“How about Andy?”
Blueblood scoffed. “Andy?”
Celestia and Shining Armor rolled their eyes as Twilight glared at Blueblood. While last night’s stargazing had gone well, Twilight and Blueblood sharing a breakfast table seemed to be too much. “Well, you can call him Andrew, Prince Prissy,” Twilight said, “but I’m calling him Andy.”
The little dragon shook his head. “My name’s Spike!”
“Why are we even arguing this?” Cadance asked. “If he wants to be called Spike, I’m OK with it.” She reached under the breakfast table and scratched the dog’s ears. “I think he has a wonderful namesake.”
“Cadance,” Blueblood started, “lest we forget, Spike starts kindergarten in a few months, and while I’ll let him sleep in the basket with the dog if his biological impulses demand the high walls around him, I am not letting my little brother get beat up for naming himself after a dog, especially given that any fond memories he has of that dog will be gone in a few years. It was cute when he was a baby, not anymore. Now,” he turned to Spike, “what do you think of Francis?”
Twilight snorted. “Francis?”
“Alright, Frank.”
Spike spaced his hands out. “Spiiiike.”
“Olaf?”
Blueblood and Spike both glared at Twilight, who blushed. “It’s getting popular!”
“And I weep for the day ponies actually use it.” Blueblood looked over his checklist. “Now then-”
“How about David?”
While Spike threw his hands in the air, everypony else at the table looked up. Standing just outside the door was a middle-aged, light blue griffon, dressed in a green cassock and biretta. He blushed. “My apologies,” he said, “I’ve been looking for the Princess for over two hours. I think I’m lost.”
“I’m over here,” Celestia called.
The griffon stuck his head in the room. When he noticed Princess Celestia, he quickly entered. “Princess Celestia,” he said, “Supreme Governor of th-”
Celestia waved him off with a smile. “It’s alright, you’ve been through enough.” The others in the room looked at Celestia. “An old tradition, back from the Equestrian Reformation.” She turned back to the holy man. “I take it you’re the new nuncio?”
The griffon nodded. “Archbishop Pablo Montalon Higuera. His Holiness sends his regards.” Archbishop Higuera reached into his robes. “And he asked me to give you this.”
The nuncio pulled out a napkin and gave it to Celestia. She took it and unfolded it, revealing words written on it. She read it, smiled, and put the napkin down. “A tempting offer,” Celestia said, “but I’m afraid that my governorship of the Church of Equestria cannot be bought in baked goods, although I would consider letting him co-rule for one of those bottles of Le Jus du Rosier I hear he has.”
“He thought you would say that. He says ‘over my dead body’. Please don’t take that literally,” he said with a feigned nervous smile. “I’m looking forward to a quieter post. Helping organize peace for a civil war tends to do that.”
Celestia nodded. “Indeed. Well, welcome to Equestria.” She stood and motioned to the others at the table. “Those are Twilight Sparkle and Shining Armor, friends of the family, and those are my nephew Blueblood and my niece Princess Mi Amore Cadenza.”
“You can call me Cadance,” she said.
The archbishop snapped his claws. “Ah!” He reached back into his robes. “I think somepony mistook me for a servant, since I think they gave me everyone’s mail. Thankfully, I think you’re the last one.” He pulled out an envelope and read it before putting it in front of Cadance. “Yes, this is for you.”
Cadance took it. “Hmm, a day late...” She looked up. “Wait a minute,” Cadance said, “you’ve been going around delivering these letters?”
The archbishop shrugged. “Well, I was lost and I had the letters, so I decided I might as well get something done while I looked around.”
“That will be all, your excellence,” Celestia said with a smile. “I think I can reschedule our meeting for tomorrow. Don’t worry about getting out: all of our staff have experience guiding the lost.”
The archbishop smiled. “Thank you, your highness. Until tomorrow.” With that, he departed.
“Princess Celestia, what’s a nuncio?” Twilight asked.
“An ambassador from the Holy See,” Blueblood explained.
Twilight glared at Blueblood. “Is your name Princess Celestia?” She turned back to the actual Princess. “What was with that thing earlier?”
“That’s just a game we play,” Celestia said. “The Roman Cawtholic Church has tried for years to get me to convert back, although almost never seriously.” She chuckled. “Oh, the bribes I’ve received over the years. One even proposed to wave doctrine and marry me. He was a nice man. A pity I had to turn him down.”
“But, why?” Twilight asked.
The smile left Celestia’s face. “Well, a long time ago, the pope and I had serious disagreements regarding old agreements with the Church and their then-current practices. We lost our tempers, they excommunicated me, I broke off from them and founded the Church of Equestria on principles I felt were better.” She sighed. “And that led to many deaths, even though I tried to reign in the most senseless on both sides. In hindsight, some, not all, but some of my complaints were erroneous, and had I known then, I would have taken lesser measures.”
There was a moment of silence as Celestia became very interested in her tea. “Well, it could’ve been worse,” Twilight said. “You could’ve broke off because of a divorce.”
“Annulment,” Blueblood corrected her.
The latest of arguments sprouted up as Shining Armor turned back to Cadance. “So, who’s Rafter?” he asked her.
Cadance looked at him. “I haven’t mentioned him?” she asked. “Old friend of mine? Carpenter? I write to him every week? Never goes anywhere without a safety harness?”
“Well, I don’t remember him.”
“That’s not surprising, coming from you,” she said playfully. “Maybe if I mentioned that I had my first kiss with him?”
Shining Armor snorted. “No you didn’t!”
Cadance shrugged. “OK, I didn’t. He was always more like a brother than a boyfriend, anyway.” She opened the letter and began to read. “I wonder what he’s up t…”
Cadance’s smile faded away as her mouth dropped open.
“Cadance?” Shining asked.
No response; she just kept reading.
Shining Armor knocked on the table, attracting everyone else’s attention. Cadance set the opened letter down and rested her head on top of her hooves. “That was Rafter’s older brother,” she said numbly. “Rafter fell through a rotten roof.” She swallowed. “He landed wrong and he... he...”
Spike the dog laid his head in her lap as Cadance’s tears began to silently fall. The others got up, but Shining Armor got to her first. He pulled her into a hug, which she leaned into, crying into his shoulder. The rest joined the hug where they could, with Celestia only able to drape one of her wings over Cadance, who continued to weep into her boyfriend’s shoulder.
<*>
Cadance was like that for the whole day, occasionally speaking, but mostly remaining morosely silent. Everypony stayed with her through the day and any who left didn’t stray very far from her. Eventually, Twilight and Shining Armor had to return home, although Twilight wanted to stay. “No,” Celestia said, “you have school tomorrow. I promise she’ll be fine.” Shortly afterwards, Cadance decided to go up to bed, thanking everyone for their support.
Cadance tried to settle herself on the bed, but despite her hollow feelings, she found herself too restless to sleep. Confusion about how Rafter, of all ponies, could have an accident in his own element. Guilt over not being there to save him. Even flashes of anger at the mare who had taken her willingly from her home which quickly died out. All of them, and one other, flittered through her head and kept her from sleep.
Cadance noticed her door open as Spike the dog slipped in and walked over to the side of her bed. Cadance looked at him, then patted at her side of the bed. Spike immediately leapt up onto the bed and laid down next to her as she put a foreleg over him. The two lay there in silence for a while before Cadance spoke.
“It’s weird,” she said. “I’m not a stranger to death, Spike. I’ve attended several funerals in my home village, most of them older people. Yeah, the whole village raised me, but for some reason, the only ponies who died were the ones that I didn’t spend as much time with.” She swallowed. “And then, the first pony to die that I really knew was somepony my own age. It just feels wrong.”
“Now I’m thinking,” she continued. “I’m an alicorn now. Does that make me immortal? I babysat Rafter’s niece when she was a foal. I hadn’t even thought about outliving her. Now I could wind up outliving her children’s children’s children. If I get married to Shiny and he doesn’t become an alicorn, he’ll die of old age while I’m still young. Not to mention any children we have will die long before I do.” She sighed. “Oh, Spike. I know there’s nothing wrong with immortality, but I just wish I wasn’t leaving anyone behind.”
Cadance snuggled up to Spike. Before she drifted off into sleep, she noticed that the door was open and mentally pulled it shut.
<*>
When Blueblood awoke to the sound of the alarm clock, he was initially puzzled by the baby dragon he was curled up around. However, he soon remembered Spike being shut out of Cadance’s room and that he had offered his own bed to the baby dragon. As he reached over to shut off the alarm, he tried to be careful not to wake his little brother, but Spike yawned and stretched out anyways. “Good morning,” Blueblood said.
“Morning.”
Blueblood stood and hopped down off of his bed. “So, how’d you sleep?”
Spike glared at him. “Bad. You’re not Spike.”
“Neither are you.” Blueblood walked into the bathroom and Spike followed him. Blueblood knocked on Cadance’s door. “Cadance, are you feeling better?”
“Can I see Spike?” Spike asked.
The two waited, but there was no response. “Better give her a minute,” Blueblood said. “Come on, I’ll help you wash up.”
Several minutes later, Blueblood had finished bathing Spike and had exiled him from the bathroom so that Blueblood could shower in peace. Finally, Blueblood stepped out of the shower and knocked on the door to Cadance’s room again. “Cadance, I’m done.”
Still no response.
“Cadance?”
Again, nothing. Blueblood put his ear up to the door. He tried to focus, but he still couldn’t hear anything. He knelt down, trying to peek under the door but saw nothing. However, before he could get back up, he smelled something horrible.
A few seconds later, his eyes widened as a terror formed itself. “Spike, go get Celestia!” he commanded.
“Wh-”
“NOW!”
Blueblood was glad to hear Spike running out of the room. “Cadance, please speak to me!” he shouted through the door. Nothing. Blueblood tried the door, but it was locked. “Cadance, if you don’t say something, I’m breaking the door down!” Still nothing. Blueblood spun around, raised his back legs…
Click.
Blueblood just barely caught the sound of the door unlocking and stopped himself. A spark of relief flowed through him, but he knew something else was wrong. He quickly opened the door and stepped through into Cadance’s room, where the smell was worse. Cadance was sitting on the bed, still as a statue, eyes red and vacant. Then Blueblood looked at the foot of her bed.
“Oh no.”
Celestia entered the room. “Alright, Blueblood, wha-” she saw it too. “Oh no.” She walked over to Cadance and began to talk to her.
“Spike!”
Blueblood turned and noticed that the dragon was standing in the doorway between his room and the bathroom. While he looked nervous, he didn’t seem to have seen anything. Blueblood quickly walked up to him. “Little brother,” he said, “... I don’t want to tell you this…”
Spike the dragon looked up at Blueblood. “Where’s Spike?”
Blueblood drew in a breath. “I’m sorry… Spike’s dead.”
<*>
Spike the dragon hadn’t understood at first but went to pieces once he finally got it. By the time Blueblood had calmed him down to sniffling, school had already started and was well into first period. Blueblood didn’t want to leave the two but Celestia cleared her day and told Blueblood to let the school know Cadance wasn’t coming.
When school let out, Blueblood was followed by Shining Armor and Twilight, who had just waited long enough to tell their parents what had happened before following him. Shining had of course made a beeline for Cadance. Twilight wanted to attend to Cadance, too, but Blueblood convinced her that Spike needed someone as well. Despite some initial awkwardness, Twilight and Spike finally started playing together. Thus, Blueblood talked to the newly-relieved Celestia and the veterinarian.
The vet said that Spike had probably died of a heart attack some time in the night. This didn’t comfort Cadance much, given how she remained silent and mostly still, even with Shining Armor at her side. In any case, the vet said that it would be best if everypony settled on what to do soon, as embalming would only buy a few days.
“We’ll bury him,” Cadance mumbled. Everypony looked up at her. “Blueblood,” she asked, “do you remember where you first saw him?”
Blueblood nodded. “I’ll tell the groundskeeper.”
<*>
Two days later, just before sunset, Princess Celestia, Blueblood, Cadance, Shining Armor, Twilight, and Spike the dragon were standing in the foyer of the castle. All of them were wearing white clothing except for Twilight, who had no white clothes and wore black instead. Spike the dog had been placed in a simple coffin that had been decorated with the three cutie marks of his owners, as well as a green flame.
“The pastor should have been here by now,” Blueblood said.
“He must have gotten held up in Confession,” Celestia said. “Well, he’ll have to catch up to us: we can’t wait any longer if we want daylight.”
The six took their places. Blueblood stood in front with Spike and Twilight close behind. Celestia, Shining Armor, and Cadance stood around the coffin and lifted it with their magic. On a short count, the six began to walk on towards the garden. Blueblood resisted the urge to look back at his family and instead forced himself to keep his eyes forward.
“WHOA!”
Everyone spun around. The coffin had tilted dangerously to one side as Cadance’s magic failed but Shining Armor quickly righted it. Cadance herself had fallen to her knees, crying again. “I’m sorry,” she sobbed, shaking her head. “I think that’s the las-”
“Cadance,” Celestia said, “I’m sorry, but-”
“No! I can do this!”
“Cadance, it’s alright.” Celestia walked over to Cadance and wiped some of the tears from her eyes. “There’s no shame in admitting if it still hurts too much. You don’t have to come if you don’t think you’re ready.”
Cadance looked up at Celestia with teary eyes, but her aunt would not yield. Finally, Cadance set her jaw. “OK,” she said. She got up, turned, and slowly started walking up the main stairs.
Shining Armor turned to Celestia. “Your highness, would you mind taking over for me?” he asked.
Cadance stopped. “Don’t,” she told him. “You don’t have to.”
“I love you, Cady,” he said, “I’m not going to make you cry alone.”
Cadance remained standing where she was as Celestia shouldered Shining Armor’s part of the casket. Shining Armor walked up the stairs, stopping next to Cadance. With a few whispered words, the two continued up the stairs together, Cadance leaning on Shining.
The remnant of the funeral procession watched the two until they were out of sight before they turned and started to move again. The group moved down the front drive until they came to the hedge where Cadance saw Spike for the first time, then turned between the hedges and progressed out onto the grounds. Eventually, Blueblood led them to a far corner of the garden, away from the paths. There, near a hydrangea bush, was an open grave, the headstone, three shovels, and a table. As they approached, Spike grabbed Twilight’s mane. Finally, the four gathered around the grave as Celestia lowered the coffin onto the table.
Everyone looked up. Still no sign of the pastor, and the sun had just set. “We have a little more time,” Celestia said. “Does anypony want to say one last goodbye?”
The three nodded and Spike moved towards the casket. He looked at it, then he looked back at the others. “It’s alright,” Twilight said, “just say whatever comes to mind.”
Spike looked back at the coffin for a few moments before he opened his mouth. “I’ll miss you,” he said. “You played with me. You licked me clean whenever I was dirty. You helped me get to sleep every night, because I felt safe with you.” He sniffled. “I don’t know how I’m going to sleep now. I wish you were still alive.”
Blueblood walked forward as Spike started crying and gently escorted him away. “Alright,” Celestia said. “Twilight? I know you didn’t know him as well, but is there something you wanted to say?”
Twilight looked up at Celestia, then screwed her eyes shut for several seconds. Finally, she opened her eyes and shook her head. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I just didn’t know him that well.”
“That’s alright,” Celestia said. “Blueblood?”
Blueblood turned away from his brother. “Actually, Aunt Celestia, if you don’t mind, I’d like to go last.”
Celestia nodded. “I understand.” She walked forward. “Spike, before we met, I knew you were a good dog from how happy you made Philomena in her own old age. And I’ll never forget when we first met, under one of many circumstances that were partly my own fault. You loved me and bore with me unconditionally that day when I needed a sympathetic ear but was afraid to ask, just as you loved me every day since. Thank you.”
Celestia stepped back. “Alright, Blueblood.”
Blueblood stepped up to the casket, and despite having the most time, he still felt nervous about saying what he was going to say. He took a deep breath, then opened his mouth. “So-”
“HOLD ON!”
Everyone turned around. Cadance leapt a nearby bush and darted for the graveside, where she skidded to a halt. “Sorry I’m late,” she said. “We can start now.”
“Cadance,” Celestia said. “I told you-”
“I know,” she said. “I really do feel better, even if it’s only for a little bit.”
“The pastor’s still missing,” Blueblood noted.
“No, he’s injured!” Kibitz crashed through the bush. “He was looking for you in the castle, your highness, and he took a nasty fall down the stairs. His shoulder was dislocated.”
Twilight winced. “Ow.”
“Could’ve been worse.” Shining Armor jumped the bush. “He hit the movers for that statue. They lost their grip and it would’ve squashed him if Cadance hadn’t dragged him out of the way.”
“Oh,” Celestia said. She turned to Cadance again. “Well you’re back on physical form at least.”
“That doesn’t change the fact that we don’t have a pastor,” Blueblood said.
Finally, with a wheezing sound, the nuncio staggered up, dressed in his plain black suit. “Will... “ pant “...a priest…” pant “be fine?”
“I was showing him around when the accident happened,” Kibitz said. “I felt he might be useful.”
Celestia smiled. “He’ll do quite nicely.” She turned to Cadance and Shining Armor. “We were saying our last goodbyes. Do either of you want to say anything?”
Shining Armor shrugged. Cadance frowned, then shook her head. “Later.”
Celestia nodded. “I understand.” She turned to Blueblood. “Alright, Blueblood.”
Blueblood turned back to the coffin and cleared his throat. “Spike,” he said, “as you’re well aware, you didn’t endear yourself to me the first time we met. But you did endear yourself to everyone else, so you got to stay. I’ll be honest, you never grew on me as much as you did on everyone else. But you did grow on me, especially after I found out about my hypomagia. You forgave me when I screamed at you, even comforting me while I was in pain. So, while I can’t say I was really fond of you, I can say that I’m very glad you were in my life. Rest in peace, Spike.”
Blueblood stepped away and Celestia waved the nuncio forward. He walked up to the graveside and motioned for everypony to stand around the grave. Once they had done so, he led with a sign of the cross, which everypony copied. Then he said a series of prayers compatible with the Church of Equestria and a blessing for the grave. After a prayer of committal, Celestia, Shining Armor, and Cadance levitated the coffin into the grave. With one final series of intercessory prayers, he concluded the service, letting Cadance, Celestia, and Blueblood take up the shovels, bury Spike, and place the headstone.
By then, it was dark. Everyone lingered at the grave for a few moments, and then they gradually left. First Kibitz and Celestia escorted the nuncio back to the castle. Then Cadance began to tear up again and Shining Armor guided her back to her room. Thus, only Blueblood, Twilight, and Spike the dragon were left. Spike walked up to the headstone and wrapped his arms around it. “Goodbye, Spike,” he said. Then he let go, turned around, and the three began to walk back to the castle.
Silence fell between them, and Blueblood could see that Spike was close to crying again. “You know,” Twilight said, “Spike isn’t a bad name to have. In fact, I think it’d be a nice way to keep him close to you.”
Blueblood nodded. “It helps that the original bearer of that name has grown on me herself.”
“Yeah…” Twilight stopped walking. “Wait a minute, you named a male dog after a girl?!”
“What? Railroad Spike is a nice gender-neutral name.”
“You are…” Twilight stopped herself and shrugged. “Well, it is a good name.”
Spike rolled his eyes. “Told you.”