//------------------------------// // 11: Stormy Night // Story: Death of a Queen // by Arkane12 //------------------------------// Twilight loved stargazing. They flickered like candles in the dark, using all their might to shine across galaxies to greet her when she felt loneliest. During many of her late study sessions, she had watched the moon arc through the glittering veil of night, her constant companion. Now, its off-white glow held no solace for her, as if it had heard Luna’s anger from where it listened high above. “Twilight?” Fluttershy’s calm voice drew Twilight back down to the earth. “Fluttershy.” She hid behind a simple smile. “Is everything alright?” The pegasus had her saddlebags slung across her back. They looked considerably more packed than Twilight’s but felt far lighter. “Of course. Just a bad mood. I feel much better now.” It wasn’t a complete lie. “Did the kitchen staff make you something for the road?” “Cupcakes,” Fluttershy said proudly. “I planned on bringing them back to share with the rest of the girls.” She poked at the box of sweets sticking from the top of her pack. “I’m sure they’ll love them.” Twilight started the journey out through those golden gates, onto the main street that bisected Canterlot. “My train doesn’t leave for a few more hours,” Fluttershy said. “I made sure to get the last one, so we could visit a little longer.” “Well, was there anywhere you wanted to go in particular?” Twilight asked. In Ponyville, most of the shops would be closed by this time. Canterlot worked by a different set of rules, though. Down the length of the street, windows cast their warm glow out onto the sidewalk, offering shelter from the cold autumn air. “I don’t really know what’s around here.” Fluttershy tapped a hoof on her chin. “I know a place,” Twilight offered. “Is it a library?” Fluttershy raised an eyebrow. “No,” Twilight said defensively. “It’s a bookstore.” Fluttershy giggled. The sweet sound drowned out Twilight’s uncertainty. “Sounds like a plan.” Fluttershy hopped to Twilight’s side. “Lead the way.” The two continued down the main road a short way. Dozens of small side streets broke away, stretching out from the castle like the branches of an ancient tree with the castle as its roots. The deeper into the tangle of cobblestone they went, the smaller the shops became. Other ponies marveled at the princess as she passed. Twilight had seen a few of them around the city before, either from the parades or parties she sometimes attended. The few faces she knew familiarly belonged to the nobles often seen within royal court hearings. A few of them stopped to converse. Celestia had tried to teach her the important names, but Twilight found herself blanking on this particular blue stallion. “Will you be attending the Gala this year?” he asked. “Of course, I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Twilight cooed. “Everyone is clamoring to learn the theme for this year,” The mare beside him explained. “We’ve been meaning to speak with Celestia about our ideas, but she hasn’t held her court for a few days now. Is she well?” The finely dressed entourage was far too enamored with the princess’ answer to notice Fluttershy wince. Twilight didn’t have to see it; she could feel it. Luckily, she had been training to mingle with high society. In public, Twilight’s royal visage never wavered. “She’s been rather busy with her duties,” Twilight lied. “I see. That’s certainly understandable,” The stallion agreed. “It can be a thankless job. Give her our regards when you see her, would you?” “Of course.” The two groups exchanged a low bow before being on their way. Fluttershy’s pace had slowed dramatically. “How do you do that?” Fluttershy asked, planting her hooves firmly on the ground. “Do what?” Twilight made it a few feet further before realizing she didn’t hear a second set of steps beside hers on the empty avenue. “Hide the truth like that.” Fluttershy examined her reflection in the glass of a nearby storefront. “It’s something you learn as a princess,” Twilight shrugged nonchalantly. “You make it look so easy.” She turned to face herself head-on. “It’s not easy.” Twilight joined her in staring into the abyss. “It takes a lot of practice. What’s the real question you want to ask?” “What should I tell everyone else back home? I don’t think I can hide it like that.” Twilight watched the mannequins in the window. Silk finery lined the shop’s window, each piece hand-stitched and fitted with gemstones. A signature Twilight recognized almost instantly. She understood Fluttershy’s sudden shift. “I don’t know. Luna wants to keep this all hidden.” “I think it’ll be a lot worse if everypony has to find out the hard way,” Fluttershy shifted her saddle to one side. “Maybe.” Twilight took a deep breath. “Your friends care about you. We wouldn’t want you to have to deal with all of this by yourself.” Fluttershy inched closer to Twilight. “I know, but you all have your own worries. Besides, Luna’s already mad at me as it is.” The concerned pegasus filed a mental note to ask about Luna later, once all of this had blown over. “We’re your friends, Twilight. We’re always going to worry about you.” She wrapped a wing over the princess. “You know that, don’t you?” “I do.” Twilight leaned on Fluttershy’s shoulder. “I’ll do my best to keep quiet if that’s what you really want.” Twilight weighed her options. While she saw it more as an occupational hazard, she didn’t like lying to other ponies. That disdain increased a thousand-fold where her friends were involved. Stressing them out over something like this didn’t seem to be the best choice, either. “I think that would be best.” Twilight pulled away. “Now, we should keep moving. I don’t want us to be late.” “Alright.” Fluttershy perked up. The road continued a little further before ending in a small court. Several of the buildings on the block had switched off their lights, leaving only the iron lamps lining the street to guide the way. “Shoot,” Twilight frowned at the gate drawn over the bookstore’s front door as if it would spontaneously spring open at her spite. “The store is already closed for the night. I was hoping to send you back with the newest copy of Daring Do for Rainbow. Looks like that plan is shot.” “You can always bring it when you come home,” Fluttershy suggested, secretly relieved. “I guess so.” A startling thought gnawed at Twilight. “Well, we’ve still got time to waste. Any ideas?” Fluttershy answered her question by pointing to a white brick building across the street from a short way back. A red-and-white striped awning above the door reminded them of a circus tent. Twilight didn’t have anywhere else to be. As they drew closer, she realized the strange décor of the building marked it as an ice cream vendor. Even the refrigerated air of the frozen goods shop felt warmer than it did outside. The inside looked as stereotypical as Twilight could imagine an ice cream parlor: empty red booths lined two of the four walls. A small section of the back corner had been cordoned off by a countertop, complete with a glass display containing over a dozen multi-gallon cylinders, each with their own flavor of icy delicacy. Behind the bar, an older green stallion waited. Lost within a thousand-yard stare, the worker wiped a wet rag lazily over a clean section of marble. “Mister Swirl?” Twilight asked. Pistachio Swirl, as the nametag on his collar displayed, snapped to attention, shocked from his slumber. Noticing his new customers, he straightened himself, smoothing the wrinkles in his apron with a free hoof. “Princess Twilight? Lady Fluttershy? What can I do for you fine young mares this evening?” He struggled to rise from a shallow bow. “I don’t think I’ve ever been called Lady Fluttershy,” She said, blushing behind her wing. “Apologies, I didn’t mean to offend, you just caught me a little bit off guard.” He laughed nervously. “No worries.” Twilight waved a hoof in his direction. “We just stopped by for a treat before Fluttershy went home.” “Then you’ve come to the right place. We’ve got the best ice cream in Canterlot, all made right here in this shop,” He announced proudly, then quickly added, “No offense to your staff in the palace, of course.” “It’s certainly an impressive array.” Twilight admired the rainbow of different colors stored behind the glass, almost identically to how she had when her mother would take her and her brother out for their birthday to a shop just like this one. “Our staff in the castle can’t compete.” “So, what’ll it be?” He retrieved a scoop from a bucket of fresh water. “Do you know what you want?” Twilight turned to Fluttershy. “I’ll just have a scoop of chocolate on a cone, please.” “Right away.” He produced a waffle cone from one of the cupboards. The lump of chocolate fit snugly on top of it, sinking slowly down further toward the bottom point. “And you, Princess?” “Vanilla. Two scoops in a bowl, if that’s alright.” “Sure thing.” He rinsed the remaining chocolate off in the sink before adding the princess’ order to a clear plastic bowl. All three of the ponies made their way to the register at the end of the bar. The two mares accepted their respective desserts from the server. “How much?” Twilight asked, fishing a coin purse from her bag while her dish floated nearby. “Oh, Princess, you don’t have to . . .” He adjusted his hat. “I insist.” “Six bits,” He admitted, ashamed. Twilight deposited the small golden coins on the counter with a friendly, “Thank you.” “The pleasure’s all mine, Princess. You two enjoy your night.” The two of them found a table closer to the door. The small white table wobbled slightly, but not enough to endanger their meal. The two chairs tucked beneath it were framed with curly silver metal with a red cushion for a seat. Twilight settled in her seat, shifting momentarily to find the most comfortable spot. As she shoveled the first bite into her mouth, tension shed from her like snakeskin. Relaxing for the first time since waking, Twilight finally realized the beating inflicted on her from the day’s events. Her legs felt heavy, battered by this unrealized exhaustion. “You look happy.” Fluttershy smiled. “Can’t you at least try not to sound so surprised?” Twilight joked. “I mean it. You’ve been on edge the whole time I’ve been here. Not that I blame you. You’ve got a lot to deal with right now.” She had chocolate stuck in the fur around her lips. “Yeah. I feel like this is the first moment of normalcy I’ve had in days.” “I’m happy I could help.” “So, has anything happened while I’ve been gone?” Twilight didn’t feel like dwelling on recent events. “Without you around to stir up trouble, there isn’t much to do.” Fluttershy laughed. “I can’t even argue with that.” Twilight shook her head. “How’s Angel?” “He’s doing well. He and Discord have been getting along.” “Speaking of the chaos spirit . . .” She interrupted herself with another spoonful. “It’s been fun being with Discord. I don’t feel so nervous around him anymore. He’s doing his best to stay within the rules the princesses gave him. He hasn’t broken any of them yet.” “Yet?” Twilight asked. Fluttershy didn’t seem to hear the last question. “Rarity has released some sketches for her Autumn Collection. She wants me to model a few of them for her.” “Are you going to do it?” “I think so.” “It sounds like fun.” “I’m sure it will be.” They lapsed in and out of conversation several times. Twilight expounded about a few new spells she’d been dying to try out. Fluttershy debated the subtle differences in the types of birdseed the market had started selling. Neither of them realized how long their conversation had stretched until Mister Swirl started to close shop. “Stay as long as you like, I don’t mind.” He tried to tell them. “Thanks for the offer, but we really need to be going anyway. We’ve got a train to catch.” Twilight said. “I thought the food was delicious.” Fluttershy praised. “Come on back anytime, then.” Little more than an hour separated the two friends from the end of their time together. The rapidly dwindling number of open stores suggested they should start making their way towards the station. Twilight knew the tracks ran along the outer rim of Canterlot, meaning their destination waited at the distant edge of town. Far enough to rival the stars, the castle shone like a beacon. The tall golden spires were visible for miles in every direction, dwarfed only by the mountains to the east. The quickest route to the station led them back across the main road. A few carriages were still out and about, even this late. Twilight watched a stallion pull open a door for his mare. The two were dressed in a tuxedo and dress, respectively. Her gaze followed them inside, where half a dozen equally fancy couples were enjoying their meals in the candlelight. Twilight focused on the newcomers. The mare’s warm pink fur clashed nicely with her purple dress. Two slots had been added into the dress for her wings. Across from her, a golden unicorn tucked a stray lock of his mane back into place. Twilight couldn’t read his silent words. The mare laughed, sliding a hoof across the table to take his. They watched one another longingly. The world faded away from Twilight as she closed her eyes. She could feel the silk of the dress, the heavy weight of the sapphire necklace around her neck. The candle’s warm radiance brushed against her face, piercing deeper into her soul to chase away the chill that had settled there. She could hear the empty conversations of the other ponies all around her. She felt a hoof take her own, drawing her gaze upward. She sat alone at her table. The empty seat was tucked under the table, where it had sat for far too long. Numbness settled into Twilight. She was alone. Completely alone in this little fantasy. She wished anyone would appear to mend her shattered heart. “Twilight?” A voice called from all around. None of the other ponies in the restaurant noticed. The signature echo drilled dread into Twilight’s soul. She heard it in her nightmares. She heard it in her recent daydreams. Tears welled in her eyes. “Twilight?” Fluttershy tapped a hoof into the princess’ shoulder, shattering the illusion. The candle’s heat faded, taking that voice with it. Twilight clung desperately to the memory, but even that began to melt. “Hmm?” Twilight grunted. “Twilight, can you hear me?” Fluttershy took Twilight’s head in her hooves, forcing the alicorn to face her. “Yes, I can hear you,” Twilight mumbled between her squished cheeks. “You just stopped in the middle of the sidewalk. I made it to the end of the block before I realized you weren’t with me.” Fluttershy released her grip. “Sorry. I got lost in thought.” Twilight shook her head. “What about?” About her. About how much she wanted the beast here, by her side. About how much she regretted the resentment building inside. “About food.” Twilight forced a laugh. “I guess that’s what I get for skipping dinner.” “I’m sorry, Twilight. An actual meal probably would have done more good than just dessert.” Fluttershy frowned. “It’s not your fault. It would have been a better idea to eat before I left. Come on, time’s wasting. Let’s get you on your way home.” She brushed past the pegasus to take the lead, eager to leave. The remainder of their journey happened in silence. Before long, they finally arrived at the train depot. The small brick building looked abandoned. This far from the busier roads, the only light fell from the brass lamps hanging on the platform. Metal shutters had been drawn over the ticket booth. Fluttershy slipped from her saddle and hovered up onto a wooden bench. Twilight joined her. “It feels like it all went by so quickly,” Fluttershy said. “Time flies when you’re with your friends.” Twilight shrugged. “Time flies when you’re having fun, Twilight,” Fluttershy corrected. “That’s what I said.” “Is it?” Her voice sounded far away. “What do you mean? You don’t have fun hanging out with me?” Twilight sounded a little sad, a little angry. “It’s not that. It’s that I don’t know if you were having fun. Everything’s just a little crazy right now, is all.” “You can say that again.” Twilight rolled her eyes. “But yes. I did enjoy your company, Fluttershy. It might be the only thing I’ve enjoyed the last few days.” “If you say so.” The sound of the approaching train sickened Twilight. The screech of brakes brought the locomotive gliding up to the platform. “Are you ready?” Twilight asked. She used her magic to lift Fluttershy’s bags onto their owner’s back. “As I’ll ever be.” The doors opened, spilling luminance out onto the bare stone. The passenger section looked empty, save now for Fluttershy. The soft red seats and carpet brought a small sense of comfort to the car. Twilight bid her friend goodbye, waving madly as the pegasus stepped up to the threshold. She couldn’t bring herself to step inside. Twilight’s smile faded slowly. “You know,” Fluttershy’s voice sounded ready to break, but she held herself together. “I can stay a little longer if you need me.” “That’s a kind offer.” Twilight forced herself to grin. “But I’ll be alright. You take care of yourself, okay?” “I will.” She boarded the train. “Fluttershy.” Twilight’s voice cracked. The other pony froze mid-step. “Tell the girls about this, if you think that’s best. If it comes to it, I’ll deal with Luna.” “Alright, Twilight.” The doors closed. Fluttershy claimed a seat by the window, allowing one final wave to the princess. Twilight could see the tears start to flow as the metal carriage pulled away with a lonely whistle. Twilight continued waving far longer than Fluttershy could see. Standing by herself on an empty platform, Twilight finally let her guard fall. The moon and stars watched, an unforgiving audience to the actor playing Twilight Sparkle. She felt the burn of the spotlight on her fur as she dropped to her knees, the hostile gaze of the universe searing into her skin worse than any magic burn could hope to rival. Her lungs refused to drink the winter’s gale, crushed beneath an unknowable, invisible thing. She lowered her head between her legs, letting her chin and horn rest against the concrete. Her eyes wanted to weep, but she wouldn’t let them. A princess didn’t cry. The eye of the storm had finally passed, giving way to roaring thunder and crackling lightning. The endless din of pouring rain drowned Twilight’s thoughts, her hopes, her dreams. It threatened to drown her as well. Her chest pulled tight, shuddering through brief gasps. Twilight didn’t cry. Twilight screamed.