Come and See

by Altero

In Which Twilight Weeps, and Luna Sings

Twilight Sparkle awoke feeling...

...nothing.

She glanced around her rather alarmedly in the bleak absence of light. Where was she? How did she get here? She needed to get back, her friends needed...

The beginnings of panic were creeping into her heart when she spotted Princess Luna.

"Princess! Princess Luna!" she stammered. "Where are we? I have to go back! My friends need me! There was a... a, and a fire, and when we got there, it was horrible, and we tried to use the Elements, but then... But then..."

Princess Luna stood morosely as realization slowly dawned on Twilight's face.

"I'm dead, aren't I?"

"I'm afraid so, my little one."

Twilight sat back on her haunches as tears began to trickle from her eyes. Grief quickly overwhelmed her and she began to weep openly. The princess swooped in and gathered the crying pony in her wings and held her tight, quietly hushing her.

"But I can't be dead! I just can't be! My friends need me! I have to... Without my Element, they'll never be able to..."

"Your friends will pass through fire and blood, but in the end they will emerge stronger than before. 'Ere the day is over, they will use the Elements to vanquish the foe that now threatens the land."

"But without my Element..."

"The Element of Magic will rise from the ashes and alight on a new pony, who, through his bravery and self sacrifice, will save and inspire many ponies, just as you did, my dear."

"But... but...
I'll miss them."

Twilight wrapped her forelegs around the princesses neck and began to sob more earnestly. Luna stroked her wing through the lavender pony's mane as she gazed down at her friend. After a moment, the princess began to sing.

Twilight couldn't quite grasp at the words, but the tune was calming and melodious, tinged with sadness. Luna's voice was a midnight breeze, an ebbing tide, and a mother's voice all at once. The music seemed to echo and resonate in the air, splitting off into different harmonies and melodies as Luna continued. It was not long before Twilight's tears began to stem themselves. When the last note faded into the bleakness and the two continued to embrace for a moment.

"Feeling better?" Luna inquired.

"Much. Thank you," replied Twilight. "That was incredible. I've never heard somepony sing like that."

A small smirk appeared at the corner of Luna's mouth. "Thank you, my friend. It's been a long time since I've been called upon to sing a lullaby."

Twilight looked up and smiled. "A lullaby, eh? That reminds me of the time that Princess Celestia sang to me."

"Oh?" Luna replied with a quirked eyebrow.

"Yes. It was my first night in the castle. I was having trouble sleeping. Everything was all so new... and frightening. It was the first time I'd been away from my parents, too. I was sitting on my bed, crying my eyes out. I think the whole castle must have heard me, because eventually your sister came and sat by my bedside. She looked terrible." Twilight looked off, eyes lost in memory, smiling with nostalgia. "It wasn't until later that I found out that she almost never stayed up past moonrise. I must have been keeping her up.
"Anyway, she asked me what she could do to help me sleep. The first thing that came to my mind was a lullaby. My mother always used to sing to me when I couldn't sleep."
"And?"
"Well.. Celestia tried. She really did. Now that I think of it, she might have sung the same lullaby you just did, but..."
Luna laughed gently. "My sister was never known for her singing voice."
Twilight tried to still the smile creeping onto her own lips and said, "Well, let's just say I never asked her for another lullaby."
Luna laughed and leaned down. She kissed Twilight gently on the forehead and said, "Come, my friend. We have a journey ahead of us." With that, Luna rose to her feet and settled her wings against her flanks as she started off into the darkness.
"Where are we going?"
The night princess glanced over her shoulder, a twinkle in her eye, and said, "Come and see."

Comments

[Lelouch Vi Britania]

Killing twilight right off the start, sooooo not cool.