Ghosts from the Future

by Pix

Chapter 20 - Goodbye

Chapter 20 – Goodbye

Rainbow Dash was once again flying between the oppressive tall buildings of the dark city. No matter how far she flew, the streets continued, and the atmosphere became more and more constrictive, leaving her feeling a need to gasp for air. Every twist and turn she made only revealed another row of buildings, with no end in sight. She had even tried flying directly upwards at one point, but the towers seemed to have no limit. As far as she could tell, the buildings stretched right up into the black sky.

She was getting the troubling feeling that there was no escape.

It didn’t help that she kept hearing noises, as if she was being chased. She knew that she was fast, and so she should be able to escape from any pursuer, but it wasn’t giving her any time to rest, or to think clearly. And just what might be chasing her in here anyway? Rainbow didn’t exactly want to find out.

Her wings started to tire as she continued down a further street, but she didn’t let up. The buildings seemed to be leaning in towards her, as if trying to trap her, and she got the feeling that there was a foul presence drawing nearer and nearer. If she could just put on another burst of speed she might be able to get away.

Rainbow Dash turned another corner, and there she was; the tall black alicorn that Rainbow now knew she had been fleeing from: Nightmare Moon.

Of course it was her. This threatening dark city was just the sort of place for a nightmare. Rainbow hesitated. She had a vague memory that the last time she had met Nightmare Moon in this city and tried to attack her, it had not gone well. Better to turn and flee then.

“Halt, Rainbow Dash.”

Rainbow ignored the compelling voice and zipped away as quickly as she could, but no matter how fast she tried to fly, she did not seem to be making any progress. The nearest junction was always just too far in front of her, and the threatening figure remained just behind. She yelled out in frustration and rocketed upwards instead, rapidly leaving the ground behind her.

After what felt like an hour of vertical flying, Rainbow slowed to catch her breath. The buildings still stretched as high as she could see, but at least she must be a good distance from the ground now.

“Rainbow Dash.”

Rainbow spun around in shock and saw that she had been followed, and the black alicorn was now hanging in the air only a few feet away from her.

“Nightmare Moon! What have you done to this city?”

The alicorn’s eyes glowed threateningly, and Rainbow prepared to launch herself out of the way of any sudden spell, but none came.

“You will not escape me, Rainbow Dash.”

“Oh yeah? We’ll see about that!” Rainbow started to flap her wings, getting ready to bolt.

“You fly well, Rainbow Dash.”

Rainbow stopped her attempt to flee and hovered in place nervously. This had to be some sort of trick. Any second now she would get caught by a sneak attack.

“I enjoyed watching you fly, Rainbow Dash. You should show me your tricks again.”

Now this definitely felt wrong. Was she trying to get Rainbow off guard? Or maybe it was supposed to be a threat? Whatever it was, Rainbow had had enough. As quickly as she could, she plummeted back towards the ground, hoping to leave Nightmare Moon far behind her.

“No, Rainbow Dash!”

Rainbow blocked out the words and continued her rapid descent. The gloom below her was so pervasive that she was unable to even see the surface of the street in the distance, but she ignored any whims of caution. Down and down she dropped, feeling as if every second of flight was giving her one extra second of freedom.

And then the ground appeared out of nowhere and she crashed into it headfirst with a huge crunch, pain shooting sharply across one side of her face.

Blinking her eyes to try to gather her senses, Rainbow felt an ache in her jaw, and spat out a huge glob of blood. She then realised that she was staring into the jeering face of Queen Chrysalis, who was slowly withdrawing one of her forelegs, clearly having struck her to force her awake.

“Rainbow Dash! I hope you’ve been anticipating my return as much as I have.”

“Let me go!” Rainbow yelled, thrashing around in her bindings. She was still trapped in the same noxious chamber, the walls plastered with other ponies, all seemingly unconscious.

“You really ought to stop fighting. It’s so pitiful.”

Rainbow did stop, realising it was pointless, but glared at Chrysalis as she did so to make it clear she was not just meekly obeying.

“As promised, I bring most wonderful news.” Chrysalis flitted over to Rainbow Dash’s side, close enough that she could whisper into the immobile pegasus’ ear, but, Rainbow realised, out of range if Rainbow had tried to spit again. Not that she would be able to. She had inadvertently swallowed most of the blood, and it was unlikely that she would be able to gather up any saliva, her mouth was so dry. She hadn’t had anything to drink for at least a day now. She presumed only the strange organic material binding her to the wall was providing her with the sustenance she needed to stay alive. However that worked.

Chrysalis hissed into Rainbow’s ear, causing her to wriggle about in disgust, and then started cackling excitedly.

“One of your friends is dead…” she whispered, “because of me.”

“NO!”

“Oh yes! Would you like to guess which one?”

“You’re lying!”

Chrysalis flitted back in front of Rainbow Dash. “Why would I lie to you? You can do nothing about it here. You’re mine now.” She grinned. “And it gets even better, because on the way back here one of your interfering Wonderbolts tried to stop me. She had the nerve to fall to her death instead of allowing me to capture her, but it gave me the opportunity to pass on a message to your other friends. Now they all think you’re dead too! Isn’t that perfect?”

Chrysalis broke into maniacal laughter as Rainbow looked on, feeling as though the bottom had dropped out of her world. She had to be lying. She had to.

“Who… Who did you kill?” She choked.

Chrysalis didn’t reply; instead a green flame surrounded her and she slowly started transforming into a different shape. She grew shorter and sleeker, with more solid wings and no horn. Her skin morphed from a dull black to a light blue, and her mane softened to a wintery white.

“Arrrgh, no,” Chrysalis yelled suddenly, hovering in the air with a pained expression. “Please don’t kill me!” The voice did sound like Fleetfoot’s, but Rainbow could never imagine Fleetfoot herself speaking in such a panicked tone.

Chrysalis, still in the shape of the pegasus mare, then recoiled in the air, as though she had been struck, and started tumbling to the oily floor of the cavern, where she landed with a splash. There was a crackling sound and her body twisted into an unnatural angle, which Rainbow stared at in horror for a few moments before a final green flame marked the return of Chrysalis in her changeling queen form.

“I should re-enact deaths more often,” she cackled to herself. “That was a lot of fun.”

Rainbow Dash continued staring at the ground, even though Fleetfoot’s broken body was no longer there. She had almost lost the nerve to continue, but she needed to know.

“Who… Who else?”

“Hmm?”

“Who else did you kill?” she asked urgently.

Chrysalis sneered at Rainbow Dash. “You mean, which of your fellow element bearers? Who are you hoping I will say?”

“What?”

“Out of your five insipid friends, which would you rather I had killed? It’s not a hard question.”

“What, no, I can’t answer that!”

“Because you can’t choose? Or because you don’t want to choose?” Chrysalis bared her fangs in a hideous grin and then her body started to mutate once more, slowly shifting into the shape of Applejack, who hovered unnaturally in the air.

“Perhaps you hope it was the pig-headed Applejack?” she suggested, in a horrific mockery of the orange mare’s voice. “Too stubborn to admit she was out of her depth, it wasn’t hard to find a time when she was overwhelmed. For a pony who prides herself on being tough…” A horrific crack echoed throughout the chamber and Applejack’s head lolled to the side. “…Her neck certainly broke as easily as any other.”

“No!”

“No? Well then perhaps you hope it was Fluttershy?” Green flame flickered over the orange mare’s body and it slowly turned yellow, as wings sprouted from her back. “Now she really is pathetic. I doubt I even needed to be there, she would have found a way to get herself killed anyway. But of course, that wouldn’t have been so satisfying.” Chrysalis sneered, and the expression looked so out of place on Fluttershy’s body that Rainbow shuddered in disgust.

“Or maybe it was the insufferable Pinkie Pie?” A further flicker of flames and a pink mare now hung unnaturally in the air. “So loud and frenetic; I don’t know how you can stand her. Even if it hadn’t been the plan I think I might have killed her anyway. And it wasn’t hard, she was just so eager to get close to a pony she didn’t recognise.” A demonic smile slowly spread across Pinkie’s face as a deep gash started slicing down her chest and along her stomach. “A little too close.”

Rainbow Dash didn’t want to watch anymore and jammed her eyes shut, but as she heard a crackling sound and then Rarity’s voice she automatically drew them back open.

“But perhaps it was Rarity? Too concerned with keeping up her own appearance, she wasn’t concentrating enough on what was right in front of her. It took just one push.” Rarity’s eyes gleamed. “Have you seen the expression in the eyes of a pony as they get betrayed by someone they thought was a friend? You’ll learn to appreciate it I’m sure.”

Chrysalis’ figure distorted once more, growing taller and re-spawning wings, and soon it was Twilight floating in front of Rainbow Dash.

“Or maybe,” the mockery of an alicorn suggested, “you are hoping that I killed your precious princess, Twilight Sparkle? Of course there would be no better way to throw Equestria into chaos than to eliminate one of your noble princesses. Do you know how to kill an alicorn, Rainbow Dash?” Twilight flew over to whisper into Rainbow’s ear, as though imparting a great secret. “I find that when they get heated,” she hissed, spitting green flames against the edge of Rainbow’s face, “…they burn, just like any other pony.”

Rainbow screamed in pain as the flames continued to lap against her skin, and she tried to recoil away but her bindings were making that impossible. After a few moments however, the flames retreated and spread over Twilight’s body, marking one final transformation. Slowly the hard black body, frayed wings, and malicious smile of Chrysalis came back into view, at which point she grinned once more.

“So who would you choose Rainbow Dash? Which of them do you wish dead?”

Rainbow’s stomach was churning horribly, and her voice came out only as a gasp. “None of them.”

Chrysalis tutted, as if addressing a foal. “Well if you don’t choose one, then I won’t tell you which one I actually killed.”

Rainbow screwed her eyes shut and shook her head in an attempt to lock out any thoughts. She did not want to think about the question, in case she was able to come up with an answer. That would feel like such a betrayal to her friend, whichever it was.

“Still no answer?” Chrysalis sounded disappointed. “Okay. But for the record, I think I killed the one you’d have chosen. You can thank me later. Think of it as my first gift to you in what I hope will be a very beneficial relationship.”

Rainbow pushed down the images of a dead pony that were trying to rise to the forefront of her mind, not just to deny that she might like one of her friends less than the others, but also in denial that any of them might actually be dead. She had to think about something else. Quickly.

“What do you mean by a beneficial relationship? Why are you even keeping me here? Why don’t you just kill me?”

“Oh, I probably will eventually,” Chrysalis said airily. “But before then I will have a lot of use for you.” She buzzed over and clung to the wall at Rainbow Dash’s side. “You see, when I went to tell your friends you were dead, I had to land amongst a group of several of the most dangerous ponies in Equestria.” She lowered her voice. “I’ll let you in on a secret: It was quite a thrill, but I wouldn’t want to do it again. Don’t get me wrong, I tricked them all easily enough. They were all ponies after all. And I’m sure I could take any one of them on by themselves, but together? Maybe too much, even for me. Especially that despicable royal couple, urrgh.” She shuddered. “It was painful to get near them. As strong as their love is, I think I’ve been put off that flavour. Too many bad memories.”

Rainbow remained in silence. She had no other option really.

“I’m getting distracted,” Chrysalis stated abruptly. “See, what I need is someone to send out on risky errands like that for me. Someone who will be above suspicion, and also dispensable if necessary. Somepony, in fact. Somepony like you, Rainbow Dash.”

Rainbow snorted. “I would never help you!”

“Not willingly, sure. But that just makes it more entertaining for me.”

Rainbow Dash suddenly looked down in horror at the strange substance she was coated in.

“Are you turning me into a changeling?”

Chrysalis cackled madly. “Turn you into a changeling? Even if I could, why would I? You are a pony. A weak, pathetic pony. You would not deserve it. I love my family, and I will never love you.

“And besides, as a changeling you would follow my every whim instinctively. Where’s the fun in that?” She swooped closer so that she was inches from Rainbow Dash, glaring daggers at her with venom in her voice. “No, I want to see you do my bidding against your will. I want to see you kill those you love and then wonder why you did so. I want to see you suffer.”

“You can’t make me!” Rainbow yelled back, trying to sound confident.

“Can’t I? Equestria thinks you’re dead, so we have all the time in the world.” Chrysalis’ eyes suddenly glowed a bright green, as did her horn, and Rainbow found she was powerless to look away. It was very important that she continued to look at Chrysalis. It was very important that she continued to listen.

“All I need is time,” Chrysalis jeered, “and you will be all mine.”

Rainbow nodded blankly.

---

The field to the south of Canterlot was packed with ponies from all across Equestria, gathered respectfully under the late evening sun. The area had been decorated exquisitely with a variety of silver and deep blue flowers, and banners surrounded the gathered ponies at intervals, each decorated with crescent moons or other icons of Princess Luna. At the front of the crowd, on a raised platform, Princess Cadance stood and addressed her audience, voice magically amplified such that everypony could hear clearly, as if the words were meant for them personally. Beside her, Princess Twilight was standing stock-still, eyes wide and throat dry.

It had taken a few weeks to organise the event, during which time Twilight had thrown herself into the preparations whole-heartedly, mainly to avoid her own thoughts. Now that the time had come however, Twilight had discovered that she was in no way ready herself. As a consequence, she was barely listening to the words Cadance was speaking. She wasn’t sure she would be able to keep her composure if she did.

“...In the years since she was saved from the corruption of Nightmare Moon, Princess Luna put all her efforts towards the betterment of Equestria. Her enthusiasm, even in the face of pockets of unjust prejudice, was an inspiration to all who knew her, and the results of her guidance are manifold and clear to all.

“Under her supervision we have seen the expansion of Equestria’s rail network, and Equestria is now more interconnected than ever before. With her encouragement we have also seen vast improvements in Equestria’s healthcare, particularly in the area of mental health, a benefit to all in Equestria, pony and non-pony alike. Princess Luna’s enthusiasm in reconnecting with the world around her extended beyond Equestria, and, in part due to her efforts, Equestria now has closer bonds with the nations around us than at any point before in our history.” Cadance nodded at a few groups in the crowd, including a delegation of horses from Saddle Arabia who nodded back appreciatively.

“Under the care and guidance of Princess Luna and her sister, Princess Celestia, Equestria has witnessed some of its greatest years. Though she may no longer be with us, we know that without question, the seeds planted by Princess Luna will ensure that Equestria will continue to prosper for many years to come.”

The official line was that Princess Celestia was absent to mourn in private, but Twilight had already heard the rumours and speculation beginning. It was inevitable, especially since anypony who had watched the sky in the last few weeks would have been able to tell that something was wrong. The sun’s usual graceful ascent had been replaced by an abrupt, jerky sunrise each morning, now mirroring the moonrise each night. It was heart-breaking to watch, but it was the best solution they had.

Ironically, it had been Applejack’s suggestion. Twilight and Cadance had realised very quickly that they did not have the same connection to the two celestial bodies as either Celestia or Luna had, and thus there was no way they would be able to keep the daily cycle going for any significant length of time without exhausting themselves. That was when Applejack had suggested approaching Discord. The draconequus had been unusually compliant, and had agreed without any argument. To Twilight’s great surprise, he had since been raising the sun and moon reliably and consistently, albeit with motions that seemed mechanical rather than wondrous.

But even if ponies had not noticed the change in the movement of the sun, they would have undoubtedly noticed the change in its appearance. It was easy enough for Twilight to pass off the curious new markings as sunspots the first few times ponies had asked, but as time went on, and the strange image reminiscent of a pony’s face remained, the speculation would only rise.

But they would deal with that later.

“…But Princess Luna was not just a ruler, or a politician,” Cadance continued, voice emphatic. “If we were to remember her merely as a princess who helped Equestria develop, we would be doing her a great disservice. Because her greatest contribution, as Princess of the Moon and the Night, was one felt by all of us, sometimes unknowingly, as she watched over us and our dreams.”

Twilight held back a sob and looked over the congregated ponies in another attempt to occupy her mind and keep her composure. She had never seen so many ponies at once, and she doubted that many of them had really known anything about Luna. Many had probably never even seen her. Of course, it was a mark of respect to attend the funeral of a princess, but Twilight was sure that for at least some of the ponies here, the importance in attending was not to honour Luna, but to be seen to honour her. It made her somewhat angry, but she supposed she could not blame them. Despite her recent progress, and everything Cadance had said about her enthusiasm in reconnecting with everypony, Luna had always been the most distant princess.

As the sun dropped closer towards the horizon and Twilight continued to scan the crowd, she spotted a delegation of griffins. She had known this was coming, and sure enough, one of the group was a familiar tan colour with golden wings. Twilight had a strange urge to talk to him after the service had finished, but she knew it would be pointless. Ragnar would not know her. Not yet, at least.

“…Words cannot describe the magnitude of this loss, felt by each and every one of us. A loss only deepened by the knowledge of how short a time we had to know her. Equestria could stand for a hundred thousand years and never see another like Princess Luna, and though her time with us was brief, every one of our lives was enhanced by her presence.”

Twilight was not expected to speak during this funeral, for which she was grateful. A week ago a smaller gathering had taken place during which they had held a private tribute to Luna, attendees including all of Twilight’s friends, some other dignitaries, and Luna’s night guard: Essentially everypony who had actually known Luna. During that time, Twilight had said everything she wanted to say. It had been hard, and helpful, and painful, and necessary, and most of all it had given her closure. Now this public service felt as though it was reopening those wounds, and Twilight did not want to break down again this time. Not with what was coming afterwards.

“…Though we say goodbye to her now, Princess Luna will never truly have left us. For as long as ponies hold her in their hearts; for as long as Equestria stands; for as long as day turns to night…” Cadance surveyed the gathered ponies and smiled. “…She will be watching over us.”

As she finished speaking, the sun finally slipped beyond the horizon, and the moon started to rise. Twilight couldn’t help herself any longer, and the tears started to pool in her eyes.

The next hour passed in a blur. Twilight received sympathies from countless well-meaning ponies, to which she nodded graciously, but remained silent. She wasn’t sure she would be able to speak, her throat was so dry. Eventually the mass gathering dispersed, and Twilight and Cadance made their way back to Canterlot to be ready for the second service.

They remained in silence as they arrived in the great hall in the castle, where a similar stage had been set up for their use. Cadance, who had held herself together remarkably well thus far, was now visibly shaking as they took their places, and Twilight walked to stand by her side, wrapping a wing around her supportively.

“Thank you,” Cadance whispered.

A few minutes later the double doors opened and Shining Armor entered, heading over to the stage to join them. He gave Twilight a soft smile as he took her place beside Cadance, the royal couple wrapping their tails together affectionately, at which point Twilight stood off to one side. Over the next half an hour, the hall filled with many more ponies, and the sheer number took Twilight aback. They had decided that a ceremony to honour those who had died in the battle would be more meaningful if it were not open to the public, as Luna’s funeral had been, but should instead be attended only by those with personal connections to the fallen ponies. The fact that the hall was still completely filled only emphasised how much the battle had cost.

They were mostly crystal ponies of course, identifiable now by their dull colourations, but Twilight could also see some groups of unicorns and pegasi here and there. All of the remaining Wonderbolts, dressed in a sombre version of their usual uniform, were gathered to honour their lost comrades. As Twilight continued to look around she also spotted Rainbow Dash’s uncle and Rarity’s parents, standing together at one edge of the hall. Rarity’s mother caught her gaze, and Twilight immediately felt an irrational pang of guilt, but there was no malice in her eyes, and the two shared a sad smile.

“A month ago,” Cadance began, stepping to the front of the stage to draw everypony’s attention, “the Crystal Empire was forced into battle. This battle was a fight for our empire; a fight for our homes; a fight for our lives. Many brave ponies stood to defend us, and to all of them we are unfathomably grateful. However there were some that made the ultimate sacrifice, and it is these courageous, selfless ponies that we honour tonight.

“These brave ponies fought, and died, so that we would not; so that we could escape danger; so that one day, we might reclaim our homes, our empire, and our lives. Each one of these ponies was a hero, in every sense of the word, and for as long as there remain ponies in Equestria, their names will not be forgotten. Their sacrifice will forever be remembered.”

Cadance beckoned to a line of ponies that were standing along the edge of the hall, and then retreated to the back of the stage. One by one, a pony or two came up to speak their memories of each pony who had been lost. Even though she did not know most of the ponies mentioned, Twilight still found her heart breaking a little more with each speech. More than ever she was now determined to make sure these ponies would not have died in vain.

One of the hardest moments came when a middle-aged navy unicorn took to the stage and chokingly relayed his memories of his daughter. Unlike many of the ponies before him, he did not even attempt to hide the tears streaming down his face as he spoke of her; of how she had got her cutie mark, and when she had decided to be a showmare. Twilight had to look away as he spoke, trying to quell the unbearable feeling of guilt rising in her stomach.

It had taken Twilight a few days to find him, and after explaining that his daughter had died fighting in a battle in the Crystal Empire, he had been in denial for a long time. He claimed that there must be some mistake, because his daughter was in Baltimare on the other side of Equestria. Twilight wondered if she was right to have lied. It was bad enough that some crystal ponies had died in fires in the Crystal Empire, but to tell somepony that their child had been outright murdered by a princess? Twilight couldn’t do it. However incorrect it was, Trixie would always be remembered as a casualty of war.

And then Applejack took to the stage, and Twilight started breathing heavily. The next few minutes were going to be some of the most difficult of her life.

“Ah knew Rainbow Dash ever since she came to Ponyville as not much more’n a filly,” Applejack began, sounding almost wistful. “Back then she were stubborn as a mule, arrogant without good reason, and lazy as anythin’. Just the sort of pony who’d get on mah nerves. In the many years since, she grew a lot, and became a fine mare who was just as stubborn and arrogant, but Ah would say she’d earned the right. Still got on my nerves, mind you, but it wouldn’t have been Rainbow otherwise.

“Ah think most everypony knows how talented Rainbow Dash was. She didn’t need no fancy medals to show that she was one of the most skillful fliers you would ever see, and, when she put her mind to it, she could be a darn good weathermare too. But not many ponies knew just how dependable a friend she was. She may have seemed lazy, but if you ever needed somepony to help you, she’d be there. No matter how much trouble you got yourself into, or how dangerous a situation you got stuck in, she’d stop at nothin’ to get to your side.”

As Applejack continued talking, recounting some of their adventures together with Rainbow Dash, Twilight glanced down and noticed Pinkie on the front row, openly weeping into Maud’s shoulder. Pinkie had been inconsolable over the last few weeks, with no sign of her usual spirit and bounciness, and Twilight couldn’t help but feel that on that fateful day they had somehow lost her as well. It was going to be a long road ahead.

Fluttershy was still in no state to attend, which just felt so wrong. Twilight knew that the demure pegasus was a few rooms away, lying silently in a hospital bed, likely with no real awareness of what was happening around her. Maud had said that she should be able to learn a lot about the Infection by studying the physical effects it was having on Fluttershy, and with that knowledge she might be able to help other ponies in the future. This was obviously good news, but that was hardly a comfort to Twilight at the moment. The idea that her friend was being reduced to a guinea pig seemed insulting and disrespectful.

“…Ah really admired Rainbow Dash, and the fact that Ah never told her; that Ah never even got to… to say goodbye.” Applejack stopped and took a deep breath. “Ah will regret that for the rest of my life. Rainbow Dash was the greatest most loyal friend a pony could ask for, and it just ain’t right that she should be taken from us so young. She was meant for great things, that Ah’m sure of, and if Ah can live mah life as even half the mare that she was, then… then Ah’ll die happy.”

Twilight was so caught up in emotion as Applejack finished speaking that it was a few moments before she realised that it was now her turn. She slowly stepped to the front of the stage, cleared her throat, and then choked. She stood still, breathing heavily for a few seconds, but then felt Applejack’s presence beside her. The orange mare had clearly remained behind to give her support, and Twilight felt somewhat calmed by her company. Clearing her throat once more, Twilight began.

“Rarity was, in many ways, a pony who defied expectations. One’s first impressions, upon meeting her, would probably be that she was a self-absorbed, fashion-conscious, prim and proper mare, who would have a higher opinion of herself than she did of any other pony. It would only take moments for her to dash those notions. I doubt there was a single pony she met who she did not try to help in some way, whether by offering a makeover or clothing, imparting intelligent advice, or just being a ready ear to listen to your problems. Rarity truly was the definition of the word generosity, as I’m sure anypony who encountered her would agree.

“But Rarity would also defy expectations in other aspects. While she may have been career-focussed, she would never forget that her friends came first. And while her talent lay in beauty, she would willingly undergo the foulest of hardships when it really mattered. Through her intelligence and astuteness, Rarity showed me that all ponies, however ladylike they may seem, have a strength of their own. Before I had met her I might have believed that I knew a lot about ponies, but Rarity taught me more than I could have ever imagined.”

As she continued to speak, Twilight glanced around the room, making eye-contact with each of those that she knew had known Rarity personally, including a few of the upper crust of Canterlot and Manehattan who had come to pay their respects. She choked on her words a little as she again saw sad smiles affixed on Rarity’s parents’ faces, but it was only when Twilight looked into the far corner of the hall that she was forced to stop. Sitting by himself, staring emotionlessly back at her, was Spike.

Twilight fell to pieces. Up until this point she had been so preoccupied with trying to keep control of her emotions and act as a princess that, while the knowledge that she had lost some of her friends was sad, it hadn’t been able to fully sink in. Only now did she truly realise what that meant.

Never again was she going to see Rainbow Dash flying past her window, or occasionally crashing through it. Never again was she going to see her napping in a tree in the middle of the day when she should have been working. She was never going to be reluctantly persuaded to watch another collection of aerial tricks that all seemed the same to her, or get dragged into adjudicating one of Rainbow and Applejack’s petty rivalries, or get ‘hilariously’ pranked by the terrifying duo of Rainbow and Pinkie.

Never again would she meet up with Rainbow Dash, chatting eagerly into the early hours of the morning about the latest exploits of Daring Do. Nor would they ever fall into another of their laughing fits, where they would both be in physical pain at how hard they were laughing, and catching each other’s eyes would only make everything worse. The jokes had never even been that funny.

Twilight took a deep breath and attempted to continue speaking, but she had no idea how coherent she was.

Rarity. Beautiful Rarity. Rarity, who could fuss over you as if making you look your best was the most important thing in the world. Rarity, who was so talented that after she had given you her attention, you would look like the most important pony in the world. Rarity, who in dressing you up and giving you her time, would make you genuinely believe that, for that moment at least, you really were the most important pony in the world.

As irritating as she had often found it, Twilight would greatly miss Rarity’s fussing. As exasperating as she had often found it, Twilight would also miss Spike’s endless fantasising. The idea that she would never again listen to him discussing what he liked best about her, or what work he had recently been helping her with, was hard to take. She had always hoped that he would one day move past his childish crush, but she would have rather he be infatuated his entire life than have it end like this.

Rarity, a pony who before they had met, Twilight would never have believed that she would become the closest of friends with. Rarity, a pony who now, Twilight could not imagine her life without.

“…Rarity was one of the best ponies I have ever known, and I…” Twilight’s voice broke, and she swallowed to try and clear her throat. “And I…” She paused again, mind blank. She had forgotten how she had been intending to conclude her speech, but when she noticed Pinkie staring back at her she realised that there was really only one thing to say. “…And we loved her. And we are really going to miss her.”

Twilight felt Applejack press comfortingly against her side, and spotted Pinkie nodding appreciatively at her. She closed her eyes and exhaled deeply, as a multitude of emotions tumbled within her.

The original plan had been for Twilight to retake her position at Cadance’s side, as one of the princesses of Equestria, but right now Twilight realised she did not have it in her. Instead she followed Applejack down the steps and took a place with her at the edge of the crowd, out of everypony’s view, leaving Cadance and Shining Armor to wrap the ceremony up alone. As Applejack and Twilight stood in silence, there was movement from behind and suddenly Pinkie was between them, immediately wrapping a foreleg around each of them.

“If you like,” Pinkie said in a quiet voice, “I will keep hold of you both and never let go.”

Twilight smiled. There was much to do in the future, and the coming months would undoubtedly be the busiest the three of them had ever known. They would be filled with stress, difficult decisions, and there would inevitably be more sacrifices along the way. That was for later though. For now, they still had each other, and together they could honour the memories of their friends.

Applejack and Twilight leaned their heads against Pinkie’s shoulders, and the three of them embraced each other tightly, letting the world disappear around them.

---

When the doors opened at the end of the service, a cloaked figure was one of the first to leave. The figure’s hood remained down, concealing the face, for the entire journey out of the castle and down through the city of Canterlot. It was only after leaving the city and trotting into the forest to the north, where nopony would be able to see, that the hood was pulled back and Zecora breathed in deeply.

This forest had been home to her for some weeks now, but it would take far longer to get used to its atmosphere when compared with her long-time home of the Everfree Forest. Gone were the exotic plants she was used to, and the wild creatures she was so familiar with. Absent were the eerie sounds that had become like a song to her, and had so often lulled her to sleep. And at no point had anything tried to kill her.

She continued through the trees for a few more minutes, until eventually her new hut came into view. If someone else had been the one looking however, then it would not have come into view for them. Zecora was one of only five who would be able to detect the small homestead, although only four of those were by design. Anyone else examining this patch of the forest would see only a thick clump of trees. Even the forest creatures were not aware of it. Zecora had always been reserved, and had never lived anywhere where she would get many visitors, but this extra secrecy was still hard to get used to.

She pushed the door open and instinctively ducked under the approaching tortoise, flying merrily around on his magical rotor. He always tried to assault her whenever she appeared. He must be missing his owner, but there was nothing Zecora could do about that. Not yet, at least.

Removing her cloak, Zecora stepped through the dark and located the fireplace, at which point she lit a flame for warmth and light. The tortoise followed her movements, as he always did, and Zecora realised she was growing to enjoy his presence. Something about his quiet keenness appealed to the zebra, and she leaned forwards to affectionately nuzzle heads with him briefly.

After recoiling and rubbing her forehead gently, Zecora grabbed her stick and pushed the tortoise away. Now she remembered why she didn’t do that more often. Tortoise skulls were hard.

After warming herself up by the fire, Zecora then stepped towards a bench at the side of the hut, across which lay an unconscious pegasus mare. This was when she most missed the flora of the Everfree Forest. There it would have taken only minutes to gather all the herbs needed to fix a good remedy for a broken wing. Here she had been forced to use more traditional methods, although with an added caveat that the pegasus had been needed to be placed into in a magically induced sleep. The mare hadn’t exactly been happy when they had first awoken her, and so she would be remaining unconscious for now, at least until she was fully healed.

Zecora grabbed a small salve nearby and started attending to the frail blue wing once more. The mare had been fortunate that it had not burnt up any further, or it might have been untreatable. Zecora had not had experience with changeling magic before, but the effects looked nasty.

“How is she?”

Zecora would have loved to say that she didn’t yelp a little in surprise at the unexpected voice, but even she could be thrown off sometimes. Taking a deep breath to gather her wits, she glanced over at the corner of the hut, where her oldest friend sat meditatively in the darkness. Somehow Zecora had not noticed that she wasn’t alone for the entire time since entering.

She cleared her throat as she returned to her work attending to the injured pegasus. “A few more days and she’ll be safe and sound. It is good that you caught her before she hit the ground.”

“Ha! Chrysalis is easy to predict and easier to fool.” The voice stopped for a few moments, and then asked more hesitantly: “And how were the funerals?”

Zecora paused her ministrations and turned to her friend. “The ceremony was fitting, and the words were touching; I’m sure they’d have loved it if they could have been watching.” She frowned. “But why do you ask? Are you not aware? Surely you remember from when you were there?”

Her friend laughed. “It has been many, many years since I attended those services, and at the time I had a lot on my mind. It is nice to remember through another’s eyes.”

Zecora bowed and turned back to her work. She did not usually question her old friend, mainly because the answers were always cryptic and rarely clarified anything beyond her friend’s mysterious nature. But Zecora trusted that she would be told everything she needed to know, when the time was right.

After a few minutes she heard movement from behind her and the sound of the door opening.

“I am going outside to enjoy the cold air for a while. We may not get many more opportunities to experience a peaceful night like this.”

Zecora glanced over her shoulder sharply. “Why not?”

Her friend smiled sadly.

“Because after tonight, Equestria will be at war.”

End of Act I

Comments

[Pix]

What's this? End of Act 1!?

Well not quite, there's still an epilogue to go, but otherwise, yeah, this is the end of part 1. It's probably been obvious for a while that this story is not finishing just yet. Watch this space!