//------------------------------// // Prompt #180: Mourn // Story: Ponywatching // by ThunderTempest //------------------------------// Twilight Sparkle stood outside the room. Through the door, she could hear Pinkie Pie talking about the many, many parties that she was going to throw, and how each would be more fantastical and wilder than the last, but even she was fading into the background to Twilight’s ears. “I am surprised to find you out here, Twilight,” said Princess Celestia, as she trotted up beside Twilight. “I would have thought that you would be in there, with your friends.” “I will, in a minute. There were just some things I needed to get my head around,” said Twilight, glancing at the door. She knew, sooner or later, she would go in. Right now, she was firmly in the ‘later’ camp. “You are wondering how many more times you will have to suffer through the loss of a friend, now that you are an alicorn,” said Princess Celestia. It wasn’t a question. The princess had always been good at reading Twilight’s moods and unspoken thoughts. “Unfortunately,” continued Princess Celestia, “I cannot tell you. Not because I do not want you to suffer, but because I truly, honestly, do not know.” Twilight blinked. In the background, she could hear Rainbow Dash yelling something at the doctor in the room. Mixed in with the insults to the poor pony’s person was the occasional crash of something hitting the wall. “But how? How do you go on, when you know that you’ll lose more friends, and that you’ll simply keep living on and on?” asked Twilight, not tearing her eyes away from the door. “But you do not, Twilight. You do not know that you are immortal,” said Celestia, “you may fall dead tomorrow, but then again, you may not.” “That isn’t helpful,” grumbled Twilight. “Very well,” said Princess Celestia, “I am afraid that I have no answer for that question, Twilight. I have my own reasons for living, but I dare say that they will be different to yours, once you find them. When you figure them out, I would love to hear them.” Twilight pondered this for a moment. Through the door, she could hear Rarity bemoaning the fact that she didn’t notice the symptoms earlier, that they should have sought other opinions, that there was surely something they could have done. “Princess,” said Twilight, her voice catching in her throat in ways that it hadn’t for a very, very long time, “have you ever tried to stop death? Is it even possible?” For a moment, there was silence in the hallway. “You are talking about necromancy,” said Celestia, her voice wooden and hollow. “Not that I intend to try, but it is something I’ve read about and,” Twilight was cut off by Princess Celestia raising a hoof, and pressing it to Twilight’s muzzle. “I...entertained the thought, once. A long time ago, now. A dear friend passed on. He was precious to me.” Twilight said nothing, simply waiting for Celestia to finish. She could hear Applejack crying. It wasn’t a stretch for Twilight to imagine that Applejack was hugging anyone she could, seeking any comfort that she could. Quiet whispers of assurance that everything would be fine slipping out of her mouth, intended as much for the others as they were for her. “I decided to not bring him back,” said Celestia, “because my sister reminded me that everything must end, sooner or later. Even us.” “But what about trading? Can I not trade my magic or anything for her life?” asked Twilight. “The rules of such things are clear, Twilight. One life for one life. Would you truly give up your life to save hers? Would you take another’s to save hers?” “I’d like to say yes,” said Twilight, after a moment’s thought, “but I don’t think I could. Does that make me a bad friend?” “No, Twilight,” said Princess Celestia, leaning down and nuzzling Twilight, “it does not. It simply means that you are a normal pony.” ****Time**** Twilight took a deep breath, and began to trot towards the door, and what she knew lay beyond. “Twilight, I have one more thing that may help you,” said Celestia, “a very wise pony once told me this: ‘We are born, and then we die. We work, we sleep, we eat, and we pay bills. The rest of it is called ‘Life’, and it’s worth dying for.’” Twilight nodded, and opened the door. She trotted past Pinkie, who was making plans for the next birthday party; past Rainbow Dash, who was punching a wall; past Rarity, who was talking with the doctor about countless ‘what ifs’ and past Applejack, who she simply offered a hug to. And there, lying on the bed, was Fluttershy. The pegasus had always been thin, but now she looked like skin draped over a skeleton. Twilight said nothing. No pleas to stay, to get better. She offered no comforting words, or platitudes. She simply hugged her friend, and in her ear, whispered while her tears slowly dripped onto Fluttershy’s chest. “I’ll miss you, Fluttershy.”