Post War Twilight
By Foxgear
Books on the bed, the dim light of a reading lap on the desk, the shimmer of color dancing off the crystal walls. The room looked a lot like home, the crystal walls were familiar and the bed sheets even had her mark on it, but that was the only thing that was hers, that and the books on the shelves. Everything else was someone else’s. The bed, the room, the castle, it was all rightfully Cadence’s. She shouldn’t be here sleeping in her bed, ruling her land, raising her daughter.
No she, Twilight Sparkle Princess of Friendship, shouldn’t be here ruling the crystal empire, but she had no choice. Her niece Flurry Heart was still too young and there were too many looking to use her. She needed to be here to protect the young princess, to teach her, to raise her, to keep her safe.
Like her mother and father should be doing, but they can’t, because they died, taken by Sombra’s hands.
Twilight wiped a stray tear from her left eye with her right hand. Her fingers brush the eye patch covering her right eye, the one she had lost. She flopped on her back and lifting up what was left of her left arm, from just above the elbow and down was gone. Cut off by Sombra’s scythe. She had been reaching out with it the moment Sombra cut down her brother and sister in law. She remembered the blood flying in the air as the massive blade cut through them, her screams and then pain as the massive blade cut though her flesh. Her eye had already been taken prior by Terek.
Now that had been a battle. She managed to go toe to toe with the villain and without the aid of the other princesses’ magic it was all her, her and her friends standing together. They thought once they got rid of Terek things would settle down, it would be easily to clean up the rest of the villains. After all what could match Terek?
A lot of things actually it turned out. Things they hadn’t even imagined. Maybe they were too used to winning against the big bosses of evil. They got cocky. Even she was little cocky even after Terek burned her eye shut. Really she faced Terek and only lost an eye? What were the odds of that? The rest of her friends got some cuts, some a little more life threatening then others, but they were all live and fully able.
That’s why they were all surprised that only a month later Rarity was found buried in the rubble of her own house with Spike’s dead body just a few feet from her. She had been there for almost two days. Watching the crows peck out Spike’s eyes and nibble on his corpse.
Twilight shivered, unable to imagine such a thing happening to the dragon she practically raised. She couldn’t imagine having to lay there like Rarity had to, to watch the body of your beloved be disfigured as you lay there helpless.
More tears fell, she couldn’t believe she had been in Canterlot lying in a soft bed while Spike lay dead and her friend crippled for life. It was supposed to be simple mission to get rid of some harpies; they’ve faced worse, what could harpies do when they defeated so much more dangerous foes?
After Spike’s death and Rarity being taken from the field permanently. Something changed in them or maybe it had just been her, no it was a shared feeling. Something she couldn’t describe. They decided to split up after that. She didn’t remember why. They had been fighting. Fighting about what happened to Rarity and Spike and what they were going to do. She couldn’t remember what was said, too numb from Spike’s death to pay attention.
Suddenly Applejack had stormed out of the room and then Rainbow Dash, leaving her, Pinkie and Fluttershy sitting in silence. Pinkie had excused herself first, later Twilight learned she joined up with Maud’s squad and Fluttershy had returned to the medic unit. She had just sat there alone. Her friends were drifting apart right in front of her eye and she didn’t do anything to stop it. She figured things could be fixed later, when the war was over, thinking maybe then things could start to get better.
Things got worse, so much worse.
The next one to get hurt was Fluttershy; by Discord’s hand no less. If there was division in their group before that drove a wedge between all of them. Fluttershy, bless her heart, forgave Discord for what happened. She was right it wasn’t his fault. Not everyone saw it that way though.
Rainbow Dash couldn’t bring herself to forgive Discord; they had found her one day screaming at his statue. Fluttershy begged for her to stop, but that didn’t go over well. Rainbow and Fluttershy began to fight, screaming at each other at the top of their lungs. For the first time Twilight didn’t know what to do to fix things. She stood there stunned as Applejack got involved and things got physical between her and Dash. The fight ended with both Rainbow and Applejack walking off, sporting bruises from the other. After that they didn’t fight together for the rest of the war.
She kept tabs on them. Applejack had gone home to protect her farm and by extension Ponyville. Rainbow Dash fully dedicated herself the wonderbolts and her missions. She caught a few glimpses of Rainbow during meeting and such, but never got the chance to speak to her at length. Fluttershy was still recovering from her burns, Starlight thought she had some crazy cure for the burns, but Twilight very much doubted it would work, but Fluttershy was willing to try it, so she let them go at it. Rarity was still in rehab and didn’t want anyone to see her. Pinkie was doing alright with Maud at that time.
Then things got worse again.
The war had been winding down. Only Sombra and Crowley the Golem King was left. That same cockiness got them, even the princesses. Crowley was losing ground fast and they had beaten Sombra twice already. What was there to fear?
She laughed, she had been so, so stupid. When was she going to learn?
She only read the reports of what happened to Pinkie and only caught a glimpse of her through the viewing glass during her surgery. She also heard about what happened to Applejack and Rainbow Dash, but honestly she barely paid any attention to anything. She was too busy holding the little girl’s hand as her world feel apart around her as she walked through the hospital to collect Princess Cadence’s and Shining Armor’s bodies.
The two had been stitched back together by the funeral guy. They would be getting a royal burial. Parades and all that with glass coffins, it wasn’t often royalty died after all he so joyfully declared. That smile made her sick to her stomach. As the only remaining next of kin she got to listen to all the things they were going to do to doll up her brother’s and sister’s corpse. She couldn’t take it. She ran out of the room and threw up in the garbage.
She didn’t want parades. She didn’t want crowds of people mourning their loss. She wanted her brother back! She wanted Spike back! She wanted everything to be like it was before!
Flurry Heart had snuck up behind her and tugged at her coat, carrying a little pink pony doll. She had been only seven or eight at the time, but she was taking everything better then Twilight was. Course she didn’t understood what had happened. No one had told her mother and father had died. Twilight hadn’t wanted anyone to, because if anyone should, it should be her.
However she couldn’t get the words out, not that actual words, she had just told Flurry Heart her parents were gone. Not dead gone, just gone. When Flurry asked when they were going to come back. Twilight couldn’t stop from choking up and hugging the little girl and sobbing as her little niece told her it was going to be ok.
She should have told Flurry Hear then, but she didn’t, instead she waited still the parade, which she was forced to attend as it would be rude for her not to appear, but she didn’t want to go. She didn’t want to see their bodies paraded around for everyone to see. She didn’t want Flurry Heart standing beside her either to see it all and for it to suddenly dawn on her that her parents weren’t coming back.
Twilight had to hold Flurry Heart back from running to her parents. Screaming for them to wake up, but they didn’t and they never would. One of the nobles told Flurry to shut up and be quiet. Twilight slapped him to the ground.
They left after that disappearing in a flash of teleportation and waited for the end of the parade to stand at the foot of Cadence’s and Shining’s graves. Twilight finally explained why Flurry Heart’s parents weren’t coming back and held the little princess as she cried and cried. She made a choice that day, a choice to take care of her niece. She packed her things and left for the crystal empire, saying good bye to the friends that saw her off. Applejack, Pinkie and Rarity were the only ones to show.
She hasn’t spoken the any of them in the past five years. The friends she’s abandoned. The choice while simple was a hard one. Stay for her friends or go for her family. She chose family. Her friends said they understood, but there was still a feeling a betrayal as she packed up to leave home for the Crystal Empire. She could have raised Flurry Heart in Ponyville, but it would be better for future to raise Flurry in the kingdom she was supposed to rule. She couldn’t get the same experience being raised in Ponyville, she couldn’t grow up around the people and see how they lived and get to know them from hundreds of miles away.
So Twilight made her choice, whether or not it was right could be debated till the end of time.
Her old castle she left for Starlight to care for and to use as home. As her only student it was the best choice. Over the past five years Starlight has kept her up to date with the happenings of Ponyville via letters; she’s also kept her up to date with what was happening in her friends’ lives. Each letter seemed to get more heart wrenching as time went on. Starlight as become a sort of shrink for the five and the poor woman was at her wits end.
Twilight held up Starlight’s latest letter to the lamp.
(Dear Twilight,
I need your help! I’ve tried my best to help our friends, but my efforts have proven fruitless. Please you must come home! Even it’s just for a few days. They need you Twilight.
Love, Starlight Glimmer)
She was torn. Her friends were like family to her, but Flurry Heart was family and it was too dangerous to take her out of the empire. She didn’t feel comfortable leaving twelve year old alone for longer than day if she had to leave the castle, let alone leave the country.
Her eye fluttered, heavy with sleep, Twilight turned to her clock the time was twenty past two in the morning. She had magic lesson to give in six hours. Better get some sleep, maybe when she wakes up she can find a solution to her friends’ problem.
Morning rolled around. Tiredly Twilight opened her eye to read the clock; it was twelve in the afternoon! She snapped awake falling out of bed in the process as she scrambled down the crystal halls in her PJ’s to where she was hosting Flurry Heart’s magic lesson.
“I’m so sorry Flurry I don’t know why, but my alarm…” The words died on her tongue as Twilight come face to face with Starlight Glimmer teaching Flurry Heart magic with Sunburst.
“Hi Auntie!” Flurry squeezed floating several balls around in the air. “You were running late and then Ms. Glimmer showed up and said she would teach me and it’s been so much fun! Look at what I can do!”
Flurry did several tricks while Starlight gave her a warily smile, “Hi Twilight, it’s been awhile. I hope you don’t mind me dropping, but the staff had said you’ve been staying up late and waking up early, so I thought it would beneficial to let you rest a little longer. Sorry I didn’t wake you up sooner, I just go so wrapped in the lesson we kind of lost track of time.”
Twilight looked between the three, her mind trying to wrap about the situation, till finally she just gave up and admitted defeat.
“That’s fine Starlight. Why don’t you go play in the gardens Flurry, while Starlight and I catch up, preferably over coffee?”
Starlight smiled as she stepped closer and gave her hug, “That sounds lovely; I assume you’ll want to change first? Maybe even shower?”
Twilight took good sniff and bulked, “Yeah that sounds like a good idea. I’ll see you in the dining hall in about thirty minutes.”
Refreshed and washed Twilight entered the dining room dressed in purple pants and a light blue shirt. She sat down across from Starlight and took the fresh cup of coffee in front of her and sipped on it. A few minutes later some servants entered and delivered fruit and pancakes.
“Pancakes for dinner?”
Twilight gave a soft smile as she placed some strawberries on top of the stack and poured some syrup.
“Yeah, Spike used to make pancakes whenever I woke up late. I guess you might not remember. I got used to waking up early when I took you on as a student, so it didn’t happen as much. Still Spike’s pancakes were the best.” Starlight nodded and they both silently dug into their respective stacks. Once they were finished Twilight dabbed her lip with a napkin and decided to cut to the chase. “Why are you here Starlight?”
Starlight turned crimson, “What? Can’t I come and visit my teacher on whim?”
Twilight’s eye narrowed, “You don’t do anything on a “whim” you planned the plan for your plan to plan to ask Sunburst on date months in advance. I know I helped with the check list of the plan on how to make a plan. So, I’ll ask again and you better answer me honestly this time or I’ll have to see about some remedial classes in your future, why are you here?”
“But I graduated!”
“Starlight.”
“Ok fine! I came here to convince you to go home! You’ve gotten my letters. I know you have! They need you Twilight. I’ve tried to help, but I don’t have the connection to them like you do. Fluttershy tried to bit me for Celestia’s sake! Fluttershy!”
“I told you awaking her bat DNA wouldn’t trigger a miraculous healing effect.”
“That’s beside the point! I need you to go home; they need you to go home!”
Twilight sighed, “And do what exactly? I’ve been looking into cures for all them Starlight and you know what I discovered? Nothing! I can’t fix Rarity’s back, I can’t fix Applejack’s womb, can’t help Pinkie get over the trauma of losing Maud, let alone help Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy! There’s no magic fix any of that!”
She was panting hard from her rant, Starlight placed her hands on top of Twilight’s as she looked the purple princess in the eye and said, “They don’t need magic Twilight; they need you. You’re their glue, you help keep them together. You’re the embodiment of the elements of harmony. There’s nothing you six can’t do when you come together.”
“I want to help, but what about Flurry Heart? I can’t just leave her.”
Starlight smiled, “Sunburst and I can watch her and I can teach her while you’re gone. I did learn from you after all. It will only be for a few days, just enough to help them.”
“No.”
“No?”
Twilight nodded, “Going home and reconnecting everyone will only be a temporary fix. After I leave given some time they’ll being to drift apart again. They’ll bury themselves in their work and lose themselves and it will just repeat itself. If I’m going to do this I need a more permanent situation and I think have an idea on how to do that.”
“Really what?” Starlight asked excitedly. She couldn’t believe this was happening! Twilight’s going home!
“Well, it kind of involves you… and Sunburst.”
“Oh, am I going to like were this goes?”
“Maybe? How do you feel about Crystals?”
Starlight blinked, her mind working a mile a minute to figure out Twilight’s plan and then she suddenly got it! It was perfect! It was… it was what she wanted for so long!
“I’ll go tell Sunburst!”
Twilight smiled watching Starlight’s retreating back. Slowly her smile began to fade to a frown. Her right hand trembled. Could she do this again? Could she reunite her friends? Past experience said yes, but it’s been five years since they’ve been together. What if it was too late this time?
What if she couldn’t save their friendship?