It didn't take long for Rarity to revive, but Emerald Shine was on a downward spiral. She grew weaker every moment.
Blackthorn, standing at the door to her chamber, explained that now she had given up her princesshood she was aging extremely fast. The thousand years were catching up to her, and she would soon be dead.
Rarity's respect for the old princess rose and she asked to be able to see her. Blackthorn could not refuse his new ruler and agreed.
Emerald Shine looked up as Rarity came in and her aged face crinkled in a smile. "Hello, Rarity."
Rarity nodded, then lowered her head in respect.
The ancient pegasus laughed huskily, but the laugh quickly degenerated into a fit of coughing. "No need for that, Princess." she chuckled. "Why, it is I who should be bowing to thee. You are the princess now."
Rarity's eyes flickered with pain. "You should bow to no one."
Emerald Shine smiled appreciatively. "I see my kingdom has a good new ruler. I may rest easy now, knowing my realm and people are safe in thy hooves."
With a sigh that echoed countless seasons, the old pegasus went limp and still.
Rarity reached forwards with a hoof and closed the old, unseeing eyes. All the life was gone from them now.
A breeze began to blow through the window. Leaves came swirling in, and Rarity stepped back as they enveloped the body of the pegasus. When the leaves cleared, the bed was empty. The leaves soared out of the window with the breeze, and Rarity watched them fly over the treetops and vanish in the distance.
Rarity left the room and nodded to Blackthorn softly. He hung his head, and then raised his muzzle to the air and let out a keening cry. It was the sound of nature in mourning, and as one every one of his soldiers raised their heads to give vent to their grief.
The sound echoed through the forest, and every creature living added to it; timberwolves began to howl, birds sang, and the wind rustled through the leaves in a rising cacophony which lasted, frozen in time, for much longer than the moments it really did.
Rarity's official coronation was a sombre affair as the forest dwellers mourned their previous ruler. The crown was placed upon her head, and then Blackthorn notified her of the location of her belongings. And with that, she, Pinkie, Twilight and Sweetie Belle were allowed to leave.
Rarity walked with her friends in silence for a little while. They had nothing to fear from timberwolves or other beasts now; all were under Rarity's rule. Then Twilight spoke up.
"So. You're an alicorn princess now."
"Yes." Rarity felt it was rather a stupid question, given what had just happened, but was too polite to say it.
Seconds later, Sweetie Belle looked at her sister and prodded at a white wing. "So can you fly now?"
"Probably." Rarity didn't seem interested.
"Try."
"No."
"Why not?"
"Just because." Rarity thought of the old pegasus again and lowered her head.
Sweetie Belle frowned, then jumped on her sister's back. "C'mon! Just try!"
"Alright." sighed Rarity. "But get off in case I crash."
As it was, flight came naturally. Rarity realised finally why Rainbow enjoyed soaring up high so much, and skimmed the tops of the trees as Ponyville came into view, before sinking to the ground and disguising her wings.
Rarity and the others told the inhabitants of Ponyville that they had fought the soldiers off in the forest and
Many years passed, and Rarity aged cosmetically. She hid her wings from common sight- only her friends, sister and eventual husband Spike knew of her princesshood.
But after 80 years living in Ponyville, Rarity felt the forest calling her. Her parents were already dead, and she didn't think she could bear to see her friends and sister, and their families, slip away in such a way. So she left them with instructions rather like a will, and one night, crept away back into her kingdom. Twilight, an alicorn herself, understood her pain. But Spike suffered long after the deaths of their other friends, wanting his wife back, until finally Twilight told him where Rarity's castle lay.
There Rarity lived for 900 years, ruling her kingdom with wisdom and even growing to love the dirt she had once despised for the live-giving qualities it possessed. She watched her subjects- Blackthorn, and many others, age and wither away, never growing old herself until a few months before her thousandth birthday. It was then, when she found wrinkles she could not wish away, that she sent her new general, Stormcloud, out with his battalions to find her successor.
Spike, with an unknown lifespan, had lived by her side all the nine centuries. As Rarity aged, he hurriedly sent Twilight a letter.
"It's time."
Twilight arrived at the forest castle to find Rarity- now looking retirement-aged- sitting at her window with Spike, waiting for Stormcloud to return.
"They know." she rasped to Spike. "They know that soon I will be gone."
"And you'll be missed by all of them." said Spike sadly.
Rarity didn't answer. She was looking out over the forest, and then she opened her mouth and sang the song Twilight remembered from all those years ago, when Blackthorn and the other forest ponies had sung it when Emerald Shine had died. It was no less beautiful now than it had been then.
Twilight went to stand by her friend and took in the song. Rarity acknowledged her with a flick of her ear, but kept singing. Below, in the settlement, many of her subjects gave their answer.
Stormcloud entered an hour later, a pink earth pony mare with a wavy, pale green mane and tail following curiously. On seeing Rarity, the newcomer began to bounce. "Ohmygosh! An alicorn! I didn't know there were five! I..." The mare continued to leap around in glee, babbling excitedly. Stormcloud quickly took his leave, looking relieved to be free of his charge.
Rarity smiled- this pony reminded her of Pinkie Pie- but Twilight's eyes were wide. "Bubble Beam?" she said incredulously.
The pink mare looked at her and giggled, "Princess Twilight! Oooh, who are your friends? Is this pony really an alicorn? Oooh- a dragon! Cool!"
Rarity looked confused. "Do you know this pony?"
"Uh... she's Pinkie's great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great granddaughter." Twilight thought for a second. "Give or take a few greats."
"Ah." Rarity tried to sound calm, although she was mentally seeing her kingdom burn as Pinkie's descendant hopped around in the carnage. "Well, then. I suppose... time to explain..."
An hour later, Rarity went to see Stormcloud. "It's time, Stormcloud. Be as loyal to her as you have been to me." The dark grey pony lowered his head respectfully and sadly. Rarity had ruled since he was born and long before; he could not imagine a time without her. None of her subjects could.
Rarity went back into the throne room, preparing to cast the spell which would make Bubble Beam the new princess of the Everfree. The pink pony had shown herself to be a lot calmer than she had first seemed, though she had got excited several times during the explanation of the whole situation. Now she stood, head respectfully lowered.
Rarity took a deep breath and muttered the spell. Twilight and Spike shielded their eyes as bright light filled the room. Rarity felt a dreadful wrench- not only physically but mentally- as her wings were taken from her.
Bubble Beam stood there as an alicorn when the light faded, while Rarity was a unicorn once more, as she had been centuries ago. She smiled into the green eyes of her successor as she felt the last of her power swirl away from her.
****************************************************
Rarity lay in her bed, feeling each year catch up to her. Bubble Beam came in, sombre; Rarity smiled weakly. "What is it, Princess?"
Bubble Beam just lowered her head in respect. Too tired to protest, Rarity felt a rush of need to see Twilight and Spike once more before the end. "Please, could you send Twilight and Spike in? And Princess." Rarity said softly, "Rule the kingdom well."
Twilight and Spike stood by Rarity's bedside, their faces downcast. Rarity chuckled. "Why so sad, my friends? I go to join our friends, and my sister... I'll see them again... I have lived far longer than I expected to anyway."
Spike just grasped her hoof with his claw and sniffed. Twilight smiled. "I'll see you again one day, Rarity. Not even an alicorn lives forever."
"Ah, this is too sentimental for me, darlings. Just talk properly." Rarity said crossly.
Just as she said this, the song started up again outside, and Spike raised his head to join in, closing his eyes and holding tight to Rarity's hoof. Twilight followed his lead, and then heard Rarity join in. They sang for a while, until Twilight realised Rarity was no longer singing. She opened her eyes but continued singing, looking down just in time to see her friend's body dissolve into leaves and swirl away, out of the window. Spike opened his eyes as he felt his wife's hoof disappear, and though he continued to sing, his eyes filled up with tears.
Twilight raised her wings and flew out of the window, dancing above the trees as leaves swirled around her and the eerie tune of the song rang out through the Everfree.