It's a hard job to do; one of the hardest. For every life that you witness, you bear their mistakes on yourself and look into their lives as if they were your own. You must bear their burdens in order for them to finally set themselves free with their last request.
~Excerpt from the guide to Memory Wishers, by Twilight Sparkle
The two of them found themselves in the white-space again, the cloying silence around them uncomfortable and weighted. “Honoured...” Regret started, finally breaking the silence as the silence roared its disapproval, “What did she mean?”
Honoured Tradition didn't answer, still lost in her own world as the world around them formed itself, the lines racing along the canvas they stood in.
“What did she mean, 'I'm sure the two of them will do what is necessary to fulfil the wish,' Honoured?” he asked again.
“I don't know,” she finally answered edgily. “This whole job has started to give me the goosebumps...” she admitted, “She knew our names from the start. I don't care how good her memory is, no employer ever remembers everyone they've employed, especially if she retired just after we did join...”
“What are we going to do?” Regret asked, worry seeping into his voice.
Honoured looked down as a picture of six mares – of five dead mares and the last one still alive – coloured itself in and sighed. “We'll do our job,” she replied resolutely, “If it's something we can't handle, we'll back out, but so far, all she's done is pull a specific team for herself... It's hardly illegal.”
Regret nodded but still seemed troubled. There had been something about Celestia's worry which made him think it was not going to be one of the nicer experiences in his career. Whatever else he was worried about would have to wait though; the world came to life, bringing the two of them into a corridor where Twilight Sparkle was walking. In her magic, there was the picture that had brought them there.
She looked as old as she had done before only now she seemed more animated. A single saddlebag was strung across her back, seemingly empty. She took a look at the picture in her magic before grimacing. She rolled it up and sighed audibly, walking further and further down the corridor as it stowed itself away.
After staring after her for a few more moments, it occurred to them to follow her, and so they did. Twilight led them through a great number of corridors and passages, each of them lined with finery befitting a palace. The reason for this became apparent as they turned into a large doorway and found themselves in front of the two princesses of Equestria; albeit they were sat at the far end of the throne room that they occupied.
Sharing a glance again, they drew nearer to Twilight and the diarchs of Equestria. She bowed formally to them, inclining her head and bending a knee to them before she rose. Regret risked a glance at Celestia and saw her pained gaze; he could only guess at the reason before Twilight started. “Princess Celestia, princess Luna,” she greeted formally, her voice wavering slightly before she paused and continued, “I... can't do this anymore.”
The admission sounded small and weak. Regret looked at Twilight again; now sunken into herself and looking exhausted. “I assume you've heard the news?” she asked, looking from princess to princess quizzically.
Celestia inclined her head slightly, staying silent even as Luna spoke, her voice curious and oddly musical, “This would be the death of the last bearer of harmony?”
Twilight's eyes watered for a moment as Celestia pressed her head into her hooves. “Yes...” she said after a moment, “This is about Rainbow Dash's death...”
“If there was anything we could have done, Twilight, then-”
“You would have tried,” Twilight interrupted, “I know, Celestia. I don't blame you for her death... it was simply her time,” she said, her voice hollow, as if she didn't believe the words she was speaking. She paused again, gathering her wits up before she spoke again, “I'm going to retire... I can't... You understand?” she asked imploringly, leaving a trail of broken sentences in her wake.
Celestia nodded again, “I do, Twilight... I'll pass on the message to the company if you'd like. There's also the matter of your inheritance that you have, from myself and Luna... think of it as a retirement gift.”
Twilight nodded her head in time with Celestia's words. Honoured had trouble believing that she'd even heard them; simply nodding her head to whatever comfort that she imagined the two were offering her instead. “It's enough...” she whispered to herself, “I know you've always had your doubts about me – about the business I run, - Celestia, now you've got your wish. I'm done... I'm not going to see the two of you for a long time; it's been nice knowing you,” she said bitterly, her voice carrying over the quiet hall.
“Twilight...” the princess spoke softly, her eyes pleading.
“I'm done,” Twilight repeated again, “No... I was done years ago... I just didn't know it then.”
The picture she'd been carrying hovered out, unrolling in front of Twilight for one final time before she looked away and threw it across the hall. It didn't get very far, but Twilight didn't stay to look. She turned on her hooves and left the room; neck stiff and head frozen.
Luna, Celestia, Honoured and Regret all watched as she left the room, deathly silent.
“Don't... this is her choice.”
Honoured glanced behind her to see princess Luna holding her sister back. Celestia looked stricken between following her sister's advice and following after her last student. She settled on lifting the scroll – which had fallen face-down – on the floor. It flipped itself around half-way towards the two of them and she winced at the six pairs of eyes that stared back out from within.
“Don't tell me you didn't expect this, Celestia,” Luna said wearily as her sister took the photo from mid-air, holding it in front of her as if it might break. “This was always going to happen at some point. She is the survivor of her friends, that's never a nice position to be in, whatever the weather.”
“But... so soon?” Celestia asked, and Honoured thought she could hear her voice crack, “She still has so much to live for though...”
“Like what? Her brother died in the guard a whole seventeen years ago, her parents died a few years ago and who does she have left now? Me and you, perhaps, but... perhaps she's seen enough of us.”
“To hear you speak of her...” Celestia smiled to herself, “You'd almost think that she was your student, not mine.”
Luna didn't return the smile. “And how did you think I came to know all of this? You haven't been the best support to her recently. You've been fighting her at every turn with this 'Memory Wishers' business that she's been running; which, I might add, probably kept her focussed on something that wasn't so morbid.”
“Must you remind me of my own choices?” Celestia answered, sounding every bit as old as the legends said.
“Only because you don't,” Luna replied somberly.
Honoured felt a lump in her throat at the scene; to see the princesses – their immortal rulers – stripped down and mournful was an odd situation. She glanced to Regret, expecting to see the same sadness, then blinked. He wasn't there.
She turned back to the princesses, still consoling one another in their own way before she looked through the open doorway and sighed. Hovering just past the doorway was a single arrow, pointed the way they'd come previously. Honoured glanced back at the princesses for a final time before she set off after him at a gallop.
It was already apparent to Regret that it was going to be a long night. As Twilight moved between them, going towards the door and back out into the hallway, he followed her, assuming that his colleague would do likewise, only to look back at the doorway to see that she hadn't moved at all. He sighed and drafted some of the air around him into an arrow that he placed in the doorway. It seemed that he'd be on his own for the moment.
He turned the way that Twilight had gone, only to stop a moment later as he nearly walked into her. She was still stood just outside of the doors to the throne room, eyes shut and tears marking their tracks down her face as she listened to the conversation within. Regret looked around awkwardly. Eavesdropping was one thing, eavesdropping on the princesses was another. He watched her apprehensively for a moment, waiting for her to do something.
Eventually, after some signal that Regret couldn't hear, she opened her eyes and drew in a shuddering breath before pushing herself away from the wall and setting off down the passage. He started drafting up another arrow from the air as they moved. She was walking quicker than before, the corridor disappearing beneath her hooves as she continued through.
Each time they took a turn, Regret sent an arrow up into the air, leaving the breadcrumbs that Honoured would have to follow. It wasn't long until they finally broke out of the castle and into the open air. If he'd doubted it before, he didn't any more. He could recognise Canterlot any day of the week and this certainly fit the bill. The various spires from the housing districts pointed high into the air, signalling to the world their occupants within.
“Having fun?”
Regret turned around to see Honoured, out of breath slightly as she caught up with him. “Hey,” he protested, “I was just following Sparkle.”
“The Twilight Sparkle that's already halfway down the road?” she asked sweetly and he looked back, cursing quietly as he took off at a run, trying to catch up with Honoured right behind him, still chuckling quietly.
They were back behind her moments later, keeping pace as she led them into the city. “So where were you, Honoured?” Regret poked, keeping a watchful eye on Twilight to make sure they weren’t going to lose her again, “You weren’t with me when I followed Twilight.”
“Stayed with the princesses for a moment,” Honoured shrugged off, “Celestia seemed worried about her, that’s all. Luna dissuaded her from going after Twilight in any case; speaking of which…”
Regret glanced in front of him just as Twilight slipped into a doorway on their left. He looked at the sign just above them and sighed. “Just what I wanted…” he muttered, “To visit a solicitor as part of a memory.” He glanced over at Honoured to see her own reaction, yet hers was creased in thought. “Honoured?”
She glanced up at him, snapping out of whatever trance she’d been in moments before. “Hmm?” she asked, “What? Are we following her in or not?”
“I was just waiting for you to finish daydreaming,” Regret replied, grinning.
“Well I’m done now,” she countered briskly, “Now, come on. I don’t want to lose her.” Regret just stared after her as she slipped through the door after their client.
“What’s got on her backside?” he wondered aloud before following her inside. As it was, her worries were unfounded as they found Twilight stood at a polished desk inside, waiting to be served. Regret looked around the solicitors and was not at all surprised to find a number of awards, newspaper clippings and statements plastered on the neat walls.
It was the same as a lot of the lawyer’s offices he’d been to; it was their way of advertising. Clients wanted results and the best way to show that they could deliver them would be to have the proof of cases they’d managed to beat.
“I’d like to speak with Mr Graves, please,” Twilight said as Regret faced her again.
“Name, please?” the receptionist responded, placing a pair of spectacles on her nose as she looked at something behind the counter.
“Twilight Sparkle.”
The receptionist paused for a moment and looked up at Twilight, her head tilted slightly. “Of course, Miss Sparkle… I’ll let him know you’re here,” she said after another moment of silence. Twilight nodded her thanks and turned away as the receptionist all-but ran into the adjoining room.
“Good to know that you’d get fast service if you’re in cahoots with the princesses,” Honoured spoke, leaning over the desk and looking into the back room just as the door swung shut behind them.
“Nah,” Regret said, “You’re forgetting the customary wait; every single solicitor has a waiting period where they just let their client sit and think through their problems and what they’re going to-“
“Miss Sparkle?”
Honoured raised an eyebrow at Regret as the receptionist stuck her head out of the door again. Regret just stuck his tongue out.
“He’s waiting for you in his office,” she continued, “I take it you can remember the way?”
“That’s fine,” Twilight said, smiling slightly as she stood up, “Thank you.” She nodded to the receptionist and walked down the hallway, tailed silently by Regret and Honoured. Twilight paused outside the first door on her left; a mahogany affair with a golden plaque on the front, proclaiming the owner to be Doug Graves.
Twilight knocked on the door and waited for a moment when a voice echoed from inside. “Come in.”
Twilight complied, pushing open the door and entering the office beyond, closely followed by her two followers.
The room was sparse; a window or two in one wall and a potted plant in the corner of the room. The main attraction would have had to be the desk which took up the majority of the room. It was made of dark wood and looked expensive if the inkwells, quill holders and writing desk in the middle were anything to base their guesses on.
The pony behind the desk looked up as Twilight entered. His coat was the colour of slate while his eyes seemed to be made of liquid amber. “Good afternoon, Twilight,” he greeted, leaning over the desk and extending a hoof which Twilight took.
“It’s been too long, Doug,” Twilight said, shaking the hoof before she took a seat in front of him.
“Agreed,” he replied, “When was the last time we spoke? It must have been six months ago.”
“More, probably.”
“Ah, well I’m still here. What can I do for you, Twilight? I’ve taken the liberty of arranging Miss Dash’s funeral for you… and for her.”
Twilight looked at Doug curiously; in front of him, there was a letter addressed to him and an envelope addressed to her. “May I?” she asked, looking at the letter pointedly.
Doug looked up and back down again. “Of course… it’s yours after all. It was her wish to be buried in the traditional pegasus style… I’m sure you know that too. The date for the funeral is in a week; the last day of summer.”
“She’d like that,” Twilight murmured, taking the envelope addressed to herself and unfolding it. Honoured tried to edge around the table to get a better look at the letter when Twilight sucked in a breath and folded it back up. It disappeared back into the envelope and into her bags. Her solicitor stayed silent, passing over another sheet instead.
“Please sign here… you’re the last surviving member of her family and friends; I think your signature on the funeral plan would suffice,” Doug spoke softly; apologetically, “You’ll need to be present for the reading of the will… it’s the day after. And… for what it’s worth… I thought she was a good mare, I doubt she’d have died unhappily.”
“Thank you,” Twilight said, equally quietly, flicking through the papers in front of her. After a moment, she took the proffered quill and signed her name at the bottom of the sheet. Doug took the sheets and the quill back after he was sure that Twilight was done. She stayed there, slumped in her chair as he filed the papers away.
“She was too young…” she spoke suddenly. Doug stayed silent, Regret suspected that this wasn’t the first time this had happened. “Just over sixty years old? Too young…” she repeated again, her horn glowing dully as the air seemed to shift above her.
Honoured watched in interest as something took shape above Twilight. It started as a simple cloud before lines of colour started tracing from beneath it. Rainbow Dash’s cutie mark was quickly left above her, the air solidifying and twisting as it compressed itself. A quick glance to Regret showed that he was as enraptured as her by the performance while Doug had turned away, focussing on placing the files in their proper places.
Another few files appeared from within the cabinet just as the air cracked and something dropped out from within onto the desk, gleaming slightly. Doug sat down at the table and spread the two files out in front of him. He took the silvered object and turned it over, revealing a perfect copy of Rainbow Dash’s cutie mark, forged seamlessly into the metal. “It’s perfect,” he said to Twilight, who had her eyes closed, “Just like the others.”
One of the folders flipped open to reveal a set of four metal objects, each as small as the one just conjured. He put the fifth in its own spot and shut the folder. “I would guess that her death isn’t the only reason you’re here though?” he asked as she straightened up in the chair, wiping away unshed tears.
Twilight shook her head slightly, “No… you’re right; of course you’re right.”
The second folder opened to reveal a few sheets of paper which Doug took from within. “The Last Will and Testament of Twilight Sparkle, still as we left it the last time… Now, what would you like amended?”
“My last wish, please,” she said, unfolding her saddlebags again and taking from them a few sheets of paper.
“Which was previously… nothing?” Regret thought he caught a glimpse of surprise before it was smothered and Doug continued on smoothly, “In which case… go ahead.”
“My last wish might be a bit of a misnomer… I’d like to employ the memory wishers for a bit of work.”
“Ah…” Doug made some notes on a piece of paper before speaking again, “Go on…”
“What if I’d said yes?”
Doug paused. “Any further information on the subject?” he prompted, “such as what you’d like to have agreed to.” At Twilight’s silence, he sighed and nodded, “Alright, is there anything else you’d like to be included?”
Twilight pushed the two pieces of paper she’d taken from her bag towards Doug. “I’d like these two to be the ones to do it.”
If Doug was surprised, he didn’t show it. “Any particular reason why you’d like these two – Miss Tradition and Mr Regret – to perform the procedure?”
“I simply prefer having the knowledge that they are going to do what they need to know to fulfil the wish,” Twilight replied cryptically.
“And if they’ve left the company in the meantime?” Doug said, scribbling frantically on the sheet of paper.
“Then… cancel the wish if that’s the case,” she said finally.
“And… done,” Doug said after a moment. He quickly recited her instructions back to her and she nodded again in confirmation. “Excellent, I’ll get the will altered as soon as I can. I hope we’ll meet again, Twilight. My mother wants to offer her deepest thanks, yet again, when you came to see to my father personally. I’m sure he died happily.”
Twilight stood up again, lifting the sheets into her bags. “He did, Doug. Tell your mother that, from me. I’ll see you some other time,” she replied, nodding one final time to her solicitor before she slipped out of the door. Regret moved to follow her when Honoured stuck her hoof out to stop him.
“The next link is in the folder with the trinkets in,” she murmured quietly, watching as Doug sat back in the chair, kneading his head with his hooves.
Regret moved forwards and opened it, revealing all five metal objects within. He quickly glanced back up at Doug, but the solicitor hadn’t noticed, still kneading his sore temple. “Alright,” Regret said, glancing back at Honoured, “So which one is it?”
He stepped aside as Honoured drew closer, looking at each of the trinkets in turn. “The diamond one,” she said after a moment. Regret peeked over her shoulder at the next link. It was based on the same metal that the others were, only this one held a blue diamond within its clasp.
“Is that a real diamond?” he wondered aloud.
“No… but… it’s odd. It’s not exactly metal either. But then… the metal isn’t really metal either,” Honoured continued, puzzled, “It’s almost like it’s… made of the right atoms but not assembled correctly.”
“You saw what she did,” Regret pointed out, “she made them from the air around us… maybe that’s it.”
“Maybe…” Regret said, unconvinced, “But there’s still something else in them that’s… odd.” She shook her head, “Anyway, let’s hope that this next jump takes us a bit further… by my guess, we’ve only gone back a week or two in that jump.”
Regret nodded and laid his hoof on the faux-trinket. “Ready?” he asked as Honoured laid her hoof over his.
She sighed, “Let’s go.”