Twilight woke up very late, unexpected considering she usually woke up early. She must have been studying too hard the night before. She went downstairs to go outside for a trot to wake up a bit more.
Twilight cantered down the path to the square in the afternoon. She trotted over to her long-time friend Ace. Ace was never... Communicating to other ponies. He was in the middle of the square, everypony seemed pass him by. "Hey Ace," She greeted.
"Hello, Twilight!" He said, cantering toward her.
"What are you up to right now, Ace?" She asked.
"Just getting tea at Sugarcube corner!" He said, levitating a cup of tea. "Want me to get you some?"
"No thanks," she replied politely.
They were cantering back to her library. She opened the door, Spike greeting her, but not Ace.
Spike eyed the cup floating next to Twilight.
"Hey, Twilight?" Ace asked.
"Yes?"
"Do you know why nopony seems to notice me?
"It's probably because everypony's usually busy." She answered.
"You're most likely right about that..." He stated, rather unsure, however.
Spike looked at Twilight as if she were crazy. He didn't say anything, but he still looked.
Ace sipped his tea while she read a book seemingly on historical figures. The page was about Princess Luna.
She looked over at Spike, still eyeing her.
"What's wrong, Spike?"
"Nothing," He replied.
"Okay..." She said unsure if nothing was actually wrong.
It was getting late. Ace levitated his tea off the table "I've got to go..." Ace said over his shoulder as he trotted home. Ponies walked past him on his way home. One walked through him. He had come to a realization. He thought he knew why and Twilight would find out eventually. He had to tell her some time soon.
Twilight trotted over to Sugarcube corner to get some tea for herself and Ace.
"That'll be ten bits." Said the cashier.
She gave them the money and levitated the two cups, cantering to Ace's normal place at the square.
"Ace, I got you some tea." She said, halfway greeting, the other half offering the tea.
"Thanks, Twily!" He thanked her, taking the one marked 'ACE HEARTS'
"They never do get the names right, huh?" He asked jokingly.
"Definitely not!" She said, laughing.
They trotted to her library, talking while sipping tea.
When they got inside, Spike looked at her, mildly concerned for her mental health.
Twilight started to catch on that Spike was looking at her suspiciously yesterday as well.
"You really must like that stallion, Twilight, talking to him so much..." He stated, almost a rhetorical question.
Twilight and Ace both looked each other in the eyes and blushed at this statement, Spike never seemed to look at Ace the entire time, as if he wasn't there.
"Well... As a friend, yes..." Twilight said, a slightly higher, more thoughtful tone in her voice.
"Okay, if that's how you feel..." Spike said, rather concerned that she seemed to be having a fond conversation with nopony at all.
They trotted to the spot where they sat last. Twilight turned the page of the book already on the table to its bookmark.
The page was on Discord. She read it quietly as Spike sat next to her opposite side from Ace.
Later that day, Twilight started feeling tired. She could barely even keep her eyes open. Ace was completely awake, however. Twilight yawned, snuggling up a bit to Ace. She moved even closer. This surprised him, considering they were only friends, but he got used to it. Her warmth was something he'd never felt before. Twilight noticed he had little heat in him.
But then again, maybe they could be something more... Twilight had fallen completely asleep by now. Ace levitated a throw pillow under her head to make sure she was comfortable. He also took a blanket from a chair and tucked her into it, her head in his lap, her mane soft. He had something to tell her... Something surprising the next day...
As Twilight awoke, she noticed they were still in the spot they were yesterday. They must have fallen asleep there. But Ace was awake before her. "Morning." He said. But Twilight was always up extremely early. How could that be?
"How did you get up before me?" She asked.
"I don't need much sleep." He stated.
Spike looked at her again.
"Who are you talking to?" He asked, confused.
"Ace!" She answered, surprised by this question.
"There's nopony there..." He said.
"Of course there is!" She exclaimed.
"Okay..." He replied, saying the same thing for the third time, before walking away. Spike figured that it was some sort of experiment Twilight was doing.
"Twilight, I have something to tell you..." Ace said, with a look of hopelessness in his eyes.
"W-what is it?" She stuttered.
"The reason why nopony notices me... Is because... Because they can't see me."
"Wh-why's that?" She asked, dumbfounded. Ace became slightly transparent.
"Be-... Because I'm dead..." He almost whispered.
"I killed myself at the square... A long time ago..."
"B-but that can't be!" She said, tears streaming down her face.
"It's true... I only remembered now because you reminded me of what it was like to have somepony talk to me. To be alive."
He became more transparent.
"I have something else I need to tell you..." He said a bit louder.
"I love you..." He said quietly.
He embraced her as they locked lips, kissing for a full minute that seemed to go by very fast as the sun rose, hugging her tightly as he disappeared further.
"Don't go yet..." She said, crying into his shoulder, wetting his mane with tears as he grew colder.
"I have to." He said, now almost completely invisible.
"B-but I need to know... Why? Why didn't you tell me sooner?" She pleadingly asked.
"I didn't want to break your heart. Things got out of h-hoof. I... I didn't know I'd d-disappear like... like this. I... I'm sorry." He apologized.
"One last thing before I go... Continue on for me... I'll miss you, Twilight Sparkle..." He said smiling, tears streaming down his face just before disappearing completely. His words hung in the air for a few seconds, though he was gone. Yet his memory lived on in Twilight... She still remained in the position he left her in, weeping softly. She could never forget who Ace Sparks had been. She never knew why he killed himself. She never knew for sure why he didn't tell her when they met. She would wait for him, always in the back of her mind, the moments they shared together... Nopony knew him but her. Nopony would know him but her. He vanished, leaving her forever behind...
