To the Ones We Love...
Twilight nervously pulled at the collar of her itchy dress. "Are you sure this is the right thing to wear, Rarity?" she asked, itching her neck.
Rarity, who was making adjustments to the flank of Twilight's dress, looked up at her through her red-rimmed glasses and smiled. "Darling, of course! You will be standing in front of hundreds of ponies, giving a speech, and they will be looking at you the whole time! You need to look fabulous!"
Twilight didn't say anything but nodded.
Rarity went on about the Gala, noting few things that Twilight wished she hadn't said.
"Did you hear that Cadance and Shining Armor are coming to this years Gala? It's their first time together here! Eee!!" tittered Rarity
"Yes I did, Shining sent a letter to me." answered Twilight.
She wished Rarity hadn't mentioned her brother and Cadance. Ever since she had found out they were coming, whenever she rehearsed her speech, she kept on tripping over her words and ended up making a huge mess. It was all she could do to hope that when she gave her speech, she would not stutter or say anything dumb, like "I love you!".
"There you go!" Rarity stepped back to admire her work. "You look simply marvelous!"
Twilight turned around to look at herself in the mirror and her jaw fell open. She gaped at herself in the mirror. "Rarity! This is.. You are... Just amazing!!"
Rarity squished her cheeks with her hooves. "I know!" she squealed.
The top of the dress, from the chest to the middle of her stomach, was a slightly sparkly, deep purple fabric, outlined with small black beads, making it look like a galaxy. From the rest of her stomach, covering her flank and tail, to the floor, was a see-through fabric, so you see her hind legs and tail. On top of that, was the same deep purple fabric, except this one wasn't sparkly. It was put in such a way that you couldn't see her flank but didn't touch the floor like the see-through fabric. Thickly outlining the deep purple was a light purple, and it was set so that it curved and made a ruffly type of design, still not touching the floor. At the part that the sparkly purple and non-sparkly purple met, there was a star brooch, made to look like her cutie mark. On her head was a simple circlet, threaded on a black chain, with the charms being a black bead and her cutie mark.
Rarity was still blabbering on. "The sparkle fabric was soo hard to get!! There was every, single, color of fabric with sparkles, all except for purple! I had to request over and ov-"
Twilight stuffed her hoof into Rarity's mouth. "It's beautiful, Rarity, and I know you put a lot of hard work into the dress. I love it."
Rarity looked relieved and beamed at Twilight. "I knew you would love it! Well, I wasn't exactly sure-"
Twilight sighed.
"Should we go show the others?" asked Twilight.
"Yes we should!" agreed Rarity.
Twilight trotted to the door and turned the handle, and stepped out in front of her friends.
Applejack was practicing tricks with her rope, Fluttershy was petting Opal, Pinkie was jumping up and down, blabbering about cupcakes and games, Spike was eating gemstones, and Rainbow... Well, she was nowhere to be seen.
Twilight stopped in front of them and posed ."Well, what do you think? Isn't this dress freaking amazing or what?"
All four of them looked up and gasped (Well, Spike didn't gasp. He was busy staring at Rarity).
"Nice dress, Twilight," Spike said. "Rarity is just so amazing right?"
Twilight ignored him.
Applejack was the first one out of the ponies to recover. "Geez, Twilight. That is one heck of a dress!"
Pinkie Pie started to bounce up and down really fast, so they could only make out a few words.
"Woweee.... Look... Parteeee!!!!!" She said, still bouncing up and down.
Twilight sighed good-naturally and shook her head.
"I think you look beautiful Twilight," Fluttershy said shyly.
Twilight smiled at her."Thank you, Flutters."
From the open window, a rainbow streak hurled inside the boutique.
"What's all the commotion? I heard you guys exclaiming, and decided to- WOOOW!!!"
Twilight smirked. Rainbow had never gasped at a dress like that. She twirled around, letting the dress float around her. "You like it, Rainbow?"
Rainbow quickly closed her mouth. "No! I mean yes, it's nice, but it's too GIRLY for somepony as cool as me!" she said, puffing out her chest.
Then Rarity smirked. "Well, you should see yours." she pulled in a rack of clothes from behind a curtain, and took out one of the dresses. It was only a matter of seconds before Rainbow started to have a major freak out.
"WHY IS IT SO GIRLY!?!?!?" she shrieked.
"Weeeell, the Wonderbolts are going to be there, and you want to look nice in front of Soarin, right?" Rarity said carefully.
"Wha-WHAT?! RARITY, I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!!!"
All of them fell over laughing at the blush on Rainbow.
"NOT FUNNY!!!"
They had all finished getting ready except for Rarity, who was still dusting her face with makeup.
"Are you done yet, Rarity?!" groaned Applejack and Rainbow.
"Yes, I'm almost done. I just have to add three more shades of eye shadow. Oh and lipstick. And-"
This time, all of them groaned.
After a half an hour, Rarity turned back to them. "Done!"
Spike blushed, and then fainted.
Twilight took a glass of ice water and poured it on top of his face. "Wake up, Spike. We can't have any fainting ponies-I mean dragons here."
Spike woke up, coughing and sputtering. "What was that for?!"
Twilight shrugged. "To wake you up."
"Wait. Waitwaitwait. You mean I fainted in front of Rarity?!" Spike said, a look of dismay on his face.
She patted him on his head. "Don't worry, Spike. You didn't make a fool of yourself."
She turned back to her friends and studied Rarity. She looked beautiful, obviously. She would probably be the 'Belle of the Ball'.
"Ok!" Rarity said cheerfully. "We have a Gala to go to!"
"If we haven't missed the entire thing already," muttered Rainbow.
"They went outside and clambered into their carriage, chattering as they made their way to the castle.
Twilight, however, barely talked, because she had a strange feeling in her gut that today was going to go all wrong.
And boy, was she right.
When they arrived at the gates of the castle, they got out and looked around themselves. The Gala seemed a little more decorated this time, with ornaments, lanterns, flags adorning the castle walls and towers.
"Hey, Crash!"
All of them turned to see where the voice had came from, and saw that right behind them where the Wonderbolts, and the voice belonged to Soarin, the stallion that Rarity had teased Rainbow about.
Twilight immediately noticed the blush on Rainbow as she went to go greet him and the other Bolts. Maybe Rainbow did secretly like Soarin. Before she could investigate further, all of them had flown off, including Rainbow.
Rainbow turned to them in mid-air, and mouthed, I'll catch up with you guys later.
She nodded before hearing giggles from behind her. She looked behind her to see that Rarity was giggling madly, her eyes sparkling and starry. It seemed like she had found a new ship for herself.
The five of them and Spike went into the castle and were met by Celestia and trumpets announcing "The princess Twilight Sparkle" (Not to mention some fangirls), who greeted them warmly.
"Princess Twilight Sparkle. It has been a long time since I have last seen you. It is good to see you."
Twilight grinned so hard her face threatened to split into two. She and her friends bowed to Celestia, and then Twilight ran up to her and hugged her old mentor. "I'm so happy that I'm getting to see you, Princess!"
Celestia chuckled and hugged Twilight. "I am happy to. I'm also looking forward to your speech today."
Twilight stepped away from Celestia, trying to keep a straight face, nodding. "I hope you will enjoy it."
Celestia smiled. "I'm sure I-" she was cut off by a pony beside her.
"well, is ev'rypony going to ign're me, and not coequal giveth a 'hello'?"
Surprised, they looked and realized that besides Celestia, was Luna, looking just a regal as her sister.
"Sssory!!" Fluttershy squeaked, clearly afraid of Luna to turn into Nightmare Moon again. (She had always been a bit afraid of Luna.)
Rarity flipped her mane. "So sorry darling, we didn't realize you were there."
Luna grunted. "Of course, t hast at each moment been liketh this-"
"Hiiii!!!! I'm Pinkie, your Luna! Do you want to be friends? I love friends! I love parties to, but friends are better! Like how a pink cupcake is better than a brown one! Did you know-" Pinkie babbled endlessly, shaking Luna's hoof over and over again.
Luna watched amazed as Pinkie kept on talking at the speed of light, barely stopping to take a breath. "Has the lady at each moment been liketh this?" questioned Luna.
All of them nodded.
"Ya have no idea how scary she can become with the talking of hers." said Applejack, half-seriously.
They left Pinkie to talk with Luna and sat down on one of the special tables, near the one that Cadance and Shining were going to sit on.
Speaking of Shining Armor and Cadance...
The trumpets blared, meaning that someone important had arrived. Twilight and her friends looked over to see who it was, and in came Cadance, her hair pinned up, and wearing a dress which looked like it was made out of woven crystals?!
She was hoof to hoof with Shining Armor, who when passed Twilight's and her friend's table, winked at her. Twilight felt her heart swell with happiness. It had been such a long time that she had last seen her BBBFF.
The guard announced, "The Princess Cadance and Shining Armor, ruler of the Crystal Empire!"
Everyone bowed, and then went back to chattering or what they were doing. Twilight, though, excused herself from her friends, and ran up to her brother and Cadance and hugged him. "Shiny! I missed you!"
Shining patted Twilight on the head happily. "I missed you too, Twily. I heard-"
"That you're going to give a speech today?" Cadance finished for him.
"Twilight stepped back from Shining, a fake smile plastered on her face. "Oh, yes, I'm giving a speech. Hello Cadance, by the way."
She and Cadance hugged, and then Cadance whispered to her, "I would have done our secret handshake, but with so many ponies around, it wouldn't be a secret anymore.
Twilight laughed lightly. "It's ok."
They chatted for a bit, then out from the corner of her eye, she saw Rarity beckoning to her.
"Um, if you don't mind, my friends are calling me."
Cadance smiled. "Go ahead, Twilight, we don't mind. Right, Shining?" She nudged Shining Armor hard in the ribs.
"Ow!! Um, yeah, we don't mind. Go!"
Twilight hid a smile and went over to Rarity and sat down. "What is it? You called me."
Before Rarity could answer, Rainbow swooped in and sat next to Applejack and Twilight. "Hey guys, did Cadance come yet?"
Twilight nodded, before turning to Rarity. "What were you saying?"
But Rarity was busy staring at Rainbow with a mischievous smile on her face. "Rainbow, can I ask a few questions about-"
"About my awesomeness?" she floated upside down comfortably.
"-Soarin?"
Rainbow flipped back to her seat. "S... Soarin? What about him?"
Rarity drove a hoof through her mane. "Weeeeell.... It is obvious that you like him! Come on! Tell me the juicy news!"
Rainbow was blushing very hard now, but before she could tell Rarity to stop talking, she was saved by an announcement.
"We are announcing that in 30 minutes Princess Twilight Sparkle will be giving a speech to all the ponies. Hear it if you want. If you don't, I don't care." Tsheeeeeeeek!!!!!
A loud sound came after the announcement, and all of them winced and rubbed their ears. "Ow, that hurt."
Twilight was now having a major freak out. "Oh no. Nononono. This is not happening! I'm going to make a fool of myself! I'm not even prepared! Aaaah!!!!"
All of them face-hoofed.
Rarity went up to Twilight and placed a hoof on her shoulder. "Darling, you will be fine! I have never seen you mess up a test or speech before, and it will not happen now! Just know that your friends are down rooting for you, and you will shine in front of this crowd of ponies!"
Then Applejack spoke up. "She's righ Sugarcube, you're over thinking this. All you have to do is go and say some impressive words!"
Rarity glared at her.
"You'll be awesome Twilight! Just go up there and kick some pony butt!" Rainbow said enthusiastically.
"I'm sure you will be very impressive out on stage, Twilight." Fluttershy's quiet voice came. "Unlike me."
Pinkie appeared out of nowhere. "Yes!!! You'll be very good!! Like purple icing on the cupcake!! Or is it cake? Maybe pink would be better-"
Twilight smiled at all of them. "Thank's guys. I really needed that."
That moment, she felt someone put a hoof on her. She looked to see it was her brother. "Twilight, It's time for your speech."
Twilight nodded and then hugged all her friends. "Thanks for the pep talk. It really helped."
"No problem!"
"Anytime!"
Twilight trotted after Shining after a last farewell to her friends. She stopped walking once Celestia was in front of her. Luna stepped in front of her sister, telling Twilight, "Now, stand. I am going to putteth a spelleth on thee yond shall enlarge thy voice so all the ponies can heareth thee. "
Twilight nodded.
Luna's horn lit up dark blue and she placed it on Twilight's neck. A moment later, Twilight felt a strange feeling in her throat, as if someone was pouring very cold water into her mouth and throat.
"Th're thee wend. Didst thee feeleth yond?" Luna asked Twilight.
Twilight was about to open her mouth, but Luna quickly placed a hoof over it.
"Don't talketh until thee giveth thy speech," she warned.
Twilight nodded, and Luna removed her hoof.
Celestia then spoke up, having remained silent for the entire time.
"Come on, Twilight, this way," she gestured to the seat in the very front of the hall.
Twilight gulped nervously and looked back to her friends. They all nodded encouragingly and gave her a hoofs up. Twilight smiled at them gratefully and trotted after Celestia to the seat.
Twilight sat down after a bit hesitance, and Celestia turned to the crowd of ponies to announce.
"Ponies, today our Princess Twilight Sparkle will be giving us a speech that I'm sure will not fail to impress me." The princess winked at her and Twilight smiled back nervously.
Twilight started to speak slowly, and at first she was a bit wobbly, but then she started to get more confident.
"Hello, everypony! I'm so... Err, glad that I can, I mean, that I am in front of all these ponies, and giving a speech. I wanted to share with you, my journey through friendship. You may have a heard a bit from me during my coronation, but today I will get to share my entire story."
Twilight looked over to her friends, and they all smiled at her. She took another deep breath and kept on speaking.
"When I first came to Ponyville, I was convinced that I did not need friends. Of course, I soon found that I was completely wrong. The same thing that I thought that I did not need is the same reason that I am sitting here, with this crown on my head and pair of wings on my back!
I met my best friends in the strangest way possible. I thought they were all crazy and strange. But when I was going to venture into the Everfree Forest, the same ponies I thought was strange was the only ponies to follow to help me. They refused to let me leave alone, and each proved that they weren't the same pony I thought they were.
First of all was Pinkie Pie, who taught me that if you are scared of something, laugh to make it go away!"
Pinkie Pie was smiling so hard that her face almost split into two.
"Next was Applejack, who proved her honesty by promising me that I would be fine. She was right."
Applejack tipped her hat to Twilight, as a thank you.
"Fluttershy, who showed kindness to the manticore when none of us would."
Fluttershy bashfully hid her face with her long hair.
"Then, Rarity, who generously gave her own hair to help us cross a river."
Rarity gave her glamorous smile and flipped her mane.
And finally, Rainbow Dash who refused to abandon us for the Shadowbolts at the bridge to the Castle of the Two Sisters.
Rainbow puffed out her chest, and looked like she was about to fly over to Twilight, but Applejack grabbed her tail.
"I realized there was more to life than studying and books. It was these ponies who ignited a light in my heart, changing me into a completely different pony-"
Twilight cut herself off, and all the ponies looked at each other in confusion.
"What happened?" asked Rarity.
Rainbow peered at Twilight. "It looks like there is a bird or something in front of her, wait no, I mean, yes! It just gave her a letter or something."
"Huh?"
Twilight had indeed gotten a letter she was opening it right now.
"Why is she opening a letter in the middle of an important speech? Couldn't she leave it until after or something?" Rainbow Dash asked no pony in particular.
As they watched, Twilight unfolded the letter and started to read it. As she read the letter, her expression changed to one of shock, and all the blood drained from her face. She dropped the letter and opened her wings.
"What the hay is she doing?!"
Applejack's question was answered a second later. Twilight took flight and soared out the window, making all the papers on the pedestal to float away, and fall the ground.
All the ponies were still registering what had happened. Twilight had just flown out in the middle of a speech, saying nothing, not even excusing herself!
A shout rose from the front of the crowd. "TWILY?!"
Shining Armor was freaking out. He didn't know what to do. His sister had almost fainted, and flown off, without even giving an excuse.
"I'm going after her." he told Cadance, who was next to him.
"I'll go to! Maybe she wrote to someone she likes, and he said that he doesn't like her, and that's why she flew-"
Shining cut Cadance off. "Cadance, I know you mean well, but I know Twilight, and she would never run off in the middle of something as important as this."
For the first time, Cadance looked hurt.
Shining felt bad, but he had to say it. He hugged Cadance, before saying, "I'm going after her, you go tell Celestia that I've gone to look for Twilight."
Cadance nodded, and Shining turned and ran swiftly out of the castle as fast as he could.
Twilight pushed her wings to go faster. Shock still hung over her on how suddenly this news had come and smacked her in the face. She felt a feeling in her throat like someone was pouring hot water down it, and she knew that the voice-enlarger spell had worn off. It was raining, and her wings were getting wet and heavy. From below her, she heard a voice call out, "Twily! Come down!"
Twilight looked down to see that her brother was running under her, soaking wet.
She was about to pull ahead and ignore him, but thought better of it. She would just crash because of her wet wings. Having no other choice, she landed next to Shining, but still running as fast as she could go.
"Twilight! Stop right now and tell me what is-"
"There isn't any time!" Twilight shouted, still running. Shining teleported in front of her, and Twilight skidded to a stop.
"I'm not taking a no. Explain!"
"Mum... Hospital... Unicsornia...." Twilight stuttered, not being able to make full sentences.
Shining become pale (If that was possible) and quickly shook his head, as if removing shock from himself.
"Twilight, your wings or hooves cannot take you all the way to Filly Delphia. I have a faster way."
He raised his horn, and three wispy blue strands of magic emerged from it, and then went to the direction of the castle.
Within seconds of sending his message, a rustling noise of wings sounded, which belonged to three royal pegasuses pulling a chariot. Twilight and Shining took no time in getting into the chariot and taking off. This was the fastest way they could get to Filly Delphia.
Twilight was fretting and biting hooves so hard that blood came out one of one of the bites, but she barely flinched. When Shining told her to sleep, she refused, and instead started scribbling on the chariot with a quill she tucked in her mane. But soon her eyes drooped, and she fell asleep, occasionally mumbling things like, 'Don't... Help... Please...'
This was horrible, Shining thought. He had hoped that this would be a worry-free night in which he could spend time with his sister, but it was far from that. Now, here he was, full of dread.
It was only of matter of minute before Shining drifted of to sleep.
Twilight woke up to a lurch from the chariot flying. Her mind was foggy, and it took her a minute to remember the reason she was in the chariot.
Then everything floated back to her.
She jumped up, and turned to her brother to see he was already sitting up, in a tired way.
"We're almost there don't worry," Shining told her tiredly. "Just a few more minutes."
Twilight peered over the the side of the chariot. It was still dark, which obviously meant that it was night. By now, the Gala would be over, and ponies would be heading home happily, chattering about their night. And her friends- her friends! In all the mess she had forgot about them. They were probably worried sick about her!
She hastily was about search her saddle bag, which she kept extra paper and quills, only to realize that she had left the bag at the Gala. She hastily turned to Shining Armor and asked him, "Do you have any parchment that I can use?"
He rummaged through his soaked saddle bag, and took out a roll of paper which was miraculously not wet.
Twilight grabbed it from his hoof and nodded at him, which meant thank you. She picked up her quill, and checked if it was fine. The ink was running from her biting the tip, but it would still work.
Quickly scribbling down a sloppy note on why she had ran away, she pondered for a moment on who to send it. Then she remembered- Spike! The spell to send it to him was quite simple-Celestia had shown it to her once.
She wrapped the note in her magic aura, and concentrated on it and Spike. After a second, the letter disappeared with a poof.
There, now her friends would be able to calm down a bit.
Looking over at Shining, she was about to ask if they were there yet, but he answered her thoughts.
"Yes the hospital's right over there."
He was right. In front them was the hospital.
Before Twilight knew what she was doing, she had spread her wings open and had token flight into the air. From behind her, she heard Shining call out, "Twilight!" This time, she ignored him and glided down to the front door not-very-gracefully.
Barreling through the doors, she rolled right to the desk of a very surprised pony.
"Are you alright, miss?!" the pony exclaimed as she ran to help Twilight to her hooves. When she saw her wings and horn, the pony gasped. "Princess... Princess Twilight Sparkle?!"
"Twilight Velvet!" Twilight sputtered urgently.
The pony looked confused. "Twilight Velvet? But-"
The door crashed open again, and Shining Armor stepped through the doors.
The pony's jaw fell open at having two of Equestria's most important ponies in front of her. Then realization dawned on her face, and she quickly pushed her glasses up her muzzle.
"Ye... Yes. Twilight Velvet. Floor 3, Ward... I mean Room 7."
Shining and Twilight exchanged a swift one-second look, and without saying even a thank you, ran up the stairs.
They were in the Floor 3 in no time, and after passing all the doors reading Ward 1, Ward 2, and so on, there was seven doors reading Room 1 and 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and... 7.
They stopped in front of the door, and Shining put a hoof on the knob. They looked at each other, and Twilight took a deep breath, preparing for the worst.
Twilight and Shining stepped in the room, to see that there was two ponies in the room. One of the two ponies raised his head to see who it was, and instantly stood up.
"Twilight, Shining!! You cam-"
Twilight ran passed her father, Night Light, to come to the side of the bed that her mom was lying on.
"Mom?" Twilight asked in a tiny voice, barely more then a whisper.
Instantly, her mother's eyes fluttered open, and she smiled weakly at Twilight. "Hello, Twilight. You look beautiful like always."
"Mum!!" Twilight leaned over and hugged her mom and then gasped. "What-! You.... Your... Your horn!!!"
Her mother's horn had been chopped off. All that there was left was a stump. It was blackend, as if...
"No," Twilight whispered. "No..."
Her mom small smile turned to one of sadness.
"Yes Twilight. It's to late." Twilight Velvet told her daughter regretfully.
Shining Armor was in a flash at the other side of the bed, holding his mother's hoof as silent tears fell down his cheeks, and onto his mom.
She turned to Shining and smiled at him. "You've made me very proud, Shining. Becoming the Captain of the Royal Guard, marrying a princess, and ruling over a empire."
Shining didn't say anything but just nodded, more tears falling from his eyes.
"Bu... But this can't happen! If you get rid of your horn, the disease can't effect you!" Twilight said, choking on her words.
Night Light spoke up. "If only before it reaches the body. But..." he didn't have to finish his sentence.
Twilight's mother had caught the most rarest disease in Equestria. Only four to six ponies died from it each year. Twilight had never given it much thought, but now... She wished she had studied on it more.
The disease was called 'Unicohoaras', and it had no cure. Only Unicorns could get infected, because of their horns. The disease would start at the tip of the horn, and start spreading down alarmingly quickly. The only way to stop it from killing you was to chop off the horn before the disease went past the horn.
Twilight looked at her mum's horn. It was clear that it was too late.
She took her mother's other hoof. "Please... Mum... Don't leave us...."
Tears were now pouring down from Twilight Velvet's eyes. "I wish...." She seemed to be struggling to get out the words. "I wish that I could live to see you smile once more. Can you do that for me?"
Twilight was still crying, but she smiled a smile of sadness. "Yes... Yes, I can."
Velvet smiled, but then winced as if it was hard for her to smile. "There's the... Twilight I know. Never change Twilight, and know that the wings are not what makes you princess." She placed a weak hoof on Twilight's chest. "It's what inside."
Turning to Shining, a flicker of pride went through her face. "Shining, the strength inside of you.... It is what is special about you, not how you look, or what medal you wear. "
She turned to her husband, Night Light, with some difficulty, and her small smile disappeared and tears started coming more rapidly and faster.
"I.... I'm... Sorry... Night Light.... About..... Midnight. I should have never..." she choked on her words, and Night placed a hoof over her mouth.
"It is.... Okay..."
Mirrored expressions of confusion reflected on both Twilight's and Shining's faces, indicating that they knew nothing about what their parents were talking about.
"Can... You... Forgive... Me?" she asked, as her breath became short.
Night had started crying again, and he nodded, not saying anything.
The siblings realized that their parents had a past history that none of them knew... One that was dark.
"I'm sorry... To all... of you...."
All of them were now crying freely, and Twilight threw her hooves around her mom and sobbed. Her mother patted her weakly on the head.
"Don't worry Twily... It'll be fine. I'll miss you more than anything. remember I love all of you... Just promise me...."
Twilight raised her head and looked into her her mother's blue eyes. "Yes Mum?"
"That you won't.... Let my death... Affect you?"
Twilight nodded, but secretly, where no one could see, two of her wing's feathers crossed.
Her mom smiled for the last time, and the light went out from her eyes.
"Twilight hugged her mom's limp and dead body hard, seas of tears flooding out from her eyes.
"Goodbye.... Mum.
The funeral was over and all the ponies had left. All the ponies, except for Twilight's family, Elements of Harmony, and Spike.
The five ponies and dragon had arrived not long after Twilight Velvet's death.
Twilight was still crying but she had to go somewhere where no one would see her. However, when she went outside of the hospital, she saw five ponies and a dragon running toward her, worried expressions on their faces. They stopped in front of her, and immediately at seeing the state she was in, all of them ran and hugged her hard.
Seeing her unhappy was hard for them. Rarity's makeup was messed up and you could see tear tracks. It looked like they had immediately set out from the Gala, because they were all still wearing their dresses which all were crinkled and dirty now.
"Is it... Too late?"
Twilight didn't answer, but cried even harder, letting everything out on Fluttershy's shoulder, which answered her friend's question.
"We're so sorry, Twilight."
Twilight blinked back tears. Her eyes were red, puffy and watery, and tears threatened to fall.
Fluttershy went over to Twilight and put a leg around her shoulder. "You're acting like this is your fault, Twilight. It's not."
"Yes, she is right. Please do not take the blame!" Rarity pleaded.
Applejack's head was bowed, and she was holding her hat in her hooves.
Pinkie Pie's hair had become straight, and she was hugging Twilight, crying waterfalls.
Rainbow was just sitting next to Twilight, occasionally a few tears that she failed to hold back coming down her cheeks.
Spike had an expression of shock and he was watching Twilight cry.
Applejack turned to the ponies. "Let's go somewhere... else for now. Twi, you need to get cleaned. Ponies?
All of them nodded, and stood up, and Rainbow and Applejack supported Twilight.
The ponies and Spike left the graveyard, and Shining gave his father a glance.
"Dad-?"
Night Light made a gesture for him to leave and Shining nodded, and ran after the ponies, knowing that his father needed some time alone to grieve.
When Shining was gone, Night kneeled by the grave of his wife, and his tears fell freely like it only had once.
Reaching into his black cloak, he pulled out a necklace with a locket and pressed the small button on it. The half opened with a soft click.
Inside was a picture of three ponies. One of them was Night Light, the other was Twilight Velvet. The third was a unicorn, who was pale blue and had a mane and tail which was entirely white except for a streak of dark blue. All of them were smiling and looked so happy, it made Night Light's heartache.
The glass covering the picture was shattered as if somepony had thrown it.
"It is not you who should be sorry, Velvet." he sobbed. "It's me. I'm so sorry Midnight Gust."
THE END