“Twilight? Where is mother?” Flurry asked me as she took a mouthful of pancakes.
“Don’t worry, Flurry, I’m sure she will be down in a minute.” I sighed. There were pancakes and donuts and everything that there could possibly be for a party. Pinkie Pie always hosted the best parties.
“Okay, Twilight.” She said with a mouthful.
I smiled. My mind filled with memories of Pinkie’s organised breakfasts… and fun times I had with my friends.
I heard Pinkie Pie’s loud voice. “I’M PANCAKE! I mean - awake.” I shouted, and gave another goofy smile to one of my friends. I spent a whole night helping out Pinkie Pie with pancake flavours, so I must have fallen asleep. But this castle…
“Uh, Twah-light, is there something ya wanna tell us?” Applejack asked.
Rarity approached, taking the pancake out of my hair. “You know how much we appreciate all you do for us, and we simply adore having you around, buuuuut, we’re worried you might be, mmmm, avoiding… something else?” She put a hoof to her chin.
I looked away, and glanced back at Rarity. “Oh, it’s been that obvious?” My friends nodded. “I… uh… I’ve been… well, the thing is… it’s… it’s silly… but I… I’ve been… I’ve been avoiding this place.” I sighed.
Rarity gave me a shocked face. Oh, please, I beg you Rarity. Do not say ‘Of all the things that could have happened. This. Is. The. Worst. Possible. Thing!’ “Of all the places in Equestria, why would you want to avoid such a gorgeous castle?”
Pinkie Pie suddenly appeared between us two. “Yeah! This place has everything! Big, tall ceilings that make you feel tiny.” She whizzed around the room. “Shiny, new floors that are cold to the touch!” She shuddered whilst lying on the ground. “And it even has looooong empty hallways!” Her voice echoed as she pushed the door open. She appeared right next to me. “Oookay. I get it.” She casually put a hoof on my shoulder.
I sighed. “The castle is amazing, but… I just… it… it doesn’t feel like home.” I sighed.
Rarity giggled. “You simply need to decorate, dah-ling, make this space your own!” She said excitedly.
Rarity lifted the doughnut with her magic. “Post-apocalyptic doughnuts. Interesting choice.”
I nodded. “I know, but there’s going to be plenty of time for all the challenges and struggles and adventures to come. For now, I just want to spend a quiet moment with the six best friends I’ve ever had.” I took a bite of my doughnut.
Applejack glanced at Pinkie. “Well, mostly quiet.”
“It’s like the end of an era.” Fluttershy said.
“Or the beginning of an even more awesome era.” Rainbow Dash took a bite of her doughnut.
“All I know is that whatever comes next is going to be perfect.” I said.
“How’d you know that?” Spike asked from beside me.
I smiled. “With you guys by my side, how could it not?” We all burst out laughing.
“Well, mother is quite late today. And… she’s never late for breakfast.” Flurry sighed.
“Well, Flurry, I was late for my coronation. And… it didn’t exactly go as I expected.” I smiled, taking a doughnut.
“Oooh, really? I wanna hear about it!” She said excitedly.
“Well, okay. I was so nervous about moving to Canterlot, and I went around asking my friends to tell me how they felt about it. It seemed like they didn’t care. But on the day of my coronation… I realised that they were only pretending that they don’t care so that they don’t get worried, and, well, we were late for the train to Canterlot, and each one of my friends faced different problems. Rainbow Dash with the Wonderbolts, Fluttershy with her critters, Applejack with her apple deliveries, and Rarity with her star-spider sash, or whatever she called it. And don't forget Pinkie's fireworks.” Wow, reminiscing our memories feels so… good. “And then there were sheeps that were in the middle of the train track, and we reached Canterlot suuuuuuper late. I quickly got my dress on, and when Rarity got the sash ready. And… well… I think she forgot to get rid of the spiders… and Fluttershy’s critters did not react well to that, placing the crown on my head. Don’t forget the Wonderbolts and the fireworks clashing… and Big Mac mixed up the apple delivery. It was… crazy! It did not go in any way we possibly imagined… but I would not have it any other way.” I smiled.
“Well, the best memories are just unforgettable, good think it’s stuck in your memory box.” She giggled, and tapped her head, before taking another bite of her pancakes.
Power ponies. Why was everyone forgetting about me? Why would Spike leave the Power Ponies behind? HOW COULD I LEAVE MY FRIENDS BEHIND?
“Twilight?” I heard Spike open the door. “Starlight is supposed to come over soon. There’s a little… something we wanted to give you. You know, before we leave.” What, throw the, now years, of friendship I gave you right back at my face? How could you… my friends… I can’t bear to be without you? Spike walked over to me. “Ya know what, I… think you’re right, Twilight. I should take my comics to Canterlot.” He picked up the comic. “I can’t leave the Power Ponies behind.”
I looked down at my hooves. “I… I don’t think the Power Ponies care, Spike!” I sighed, and looked up at him. “J-just like all of our friends.” I looked back down. “They don’t care.” I mumbled under my breath.
“Alright Twah-light.” I heard Applejack’s voice. “Are you ready?” All my friends appeared behind Applejack. “We all wanted to see you off, but there’s still a lot to do.”
Spike turned around, a confused expression growing on his face. “Aren’t you coming on the train?”
I turned around. “I gotta go with Big Mac so we can go over the packing list. Or we won't know who gets what deliveries.” Applejack said, with what looked like… a fake smile.
Rainbow flew a few feet off the ground. “And I’m gonna go meet the Wonderbolts so we can go over the routine… one last time.”
“I’m going with Gummy.” Pinkie put a hoof to her chin. “He saaaid he knows when the fireworks display should start.” She put her hoof down. “BUT DOES ANY PONY REALLY BELIEVE THAT!”
Fluttershy stepped forward. “And I need to pick up food for the swans and doves who flew ahead to Canterlot. If I don’t get them fed, they’ll be too pooped to perform.” Pooped indeed.
Well, if this was what I made friends for, what was the point? I might as well go die. “Well, I’ll be living in Canterlot alone, might as well take the train alone too.” I walked towards the door. “Bye, I guess.” I said vaguely.
“Oh, you won’t be taking the train alone, dah-ling.” Rarity said. What has she got to say now? “I’ve got just enough time on the train to weave the star-spider sash.” Rarity trotted behind me and pushed me. “But we must leave now. There’s no time to dawdle if you want the coronation to be peeerrrrfect!” Perfect. Perfect. Perfect. Everything needs to be perfect. Who cares about how I feel?
Oh right. No-pony.
“THAT’S THE PROBLEM!” I shouted. “You’re all so… worried about making my coronation perfect, but I’m leaving Ponyville, and none of you even CARE!” Tears started to fill my eyes.
They all gasped. Well, this was what I made friends for, huh.
“Of course we care that you’re moving, Twah-light.” Applejack took a step forward.
So… they do care?
“I can’t believe that you think we don’t…” Fluttershy whispered.
What?
“What could possibly make you think that?” Pinkie Pie asked.
R-really?
“I tried to talk to you… to tell you how I was feeling.” I said truthfully. “But you seemed more worried about what you had to do for the coronation…” I felt a tear fall down my cheek.
Spike stepped forward. “It’s true, I was there.” So the Power Ponies are staying, huh.
Rarity put a hoof to her chest. “I… I suppose it gave us something else to focus on…”
“I sah-pose you were worried about everything changing.” Applejack started. Sure I was. Glad you realised. “I guess I made it seem like everything was okay, it would be.” Applejack looked down.
“I was just trying to make you feel better.” Fluttershy looked down. Definitely feels better, girls. “That way I wouldn’t feel so terrible.”
I sighed. “Before I moved to Ponyville, I didn’t really know what friendship was.” I closed my eyes. “You’ve all taught me so much, I can’t believe it might be ending!”
It was going to be ending. It had to end. Celestia had to make me immortal, after all.
“Auntie Twilight?” Flurry asked me, taking another mouthful of pancakes.
“Hmm?” I shifted my gaze to Flurry.
“You okay?”
“Of course, you just got me reminiscing.” I took a mouthful of pancakes, and forced the corners of my mouth into a smile.
That was when I noticed a knife on the corner of the table.
No, Twilight, no, Stop it, you can’t do this.
“Auntie Twilight?” I heard Flurry’s alarmed voice.
I bought the knife closer to my hoof. But there’s no-one who can understand you. No-one who understands your pain. There’s no-one who knows what you’re feeling.
“Auntie Twilight!” Flurry repeated, her voice slightly trembling.
I bought the knife another inch closer. End your life. Don’t spend your life in sorrow. Die and be happy.
“Twilight!” Flurry screamed. I looked up, and looked at my hoof, which had a deep cut in it. “Twilight, what are you doing?” She screamed, as I cut the knife deeper into my skin.
That was when I felt a dizzying sensation come over me.
At least I can leave this world and return to happiness…
“Twilight!” I woke up on my bed. I looked around to see Flurry and Luster with worried expressions on my faces.
I’m not dead yet. Great.
I looked down at my hoof, which had a bandage around it. I sat up. “Where’s Cadence?”
“She’s in her room, asleep, I think.” Flurry said quickly. “Auntie, are you alright?” She asked again.
“I’m fine, I’m fine.” I reassured them.
I AM NOT FINE! HOW CAN I BE FINE?
“So… why did you do that?” Luster asked, barely a whisper.
“Do what?” I asked. She means the suicide attempt, doesn’t she? WHY CAN’T I JUST DIE? I’m tired of seeing the day.
“That.” She replied.
“I- uh…” I sighed, trying to keep tears in.
A guard came rushing in. “Princess Twilight Sparkle, Princess Flurry Heart… there’s something you ought to see.”