celestia. That anger she’d felt in her dream; she knew why. She remembered why. It consumed her, burning like the fires of Tartarus within her. Twilight screamed, wailing like a banshee. Rage, sorrow, something in between, she didn’t know. Couldn’t tell. Didn’t care. It was too much, she could already feel the pulsing pain of a headache forming. Celestia “CELESTIA!” Twilight’s booming cry was heard all throughout the castle, her magic flaring to life without direction or shape. Her eyes shone with bright white light, energy cackling along her horn, every hair standing on end. Through her haze she could see that cocky, smiling face, and the tears came harder. “Don’t forget about me, ‘kay?” Then she felt herself collapse, out of strength both physically and mentally. “I’m sorry, Twilight. Be strong. I’ll be here when you wake up,” Luna whispered, gently placing the smaller mare back into her bed. She was surprised to see the amre’s eyes still open, staring blankly at the world. “Twilight?” She asked cautiously. Twilight didn’t respond, tears continuing to flow unabated down her cheeks. Her lips moved but her words were nothing but breathy whispered. “Twilight!” Luna repeated herself, louder, shaking her shoulders. “Twilight listen to me. You’re in shock; your mind is trying to reconcile the memories with what Celestia had left behind. You need to focus or the wrong ones will be overwritten.” “R-rainbow…” Luna nodded rapidly. “Yes, exactly; focus on Rainbow Dash, focus on your love for her. Nothing will ever be able to take that away from you. Just focus on Rainbow Dash.” Twilight started sobbing, shaking off Luna’s hooves as she curled in on herself. “I’m s-so sorry. I forgot about y-you,” Her voice was barely above a whimper, shaky and weak. “No, Twilight, no,” Luna insisted, trying to force the mare out of the fetal position she’d adopted. “You never forgot about her. It’s not your fault what Celestia did to you.” “I forgot… I’m so sorry Dashie. I forgot…” Her muttering grew faster and more desperate as Twilight started rocking herself back and forth. “I forgot… I forgot... I forgot…” “Please Twilight,” Luna’s voice was growing equally desperate, race to find a solution. The mental shock of having all that information dumped on her, on top of the emotions that came with it and the lingering effects of Celestia’s meddling were proving too much for the young alicorn’s mind to handle. “Focus on my voice and come back to me. You never forgot anything, your memories were stolen from you.” “I forgot… I forgot… I forgot…” “Please… come back to me…” Luna shed her own tears as she desperately held Twilight in her hooves. She’d known there was a risk, but there was no other way. “I forgot… I…” Twilight trailed off, slowly, growing quiet save for her ragged breathing The elder princess was almost fearful to make a noise, hesitating for a few, long moments, before eventually whispering; “Can you hear me, Twilight?” She didn’t get a response. Twilight’s world was filled with light, bright and white and warm. She felt nothing, saw nothing, sensed nothing at all. There was nothing, not even her own body. Just her, alone in a void of white. It was strangely comfortable, she decided after a time. “...” There was a sound. It was quiet, distant and muffled as though over a great distance and through an impassable barrier, but it was there. She knew it was there. Desperately Twilight searched for the source, struggling to hear it again. “Please… come back to me…” She heard it again, just as hazy but she could just make out the words. It was hard to tell what direction what direction it was coming from but it almost seemed to be behind her. Trying to turn, to reach out for the voice, Twilight felt her stomach flip and a wave of nausea wash over her. Suddenly everything hurt, and as vertigo overtook her she white faded and she fell. There was darkness for a time, though how long she couldn’t tell. Nothingness, not even the voice she’d heard before or the warm light, simply… nothing. Then she opened her eyes. Above her was a plain white ceiling with a bright, plane white light gazing down at her. She could hear faint voices from somewhere in front of her, and she became aware she was laying in a bed, a bilow beneath her head. “Hospital?” Her voice was rough and cracking and her throat was a desert, but she knew she’d made a sound: She’d heard it. “Yeah, kinda,” a voice responded, rough and scratchy from crying but familiar. Twilight squinted at the ceiling, trying to place the voice. It felt like every bell in her head was ringing, telling her over and over that she knew whos voice that was, but she couldn’t quite remember. “Who-” she gasped, trying to look over at the pony who spoke and finding herself unable. For a moment she panicked, mind racing. Why couldn’t she move? Why- “Hey, whoa, slow down; it’s okay. You’re not gonna be able to move for a bit, and your memory is going to take a little while to come back. It’ll be in bits and pieces, but you’ll remember…” there was a noticeably long pause, “Everything.” “Who are you?” She asked, finding the mare’s voice calming, all but forcing her to let go of her panic. She trusted this pony. There was a small chuckle. “You’ll remember soon enough, I’m sure.” Well, that wasn’t very helpful. Twilight sighed, closing her eyes and shutting out the obnoxiously bright lights. “Where am I?” She ventured slowly, gently prodding for more information. “A hospital,” she answered quickly. “There was an… accident. You just woke up.” Accident… Twilight racked her brain, trying to remember something - anything at all. There was a little bit there, vague recollections of faces, names, events, but nothing concrete. A part of her started wondering how much she even remembered about herself besides her name. “I can tell you’re about to spiral again,” the pony warned - were they even a pony, or just a voice? Twilight had no way of knowing. Something told her a voice had to be attached to a pony, but a disembodied voice would hardly be the strangest thing she’d come across. Yes… she’d encountered many strange things. Prophecies and gods and queens and kings. Legends come true, tails and warnings of destruction prevented by her. No; not her. Her and her friends. “My friends, I-” “Easy, Twi; don’t force anything. They’ll come back, I promise.” They promised? Why did she believe this pony so easily. She’d heard those words before. “Listen to me, Twi; I promise I’ll always be with you.” Twilight didn’t know where those words came from or who spoke them, but she remembered them. “Try moving again,” they prompted. Twilight hesitated, fearful for a moment of still being unable, but the encouragements in their voice convinced her to at least try. Focusing on her left foreleg, she poured every ounce of will into it, begging, pleading with it to just work. To her shock, she felt it twitch, then slowly lift up off the sheets for just a moment before falling back down. She couldn’t stop the groan of disappointment, even as the pony next to her cheered happily. “There ya go! See? You’re getting there. I bet you’re starting to remember things too, huh?” Was she? Her name was Twilight Sparkle, personal student to Princess Celestia - something deep within her twisted at the name of her mentor - and she’d been sent to Ponyville. Why? To make.. Friends? Her friends, the elements of harmony. Slowly things came back to her, slow enough that she almost didn’t notice until she tried to remember things, but every time she thought about something there seemed to be a new memory there to greet her. “You’re pushing too hard again,” Rainbow Dash said. Twilight gasped. “Rainbow?” The pegasus - Rainbow Dash was a pegasus - cheered again, and she could practically hear the smile in the mare’s voice. “Now we’re getting somewhere.” “Rainbow, the girls; where are the rest of the girls?” “Hey, no cheating!” Rainbow chided playfully. Memories were coming back faster, now, but still too slow. Twilight started remembering her life in Ponyville, her adventures with her friends. Then- “You’re my… marefriend?” She asked, almost curiously. She could remember some of their dates, now. She remembered enjoying them, enjoying her. “I… I love you.” That time it was less of a question. “Heh, love ya too, Twi. But just wait; it gets better.” Better? How did… she sighed, those memories still eluding her. Instead Twilight focused on what was coming back, and became very aware of her wings, pinned to her back. They were sore. “I’m an alicorn... “ Twilight trailed off after hearing Rainbow giggle at her, doing her best to pout and finding the action surprisingly. On a hunch she flexed her win and was pleased to find it shift gently according to her command. Still more memories poured into her head, faster and faster until she was just keeping pace with them. “No, not marefriend,” Twilight corrected herself with a grin, reliving her wedding. “My wife.” “There we go!” Rainbow shouted joyfully. “She’s just about back, mares and gentlecolts.” Finally, Twilight was able to turn her head and smile at the mare sitting in the chair next to her bed. That bright, smiling face was just the same as she remembered. “Hey beautiful.” “Hey yourself,” Rainbow responded with a snicker, though her face soon grew grim as she watched the light shining in the alicorn’s eyes as memories returned and filled out. “Listen Twi… things are gonna start to get pretty rough from here on out. You’re gonna start to remember things you probably won’t want to. I’m not going to lie to you; you’re gonna have to relive some of the worst experiences in your life now. “But I promise I’ll be right here with you. No matter what you see, no matter what your emember, just know I’ll still be here, always.” Twilight’s nervous expression didn’t go unnoticed, and Rainbow smiled despite the sadness behind her eyes. She reached out and grabbed the alicorn’s hoof in her own, squeezing tightly. “You feel this?” Rainbow asked, giving a firm squeeze. When Twilight nodded, she continue; “If you get scared or sad, you just squeeze my hoof and remember that I’m here, okay?” “Rainbow, what-” Twilight’s fearful question was cut off when she was hit by a train; Fluttershy’s funeral. “I’m so sorry you have to go through this again, Twilight.” Twilight didn’t hear her, too focused on the memories rushing through her mind. Fluttershy was only the first. She remembered watching as her friends grew old a grey as time withered them away, leaving her untouched. Pinkie Pie… Rarity… Applejack. One by one she remembered her friends dying around her, remembered their final moments, their funerals. All her grief, her sorrow hit her all at once and the tears poured freely down her cheeks and desperately Twilight hung onto Rainbow’s hoof, her only anchor in a sea of emotion. And then Rainbow Dash died right in front of her eyes, and suddenly that anchor lost all meaning. But still she gripped it, tighter than ever before as she sobbed uncontrollably. Still it wasn’t over. Twilight remembered the days following Rainbow’s funeral, she remembered being lost, adrift at sea with neither wind nor sail. Then the hallucinations happened. Maybe it was a manifestation of her unwillingness to accept her loss, maybe she really had just snapped. Twilight didn’t know, but she remembered pretending Rainbow was still with her everywhere she went. Remembered Celestia hiding her from the public eye and the whispers of the guard. Trying to take her hoof away from Rainbow’s - no… that wasn’t the real Rainbow Dash. The real Rainbow had been dead for months. She found that for a hallucination it had a very strong grip, squeezing tightly and holding her Twilight still. Pinned down as she was assaulted by her own memories. Then, she remembered. Celestia. Celestia. Celestia. “CELESTIA!” Twilight’s rage filled scream echoed through the hospital, the flames in her gut stoking higher and higher as the sorrow began to fade and the memories came to an end with Luna returning what had been taken from her. What had been stolen. “It’s okay now, Twi,” Rainbow whispered gently, and Twilight looked over to see tears in the mare’s eyes. “I know what she did to you, but it’s okay now. It’s over.” Twilight was panting, rage igniting the blood in her veins as she managed to sit upright in the bed, still clutching Rainbow’s hoof. “Where is she,” Twilight seethed, looking around the room, half expecting to find her there, watching. Waiting to do it all again. “Breathe, Twilight; you need to breathe. Come on, just like you taught me. In… and out…” Rainbow repeated herself a few times, guiding Twilight through her own breathing exercises. Only when she was sure Twilight had returned to a somewhat calmer state did she try to speak again. “She’s not here, Twilight. Celestia’s nowhere near here.” The alicorn didn’t even blink. “That coward can’t even face what she did to me,” she spat angrily, glaring at blank white wall ahead of her. And on her left… and right… what kind of hospital was this? There was nothing in the room but her bed and the chair Rainbow was sat in. There were no machines or charts or… or windows! Where was the door? “Rainbow… Rainbow where’s the-” “It’s okay, Twilight,” Rainbow Dash cut her off before she could start hyperventilating, squeezing her hoof and reminding the Twilight of who she was with. How real that hallucination of hers felt. Things started adding up very quickly. “Rainbow am… am I… did I-” Rainbow nodded solemnly. “I’m sorry, Twilight, but yes; you died.” “H-how…?” The pegasus took a breath. “When Luna found out what Celestia did to you she immediately went to fix it. She knew how dangerous it could be, but what Celestia did was unforgivable. She must have thought you’d be okay with the risks, because she gave you your memories back. But… it was too much; your mind went into shock, mostly because of how much Celestia had to change your memories to remove me. The damage she did was… extensive, apparently, and trying to reconcile that with the memories she’d taken would have been nearly impossible. “You fell into a coma, and eventually passed away,” she finished on a soft note, leaning down and nuzzling Twilight’s hoof gently as the alicorn slowly laid back in bed, letting the information wash over her. Eventually, Twilight said; “I’m surprised you knew all that.” Rainbow chuckled weakly. “I memorized it so I could be the one to tell you. I don’t know the how or the why of most of it, though.” “How long was I in a coma?” There was a pause, and Twilight could feel the tension as Rainbow hesitated. “Eight months,” she answered eventually. “EIGHT M-” Twilight shout was cut off by Rainbow leaning forward and planting a kiss on her cheek. “And I was with you the entire time, waiting for today,” she assured gently. “I promised.” Promise… Twilights tears came back in full force. “Dashie… I’m… I’m sorry, I forgot, I-” “Hey now; none of that. You never forgot about me, not really,” Rainbow assured gently, stroking the lavender hoof she still held. “It’s not your fault what Celestia did to you, but even that didn’t stop you from trying to remember me; you still dreamed of me, right? You still remembered who I was, even if you couldn’t remember all of it. You kept your promise, Twi, just like I kept mine.” Twilight still cried, but the tears weren’t as bitter. “I… I almost lost you, Rainbow.” “But you didn’t.” Twilight all but lept out of her bed and tackled the pegasus, wrapping herself around Rainbow and sobbing into her shoulder. “I never thought I’d see you again.” “I know, Twi… I know…” Rainbow gently stroked the alicorn’s back as she cried. For a long time they sat together like that, until finally Twilight’s tears slowed and halted themselves, her sniffles the only sound left in the room. “Feeling better?” Rainbow asked, smiling as Twilight nodded but didn’t let go. “Good. As soon as you’re ready there are a lot of ponies who want to see you again.” “In a while,” Twilight murmured, her eyes drooping. “Just… hold me for a little while longer.” “We have all the time we need.”