Fall Down

by PresentPerfect

VIII

Fall Down
by Present Perfect

VIII

It seemed the world could not quite bring itself to shed tears the morning Twilight Sparkle and Shining Armor's mother was marched to her final resting place. A late cold snap sent farmers scurrying to tend their trees and had brought with it an impenetrable fog. Twilight's father had asked the Canterlot weather pegasi to leave it in place, but the silvery blanket only made her more keenly aware of how alone she was.

He wasn't there; he should have been. Their love had been announced for all Equestria to hear. Their vows had been witnessed by friends, family and Princesses alike. Yet here she was, in her most miserable moment, facing the end of a pony's life without her other half. It didn't matter that he hadn't spoken to her, or lain with her, or been near her for some time now. He should have been there.

At least her friends had made it. Some had had to take time off from work or their own families to show their support. He hadn't. It made her even lonelier.

She caught Shining Armor's eye. He was stoic, at the head of the coffin, for he had already cried the hardest of all of them, in the stairwells and offices and back rooms where she'd found him. He had put on the face best befitting both a Prince and former Captain of the Royal Guard during a melancholy family affair.

Cadence plodded alongside him, her candy curl mane hiding beneath a black veil. Her portion of the eulogy had focused on her years spent foalsitting the other Princess in the room. Alone, Cadence had confided her regret at not having taken more opportunities to visit her mother-in-law, at putting it off enough that now she had to face that there was nothing to be done for it. She turned her head, saw Twilight, and offered her the tiniest, most practiced of princess smiles.

Which left Twilight herself. Something had been growing within her, she was sure of it. She'd thought she had cried all her tears, just like her brother. But as her thoughts turned inward, the combination of the pressure in her abdomen and the fog walling her off from everything that wasn't her mother's death and the damnable loneliness broke her.

With a wail that stopped the procession and echoed off into the distance, Princess Twilight Sparkle of Equestria collapsed in the middle of the road and began to cry.

An instant later, a rainbow mane lay across hers. Her father joined them as well, having walked nearest to her. He nodded to his only son and the procession continued to move.

Twilight clutched at Rainbow Dash, when she should have been clutching at the pony she had said all those vows to, had made all those promises to, so long ago, and cried and cried.

Comments

[Daring Cammie Do]

Well fuck that guy.

[Quantum Logic]

6380770
Agreed, he's trash for more than one reason.

[TwiDasherboop]

. . .
Twi. Please tell me where that guy is.
I want to make cupcakes...