The rain beat down on both alicorns as they entered the graveyard. Each drop went unnoticed, as Twilight’s eyes danced across the names on each tomb stone. She walked up to the nearest one to her right. Engraved on its surface sat a lightening bolt jutting out from the underside of a cloud. Above the symbol read Rainbow Dash, element of Loyalty. “Rainbow Dash's was the first grave.” Twilight said looking at the moss covered stone before her. Cadence stood behind her friend, a look of sorry expressed on her snout.
“I'll never forget her…”
“And nor should you. Twilight…I miss Shining Armor more than anything else, but I can't let it affect me. I have a kingdom to run, just like Celestia and Luna. The same is expected of you, as Arch-Unicorn of Canterlot, and the element of Magic, it is your duty to watch over the kingdom’s spells.”
“How? I've lost my friends, my brother...mom...dad.…”
“Twilight, you still have me and Spike and my aunts. You're not as alone as you think you are. We’re here to help”
“Why are you here Cadence?” Twilight's cold question punched deep into Cadence’s soul.
“Aunt Tia was planning on moving this graveyard...and putting you into a state of solitude in order to protect your mind.” Twilight looked deep into her long time friend's eyes, and let tears stream from her eyes. She took in a deep breath and launched into the pink alicorn's arms.
“How do you do it?! How do you live with the pain?!” she screamed, ignoring the plans Celestia had for her and her friends’ final resting place.
“It's hard, it really is.” Cadence lifted Twilight's head to where they were looking eye to eye. “Your brother was the best stallion to have ever lived, and I will never find anypony to replace him. But my life didn't end when his did, I'm still alive.” She sat the purple alicorn up and did a small smile, fighting away the tears swelling in her eyes. “I live on to guard the Crystal Empire and to be your friend and sister.” as she said friend she pulled Twilight close and hugged her.
“I miss them.” Twilight said through a sob.
“I do too”
“Do you think she will be okay, sister?” Luna asked, looking up at Celestia. The two royal sisters had gone back to the observation balcony to watch Princess Cadence’s attempt at soothing Twilight’s aching soul. The older mare of the sun did not speak, she simply stared on, a stern, yet concerned look across her snout. Luna, upon realizing her question would go unanswered, returned her attention back to the two in the graveyard. Spike walked up next to the two regal sisters and peered over the railing at them. He frowned as he saw Twilight weeping in Cadence’s arms again.
“Do you think this will work?” he asked, looking up at Luna.
“I hope so, for her sake. She has lost many more than either Tia or myself ever has.” she responded in a gentle tone.
“Wow…” he propped his fore legs on the rail and looked down upon the two ponies. “Twilight…” he mumbled with concern.
Cadence sat her young friend back up and stepped back. “Do you want to go back inside?” she asked. Twilight wiped a way a tear with a now well drenched hoof and made a solomn nod. With that they turned and left the graveyard, only slowing momentarily to allow Cadence chancing a glance back one last time as they left. Without any exchange of words, the two mares meandered into the castle, through the halls and finnaly ending at Twilight’s chambers. There Sky Blitz was sitting outsaide, waiting imprssivly patiend for them to arrive. She was bouncing an old rubber ball off the wall untill she saw the two alicorns come up the winding staircase. At first she chuckled at the messy, dripping manes the two had, but upon seeing Twilight’s begrudged face, she squelched her laugh to make room for a concerned frown.
“Are you okay Twilight?” Sky asked.
“I’m not feeling good today.” Twilight said as she walked past the concerned pegasus and entered her chambers. Cadence stopped next to Sky and stared at the slightly ajar door.
“She is experiencing something that no pony has ever survived.” Celestia said to Luna as they walked through the halls of the castle.
“What?” Luna asked, shock erupting across her face.
“The loss of friends, family, and most importantly loved ones has clamed the lives of many alicorns who were at one time a unicorn.” they entered the Starswirled the Beareded wing and Celestia didn’t even have to go down any aisles. She sat with her back to the hour glass, facing Luna. With her horn aglo, books began to dance down the aisls and land infron of the regal pony of day. Luna walked up to the piling books and sat there, looking at their spines curiously. As the last book landed, Celestia picked up one from the bottom, being careful to lift and then put back the literature above it. She flipped through the pages until it landed on a page with an alicorn leaning in front of a gravestone. “This is the story of the first Arch-unicorn of Canterlot” Celstia said as she spun the book around for Luna to see the depicted imige. “Galaxy Sparkle the Gifted. He was, in mom and dad’s openion, the most powerful unicorn to have ever lived on this planet. He also was the first unicorn to become an alicorn.”
“Galaxy Sparkle? Could he be…”
“Indeed he is. Before you came to life, little sister, mother told me a story of how he was able to raise and lower the sun and moon without any help. I rememebr her telling me tales of how he, when younger, would mischievously lower the sun in midday, to have a laugh at grandmother.”
“He…could always do such spells?” Luna took the book with her own magic and began reading through its manuscripts.
“He was very powerful, but like his lineage, it was wild and uncontrolled. However, where his decendent could not acces her power, he had full reign. He alone is why our world only has one moon any more.” Luna looked up at her sister awestruck.
“How is it I have never heard of him before this day?” she asked, curiously returning to the pages.
“While he is the first Arch-Unicorn to Canterlot, he did not start off with such glory. At first he had been imprisoned for the malefic use of his magic. But when a dark creature of immense power attacked, he broke free of his impresonment and defeated the dark foe, thus gaining his stature as Arch-unicorn and becoming the first unicorn to become an alicorn.”
“So, Galaxy Sparkle…he…defeated Erebos?”
“Indeed he did. He created the Elements of Harmony that not only destroyed the demonic creatur’s doorway to our world, but also sealed him inside. Thus granting him the long life we alicorns naturally enjoy.”
“But…he died soon anyway?” Luna asked looking up from the book.
“As time passed, his friends grew old, and then died naturally. The comfort of their decendednts didn’t last long as he continued to mourn the loss of the friends he had made to create the Elments of Harmony. Giddy Pie, Apple Blossim, Tornado Dash, Secret Gem, and High Shy. Using their frendship he was able to create the Elements of Harmony we have with us today.
“Then, how is it, sister, that we were connected to the elements at one time?”
“Because the Bearers of Harmony had not been found. Not until Rainbow Dash inadvertently caused all her friends to gain their cutie marks was I able to locate them.”
“Galaxy Sparkle…he died of a broken heart?” Luna once again had returned to reading the pages of the book as Celestia had monologued.
“Indeed. Two hundred and seventeen years after his corronation as a prince.”Celestia said matter-of-factly. Luna looked at her sister with great concern.
“Then would Twilight Sparkle be destend to follow the same path?”
“As long as Cadence, Spike, and Sky Blitz stay by her side, I have no doubts that she would not…but…” Celestia looked away from her sister, a tear falling from her cheek. “If I must do what I must…to protect this kingdom…then I will have no choice but to entrap her in stone.” Luna sat back in shock.
“No sister, you wouldn’t do such a thing!?”
“If I must…” the great white alicorn could not hold back the tears any longer. The words she had spoken tore her own soul more than she had imagined them to.
“You said those very words to me, my sister. Before you banished me-”
“No, little sister, I banished Nightmare Moon.”
Spike watched fom the door, as Luna stood, walked around the books and embraced her older sister. He hadn’t been immune to all the loss. Rarety, the unicorn that had stolen his heart at a yong age was buried in the nearby graveyard. He turned and began to meander to Twilight’s room. With his head low, he thought of the years he had spent with the white mare of generosity. Many Hearts n’ Hooves days he had given her flowers, and heart shaped candies, but she never was swooned by them. While she had always though of his gestures cute, she never returned her feelings he held for her. He stopped, looking out a window at the cloudy, rainy sky, and let a tear run down his cheek. The last words she had spoken to him as her age took her from this existence danced through his head. “Even though I never retunred your love, Spiky-wikey…you were the best friend any mare could have had. Twilight is lucky to have a friend like you, who will live as long as her. Keep her close to you Spike, and never lose her friendship.”
“I promise Rarity, I promise that I’ll never let Twilight forget our friendship.” he mumbled out into the open air.
“Who yah talkin’ to?” chimed a sweet voice from behind the dragon. He spun around with a quick and sudden jolt to find a young mare, with a white and purple mane atop a light blue coat standing there.
“Oh, Dusk Bell…it’s just you…” he said in relife.
“You talking to Great Aunt Rarity again?” she asked with a chuckle as she walked over and leaned against the window seal.
“Yeah…I was just thinking about her again.” she let out a little childish giggle before she hopped off and began walking away.
“I was looking for miss Sky Blitz, have you seen her?” she asked as she walked down the hall. Spike pulled himself off the wall and caught up to her.
“Yeah I have. She was waiting on Princess Cadence and Twilight to go back to Twilight’s room.”
“Oh, Princess Cadence is here?” Dusk asked with a subtle smile.
“Yep. Here, I’ll take you to Twilight’s room…they may already be there.”
“Cool, thanks Spike!”
“Aw it ain’t nothing” he said with a giddy grin as they meandederd down the castle’s passageway.