//------------------------------// // 22. There will always be a Princess... // Story: Short Shorts // by Coranth //------------------------------// As Daniel looked on from where he sat in his rocking chair, Celestia - her beautiful white coat pale gray, her once rainbow mane white - unhooked herself from the anti-grav sled that she used to get around. Clad only in her collar, still wearable - though its tag and colours had faded with time - she approached her beloved, tottering, stumbling upon aged, arthritic legs that Daniel thought had given out so... so long ago. Gazing solemnly at her human love's wrinkled, white-haired, wizened form through eyes near-blind and rheumy with age, she smiled; she loved him still, even after all this time and he in turn still loved her and thought her beautiful. "Come, Daniel," nickered she, softly "it is time. One last Sunset; one last ride." Daniel, his wizened body wracked with arthritis, groaned in pain as he took up his walking cane and made his way over to her. Celestia nearly collapsed as she lay down to allow him to mount her back, and then staggered with effort as she stood again on shaky legs. "I trust..." Daniel croaked, "that your affairs are in order, my dear?" A smile creasing her muzzle, Celestia nodded as she responded, "Aye, they are. My faithful student, she will be a fine Princess..." Turning about to face their room - a place full of cherished memories - suddenly, the former Princesses eyes became wet with painful tears as she whimpered, "Oh, I'm going to miss this place..." Gently petting her faded neck, combing his hands through her mane, Daniel nodded, his own eyes misty. "I know, Celestia, but remember what you told me, all those years ago? You said, 'There will always be a Princess, there will always be a man by her side, and he will love and protect her until time reaches its end.' Well..." and here Daniel sighed softly, "our time here has reached its end, and so we have to go..." Blinking her tears away, Celestia swallowed thickly and nodded. Then, she turned about such that they faced the great balcony that jutted out from the window... and with a *click-click* of Daniel's tongue, she was away, her mane flying. Out of the room raced she bearing her beloved upon her back, and then approaching the balcony, she closed her eyes and leaped, ascending with him into the sky for the very last time... ... And the doors slammed open as Twilight Sparkle burst into the room followed by her guards. "Celestia," she howled. "Ce-les-ti-aaah!" Weeping, desperate, knowing there was naught she could do to prevent it yet determined to try anyway, Twilight Sparkle made to go after them... but then a cry of grief was ripped from her throat as her guards hauled her back. Even as she struggled and fought against them, weeping openly - even as her guards handed her unto the arms of her human beloved who'd come into the room after them, Celestia and Daniel became naught but a point of light in the sky. Then, for a brief instant, the world turned white... "... And lo, it was said that upon the very Hour of the Day of Our Beloved Princess Twilight Sparkle's Coronation, a Solar Flare alighted the Heavens, touching all corners of the world; When It happened did our hearts soar with joy for She whom had watched over Us for thousands of years was finally at Rest..." * * * The little pink-furred, brown maned filly just couldn't help it; she sniffled, her eyes wet with tears. Carefully she rested the Book of Pony upon her night-stand; then she wept into her pillow. Until she became aware... of a human hand... and a large pony hoof... touching and stroking her face. Opening her eyes, the little pony foal beheld her parents - her mummy and daddy - on either side of the bed, wiping away her tears. "What's the matter sweetie," her mummy asked softly. Hiccuping softly, the little filly replied, "I... I was reading about Great Herd Mama Celestia again; it's so sad! Nopony and no-human knows what happened when... when... Where did she and Daniel go?" The pony Heaven Song and her human beloved, a man named Donald, turned as one to look at each other; then, after a moment's thought, they nodded before returning their attention to their daughter. "Do you remember," Donald said to his daughter, "what Celestia said to Daniel, sweetie?" The little filly nodded... and then her eyes widened as her mama leaned close and whispered, "There will always be a Princess..." Her eyes went even wider when Donald leaned forward to whisper, "...there will always be a man by her side..." Then the little filly gasped as both her parents completed the age old saying, "...and he will love and protect her until time reaches its end." Then, the little filly watched - her heart threatening to beat out of her chest - as her mama's hair... began to shift and swirl... with all the colours of the rainbow.