After heartbreak, Twilight runs away. Will she return and how will her friends and family take the news?
After the mane six return to Ponyville after the wedding in Caterlot, Twilight can't help but think about what her friends and her brother said during the event. She decides to run away wanting to never to return but a series of unfortunate events might lead her back to home.
What might fall upon poor Twilight and how will her friends and Equestria cope with her absence?
The lavender unicorn sat in her room, crying. She knew that she shouldn't as her brother has just got married to the most thoughtful, caring pony ever. But as the night continued, as she was alone with her thoughts for longer, she grew angry, a hatred or resentment for those who betrayed her. She had to escape, she had to leave, Ponyville.
Twilight sobbed as she wrote the note, but did they care about her….no. They would probably rejoice, Pinkie would throw a massive ‘good riddance’ party for her where the whole town would be there. It pained Twilight to think of such thoughts, but it was the truth...and there were no doubts about it, not after how they acted.
As she finished her noted, tear stains all over it indicating tears. Twilight started to pace around the room with all the awful memories glaring back at her as if she is an exhibit at the zoo. Fluttershy would object to the zoo, she is always kind to everypony but why wasn't she that kind to her. The lavender unicorn’s mind spiralled thinking of that day, the day everything changed.
“And you can forget about being my best mare. In fact, if i were you, I wouldn’t show up to the wedding at all”.
Those words seared into the mind how could her own brother say such a horrible thing to her and her friends, they just ignored her, even after seeing heartbreak in her eyes, they still ignored her at her time that she needed the most comfort; but she couldn’t fault Spike as it was probably peer pressure and his feelings for Rarity that acted upon him. There wasn’t any hate in his eyes like the others but there was no sympathy either, it was completely emotionless.
“You have a lot to think about.”
Another phrase that seared her mind, but it came from the princess herself. The mentor and second mother to her, just discarding her out her life as well as her brother, ponies she thought was her family, that just made the situation worse but easier at the same. And, after the events of what they are calling the day “lesson zero” she knew her friends didn’t like her, the only pony who cared for her was Spike, but she knew he would be happier here with Rarity.
She pulled her saddle bag out of storage, only being used mere hours prior and packed it with half all the bits she owned, some books (of course), some apples and a blanket for when she was cold. She had decided to leave Spike some things, even if he was one of the reasons she ran away, not a big reason but a reason. Twilight has left Spike small things like the library, though she doubted he would use it, half of her bits that would last him a couple of days and a big bag of his favourite gems, that she was going to give him for his birthday but that will not pass, for her at least.
She was ready, as Twilight swung a cloak around herself, to stop her being recognized by the ponies of Ponyville, her former home. As she opened the door of the warm library, she felt a cold breeze hitting her body only lessened by the thin black cloak she was wearing. Twilight walked into the night, with not a cloud in the sky, she could see the stars, the amazing constellations and the beautiful moon. The night sky was truly a spectacle, hand-crafted by Luna one of the ponies she considered didn’t betray her or her trust, a true friend or as she thought of it a sister. The princess of the Night as well as Cadence where always there for her and it pained her to leave them like she did, but she had to leave, she had to get away from them.
Twilight regained her thoughts, pulled her the hood of her cloak over her head and walked, as she walked though the night, only lit by the moons gaze, she thought of the wedding and how they had betrayed her, cast her out and humiliated her, but she couldn’t help but think about her parents, but they were as guilty as her friends and Shinning Armour. They had not visited her in her tree home since she moved to Ponyville despite her asking in every one of her letters, to come and meet her friends, well now ex-friends, but this pained her to think that her parents didn’t love her.
It was a short walk only a meager five minutes, but she was there at the train station. For some reason, she stopped. It was like some small part of her was objecting to her leaving but it was a small part and how long would it be until her friends would hurt her again, she couldn't go through that again, but something was still stopping her, but why?
She gained her composure, and walk through the door and went to the half-asleep ticket master and changed her voice slightly, so he wouldn't recognize her and said “One ticket to-” she thought for a moment, “-Fillydelphia.” She knew it was cheap, and she could easily start a new life there.
“And, name?”, the ticket master grumbled.
Oh, uhh, why do you need my name?” Twilight asked still under the hood.
“So, we can log who and where the pony is going,” said the ticket master half annoyed
“Okay, it’s-” she preferred giving time to her thoughts, “It’s Sunset Rose.”
“Here you go Sunset Rose-” handing her a ticket, “enjoy your trip.”
“Thank you,” said Twilight as she trotted to the platform. When she got there she collapsed onto a bench and looked at the night sky, only to be snapped back into reality only ten minutes later by the blowing of a whistle and the screeching of the brakes made by the train as it came into the station.
“All aboard!”, the train conductor shouted, “Last stop Fillydelphia!”
Twilight got onto the train and found a seat as there were not a lot of people on the train as it was night. She looked out of the window, as the train pulled away from the station, and saw dusk creeping across the horizon shinning a soft yellow light on her former home known as Ponyville.
Something was wrong. Cadence could feel it, like something was lost all of a sudden but Shining Armour seemed okay, was it all her imagination, was it the stress of the wedding and being imprisoned in the caves under Canterlot still being there, was it her weariness as they had been up for a few days getting the wedding ready or was it something that threatened Equestria and its ponies.
She was thankful that Twilight had save her or she would have died under that cave and no-one would realize it until it was too late, but during the wedding Twilight didn’t seem like herself, the wonderful filly she foal sat for, but more serious and sad, she ha just brushed it, giving the reason for maturity and Twilight growing up. But she couldn’t get the feeling out of her head, did something happen to Twilight?
“Shining, we need to go see my aunt at once,” the pink alicorn told her husband, who was still resting from the wedding as Chrysalis had brainwashed him.
“Cadence, why?” Shinning Armour asked to his wife.
”I feel like something bad has happened and I want to see my aunt, just in case,” Cadence said to Shining, who still was lying in bed.
“Okay,” said the white unicorn, still skeptical to what Cadence was saying.
As they walked down the hall to the throne room she could help to think that, although she never met them, Twilight’s friends weren’t what they seemed like in her letters. In her letters, it said they were very close and each was kind and funny in their own way, but at the wedding there seemed to be a tension among them. They didn’t talk much during the wedding or even before that, but she crossed it of to the stress of the wedding. Only now she could see how foolish that could be. Something happened with Twilight and her friends and she was going to get to the bottom of it.
Just at that moment, two guards ran out of the throne room that seemed to snap her back into reality. She recognized one to be the soon to be captain of the royal guard, Thunderhooves, as Shining Armour would soon be giving up the position. They gave a bow of their heads of respects, and rounded the corner.
As she opened the door she saw Princess Celestia, Twilight’s friends and even Spike, all looking like they were about to cry or are crying even the orange mare with a blonde mane know as Applejack and from her understanding that was very rare. Something was of, why would Twilight’s friends be here and not Twilight, her head began to spin “What if Twilight was hurt?” Cadence thought and many other thoughts like this one came to her mind about her sister-in-law, the pony she cared the most for after Shining Armour.
“Auntie, what’s going on?” asked Cadence with worry in her voice, she knew it couldn't be good.
With tears steaming down the regal alicorn’s face, one of the only times Cadence have seen this happen, she said, “Unfortunately, Twilight Sparkle has felt heartbreak and has decided that nothing has tied her to Canterlot and Ponyville, she has decided to start a new life.”
“Twilight ran way?” asked Shinning Armour, with sadness and heartbreak in his voice.
“Indeed she has,” said Celestia, her voice full of sadness and her ears flattening just like the main six and Shinning Armour. “She left a note on why she ran away.”
Cadence full of sadness, started read the note, with fresh tears falling from her face as she read each line.
Hi friends and family,
If you are reading this then I guess you cared enough to look for me. Which is surprising considering how you girls treated me, how the princess treated me and how my own family treated me. For your actions during the wedding it is clear to me that I am unwanted, unloved and dislike. And that is why I have decided to start a new life where no-pony will find me.
Pinkie Pie, you are the element of laughter, but you seemed to want to make me cry instead. I am sure you are laughing at this note thinking how funny it is that I left and you are throwing a massive party celebrating that I left.
Rarity, the element of generosity, my only request is for you to be more generous with Spike than you were when it came towards your feelings towards me. I know I didn’t like fashion that much and if I did you might of liked me.
Rainbow Dash, the element of loyalty, I am sure you didn’t like me that much always calling me egghead an insulting reading when I was around. The question is was you really my friend and if not do you really have to be loyal to me? I guess you answered that when you went with the fake Cadence.
Applejack, the element of honesty, but that is ironic as it seemed like toy lied. You lied when you said to take my concerns more seriously after the incident with smarty pants but then again you never like me so it should be surprising that you lied. But you ignored me and turned your back on me to grovel at the feet of a fake princess.
Fluttershy, the element of kindness, I guess I can’t be mad at you for wanting to comfort the fake princess but it wasn't very kind when you left your friend after her heart broke, was it kind to leave her crying?
Spike, I know you would prefer to spend all your time with Rarity and I hope she will help you you will take pride in helping her, something you never did with me. But I could tell by your face that you felt guilty for leaving me. I had always viewed you like a little brother so I left you the library, half of all my bits and your favourite gems.
Shinning Armour, my BBBFF, the one pony that should have been for me always, yet you wasn’t. You couldn’t be bothered to tell me you were dating Cadence much less engaged to her. I know you have the shield spell but was that actually the truth...i don’t know any more. But I should have seen the signs before you threw me out of you life never wanting to see me again.
Princess Celestia, my mentor and teacher, I trusted you and you betrayed my trust. I saw you as a second mother but I guess that was a mistake as you didn’t care at all. I am happy that Luna is back and have been reunited with you, I really like her, but you sent me to deal with Nightmare Moon without telling, so a part of me wonders if I died would you have cared. But I guess the answer is simple since you let the wedding go ahead when there was a threat, you chose a fake Cadence over you student who is very rarely wrong and you trust completely. Or was that a lie? You only chose to me wield the element of magic, not considering me or my well being. You know, I think You have a lot to think about
My parents, you never visited me in Ponyville, when I was sent away. This makes me question did you really love me or was that a lie. You seemed to be more proud of Shining Armour, showed more love for him. I was proud of doing something alone without the help of my parents but did you visit? no.
Princess Luna, I have always liked you and I am happy you are reigning along side with Celestia. I hope you find the happiness you deserve. I will be looking up at your night, something about it seems so peaceful like I fell calm when I look up to it.
Princess Cadence, my big sister in everything but blood, I hope this note didn’t make you feel sad and if it did I and truly sorry for the pain that I have caused you during this letter but it is all the truth and how I feel. Please stay with my brother he does truly love you, I guess he used his love for me and gave it to you, he does love you with all his heart. If any pony deserves to be happy it’s you, after everything that happened. While I was down there for a day tops you were down there for maybe weeks, I cant imagine what it was like for. Please be happy and forget I even existed.
I’m sorry if I hurt any-ponies feelings but that is how I feel but you wouldn’t care about that.
Goodbye, every-pony
Cadence cried even more but her sadness soon turned to anger as she whipped around to stare at Twilight’s friends who were all sobbing and she said, “What did you all do to Twilight during the wedding?”
Applejack gulped and said, “Well we ignored her concerns about the fake you, and at the rehearsal, we went off to comfort the fake you, after what Shining Armour said to her leaving her heartbroken. And yet we ignored her-” she took of her hat in a sign of guilt, “- some friends we are.”
“So,”Cadence said slowly, “You left your friend, a pony you have know for two years, to go and comfort a pony you have only know for a few days. If I couldn’t see your regret and if Twilight didn’t speak so highly of you I would assume you only use her to get close to royalty!” her tone rising.
“We never wanted to hurt her,” sobbed Fluttershy.
“Now,” said Cadence regaining her composure, “What did Shining Armour say to Twilight?”
“Well, he said that he didn’t want her to be his best mare and told not to come to his wedding,” Rainbow Dash explained, making Cadence gasp and turn to glare at Shinning Armour, who felt distraught at the situation who were widening his eyes with horror as he began to comprehend what the rainbow maned peagaus had said.
“How dare you say that, she was you own flesh and blood and you cast her out,” said Cadence furiously at her husband.
“Cadence, I swear, I don’t remember saying that,” said Shinning Armour as Cadence ran out the room crying.
“You better tell you parents, Shinning Armour, I can’t imagine that they will take it lightly,” said Celestia, for the first time since Cadence went into the room.
Twilight stepped out of the cold train station at Fillydelphia, with her cloak stuffed into her saddle bag as she might be needing it later on. She basked in the warmth of the sun she had not felt for a few hours when she was on the train. Unlike Ponyville, Fillydelphia was had very monotone colours of greys and browns, the only splash of colour were the ponies as well as the sky.
She stepped onto the crowded street, only to be met with glares from the ponies that were on it. As she passed, a dark alleyway she was cornered by a group of thugs, they preceded without saying a word to her, to attack but Twilight was able to stop one or two of them but she was overwhelmed by these thugs and they hit the side of her head against the wall, and knocking her down. She could she shadows surrounding her as the world slowly turned to black.
The world slowly faded from black to and finally a blinding white. As the world slowly focused around the lavender, it seemed like a room in a hospital, it was a white with a grey floor like tiles. As she looked around the room, she noticed a grey stallion, with a white mane and a horn perched on top of their head which had a blue aura which was suspending a newspaper in front of his face.
“What happened to me?” the lavender mare asked, rubbing her head as it still ached, ‘did she hit her head?’ she thought.
The stallion lowered the newspaper and stood up, she could see his cutie mark it seemed to be a golden puppet. As he walked up to the mare, a concerned look spread across his face as he asked “You don’t remember?”
The mare shook her head.
“I saw you lying on the ground unconscious so I rushed you to the hospital, to make sure that you were okay but I was unable to catch the gang who did it, as they ran of,” the stallion said, as a gentle smile stretched across his face.
“I do remember one thing,” the mare said” I calling myself Sunset Rose.”
“I did warn you to not go out alone,” the stallion said to the puzzled mare.
The mare looked up in confusion, “What?”
“You shouldn’t concern yourself with that now, I just need to get you home so you I can rest, don’t worry I’ll be fine sleeping on the couch until you get better. But you should were this cloak for now, it could be cold,” the stallion said, the mare nodded trying to comprehend what happened.
As they opened the door of the hospital, they were greeted by the glaring sun shining upon their faces. They put their hooves to their faces and walked out, only to be met with a monochrome city with no-pony taking an interest in any-pony.
They walked down the steps away from the hospital. As they were doing that, the mare looked to see two fillies looking over at her, when she waved at them the ran away screaming ‘monster!’
The stallion she was with looked over and said, “You better put your hood up, you don’t want to scare any more foals.”
The mare nodded and put the hood up concealing her face.
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The sound of hooves galloping dispersed itself across the quiet castle halls which would usually be brimming with life from guards to maids but at night the castle was quiet but the guards suspected the solar princess, the Diarch of the sun was still awake just like she had the last two nights that Twilight Sparkle had disappeared and their hunt began.
“Sister, you should be asleep,” the dark blue alicorn descended onto the balcony that the ivory alicorn stood atop of.
The ivory alicorn looked up from the ground which she had appeared to be studying, “I know Luna, but I can’t help but miss her-” the alicorn began pacing, “- I mean what if something has happened to her, what if she lives in spite or what if she left Equestria. I must inform the other nat-” she was cut of by a hoof to her muzzle.
“That is a hurdle we will overcome when we get there. I miss her as much as you but we can’t let Equestria suffer because Twilight is gone, we will find her eventually, Celestia,” Luna said seemingly calming down her sister.
“You’re right, we have to continue with our lives but we always have our guards to search for her, however long it may take,” Celestia said heading back into her chambers.
At that moment two guards in black armour to symbolise they are part of the night guard, one pegasus and one unicorn. Both immediately bowed in front of the princesses standing there. The unicorn looked up to the two alicorns and said, “Your highnesses, we have word from the searches of Canterlot and Ponyville.”
“Of course, and did you find Twilight,” Celestia said, with a little pain in her voice when she said the name.
“No, but a hooded mare who called themselves Sunset Rose went on a train to Fillydelphia on the same night miss Sparkle had departed,” the pegasus explained.
“Excellent, maybe she saw Twilight on the train, first thing at sun-up go get the bearers of Harmony and tell them that Celestia would wish them to go to go to Fillydelphia. Also, take two other guards and fill them in and accompany them to the city,” said Celestia, with her mood picking up and her wings at its full length.
“I hope they find her, sister,” said Luna, as she was walking towards the balcony, “I am going back to my chamber, I suggest you retire for the night.”
“Me too Luna, goodnight sister,” said Celestia, as Luna flew towards her chambers.
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As Sunset Rose put on her saddle bags to go out to get food, she was stopped by a familiar voice. She looked behind her and saw the grey stallion with a white mane walking behind her with a scowl on his face like he often did.
“And where are you going?” said the stallion when he got close.
The mare looked upon him, her eyes filled with fright and said, “T-t-to the market, I n-noticed we have no f-food.”
“Fine but don’t be out for more than an hour or I will personally come find you,” he said in serious tone, looking upon the frightened of the mare, “And were your hood, you look terrible and you don’t want to scare the ponies or even the fillies. You owe me for saving you,” said the stallion, his voice as cold as ice, getting into her face.
O..o..okay,” stuttered the frightened mare who, at this point backed, into the wall. And with the quickest motion she had left the house.
She was walking down the monochrome street, littered ponies who ignored her and with literal litter on the floor, of which she picked up with her magic and put it into the bin at the side of the street. She continued down the street, getting ice cold stares from people and even whispering when she went past. She thought ‘why are they staring at me, is itbecause of the cloak?’
As she was approaching the station, she saw five ponies with one baby dragon, being accompanied by four royal guards step out of the train station.
“Okay we’re here!” the pink pony exclaimed, getting up on her hind hooves and making confetti rain from the sky as if it was some sort of party, “why are we here again?”
“We’re here to find Twi, sugarcube,” the orange mare said.
The royal guards walked in front of them and saluted, “what would you have us do, the princess has requested us to help you on your mission.”
Oh, right ya’ll had better be checking each house on what they know of Twilight, and about the hooded mare,” the orange pony said, in a southern accent.
“Of course,” one said with a salute and they took off down the street, their golden armour glowing in the sunlight as they left.
“Ok, we just need to find that hooded mare the princess was talking about. Wasn’t her name, something like Sunset Rose,” said the light-blue pegasus with a Rainbow mane.
“You mean that hooded mare?” said the pink pony, pointing her hoof to a pony with a black cloak walking down the street.
The light-blue pegasus looked over, and said, “Oh, that was easy.”
“Hold on darlings, we don’t know if it is the same mare or a different one,” the white unicorn explained to her friends.
“Well, what are we waiting for,” said the pink pony, speeding of in the direction of the hooded mare.
Sunset Rose continued her walk, paying no mind to the ponies who arrived with royal guards as they must be here for important business like a meeting with the mayor of the city. She had no idea that they where here to meet her and to search for their lost friend.
A pink blur appeared before her making her yelp and stumble back, but she kept her balance. As she looked up she saw a pony before her who had light pink fur with a darker pink mane that seemed to be inflated, she had three balloons for a cutie mark.
“Hi!” she spoke in a very high pitched voice, “i’m Pinkie Pie, what’s your name, ohh spooky cloak what’s that for? is it Nightmare Night? No it isn’t, silly Pinkie” it surprised Sunset of how fast she was speaking without even taking a breath.
“Calm down, Pinkie Pie,” the orange mare, walking up to them with three other ponies and a baby dragon,”we’re not in Ponyville, she isn’t used to your ways.”
“Come Applejack, we’re just having fun, isn’t that right?” said Pinkie Pie looking down at the frightened mare, “Oh I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine,” said Sunset.
“You sound awful familiar umm, what’s your name?” asked Applejack.
“It’s Sunset, Sunset Rose.” said Sunset, as she looked at the group all having a look of shock and disbelief.
“Okay, have you seem a mare about your height, a unicorn, is your colour,” she said, as she held up Sunset’s hoof,” goes by the name Twilight Sparkle, no? Umm, very nerdy, reads a lot of books, uhh has a star as cutie mark.”
“No, sorry,” said Sunset, as she racked her brain for a mare that came close to that description, and the only pony, who she could think of was herself, 'but we can't be the same mare as i am called Sunset Rose and the mare they were talking about was called Twilight Sparkle' she thought.
The group turned to walk away when Applejack said, “ It’s alright sugarcube, we better be off and search the rest o' the city.”
As they walked off, she could only be confused, not by the group or their questions but by the pony named Pinkie Pie, she was on a next level of weird. But she shrugged it of and continued to the market place to pick up food, she didn’t want to be out for too long.
Meanwhile at Canterlot Castle, a white unicorn stallion with a blue mane and a shield for a cutie mark lay in bed, crying. He wasn’t the only pony in the room as he was being comforted by a pink alicorn.
“It’s all my fault, she was my sister and.. and I let her go,” sobbed the unicorn, into the pillow.
“It is not your fault Shining, you were brainwashed, you couldn’t have controlled what you said,” said the pink alicorn, while running her hoof though the rugged blue mane of Shining Armour, as he hadn’t even taken care of himself since Twilight’s disappearance.
“It is, my words are what caused her to leave. I am a horrible big brother, I didn’t deserve to have somepony like Twilight as a sister,” said Shining Armour into the pillow.
“That is absolutely not true! You love Twiley and you would never say those things on purpose. It wasn’t your fault you were brainwashed” said cadence, still trying to comfort Shining Armour.
“But..but..but I let her go,” sobbed Shinning Armour.
“Hey, we can search all around Equestria, personally, knock on every door, ask every-pony, until we find Twilight,” said Cadence.
“Really? But what about your royal duties?” asked Shining Armour, bringing his head out of the pillow.
“Yes, it’s not like I have anywhere to run and I don’t have many duties to begin with,” said Cadence.
Shining Armour looked at Cadence’s face to see if there was a hint of a joke but he noticed she was completely serious, and said, “ Okay.”