Thirty Minutes Shy

by Esle Ynopemos

16: Relics [Sad]

((Prompt: Old legends in the new age.))

Fluttershy never left the garden anymore. Decades ago, she had still consented to attend a few important events per year, at Twilight's insistence. Centuries ago, she could still be seen going to market with the others. It had been millenia since she had given up on her cottage, no longer at the edge of Ponyville the small town but right in the center of the growing metropolis of Ponyville, and moved to the palace with the other five elements, where at least the gardens let her have a little green in her life.

As said, she never left anymore. The world was too foreign, too strange for her now. She'd never been the most sociable, urbane pony even in her own time, but the mere thought of stepping beyond the gates of her little green refuge now made her tremble.

She had the worst of it, some would say, while others said she had it easiest. All of her friends felt the weight of the passing ages in their own way. Applejack spent nearly as much time in the gardens as Fluttershy, leaning against the trees and staring into the sky as bizarre machines shunted across it. Rarity and Rainbow Dash immersed themselves in the changing culture, parading from one end of the continent to the other as permanent celebrities, and only letting their exhaustion show in their eyes when they paid Fluttershy visits to share with her the wonders of the modern era. Pinkie Pie...

Pinkie would hardly have recognized herself if her past self had been given the chance to see her present. The realization that the world was too big and contained too many ponies for even her to make friends with everypony had been a hard one to take. These days she clung to Twilight like a life-raft. She still smiled, she still bounced, but it was always with a nervous glint in her eyes, as though she were afraid that if she let her princess out of her sight, she would be lost forever.

Twilight herself, though. In many ways, she had adopted the demeanor of her predecessors. She stood tall and proud, and ponies would often speak of her serene expression in much the same way they once had of Celestia. Fluttershy knew Twilight was visiting her in the garden before she ever rounded the corner or cleared her throat. There was something about a Princess's presence that transcended sight or sound.

Fluttershy did not look up. She continued her work, using a tiny brush to preen a bluebird.

“Fluttershy,” Twilight said. She sounded as though she had more to say, but she left it at just the name.

“Twilight,” Fluttershy responded in kind. Her eyes never left the bluebird.

Twilight chewed her lip. For a moment, she looked ready to give up on her purpose and leave her friend to her garden. But she shook her head and pressed forward. “Fluttershy, the Summer Sun Celebration is tonight. This is the two thousandth one since...”

Fluttershy put on a small smile. A fake one, but a convincing fake. “That's great. I'm sure it will be a good one. Can you send someone here with a slice of cake after, please?”

A sigh escaped Twilight's lips. “Fluttershy, I was really hoping you could come to this one. All of us are going to be there, even Spike.”

“I can't,” Fluttershy said. “My animal friends need me.”

“That isn't true.”

Fluttershy's ears flattened at Twilight's blunt statement. She was right, of course. There was plenty of palace staff available to care for the animals in the garden, and even if there weren't, they would be okay for a night. Still, she kept running the brush through the bluebird's feathers.

“Look, Fluttershy.” Twilight took a step forward. “This is important. Spike is getting old, even for a dragon, and this might be the last time in a long while that we all are in one place. Please, Fluttershy.”

Fluttershy was still for a long while. The bird, a bit puzzled, eventually squirmed out of her hooves and flew away. “Two thousand years is a long time,” she whispered.

Twilight sank to her haunches next to her, letting her wing rest gently on Fluttershy's back. “Yes, it is.”

A small sob caught in Fluttershy's throat. “D-did you ever think... I mean, of course I've never wanted to die, but...” she sniffed. “Did you ever think that maybe it's too much time?”

Twilight wrapped her friend in a tight hug. Two ancient relics, crying together on a green island in a sea of steel and concrete.

Comments

[Karkadinn]

My favorite of the lot so far, I think. You see a lot of immortal angst fics, but not so many that center on all six main characters rather than the Princesses. I'm not sure if it really fits Pinkie's character, but your treatment of Fluttershy makes perfect sense along with some striking imagery.

It's kind of a shame that these are strictly one shot scenes, as a lot of them, like this one, leave me with themes I'd love to see continued in some way.

[xxXFluttershyXx]

Are the elements mortal? Also why can't spike be?

[Autumn Maize]

This reminds me of a point that seems to be overlooked rather often. Even if it weren't "Word of God" that Twilight won't have to worry about outliving her friends, there's been an in-show indication that she wouldn't:

From "Magic Duel"
Twilight Sparkle: An age spell? But... how could you do an age spell? That's only for the highest level unicorns!

Being the best at magic is kind of Twilight's thing.

[Solitair]

Wow, this was really creative and sad. I wish I could favorite individual stories in this collection, because this would probably be in the top five of these collections if I could.

[Esle Ynopemos]

5195203 Yeah, Relics is still one of my favorites.

[Cynewulf]

Aw hell.

[Shipper107]

Meghan said Twilight wouldn´t outlive her friends but she never said Twi would die either.

You´re AWESOME