//------------------------------// // Day 1: News // Story: The Journey // by RoboCom64 Zelos //------------------------------// "Twilight Sparkle, can you hear me?" Doctor Stable asked a motionless Twilight Sparkle. "I heard you, Doctor. I have one month left to live," Twilight Sparkle said emotionlessly. "I... am very sorry, Twilight Sparkle," Doctor Stable said remorsefully. "You have a right to keep this information confidential, if you wish." A few seconds of dead silence passed before Twilight Sparkle finally said, "I-I'd like that." Twilight's Journal Day 1, Entry 1: Today, I was diagnosed with a terminal disease. I don't want to tell my friends. This is too much for both me and them. Too much of my life was wasted on books. I need to leave Ponyville, and find a good excuse to tell to my friends for being gone, they're not going to leave me alone if I tell them the truth. It was a cloudy day, with wind howling through the leaves of the Ponyville library, where her dearest friends, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy had gathered at Twilight Sparkle's behest. "Girls, I wanted to make an announcement," Twilight Sparkle said with her most winning smile. "I've spent a lot of my time thinking about how beautiful the world is, and how little of it I have seen, and I realized I needed a a change of pace. I'm going on a journey to see all of Equestria in all it's beauty." "But-" Rainbow Dash protested. "Don't try to talk me out of it, Rainbow, and don't try to stop me. It is something I just have to do, okay?" Twilight Sparkle desprately pleaded. "Twilight, not to be rude, but you don't quite seem like the adventurous type. Are you absolutely one hundred percent sure?" Rarity asked. "Yes, Rarity, I am one hundred percent positive," Twilight Sparkle answered. "But, when will you be back?" Applejack objected. "I don't know, Applejack, but I can promise you this: I won't be gone longer than a month," Twilight Sparkle said, her smile still firmly on her face. "I just wanted to say good-bye to you all, and... I would like you to know that you all... are the greatest friends a pony could dream of... and I love you all... and... good-bye," Twilight Sparkle finished, her smile cracking more and more as she spoke, until she was left sobbing on the floor. "Are you okay, Twilight?" Pinkie Pie asked in concern. "I'm sorry... this goodbye just made me a little sad, that's all," Twilight Sparkle said lamely. "Maybe we should leave Twilight alone," Fluttershy said quietly. "Yes, please," Twilight Sparkle said weakly. Only Twilight Sparkle was left in the library she used to call home. Twilight Sparkle was more sure now than ever that she had to go on her journey, no matter how much it pained her to leave. It was better than her friends watching her slowly die. At least this way, their next thirty days would be carefree until somepony found her lifeless corpse and relayed the news back to them. Twilight's Journal Day 1, Entry 2: Telling my friends will be by far the hardest part of my journey, and it's already done... but if the hardest part has passed, then why am I still crying while I write this? In Twilight Sparkle's empty room she packed her things in two small suitcases. Only necessary things were taken, such as food or supplies, except for a group photo of Twilight Sparkle and her friends in a pleasant meadow having a picnic. There was something else that she forgot, or rather, someone else she forgot. Her dear assistant, and one of her first and longest friends, Spike the baby dragon, who watched her pack from the stairway. He came closer to Twilight, as he tried not to cry. "Twilight, you're leaving and you didn't even stop to tell me? I mean, how could you, an... and how long will you be gone? And where are you going? And..." Spike babbled until Twilight raised a silencing hoof. "Spike, no matter what, I want you to know that you are more than my number one assistant. You are my friend. One of my first and dearest friends. I want you to take care of the library when I'm gone, and I want you to know that no matter what, I will never forget our time together. In fact, I will cherish it. You were always there to cheer me up and help me when I needed it. I want you to know, Spike, that you are the best friend a pony could ever have." Spike started to cry as Twilight Sparkle brought him into a tight hug, the kind that mother's give to their children when they know it will be the last time they will ever see them. Twilight Sparkle trotted down the stairs with her suitcases in tow. She opened the door to the outside world, and then looked back at Spike. "Goodbye, Spike," Twilight Sparkle said softly as she stepped outside and shut the door with a sense of finality. I had a good life, filled with good friends. That's good enough, thought Twilight. “Remember me and smile, for it's better to forget than to remember me and cry.” - Dr. Seuss.