//------------------------------// // Chapter 7: Flurry of a Funeral // Story: Luster Dawn Friendship Successor // by SamSwordsman123 //------------------------------// Back in Canterlot, Twilight awoke in her room with Flurry Heart. The larger alicorn had her niece under her wing. She lifted it and saw Flurry sleeping soundly. Twilight let Flurry sleep for a while then raised the sun with a glow of her horn. She then nuzzled Flurry’s head. “Come on Flurry, time to get up.” Flurry opened her eyes and looked around eagerly, as though hoping to see that the recent events were little more than a nightmare. But as she looked up and saw her aunt standing over her rather than her mother Cadence it was clear that this was real. Flurry looked down at the bed, her expression and stance the same as a time when Twilight had been angry and scared her when she was still an infant. “Auntie Twilie!” Flurry screamed. “I’m here Flurry,” Twilight said, nuzzling her as Flurry began to sob again. “Come on. Lets go to the dining room for a bite.” Twilight pulled herself to her hooves, picking up Flurry with her magic. She carried her niece down on her back. They went to the fancy dining room of the castle where Twilight made them pancakes. But instead of the smiley faces she usually made them with after getting royal cooking lessons from Celestia years ago, she made frowny faces to match both her and Flurry’s moods. Flurry looked at the meal and back at her aunt. “Well, they’ll taste better than they look,” Twilight said. Flurry levitated a fork and knife with her magic and began to eat the pile of pancakes. They tasted wonderful, but Flurry couldn’t manage a smile. Still, this was the only bit of joy she’d felt in days. The young alicorn gobbled her pancakes up, loading them with so much butter and syrup. “Careful Flurry, you might give yourself a stomach ache,” Twilight warned. Flurry paid her no mind. But sure enough, after she devoured all of her pancakes her tummy was hurting as though about to bulge. She clutched it with a grimace. “Told ya,” Twilight said with a sigh. “You better eat a few apples, that should help with the digestion.” She levitated a few slices of apples onto another plate. “I don’t want food! I want mommy and daddy!” Flurry said. “Flurry, I know this is difficult to accept…” Twilight said. “Why did they have to go?” Flurry asked as new tears filled her eyes. Twilight sighed. “The world can be a cruel place sometimes. There is always going to be darkness in it… I had to face a lot of evil villains before I became ruler. Sombra, Chrysalis, Tirek.” “But they never killed anypony!” Flurry snapped. “You were there to save me, mommy and daddy when Sombra had us all caged!” Twilight sighed. “Yes… we were all very lucky to not lose anypony until now. I wish I could have been there to protect them. Maybe I could have stopped it.” Twilight looked away from her niece toward the window as something occurred to her. With this new darkness that had taken form in the rhino creature… what if she was making a mistake with her desire to search for a successor? What if Equestria still needed her? Flurry Heart definitely did right now. Her parents were gone, and who knew how much longer Twilight’s own parents would be around? What if… what if something happened to Flurry someday and she had children? They would be orphaned… and if Twilight gave up her immortality as she was planning to… she would not be here to take care of them like she was for Flurry. The door to the dining room opened and the Mane 5 walked inside. “Morning Twi!” Applejack said. “Howdy Flurry!” The younger alicorn princess merely looked at the Cowgirl pony with her hooves crossed and then looked away. “We thought we’d join you both for breakfast,” Rarity said. “If you don’t mind that is,” Fluttershy added. “Not at all, in fact I think I could use your help with this,” Twilight said. “Pinkie, you think you can pull an element of laughter thing off for Flurry? She could really use it.” Pinkie looked at the pouting younger alicorn. “Oh, is little Flurry a bit sorry right now? Well lets do something about that!” Pinkie Pie took a nearby can of whipping cream and turned her back around. There was a spraying sound and Pinkie turned around to face them. She now had a whip cream beard. “Ho ho ho! Who’s been a good pony this year even though it’s a been a while since Hearth’s Warming! You need an extra special gift from Pinkie Claus!” Pinkie then pulled out a long balloon which she inflated and then turned into a bear for Flurry. “There you go!” Flurry managed a small smile at the balloon animal which she tried to take with her magic. She lifted it up. But instead of it coming off Pinkie’s hooves, Pinkie herself was lifted up with it. “Whoa! Whoa!” Pinkie exclaimed working to free her hooves. She fell to the floor with a plop. “Your magic is strong! I remember when you were just a newborn and I had to help Twilight take care of you. I couldn’t hold you still! You were able to fly even when I held you!” Flurry looked at her in amazement. “I was?” Twilight nodded. “You were amazing even back. Cadence and Shining Armor were so proud of you. They loved you from the moment you were born, they still do.” Flurry bowed her head. “But they’re gone.” Twilight shook her head. “No… Flurry. They’re still here even if we can’t see them right now. They’re watching over us. One day, we will be with them again. They said it themselves that we would.” Twilight pulled her niece into a hug. “But don’t worry. I’m going to do my best to take care of you as well as Equestria,” she said patting Flurry’s back. “Its my responsibility… as long as I live.” Twilight looked at her friends as they watched the two with smiles. “Well Sugarcube, you’ll be pleased to know we took care of the stuff you needed done for the school,” Applejack said. “Good, thank you. I can always count on your girls to help when I’m down,” Twilight said. The door opened again and Spike entered the room with a scroll in hand. “Hey Twilight, Gallus and the others got that Rhino creature! They destroyed him!” Spike said. Twilight let out a sigh of relief. “Oh thank Celestia! Its good to know that thing is no longer threatening the kingdom!” “And Shining Armor and Cadence have been avenged!” Spike said raising his fists in triumph. Twilight nodded. “Well, we best have the funeral prepared for them.” The coffins arrived in Canterlot from the Crystal Empire along with the Young Six and Flash’s party of Crystal Empire guards. The next day, Twilight stood in the Canterlot Cemetery with her family just as they had for Celestia and Luna’s funeral a few years ago. Twilight looked at the coffins in sorrow. “Shining Armor was a true soldier. He was never afraid to look death in the eyes and fight to protect what he loved. He was the best big brother a pony could ever ask for, and a true prince! I’m proud to have called him my brother and will think of him until the end of my days! And Cadance, she had so much love to share not only with him, but with all of Equestria! When I was a filly, I’d see her settle arguments with couples. I loved her as much as my brother, and I promise that even though their reign was cut short… they will not be forgotten!” Twilight vowed. “I will make sure of that!” Night Light and Twilight Velvet both came up. “Goodbye my son, I’m so proud of the soldier you grew to be in. It was a dangerous job, I was afraid this day might come,” Night Light said. “I love with all my heart Shiney! Nothing can ever change that!” Twilight Velvet said. “And I couldn’t have asked for a daughter in law more beautiful or kind than you Cadence! Where ever you both are! I hope you stay together even in that world! May not even death tear you apart!” The coffins were placed in the earth. Dirt was pushed over them. Twilight had her foreleg around Flurry as the younger alicorn watched. Someone than approached them. Twilight looked and saw it was Flash Sentry. “If you don’t mind, Princess Twilight. I have a request,” Flash said. “What is it Flash?” Twilight asked. “I’d like to transfer here to Canterlot and become Princess Flurry Heart’s personal guard,” Flash said. “Someone needs to look after her.” Twilight Velvet gazed at the Pegasus Guard. “We are her family, we are quite capable of protecting her!” “Yes, but a princess needs to have her royal guards,” Flash said. “Well, perhaps we could use the help,” Twilight said, blushing slightly at Flash. “And I appreciate your willingness to do so, Flash. Oh, and there’s one more thing I believe. Gallus!” The griffin walked up from where he stood with his friends. He’d not brought up the subject of becoming a guard so as not to bother Twilight until she was ready. Twilight wiped the tears from her eyes. “Thank you for stopping that monster before it hurt any pony else. You will make a fine addition to the royal guard, and may you bring the magic of friendship with you to make every other guard stronger.” Gallus bowed. “Thank you, princess.” “You are the first griffin to be allowed in the royal guard, congratulations kid,” came a voice. It was Starcutter. The sword wielding pony had some bandages on his side. “Captain Starcutter,” Twilight greeted. “I’m appointing you to be overseer of the Crystal Empire until Flurry Heart comes of age.” “You can count on me Princess,” Starcutter said. “They will be in good hooves.”