//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 // Story: The Spirit of Loyalty // by Matthew Penn //------------------------------// On the day after the incident, The Mayor of Ponyville declared it a day of mourning for Rainbow Dash. Princess Celestia sent a personal letter to Twilight Sparkle to inform her that she will prepare a memorial service in six days. Then, everyone will their final respects to their dear friend. Twilight read the letter several times to herself. She dreaded those six days. There was an unpleasant feeling swelling in her soul. Spike entered their room and sat next to her on the couch. He noticed the letter Twilight had placed on the small living room table. He did not remember anything coming from his mouth earlier. “Where did that letter come from?” he asked. “The Princess sent it herself,” she said. Her voice was weak, and she made no eye contact with him. “Teleportation, I guess.” “... What did she say?” Twilight refused to get the words out. She hoped all of this was a dream, and she will wake up at any moment. Sadly, Spike was still sitting next to her. “In six days… we all say goodbye to her.” Spike stroked her hoof. He felt it shiver. “I can’t do this!” she whispered. “I don’t want to!” Twilight lay on her side on the couch. Her hooves covered her face. “This is it,” she wept. “It’s over! Our friendship, everything… it’s all over.” “That’s not true,” Spike said. “How can you say that?” “I may not be the right dragon to this, but…” He climbed off the couch and walked to a shelf which had picture frames. He returned to Twilight with one of them in his claws. “I want to show you something.” He waited for Twilight to pay attention to him, then he showed her a photograph of their friends. It was taken during their first Summer Sun Celebration as best friends, the day they defeated Nightmare Moon, and when the Princess Celestia was finally reunited with her sister. “Why do you want me to look at that?” she said bitterly. “I want to show you that no matter what, friendship will always find a way. We’ve gone through bad times before, but it doesn’t mean we should lose hope. I’m pretty sure Rainbow Dash doesn’t want us to give up.” “Spike, it’s not that simple. You can’t just get over things like this in a short time. This is somepony’s life we’re talking about.” “I know.” He placed the photograph on the table, next to the letter. They did not do anything that day; no studying, no reading, and they did not have to. These were going to be a long six days, and Twilight was going to need him by her side. It was the only thing Spike can do as a true friend. Word got out for Rainbow Dash’s funeral in six days. Since the Royal Sisters will be present, the Mayor believed it to be a good idea for Ponyville to look presentable. Pegasi cleared the sky of storm clouds and the streets were polished in every direction. A stage, banners, and a stage was set up at the park, at the same area where Rainbow Dash took her final flight. A unicorn carved a marble statue of her cutie mark, the centerpiece for the event. The day of the funeral was drawing near. Twilight and the rest of her friends knew they could not hide from it. All of them hoped this was just a terrible nightmare they were all sharing, only sadly realize it was reality. But not all of them accepted the harsh truth. There was one they had not seen since Rainbow’s last flight, and they all knew who it was. On the evening before the funeral Twilight decided to visit Fluttershy at her cottage. For a reason she could not understand, the walk was longer than it usually was. There was a bridge over a creek, and she spotted her home from a clear distance. Twilight walked under the trees that blocked the sunlight, making the path dark. There was a melancholy presence in the thin air. Maybe Fluttershy’s cottage was a living being, and it shared her sadness. Twilight entered through a small wooden gate. A white rabbit was feeding the fish in a koi pond, then feed the birds in their cages. “Excuse me,” she said. The rabbit was surprised to see her, but pleased that there was a visitor, a friend of Fluttershy. “I’m sorry to disturb you, Angel, but is Fluttershy home? I would like to talk to her if you don’t mind.” Angel gave her a sad nod. He finished feeding the koi fish, then led her into Fluttershy’s home and up to her bedroom. The curtains were closed, and no light could fill the room. She stepped on something hard under her hoof. She moved it away and found it was a photograph of Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash as fillies in a picture frame. Twilight used her magic to place it back on the wall. They continued upstairs until Angel sadly pointed to a large bed. Twilight saw Fluttershy, curled under the blankets, her back facing them. Twilight approached her bed like a turtle. “Fluttershy? Are you feeling alright?” she whispered. Fluttershy said nothing. “Please talk to me. It’s not right to lock yourself away like this. Nopony has seen you for days.” There was no response. Twilight let out a defeated sigh and let herself out of her room. “... Don’t you think I know that?” Twilight turned to see Fluttershy staring at her with a deep, cold frown. It was a face she never want to see again. “Do you think I don’t care? Rainbow Dash was my best friend since fillyhood. She was the only friend I had before you and the others came along. I’ve dealt with loss my entire life. Everypony that was important in my life were taken away from me. My mother, Sunspot, Rainbow Dash… all of them gone.” “Who is Sunspot?” Twilight asked. “Why do you care? You've never experienced sadness like I had. Not true sadness. Whenever I think about the ones who aren’t here with me, it consumes me. It’s not a good feeling.” A stir of emotion was rising inside her. “When you lose somepony you love, you don’t just lose the will the live. Instead, you lose the best part of you.” “Fluttershy…” She turned her back once more. Twilight silently walked out of Fluttershy’s room, then Angel led her downstairs. Fluttershy watched her travel down the road from her window. When Twilight was gone she closed the curtain and buried her face on her pillow. Sweetie Belle wanted to do something special for the funeral. By suggestion of Mayor Mare and her mother, she practice a piano solo to perform during the ceremony. Since Rarity was out of commission due to spending her days in room, Sweetie’s mother helped her practice. On the night before the funeral Rarity picked out a dress to wear. There was a black dress and a black sun hat that hid in the end of her closet. She carried the dress with her magic and examined herself in the mirror. Rarity hoped she’d never had to wear it. She released an ironing board that was attached to her bedroom door. She smoothed the black dress with the iron, and while she did she thought about what her life will be like without Rainbow Dash. She regretted not spending more time with her. She stopped ironing for a moment. There were piano notes coming from downstairs. The notes formed a melody. Rarity lay the dress on her bed and reattached the board to the door. The melody was clear once she opened her door. It was hauntingly beautiful, a heavenly mix between sadness and joy. All the gloom that welled inside her was melted away. Then a small voice started singing. Lay down Your sweet and weary head. Night is falling You’ve come to journey’s end Sleep now And dream of the ones who came before They are calling From across the distant shore… Did that voice belong to Sweetie Belle? Rarity couldn’t believe her ears. She scolded herself for not taking the time to realize how amazing her little sister can be. Rarity found Sweetie and their mother in the family room without anypony noticing her. Mother was sitting at the end of the couch while Sweetie’s hooves danced with the piano keys. What can you see On the horizon? Why do the white gulls call? Across the sea A pale moon rises The ships have come to carry you home… “... Sweetie,” Rarity spoke. The music stopped. Her white cheeks turned red as roses when Sweetie saw her. Rarity tried to hide the heartbreak by smiling. “Oh Sweetie, that was absolutely wonderful. Your voice is amazing.” “Thank you,” Sweetie said, “but mom help me write it. I couldn’t think of anything that was really good.” “Well, nonetheless, you have a lovely voice. Isn’t that right, mother?” Mother happily nodded. “Sweetie always had a talent for singing.” Rarity’s horn glowed and the composition sheet floated to her face. “How did you get the idea for this beautiful song?” “A few days ago, Apple Bloom was trying to cheer Scootaloo up, so she talked about this place called… Elysium, I think.” “Elysium?” Rarity asked. “She said it’s a place where good ponies go when their time here is finished. I liked it, and I wanted to make a song about it, but I couldn’t think of anything, so mom helped with the lyrics.” “Thank you, mother, for writing such a wonderful song,” Rarity said, “and thank you, Sweetie, for lending your marvelous voice to it.” “I want this song to tell everyone that Rainbow Dash is in a better place. And maybe someday we’ll see her again.” Rarity stroked Sweetie’s mane, then wrapped her arm around her in a lovingly. They forgot about why they were sad and full of heartache. Mother could not have been so happy in what she was seeing. She always wanted her two daughters to be close, even in such a time as this. Sweetie returned to the piano and the melody filled the air once more.