> Awakening > by Silver Scrolls > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Return > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Twilight sat with rapt attention as Star Swirl the Bearded droned on about teleportation and its applications to everyday life. Her quill scratching across the page and punctuating each new bullet with a beep sound Between the sound of Starswirl’s southern accent and the beep of each new bullet she found herself falling into a rhythm. Beep, scratch scratch, beep, scratch, beep beep. Twilight shook her head as her focus was broken and tried to remember what she missed. Another double beep broke her train of thought then a whoosh sound. Twilight looked around at all the dancing apples that were riding off into the sunset as her head started to ache and the world seemed to collapse around her. A beeping sound to her right seemed to call to her as it grew steadily louder and louder and her eyelids fluttered. Hazy shapes began swimming at the corner of her eyes as a glaring white light blinded her forcing her to close her eyes for a moment and squint upwards. Hazy shapes swam around her as her eyes worked open wider, a rainbow streak blossoming to her right followed by two twin thuds echoing around the room. Twilight tried to call out to the blur as it blossomed, but choked slightly on something lodged in her throat. Her pupils dilated and darted about the room as she panicked. thoughts of suffocation and what it did to a pony flashing across her mind. She closed her eyes and counted backwards from ten before opening her eye’s to look around from her recumbent position. Twilight noted that she laid in a large bed, IV needles poking out from her fetlocks. The walls were all a stark white color that exuded a feel of sterility. The beeping sound from her dream came from a heart monitor to her right side and to her other side she noted a breathing assistant. Twilight’s attentioned snapped back towards the far end of the room as she heard a squeaking sound followed by the soft tapping of hooves on linoleum. “Miss Sparkle, it is a pleasure to see you awake at long last. Please hold a moment while I take out the endotracheal tube.” A white mare with a pink mane gently approached and leaned over Twilight, adjusting tubes and peeling tape off gingerly. Twilight lay still, her mind swirling as she dug for name. She knew this mare, of that she had no doubt but for the life of her she couldn’t remember. Her brow furrowed and she started gagging a little, loosing track of what she was thinking as the tube slid from her throat. suddenly it hit her. “REDHEART!” She exclaimed excitedly as the tube slid completely from her throat. “Sorry,” she lowered her ears and blushed slightly. “Nurse Redheart, what's going on? Why am I in the hospital?” Nurse Redheart smiled and placed the tube on top of the machine it was connected to. “Miss Dash will be in shortly, she will answer your questions.” She smiled a small smile that didn’t reach her eyes as she grabbed the chart at the end of Twilight's bed and left. Rainbow held the door for her as she approached, both exchanging a small nod. Rainbow let the door swing closed behind her as she walked up and took a spot beside Twilight's bed her hoof. Smiling weakly she squeezed Twilight’s hoof shakily, almost like she could hardly believe there would be a response like Twilight gave by squeezing back lightly “How do you feel Twi? Do you remember anything, anything at all? Maybe, where you are or why you might be here?” Twilight furrowed her brow and frowned at Rainbow. “What are you talking about?” Twilight looked at Rainbow with a worried expression. “Did something happen that I should know about?” Rainbow was shaking slightly, her eyes downcast and ears flattened against her skull. Twilight searched for any sign of the brash pony she remembered and all she could find was a shell of that pony, it scared and worried her immensely. “Twi...” Rainbow's lip quivered and she chewed at it as she spoke, “there was a lab accident and...” She paused, her grip tightening on Twilight’s hoof. “You, me and Applejack were caught in it. I, being the amazing and awesome pony I am, recovered the quickest.” Rainbow stopped, releasing Twilight’s hoof she rubbed her forehooves together as her eyes darted around room, desperate for something to look at other than Twilight. “Okay, so how is everypony else?” Rainbow’s head dropped lower and she pulled in on herself a little trying to avoid Twilight’s question. “Are they here in the hospital too?” Rainbow continued to avoid Twilight’s gaze. “How long have I been here?” Still no answer from Rainbow. Twilight furrowed her brow, something was off about Rainbow. “Rainbow, when did that accident happen? I...”Twilight trailed off unsure of what to say. “I...I...why am I here and where is everypony else?” Twilight’s voice shook with worry. “Where is everpony else,!” Twilight;s voice rose a little and she tried to move towards Rainbow, reaching her hoof out and pulling at Rainbow’s shoulder. “I want to talk to others, where are they?” She shook Rainbow’s shoulder as panic started to well up in her chest, bleeding into her words and eyes. Rainbow looked away, her eyes downcast and body shaking back and forth limply as Twilight shook her. “Twi...” Rainbow bit her lips and took deep shuddering breath. “Twilight, you have been...out, for a while, and the others are off in -umm- Canterlot, yea that's it, they're in Canterlot, with Princess Celestia and Princess Luna for hearts and hooves day.” Twilight’s eyes dilated and she inhaled sharply before freezing solid, her lips moving slowly. “Hearts and Hooves day, but that was...” Twilight trailed off for a second as she did some quick math silently in her head. She turned her head to Dash slowly and spoke clearly and sternly. “Rainbow Dash, how long have I been here? Be completely honest because if it’s hearts and hooves day then it has been at least a year.” Rainbow fidgeted as she felt Twilight's stare bore into her but couldn't bring herself to tell her the truth. Instead she opted for agreeing with her, telling her it had been a little over a year. Rainbow’s discomfort over the lie was cut short as a tan earth pony wearing a white lab coat walked in. “Hello Miss Sparkle. My name Horse MD, I have been your physician since the accident. It's wonderful to see you awake again. Do you have any headaches or pains, any nausea or disorientation? Do you remember anything about how you landed yourself here?” Horse MD efficiently checked her vitals and swung a small penlight in front of Twilight’s eyes as he spoke. “No Doctor, I don't. My head hurts a little and I feel a little sluggish, but beyond that I feel fine. Most of what I feel can be explained by the year long bed rest I think.” Twilight missed Rainbow motioning to Horse MD to keep quiet as the penlight swung over to her right eye, blocking her vision on that side momentarily. “We have sent a message to the Princesses to let them know that you have woken up. I imagine they will be—” Horse MD was interrupted by a blinding flash as Luna and Celestia appeared in the room with a loud bang. In a tangle of limbs and joyous cries Twilight was buried alive by the princesses as they threw themselves over her and wrapped her in a bone crushing hug. “Verily I am most pleased to see you have awakened young Twilight, today is indeed a most joyous occasion.” Luna said in between her tears, Celestia merely held Twilight tight as she silently sobbed and thanked the Cosmic Matriarch that Twilight had awakened. “As happy as I am to see both of you, could someone tell me what is happening. I want answers and that’s proven to be very difficult.” As the two alicorns disentangled themselves from Twilight they shared a worried look. Twilight was grinding her teeth slightly as her tail swished around under the covers. “Everypony seems to be dodging all my questions if they bother to acknowledge them at all. I can assume Rainbow lied about everypony else being in Canterlot since you two just arrived here.” “My dear Twilight,” Celestia began, “do you not remember what happened in your lab, the explosion—” She was cut of as Twilight sat straight up and was caught by Rainbow and Horse MD who pushed her back down gently. Twilight let her head fall against the pillow. For several seconds she lay in silence and when she spoke up it was slow and careful. “What explosion, did it hurt anypony?” Everypony in the room flinched and turned their eyes to the floor. Each of them actively tried to avoid Twilight’s eyes in whatever way they could. Luna shrank down and tried to hide behind her sister while Rainbow and Celestia hung their heads. Horse MD busied himself checking over her chart and the machines she was still attached to.“Oh no who was hurt? What exploded?” As she tried to use magic to help herself up in a panic, a migraine made itself known to her. Her head felt like it had been split in two and it caused her vision to double and swim. She fell back nauseated and in extreme pain. “Nnnngh...” was all Twilight could muster as she squeezed her eyes shut and took several deep breaths. Celestia gently put a hoof on her chest and began weeping anew as everypony else averted their eyes. “My dear Twilight, please be careful. We still aren’t one hundred percent sure what happened but...your injuries.” Celestia paused and her eyes flicked to Twilight’s horn for a moment before she locked her pink iris with the lavender ones as the peaked opened. “Among the extensive list of injuries there were a few to your horn.” Celestia paused, closing her eyes and taking a long calming breath. “Between the explosion and collapse your horn was...damaged. It cracked along it’s full length and...the leyline inside was fractured.” Twilight stopped nursing her horn, now looking at her mentor with a mixture of horror and sadness. Celestia looked away a little before pulling Twi close again. “I am so sorry, we tried everything we could but the leyline in a unicorns horn is very sensitive. The damage has healed and the leyline itself has even repaired grown back together slightly but there was nothing we could do to restore it completely.” The air in the room grew tense for a moment before the lavender pony seemed to break and fall in on herself. With a barely audible whisper she asked if she could be alone, curling up as best she could and turning her back towards everypony else. She pulled her pillow close and buried her face in it to cover the sobs that she couldn’t hold at bay. Her pillow rapidly turned to a darker color as her tears flooded into the fabric, staining it with the knowledge that she had lost her identity that her cutie mark was now just a simple meaningless tattoo. ~ ~ ~ Twilight groaned and rolled over, the events from just before she drifted off flooded her mind. She pulled a hoof over her eyes and stared at the lavender coat. It still looked the same, nothing had changed and yet everything had. All the magic hidden inside the leg was forever beyond her reach, no longer could she reach inside herself and pull out great feats of magical strength. There was nothing left of the world she remembered, in the short time she had been asleep everything had changed. Celesti only knows what had happened to her friends, let alone why Rainbow Dash was the only one there to see her wake up. Twilight rolled her head to the side with a heavy sigh. A small smile tugged at her lips as she saw Rainbow Dash by her bedside, sleeping with a Daring Do book in her lap and a small line of drool hanging from the corner of her mouth. Twilight gently sat up and looked around and noticed she was in a new room. Much like the first room it was clinical white but now there were fewer machines and moonlight streamed in through a window on the wall to her left. Twilight leaned her head back against the wall and tried to remember everything she could about the days leading up to the blank spot in her memory. There had been the big reveal and then Rainbow had gone missing. After weeks of searching nothing had turned up and she had met Applejack at the library. After that everything was hazy. She remembered screaming and fear and sadness but nothing to tie the emotions to. She couldn’t figure out why Rainbow was here and not AJ. It didn't make sense, something was off. Twilight started rubbing her temples to relieve the building pressure that was building the more she thoguht about it.It felt as if her mind was trying to tell her not to dwell on the matter and just let it go. She tossed thoughts around in her head, trying to remember anything until she fell asleep, her eyes fixed on Dash as she gently snored in the chair at her bedside. The last thought that crossed her mind before sleep claimed her was wondering where her friends were and why they were not there for her. ~ ~ ~ Two weeks had passed and Twilight had settled into the routine of the hospital. Mostly it involved sleeping or reading with the occasional check up from a nurse or doctor. She was hurt that nopony had visited her but the doctor said it was for health reasons that they had been turned away. The routine had continued unabated until one night, while reading one of the Daring Do novels she had missed out on, she had heard a hushed argument bleeding in from the hallway. “Rainbow Dash we need to tell her, she deserves to know how long it's really been, she deserves to know why no pony but you and the princesses have come to see her. We can't keep her in the dark much longer, it's not right.” Twilight couldn’t be sure what they were talking about but she was sure she wasn't supposed to be hearing it. She thought about saying something so they would know she was up, but her curiosity won out and she stayed silent hoping to hear more. Her curiosity would remain unsated though as Rainbow came trotting in slowly looking over her shoulder at who she assumed was Horse MD. “I will tell her, but not until I am sure she’s ready.” She turned her head and smiled when she saw Twilight awake. “Hey Twi I just got permission to take you out, I was thinking we could hit Sugarcube corner and get some cupcakes, maybe see Pinkie while we're there. We will leave in the morning, catch breakfast and get you some sunshine. You should go to bed and get some sleep, if you need anything I will be in my usual spot.” With that Rainbow trotted to small cot the nurses had set up for her and curled up. Twilight drifted off, the conversation she had overheard replaying in her mind over and over. ~ ~ ~ The next morning Rainbow shook her awake gently with a massive smile on her face and a twinkle in her eyes. Twilight really didn't want to go but Rainbow’s face melted her resolve and she reluctantly agreed. She couldn’t see the harm in getting out a little, get some sun, something that she probably needed. “Well if it's okay with Horse MD and Nurse Redheart I guess that sounds okay, but are you sure? I just woke up and they usually want to check up on me first thing when I get up.” Twilight gave a halfhearted rebuttal and shook her head. “I can’t believe you got them to agree.” Rainbow Dash just smiled. “It’ll be fine, I have some stuff to talk to you about and I don’t think this is a good place to talk about it.” Rainbow walked to the closest in the room and pulled out a wheelchair and wheeled it over to Twilight’s bedside. “Ummm do you need help getting in the chair, I mean if you want I can help.” “I should be fine Rainbow, it's not like I lost my legs or something.” Rainbow grimaced a bit but held her composure as Twilight slowly removed herself from the blanket, “I doubt I even really need a wheelchair to get around.” Twilight swung her back hooves over the bedside and lowered them to the floor. Shifting her weight she dropped to the floor and pitched forward onto her chin.”Oof! What the?” She pushed her hooves against the floor and rose to a sitting position. Her brow furrowed and her back end shook but stayed on the floor. She looked to Rainbow with a quizzical expression and then at her back legs. Her eyes misted over as she reached back towards her plot with a hoof. She traced a large scar on her flank that marred her cutie mark with the removal of one of the five smaller stars. She traced a jagged line over the missing star to a mass of scar tissue in the small of her back. "Rainbow, could you leave me alone for a bit. I... just leave me alone please." Her head dropped and her body started shaking uncontrollably. Rainbow stepped forward hesitantly to offer help and paused. She looked at Twilight sitting on the floor shaking in a mass of emotions she understood all too well. Turning from Twilight her head fell and she shuffled quietly out of the room, leaving Twilight to herself. Twilight’s sobs assaulted Rainbow’s ears as the door clicked shut and she slumped against it. For a second she considered going back to Twilight’s side but quickly dismissed the idea. The life Twilight found herself in, all alone with no pony but Rainbow visiting her. She looked at her back where her wings once sat and shuddered at the stump that was left of one and the mangled remains of the other one. Old haunting thoughts began swimming to the surface of her mind, thoughts she had tried to put out of her mind ever since the accident. Would I have left like the others did if I had my wings still, if my dream hadn't been shattered like our lives on that fateful day. As she sat outside Twilight's door thinking to herself she saw Pinkie approach. “Hey Pinkie hows the bakery and the twins?” “Things are good Dashie, Mr and Ms Cake are out of town so I am in charge of it, so how is she doing in there? Have you told her anything yet?” Rainbow cast her head down and shook it slowly from side to side. “Well silly you should, you said you would be there for her when she woke up soooooo,” She advanced towards Rainbow and kicked her through the door, following her in with a trill of, “let's get in there and cheer her up.” She quickly bounced over Rainbow and over to Twilight, flipping her onto the bed while shouting, “WELCOME BACK TWILIGHT! How were the dreams? Were they pleasant? I remember a dream I had yesterday about this giant cupcake made entirely from chocolate milk." Twilight just stared at her before breaking down into tears of laughter. “What are you talking about Pinkie? Really that's the first thing you say to me?” She looked over at Rainbow Dash and motioned her over. “You know, Dash here was about to help me over to sugar cube corner, if it's truly been a year then I'll bet your baking has improved some if it could at all.” Pinkie started bouncing around. “Really? Oooh I have this new carrot cake recipe with a banana frosting I know you'll love it, lets go.” Rainbow walked over silently and began helping Twilight into the wheelchair, and almost dropped her as Twilight's hoof came close to what was left of her wings. Rainbow looked back sheepishly before apologizing and quickly reaching down to help Twilight up again. “Rainbow don't drop Twilight, we don't want her going back to sleep again silly.” Pinkie quipped in before she bounced back and helped Rainbow get Twilight into the chair. “Dash...” Twilight paused and shook her head. “Sorry, I guess you still don’t like to be touched.” She was looking imploringly at Rainbow Dash who could only sigh. “Twilight, let's not talk about that now, lets get you some Pinkie Pie cupcakes and talk about the last year.” Pinkie looked at Rainbow Dash a little funny causing Twilight to furrow her brow in confusion. They then proceeded out of the hospital and onto Sugarcube Corner. As they made their way to sugarcube corner, everypony they met stopped them to give Twilight congratulations and condolences, neither of which were accompanied by a reason, which served to irk Twilight further. She met a lot of ponies who looked familiar but she couldn't place any of them. Twilight noticed that all the faces she could place looked older, and not just one year older. She also noted that some ponies seemed to avoid her or look at her with disdain. Twilight felt as though the town wasn’t seeing her but something else, something they had tried to forget and was now being flaunted in front of them. The three mares took their time moving across town and arrived at their destination just after the breakfast rush cleared out, leaving the place fairly empty and plenty of places for them to choose from. Rainbow looked around and spied a yellow pony with a red ribbon and quickly chose a table as far from her as she could. Pinkie darted off to the kitchen while Rainbow took a seat across from Twilight facing Apple Bloom and watching her in hopes that she would leave them alone, sadly though this just caught her attention. A quizzical look crossed her face and she slowly stood up and made her way across the cafe. Rainbow tried to motion her away without drawing Twi’s attention but it was nearly impossible because of where she was sitting and Apple Bloom was walking. With a gasp Apple Bloom sped up her approach, her eyes wide and mouth open slightly. “Oh by Celestia's wings, is that you Twilight, is that really you?” Twilight turned to look for whoever had spoken and stared for a second before asking. “Umm do I know you? I consider myself fairly well informed about the ponies around, though I have been out of the loop for a year now and I imagine some ponies may have moved in while I was out of the loop.” Apple Bloom paused for a second before getting teary eyed and grabbing her in a massive hug, “It's me Twilight, Apple Bloom. Sister to Applejack.” She choked up as she introduced herself to Twilight who was thoroughly confused. “Apple Bloom? It's only been a year how, could you have possibly grown so much in just one year? You can't be little Apple Bloom” Twilight was trying to grasp what she was seeing, AppleBloom looked like she was in her teens now at least, she had a cutie mark that looked like it meant construction. “Twilight really, it's been eight years-” she was interrupted by Rainbow Dash jumping up and trying to shush her only to fall into Twilight's lap. Twilight saw Rainbow Dash's back for the first time, completely unprepared for what she saw she gingerly brought her hoof up and touched the stump. Tracing the mangled wing with her eyes as her mouth silently moved in horror and sorrow. “Twilight, please calm down I can explain, just don't panic. Apple Bloom why did you have to blurt that out?” She was interrupted by Twilight's panicked scream as everything finally sunk in. The reason details were vague, the reason no pony wanted to let her see the paper or tell her how long she had been out. “Rainbow your wings! Apple Bloom your growth! What- what did that accident do? Have I really been in a coma for eight years?” She began to wheel herself slowly backwards as the panic set in. “What did I do to you Rainbow? What have I done to Ponyville? And my friends?” She suddenly spun the wheelchair around and took off towards the library, the one place she had always found comfort and safety in times of trouble. the last place she had called home. “Twilight no come back! We can explain. Please don't go to the library.” Rainbow took off galloping after her as Twilight booked it to the library in tears. When she finally caught up she expected to see Twilight in hysterics but instead found her sitting limp in her wheelchair, staring at what had become of the library. She opened and closed her mouth for a moment before the words materialized. "Rainbow, what is that? What happened to the library?" Both she and Rainbow looked at where the library was, and Rainbow read out what now occupied that space. "Here we commemorate honest Applejack. She gave everything to her friends and this town. May we never forget her last acts and forever remember her for teaching us that honesty is not always about telling the truth but an action truer than any words can ever say." Twilight slumped back, Rainbow barely hearing her request. "Take me back to the hospital Rainbow. Please." > Memories > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- As Rainbow dash silently wheeled Twilight back to the hospital, Twilight began to think back to her times with Applejack, specifically what happened before that Hearts and Hooves day eight years ago. ~ Eight years ago Twilight sat atop the hill eagerly awaiting Applejack, she couldn't stop fidgeting, thinking about what she was going to do. It started when she found herself watching her flank almost a month ago, she didn't understand it then but she had begun to fall for the mare. She had been spending more and more time with her, she had begun researching into farming and apples and other things she know Applejack was into. She had found myriads of reasons, big and small, to be at Sweet Apple Acres as often as she could, and growing depressed and listless whenever Applejack wasn't around. Tonight, she would take the plunge and let Applejack know all of this and ask her to be her special somepony for Hearts and Hooves Day. She noticed Applejack at the bottom of the hill, making her way up slowly, the closer she got, the faster that Twilight's heart began to pound until she was sure that Applejack could hear it from where she was now. She took some deep breaths and lit the candles, and then quickly snuffed them and secreted them in picnic basket with the wine. As Applejack made it to the top of the hill and sat beside her,Twilight could barely restrain herself. "Evening AJ, it's wonderful to see you. I hope you're hungry, I brought some dinner and I thought we could maybe eat and talk." “Of course Twi', ah'm feelin' a mite peckish.” They both sat down on either side of the blanket and Twilight brought out the sandwiches and wine. “So it's not much but I hope you like it, would you prefer wine or cider?” Twilight poured herself some wine while she asked. “Hmm some wine sounds good, it's been a heck of day fer meh.” Applejack smiled gently as she accepted the wine. “So what was it you wanted to talk about Twilight?” Twilight took a deep breath to calm herself. “Lately AJ, if you have noticed, I have been spending more time on your farm and around you. I have been looking forward to any time I can spend with you and trying to get as much as I can in.” Twilight paused and breathed slowly. “I have been unable to look at any other ponies or think much of other ponies without my thoughts drifting to you. I have found myself dreaming of spending time with you, of smelling the sweet scent of apples you carry and your gorgeous green eyes staring into mine. After much research and sleeplessness I realized why, I love you Applejack, and not just as a friend.” Twilight paused to collect herself and steady her nerves. Taking a few deep breathes before continuing. “I know that you may not reciprocate the feeling and that it may damage our friendship, but I had to get it out there. So my question is, Applejack will you be my special somepony for Hearts and Hooves Day?” Twilight sat looking at Applejack waiting for an answer, quickly finding herself more worried than she had been since she got an A- on a test. Applejack sat silently for a minute taking all this in. Had the Twilight Sparkle, the most socially inept pony she had ever met really just confessed to her? Not only had she confessed but she did it in a romantic location on a romantic evening, with food and wine. She could hardly believe it, but more surprising to her was that the mare she had wanted, yet thought she could never have, had similar feelings that she had locked away herself. Applejack took a long slow breath, “Twi' I never thought a day would come when you of all ponies...” Twilight's ears dropped and her head drooped a bit, “would fall in love. I had dreamed of a day like this since I met you when you first arrived but I had never believed it would happen.” Twilight's ears and head shot up with the biggest grin Applejack had ever seen. “Does this mean what I think it does.” Twilight could barely contain her excitement as Applejack smiled at her and leaned in to gently kiss her. “Yes Twi', I will be your special somepony.” Applejack whispered to her gently. They both crawled over to each other and began snuggling in the cold night air. “Twi', this may be hard but please don't tell my folks. I haven't told anyone but you now that I prefer the company of mares over stallions. If we can wait till ah'm ready I'd appreciate it.” Twilight smiled at her, “Of course, I would do anything for you. Plus this is new for me too, you're my first special somepony.” They both looked at the sky and sighed as they snuggled closer together, not wanting to let the night end. The next week was filled with the happiest times that Twilight could ever remember, even over those spent beside Celestia. She spent as much time with Applejack as she could, waiting for Hearts and Hooves Day when they would tell all their friends and then decide on who to tell next. The only damper on the week was Rainbow Dash, she seemed depressed and distracted, going so far as to avoid Twilight and Applejack, they decide to tackle this problem on Hearts and Hooves Day, after all, since when had Rainbow Dash ever missed a party? ~~ The promised day rolled around and everyone had gathered at the library for the party except for Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash. As soon as Fluttershy arrived, dragging along a sullen Rainbow Dash. Twilight and Applejack stood up. “It's great to see everypony today, Me and Twi' here have an announcement to make.” Pinkie piped up, “Ooh, is this about how you and her have been dating since last week?” Everyone stared at Pinkie with their mouths wide open, then they all turned to Twilight and Applejack who had gone beet red and were scuffing the ground nervously. “How did you know Pinkie? We've been keeping it a secret and I thought we were doing it quite well.” Twilight said a little sullenly, she had no idea how anypony could have figured it out. Pinkie smiled her massive grin, “I know everything that happens around Ponywille, sheesh. Plus Rainbow Dash sucks at secrets.” All eyes turned to Rainbow Dash. “Was that why you were avoiding me and Applejack Rainbow?” Rainbow Dashs' cheeks turned red enough to match the red in her mane and tail, before she turned and bolted out the door into the night. “Well that was plum strange, figure we should go after her Twi'.” Applejack looked to her marefriend with a worried expression. Twilight looked confused but shook her head after a moment, “I think I might know what's troubling her.” She mentally kicked herself for not seeing it earlier. “Well everyone, I guess that marks the end of the party, sorry Pinkie.” Everyone filtered out and went home except for Applejack and Twilight who smiled at each other and headed upstairs to Twilight's bedroom to talk and plan out how to approach the situation. ~~ It had been five days since the party and no one had seen Rainbow Dash since then, the worry from both Twilight and Applejack now almost palpable. “Applejack, I am really worried. No one has been able to find Dash since Hearts and Hooves Day. Something could be wrong, she could have crashed somewhere meaning that she can't fly and that she's lost and alone and scared and- ” Applejack placed a hoof on Twilight's mouth, “There's one place no-pony has looked yet, that's around the library. Ah thought we could look around for her.” Twilight looked a little confused, “I live here I'd know if she was hiding in the library somewhere.” Applejack sighed, “Have you checked your basement sugarcube. I know it's supposed to be off limits and all but that's what makes it a great place to hide.” Twilight gave her a confused look as she went to the basement door and to her surprise found it unlocked. She gently pushed it open and lit her horn up, casting an eerie glow into the dark basement. “You coming Applejack?” She looked over her shoulder to see Applejack nod and they both made their way into the basement below. They found Rainbow Dash in a corner, sleeping on a pile of towels Twilight used for cleaning up less harmful spills, gently trying to rouse her. Her eyes snapped open and she quickly took off, only just missing the ceiling, heading towards the other corner of the room before she spun around to see that it was just Twilight and Applejack. She landed and ruffled her feathers like she hadn't just been surprised. "Hey guys, what's up? Sweet stuff you got here Twilight, although you probably shouldn't be messing with liquid rainbow, that stuff is really dangerous." “Rainbow we need to talk.” Twilight said calmly, not really surprised that she was here. “How did you know about me and Applejack, and why did you avoid us over these last two weeks?” Rainbow looked around sheepishly before taking a deep breath, “I was lounging on a cloud near the hill watching the stars and thinking about my next awesome trick the night you confessed to AJ, I saw the whole thing from my cloud perch.” She breathed even deeper, “I have been avoiding you two because...” she looked embarrassed and a thoughtful look passed over her face for a moment before she turned a deeper shade of red and shot forwards, kissing Applejack full on the lips. Applejack could barely offer any resistance as she was knocked back against a table, causing a beaker of liquid rainbow to tip over and spill into the box it was resting on. Twilight had time to take a deep breath before her whole world exploded with a corona of color. ~~The present Twilight shook her head, bringing her mind back to the present. Question about the events following the accident swimming around her head in circles like a dog chasing it’s tail. What exactly had happened, why had the liquid rainbow exploded. In it’s liquid form it was fairly stable just caustic and had bad reactions to magic. Her thoughts drifted to the box she remembered it sitting on, what had she been keeping in the box. She thought for a second before it hit her, crystals. She had been experimenting with crystal spell matrixes, using crystals to store spells for a later use. The liquid rainbow must have caused one of the crystals to activate which caused a chain reaction with the liquid rainbow. How could she have been so careless as to leave live magic so close to liquid rainbow? If she hadn't been so careless then Applejack...Twilight’s thoughts ground to a halt as the importance of the statue hit her. Her head fell to her hooves as she pulled them up and she began crying into her hooves. Rainbow slowed to a stop as the sound of sobbing reached her ears. She locked the wheels and moved to face Twilight. Gently wrapping her in a hug she comforted her as best she could. Twilight leaned into the embrace and cried into Rainbow’s shoulders as Rainbow gently rubbed her back, forgetting the world around them as Twilight let the sorrow flow into the cyan coat she was held against. > Reunion > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- One week and not a word. Doctors and nurses had been in and out, trying to get her to open up but nothing. Rainbow sighed and let her head drop as she rubbed her forehead with hoof. She had tried staying in the room but Twilight had made it quite clear she wanted to be alone, and it only took two vases for Rainbow to get the hint. Maybe she should have been honest from the beginning, instead of trying to hide the truth. With a sigh Rainbow slide to the floor and covered her eyes with her hooves. To top it all of Twilight’s parents were due in and she had a feeling it wouldn't be a very pretty sight if Twilight’s father showed up as well. Rainbow’s ear twitched backwards and swiveled. Picking her head up slowly she placed an ear on the door and held her breath. The first signs of life came muffled through the door. The sound of a sad tune being hummed tickled her ear gently through the door. As words replaced the humming, blue lips slowly curled into a small smile. You are my sunshine, my only sunshine You make me happy when skies are gray You'll never know dear, how much I love you Please don't take my sunshine away. The other night dear, as I lay sleeping I dreamed I held you in my arms But when I awoke, dear, I was mistaken So I hung my head and I cried. Rainbow held her breath and crouched down, using a hoof to pull the handle down as she lowered. Nosing open the door she slowly moved into the room, letting the door slide down her back leg and close with a barely audible click behind her. She paused for moment, ears pivoted forward and eyes closed. Slowly she exhaled and cracked an eye open. Twilight was looking away and continued to sing. You are my sunshine, my only sunshine You make me happy when skies are gray You'll never know dear, how much I love you Please don't take my sunshine away. You are my sunshine, my only sunshine You make me happy when skies are gray You'll never know dear, how much I love you Please don't take my sunshine away. Please don't take my sunshine away. Please don't take my sunshine away. Without turning from the window, Twilight addressed Rainbow, “That first explosion, the one that knocked me out, what happened after it? I...I want to know what happened after...after everything.” Rainbow’s ears drooped and she shuffled across the floor. “Are you sure Twi?” “Rainbow I need to know. I need to know why I am still here and...” Twilight's words tapered off with a choked sob and she wrapped her hooves around herself before continuing. “And she isn’t.” A cyan hoof came to rest on Twilight’s shoulder and rubbed small circles. “It’s because she went back for you. She dragged me out and went right back in to find you.” “So it’s my fault that she’s gone. My fault that I am here now with you, alone in the world. Rainbow, can you tell me about the event after the explosion. In your own words, what happened after the accident.” Twilight turned and looked Rainbow in the eye with a pleading expression. “Please, tell me what you remember.” ~~ The day of the lab accident “Hold on Rainbow, I'll get ya out of here and go back fer Twi', just don't go passing out on meh” Applejack told Rainbow Dash as she hauled her up the stairs, through the rainbow colored smoke and towards the main floor. When she arrived at the main floor she took her bearings and headed for the front door, once out she saw most of the town gathering and screamed for someone to get the doctor. “Yer gonna be alright Rainbow, I gotta go back fer Twi' now, someone’ll be along to help in a sec.” Rainbow tried to scream at Applejack not to go back in but could only whimper, the pain along her back was to much. She watched and waited helplessly for a minute, before the library was wracked with another explosion. The side of the tree seemed to disintegrate and the tree toppled over towards the side that had blown away. ~~ Present Day “I blacked out after the tree fell, everything else I got second hoof, from the papers and gossip..” Rainbow took a deep breath before she began summarizing what she had read.“After the tree fell rescue ponies were able to get to the basement where they found Applejack lying over you, her back was burnt and she was barely conscious. From what I understand, she fought and screamed at them to take you up first. The papers said she was screaming about saving her mare, that you were more important than she was. They took you up together, I can bring you pictures of the rescue if you want.” Rainbow was a little fidgety, “After you both arrived she slipped into a coma for about a month. We had you both put in the same room, we thought it would help you both out.” Twilight sat there thoughtfully, “Does anypony know what the second explosion was? What in my lab could have killed her, I barely had enough liquid rainbow to cause the first explosion, let alone kill a pony simply from the fumes.” “Twi', the second explosion was probably from one of your other experiments. Nopony is a hundred percent sure why, but at least one, if not more, of your other projects had a violent reaction to the explosion. Between the rainbow fumes and the spell crystals we’re lucky it wasn't worse. With all that magic flying around in your lab Applejack was very lucky to survive at all. Honestly, we thought she was fine at first.” Rainbow bowed her head and wrapped her arms around herself, “All she could talk about while she was bedridden was how she didn't mind dying because she had saved the most important mares in her life.” Twilight sat with a thoughtful look on her face for a moment before turning back to the window. “That song, the one you walked into, she taught it to me.” Twilight hummed a little bit of the song with nostalgic look on her face. “Do you remember the smarty pants doll incident?” Rainbow nodded her head in confirmation. “Do you remember how I locked myself in the library for the better part of three weeks after it?” Rainbow looked up, “Kinda.” “It’s funny really when I think about it now but I digress, during that time I had only one visitor, Applejack. Spike let her in and she stayed with me the entire time. Trying to comfort me and help me come to terms with things. That was the song she would sing me to sleep with every night. Thinking back, that was probably when I first began to notice that I was falling for her.” Twilight's lips curled up in a tiny smile. “Even though I was so depressed and dejected, Applejack stayed with me and comforted me with that song. Every time my tears started she would sing that song till I stopped. She told me about how her mom taught her the song and her mom's mom taught her. She told me how she used to sing it to Apple Bloom when she would have nightmares. Even now, that song helps ease the pain.” Twilight began humming it as Rainbow Dash sat with slightly misty eyes. “Twilight,” Rainbow Dash began, “Applejack loved you to the end. I remember that first day after she woke up and how she spent it curled up next you in your bed. The doctors tried to get her away from you to check on your condition, but she was just so stubborn. In the end the just worked around her, shifting her so they could get everywhere they needed to.” Rainbow giggled a bit. “The doctors didn't have a clue what to do, they tried repeatedly to get her to a new room and they always found her back in your room. Even after she started to deteriorate she would crawl back into your room and curl up next to you.” Rainbow had a nostalgic look on her face as she reminisced. “Me, you and her, we had sleepovers all the time. Me and AJ would gather in your room and sleep by your side, man it made the doctors so nervous whenever they found us like that. I guess it’s why they were so willing to accept that she would give up her heart for you.” Rainbow slapped her hoof into her mouth suddenly. Twilight’s brow furrowed for a second. “She gave up her heart...for me. Wait, gave it up? Are you saying that I have her heart inside me? Not like figuratively but literally?” Rainbow looked away, “I wasn't supposed to tell you, but...yeah.” Twilight sat back and took a deep breath. and then another and another. “But why, when, why? Is that even legal?” Rainbow rubbed the back of her head for a few seconds, eyes darting about. “About two years after you had gone into a coma your heart started to falter. It looked pretty bad because there was no one to donate, at least until AJ stepped up. She offered hers to you since she knew she wouldn't be long for this world because everything but her heart was failing. How heart was going strong as the rest failed. She demanded they do a compatibility test, saying that she had one strong organ left and it only beat for one mare so it might as well go to mare and beat a song of life for the mare it belonged to.” Rainbow sighed. “At first they told her no. They told her that by the time she was gone her heart would be ineligible for donation and there was nothing that they could do about it. I never saw her look so determined as she did for what she said next. Her next speech was all about how she was gonna die soon so why not just switch out the bad ticker for the good one. Let her take the bad ticker and have some time for goodbyes and give you the chance to say good morning.” Twilight sat speechless, her mouth slowly opening and closing in shock. Applejack had given her her heart in every way possible. She rubbed her hoof over her heart, “So she sacrificed her life just so I wouldn't die, how could she do that to me? I would rather have joined her-” She was stopped in mid sentence by a harsh stinging sensation on her cheek that was quickly accompanied by the sound of hoof meeting flesh. Head reeling at the contact whilst trying to focus on what was now being yelled at her, “DON’T YOU DARE THINK THAT! DO YOU KNOW HOW HARD IT WAS FOR ALL OF US TO ACCEPT HER DECISION? SHE KNEW THAT YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO FIND HAPPINESS WITHOUT HER! SHE TRUSTED YOU TO CARRY ON FOR HER AND TO REMEMBER HER! DON'T YOU DARE THINK LIKE THAT!” Rainbow Dash, unable to continue, stormed out in tears. Twilight blinked a few times, unsure of what had just happened. Rainbow had gone from nostalgic sad to raging mad in seconds, and it didn't make sense to Twilight. Rainbow was many things but she never used to wear her emotions like that. Her thoughts continued to spin, trying to figure out what had just happened. Her stupor was broken by the sudden sound of a door slamming open. Her father sauntered in followed by Shining Armour and Cadence. “TWILIGHT SPARKLE! YOU HAVE SOME NERVE, NEARLY GETTING YOURSELF KILLED AND LETTING US FIND OUT THROUGH THE NEWSPAPER!” Twilight sat transfixed by her dad for a moment before she realized it was him. She tilted her head sideways and let out a little giggle. “Dad, are bucking serious?” Her giggling stopped and Rainbow was forgotten as she turned a death glare to her father. “You think I bucking care how much I hurt you, after everything you did to me, after everything I did to escape you. You think I give two shits about how...You...FEEL.” Twilight ended her sentence in a scream as she lashed out at her dad. Shining caught her hoof and the room fell silent, not even a cricket dared break the silence that filled every corner of the room. Slowly Cadence and Shining Armor wrapped their lavender sister in a hug and held her tight. Her lip quivered for a moment before she through her hooves around her BBBFF and her old foal sitter. “Shiny, Cadence, it’s so great to see you.” “We know Twily, we know.” Both of them released Twilight and took a step back. Shining spoke up with a slight smile. “Are you calmer now?” Twilight shook her head slowly. “Okay then.” Shining motioned his father forward. “Please hear him out.” “Twilight...” he walked over to her and wrapped her in his forelegs causing her to stiffen and clench her teeth. “I can't ever make up for the way I treated you after I found out you were a filly fooler, trying to send you away to be fixed...” Twilight hissed and her eyes darted to her brother who only nodded his head. She mouthed a few words at him and mimed strangling her father behind his back then a stabbing motion. Her father either missed it or didn't care and continued. “If your mom hadn't stepped in you and stopped me you never would have become the great pony you are, but I feel as though I caused this accident by chasing you away because of your filly fooling ways. I know it's dumb of me to think that, but I know that in some way, you were running from me. Your mom shared all the news she got from you over the years with me, it made me realize that I had to try and look past the prejudices I had been raised with and reach out to my only daughter, but I was too stubborn for my own good.” Twilight's fathers words became intelligible as the sobs took over. Twilight gently placed a hoof on her father’s head as indecision crossed her face. Part of her wanted to shove him as far away as possible, another part wanted to beat him and another felt sorry for him. The sheets on her lap were rapidly darkening as he sobbed and Twilight’s mind warred with itself over what to do. After several moments she opened her mouth, then closed it and chewed her lip. “No, I don’t forgive you, what you did...there is no excuse.” The sobbing grew louder. “But...” Twilight paused and looked at her brother and Cadence who both nodded and motioned for her to go on. “In light of recent revelations I can try...to...” Twilight’s face twisted like she was trying to swallow cough medicine as she trailed off. “I can try to give you...a chance. Just one, buck it up and it’s over. I don’t think you deserve and Celestia knows I would love to dance on your grave but...I don’t have a lot right now so you get one more shot. If you fail I will...I will find a way to make the rest of your life as miserable as you made mine.” Nightlight buried his face deeper into Twilight’s lap as he squeezed harder, the sobs redoubling in their efforts and the occasional, nearly incoherent yes drifted up from her lap. After a moment he raised his head. “I swear Twilight, I won’t waste this chance. I don’t know how I will do it but I will prove to you that I have changed, that I can find it in myself to, if not accept then look past that one part of you to see everything else. I swear to you I will do whatever I have to to make it up to you.” “Twilight, dear, I see your father beat me here.” Twilight's mother stood at the door to her room smiling gently. “It really was hard on him, these past eight years.” Shining and Cadence both walked up to Twilight with their mother. “Yeah, dad was livid about the filly foolery rumors in the paper...” Shining paused and stepped a little bit further from Cadence as she shot him a glare for using such a bias term.“but after he read about the coma and the chances of you returning being so small, he seemed to forget about the...unique view on love you have and was only concerned for you. He nearly quit his job when they tried to tell him he couldn't take a vacation to come see you, the police had to get involved to prevent him from doing anything. It was hilarious.” Twilight stared down at her father, not sure of what to make of what she was seeing and hearing. “Does he really care that much? I used to think that he hated me, after those threats he made I left because I thought he hated me. It was kind of foolish to cut off all ties with him but, he hurt me bad.” Twilight shook her head and sniffled. “I can't imagine how hurt he must have been when I told him that I never wanted to talk to him again before I left for Ponyville but at the same time I felt pleasure in knowing it hurt him but now...” Twilight trailed off a little and ran a hoof through her fathers mane. “The only thing I ever said to him after that fight was that I was leaving to come here to Ponyville and that I never wanted to see or hear from his bigoted flank again. Part of me was running away from him and honestly I had moments where I wanted to reach out to him but I was too stubborn. To stubborn to admit that he was my dad and too stubborn to admit I loved him whether he accepted all of me or not. I imagine it was the same for him. I never thought the day would come when I would see him cry over me like this, I never thought a day would come when I could see him as a father, even if I don’t think he is a father he certainly looks like one right now.” Her dad looked up at her as she said this. “Twilight, I will make every effort to be the father I should have been. It might take me a while but I will do everything I didn't do before. I had eight long years to to think about it, and I though I can never get the lost years back I will do everything I can to make the rest of them count.” Her father's sobs had subsided and he was trying to compose himself, “I will learn to shrug off my distaste of you bringing mare's home instead of stallions, I will learn to be there for you like I never was in that past. Most of all, I will love you no matter what you do and I will never let you go again, I will never let us drift apart like we have been ever since you first brought a mare friend home. Never again. I will take the chance you have given me and I will use it to build a relationship like we always should of had.” There was a sudden popping sound and Twilight flailed her hooves for a second before catching herself. She reached up and poked the tiny foal that now clung to her face. “Umm? Does anypony know anything about this blue foal stuck to my face?” Everypony but Twilight broke down into fits of laughter. “Aunt Sleeping Princess, you’re awake, now we can play.” The tiny blue foal dropped from the face hug into her lap and began shake from side to side. “Twilight, meet Crystal Twilight, your niece.” Shining and Cadence chimed at the same time. “She has a knack for diffusing serious situations and calming people down.” Cadence leaned into Shining. Twilight was breathless for second before scooping up the foal and squeezing her in a massive hug, “Ohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygod you are adorable.” Twilight could barely contain her excitement, she had been looking forward to her brothers children since the wedding. “She is adorable!” “Aunt Sleepy, are you okay? Your eyes are leaking.” Crystal asked as she put a hoof on Twilight's cheek. “Yes Crystal I am. I am just so happy right now, my brother has a child and I have sort of made up with my dad. This has been the greatest day for me.” Twilight said with the biggest grin as she nuzzled the baby foal. “Cadence, this is weird, Crystal never stays in one place this long.” Shining said as he leaned into Cadence. “I don’t think she has been this still; since she was born.” The foal suddenly popped out from between Twilight's hooves and onto her head where she snuggled into her mane and fell asleep. “Okay that is adorable, but still doesn't explain the lack of chaos that usually follows her around.” Cadence and Shining leaned against each other and sighed, “I have waited eight years for this. It’s a little awkward to be reuniting in the hospital like this but Luna be damned if this doesn't feel right.” Rainbow cleared her throat loudly making everypony jump. “I know this is a touching moment and all but- ummm- I...can I say something to Twi'.” Twilight looked at Rainbow. “Rainbow if it's to apologize about what happened earlier don't, I am the one who should be sorry. I lost it when I realized how I was still alive, and you were right about everything” Rainbow shook her head slowly as she walked up to Twilight and hugged her. “It's okay we were all saddened by her decision but we have had more time to accept it than you did, I should have been more sensitive to how you might feel about it.” “No you were right to lose it, there are better ways to find out somepony gave up their life so you could keep yours.” “She really did it then. I can’t believe it, she went through with it.” Night Light hung his head and sighed. “You knew?” Rainbow and Twilight chimed in at the same moment, eyes fixed on Twilight's dad. Night Light shook his head. “Yea, I did. She came to me for help in the matter. Something about needing consent from a family to perform the switch. Without my consent she never would have been able to receive your heart and give you hers in exchange. I was stunned when I got the letter and even more so when I met her. I don't think I have ever met a more honest mare in my life. She really loved you with everything she was. I hope you can forgive me for helping her do what she did. I know it’s not a great start but she begged me to help.” “Father, I can't bring myself to be mad, I want to be but she wanted it more than you from the sound of it. Maybe part of you had selfish reason but you still helped her, helped her save my life. A life I thought you hated you helped another mare save, that speaks worlds to me.” Twilight wrapped her dad in a hug, “Thank you for helping her give me her legacy and love. I will cherish the heart she gave me even more knowing it helped me rekindle my bond with my father.” The room grew silent as the rest of the ponies joined in on the hug and a small blue filly rolled over in twilight’s mane. “It's great to have you back.” Twilight’s family and Rainbow all spoke at the same time, none of them noticing the slightly pained expression in Twilight’s eyes. > Thoughts > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rainbow Dash gently closed the door to Twilight's hospital room behind herself, leaving Twilight alone with Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. They had been alternating on trying to help Twilight to learn to use her magic again and today was one of the rare occasions where they both showed to help. Rainbow left them alone when that happened, Twilight always seemed happiest with the two of them. On these days though, Rainbow found herself alone with her thoughts and with all the recent changes to life they tended towards things she tried not to think about. Old questions from her less...glamorous days resurfaced and danced around her mind like dust motes in a sun beam. One question though seemed to bubble up to the top more and more lately. Why had she stayed behind? Everypony else had moved on after Applejack died but she had stayed. She had the chance to leave when the Wonderbolts offered her an honorary position. They offered to let her handle media and training, sure it wasn’t flying but it was still the Wonderbolts. The day she had learned she would never fly again. The worst day of her life, the day she used to consider her death day. The day she had woken up, her thoughts slowly swam around the memory and she found herself remembering that cruel day again. The worst day ever, the day she had died, the day she had been reborn. She closed her eyes and let herself take a trip down memory lane, a trip she had let herself take in a very long time. ~~ “AAAAHHHHHHHHH” Rainbow Dash's piercing scream echoed up and down the hospital halls as she woke up from her medically induced coma. Doctor Horse came cantering in, sliding on the tile slightly. “Calm down Miss Dash, and remain still, we can't have you popping a stitch, NURSE GET IN HERE!” “What where am I? What happened?” Rainbow tried to look around from her position on her stomach but found that every shake of her head caused a shooting pain along her back. She tried to push herself up in hopes of getting a better view of the room but felt a gentle hoof on her withers. Horse MD began to calmly explain the situation as he pushed her back down onto the mattress. “Thank Celestia you didn't pop a stitch or re-open your wounds. Miss Dash, I need you to remain calm, there was an accident. You suffered some very extensive injuries but you're going to be fine we just need to you to stay calm.” The doctor took a deep shuddering breath, “Now as for your injuries, they were beyond our abilities to heal and we had to put you under. You have been kept asleep for almost two weeks now, the inuries are healing nicely but we need you to keep everything as still as you can.” Rainbow laid her head on it’s side trying to look at the doctor. “What accident, what in the name of Tartarus is going on? Where are my friends?” Nurse Redheart came trotting through the door before the doctor could answer leaving Rainbow’s question hanging in the air. “Sorry Doctor Horse I was with Applejack. We were having some difficulties with her,” she said the last part hesitantly as though she had been searching for gentler words, “We had to deal with it immediately.” She took a deep breath and turned to the cyan mare on the bed. “So Miss Dash, it's great to see you awake again, but we’ll need you to stay in bed for a little longer. I imagine Horse MD has been kind enough to tell you what has happened.” She gave both of them a smile that was a little forced when it passed over Horse MD. “Eh-he, um yes, I’ll leave you and Miss Dash to your examination now.” Horse MD said, making a quick exit to avoid the glare he was receiving from Nurse Redheart. “So Miss Dash, you and your friends, Twilight and Applejack, were in an accident in Twilights’ basement, and there were some unexpected complications.” Nurse Redheart busied herself, checking over Rainbow Dash’s condition and the fluid levels of the pouches around her as she spoke. “Your other two friends fared much less fortunately than you yourself did, though your injuries were no laughing matter. You’ve been held in a medically induced coma for roughly two weeks.” Rainbow let out a small squeak then tentatively asked, “What about Twilight and Applejack? Are they....” “No, thankfully they are just in a coma, still alive. Though it has been a bit touch and go with your friend Applejack.” She sighed, shaking her head, “Twilight has been unresponsive completely and is in a deeper coma than Applejack. We fear she may never wake up. As for you, your wings received the worst damage.” She paused a second. “My wings? Oh Celestia no, please tell me they are okay.” Rainbow was getting a little panicked as it slowly dawned on her why she was on her stomach. She tried to move her wings but stopped as agonizing pain from her sides made her whimper. “Please Miss Dash, refrain from moving your wing, it’s still healing.” Red Heart quickly checked the stitches as she spoke. Rainbow paused trying to turn her head back to look. “You mean wings right?” Her voice rose in pitch a little “RIGHT!” Nurse Redheart shook her head, watching Rainbow Dash as her expression grew desperate. “I’m afraid not Miss Dash, we had to amputate one wing. It was beyond saving and had to be removed...” Nurse Redheart was interrupted by a wail of anguish from Rainbow Dash. “The other was broken and is paralyzed.” Nurse Redheart took a seat beside the bed and looked at Rainbow “Miss Dash, I know this is hard for you, but you are lucky to be alive. I know losing your wing is horrible; it might even hurt more knowing that you still have the other one as a reminder of what you’ve lost. When you are better we can discuss whether you want to keep your remaining wing or if you want us to remove it as well.” With that said she stepped away and grabbed a wrap so Rainbow could roll onto her back. The room was quiet as she gently wrapped the wings and torso, her charge not uttering a single sound as she worked. Red Heart finished and looked at the broken mare in the bed, her head hanging a little lower than usually as she quietly left the room. ~~ Rainbow shuddered and shook her head, reaching back to her side superstitiously with a hoof as she came out of her thoughts. “Where did I go wrong? I lost everything in just a few short weeks and...and what?” She spoke to herself, shook her head and began walking towards the exit. “The accident, I cuased it but I don’t regret what I did. It took everything from me but it gave me something even greater.” She paused to look up at the skies as she spoke, watching a few pegasi move clouds away for the scheduled clear skies. “But shouldn’t I regret what happened. It taught me so much and it killed her but I don’t regret it. It hurts but is it wrong that I don’t regret it.” Rainbow sighed, “Why didn't I let myself move on? Why did I stay and wait for Twilight? What held me there by her side?” She walked up the hill that overlooked Sweet Apple Acres and took a seat under the tree at the top. As she sat under the tree overlooking Sweet Apple Acres she took a deep breath, savoring the scent of apples that lingered about the air. “Fluttershy buried herself in her vet work and Pinkie took over the bakery. They stayed in Ponyville, but I was the one who stayed by Twilight's side. I didn't do it for loyalty, well maybe some part did, I am the Element of Loyalty after all.” She let out a bitter chuckle and sighed deeply, before getting to her hooves and beginning the long walk back towards Ponyville. “My life didn't stall, did it? I found odd jobs to do and I rented an apartment, not that I stay in it often, but I do own one. I never really left the hospital though. I worked enough to pay rent and feed myself, but the rest of my time was spent by Twilight. Rarity used to joke that it was love, holding me by Twilights’ bedside. I used to think it was preposterous, but it's not that crazy, is it? I told myself I loved Applejack and no mare could replace her. Did I perhaps try to fill the hole she left with Twilight?” She found herself where the library once stood, staring at the statue of Applejack, “Did I stay because I loved Twilight? Or because I felt I owed it to her, and to you? Did I feel some strange sense of responsibility to both of you? Was I too afraid of a life without you and her? Was it the uncertainty of what I would do now that I had lost everything?” She stared up at Applejack, seeking answers from the stone, “Why did I have to hide in her lab? Why did I have to kiss you like that? Why was I such a coward? Why couldn't I have just talked it over with you and her?” She put a hoof on the statue, it felt cold. “I miss you AJ. I miss you more than I ever thought it was possible to miss another pony. I can never undo what happened and I don't know how I was able to move on. Is it selfish of me to think that neither of us regrets what happened, that you would have moved on just like I did?” She turned and leaned against the statue. “I don't think it was love or responsibility that kept me here, but then it wasn't the loss of my dream either. It's weird. I always seem to think in circles when I try to figure out why I stuck by Twilights’ side through the years. I’ve never found an answer, yet I’m okay with that, I don't think I needed one. There is no real reason I stayed, or at least, not one I care about. I stayed here because it was right. I didn't stay because of loyalty or responsibility or because of love. I didn't stay because I was afraid of the world without my dreams and you. I didn't stay because I had no other dream to chase.” She looked up at the statue, “I stayed because you would have wanted me to. I stayed because I loved you, and you loved Twilight. Maybe fear, loyalty, and uncertainty held me here, but ultimately, I did it because it was right and because it's what both of you would have wanted.” Rainbow wiped her eye with a hoof and chuckled, “I think I’m getting soft. I’ve cried so much since she woke up. Almost daily in fact. Ha! The great and wonderful Rainbow Dash, reduced to tears on a near-daily basis. Who would have thought I would ever grow so soft?” She stood up, walking to a bench facing the statue and sitting down. “Even though I stayed, there was a time when it was the hardest thing I could have done. After you died I wanted to leave Twilight's side, I wanted to run away and never look back. I blamed her for your death at first, for stealing you away from us. How could she have done that? It was so selfish of her. To be honest, I was jealous of Twilight, and jealous of the affection you gave her. Jealous that you gave her your life in the end. I never really hated her. I certainly felt like I did, but I never truly hated Twilight.” Rainbow lowered her head as she admitted this. “It was just so hard, watching you fawn over Twilight, day-in and day-out. From the moment you woke up to the bitter end, you found a way to stay by her side.” She looked at the statue, “Why couldn't you have seen how much I was hurting for you? Why couldn't you have looked at me?” Two dark trails began to form on her blue cheeks as she looked at the statue and her voice took on a bitter tone. “I was there too; I was hurt too, while all you saw was your sleeping princess. Why couldn't you have held me, just once, like you held her her? Why couldn't you comfort me like you comforted her? I loved Twilight too, and it hurt me to watch her lying there like she was dead. The worst part about it was that, more than once, I honestly hoped Twilights’ condition would suddenly worsen and she would die, just so you would look at me.” Rainbow paused and took a few deep breaths. “The first time I had those thoughts, I cried after they passed. It happened more often than I would like to admit, and then my wishes were answered, when Twilight’s heart started to fail, and the news about what you were going to do, came. The thought of losing you so that Twilight could live on in her coma, hurt me more than anyone. You never once discussed it with any of us. Sure it was probably the right decision, but why couldn't you have talked to us yourself instead of letting us find out like… like that. It hurt so bad, that I fled and never let you say goodbye to me. That’s probably my biggest regret in all of my life; that I never said goodbye to you Applejack. I just left after our last argument, telling you that I would rather see Twilight die than you. Me, the Element of Loyalty, decreeing that I was more loyal to my own desires than to my friends. No one ever realizes that loyalty is a two sided blade, that if you are loyal to one, you have to be disloyal to another.” Rainbow's faltered a little and dropped her head into her hooves for a momet. Rainbow felt somepony latch onto her leg and looked down, the eyes of a small filly meeting her own, “Hey squirt, what's up?” “You looked sad, like somepony that needed a hug. It always helps me.” The small filly smiled up at her with sparkle in her eyes. “So did it work, do you feel better?” Rainbow scooped the filly up, squeezing her tight and nuzzling her. “I do a little bit, thank you. Now run along, I’d like some more time to talk to my friend,” Rainbow waved a hoof at the statue, “before I go back and talk to my other friend.” Rainbow watched the little filly scamper off and turned back to the statue. “I never used to like foals that much Applejack, always running around too much to pay any attention to them. Sure, I took care of Scootaloo a lot, but I never stopped to look at her. She was like the rest of the scenery that I never stopped to look at, but after the accident all I had left was memories of the scenery. It hurt so much to know the landscapes that I took for granted before, were all lost to me now. I still remember the wide open blue sky, the feel of my mane whipping around in the wind. I remember how the wind felt in my feathers and the forces on my body, as I pulled off my tricks. I remember floating above your farm just watching you work. I remember teaching Scootaloo the basics of flight and flying besides her as she flew for the first time.” Rainbow sighed, “That accident made me so bitter, so hateful, and so sad. Most of all the accident left me filled with anger. Anger at everything. I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about it. I’ve spent too many hours on a couch talking about it. Talking about all the guilt I felt about the feelings that went through me, watching you fawn over Twilight. I know everything I felt was mostly due to my own problems but there’s still a part of me which will never be able to truly forgive you for what you did.” Rainbow curled up on the bench, still looking at the statue. She took some deep breaths and dried her eyes on her fetlock. “I will never forgive you for leaving us like that. I have accepted it and that it won't change. But I will never forgive you. I can never forgive your decision to not tell us until it was over and done with. Everyone was devastated, when I walked in to see where you’d been all morning and saw those matching bandages on you and Twilight, I was devastated. I had heard the rumors but thought they were insane. I really am sorry for everything that I said that day, but I can't forgive you for not letting me know before you went through with it.” Rainbow took a steadying breath. “Did you know I watched as you said your goodbyes? I saw your heartfelt goodbye to your family, I don't think I’ve ever seen Big Mac cry so much, he even out-cried Applebloom, and she could cry. She doesn't really cry at all now. She says she cried all the tears she could ever produce over you. Your goodbye to Rarity was quite touching as well, letting her design a dress for you to be buried in. It's a miracle she finished it in time with all the crying she was doing making it, and letting Pinkie Pie arrange the funeral and the party to commemorate your life? That was brilliant sentiment. It was probably the greatest party and send off she ever threw. She actually mellowed out after that party, like she knew she would never be able to top it.” “And Fluttershy? I don’t think I have ever seen her so distraught.” Rainbow shook her head and looked off into the horizon. “As soon as she could she left, went off to some nature reserve or something. I have gotten a few letters from her but for the most part none of us talk anymore. Between losing you and Twi we drifted.” Rainbow got up again and walked over to the statue, placing a hoof on it. “After everything that happened to me and all the hurt that the accident caused, the only regret I have ever had was hurting you, and not letting you say goodbye to me. I was just so lonely. You were right there and yet you were miles away. Have you ever felt like you have no place left in the world? I would never feel the embrace of the sky again; I would never feel your loving embrace, reserved only for Twilight. I could never achieve my dream that I had been chasing since before I got my cutie mark. It was terrifyingly lonely. I was afraid to be honest, not just lonely but terrified. It only got worse as you and Twilight deteriorated, the fear was overwhelming the day you told us you had saved Twilight.” Rainbow traced her hoof down the leg of the statue to the plaque.. “I know now, that that fear was stupid, but it was so horrifying for me back then. After you died, I worked hard and I took your place by Twilight's side. I don't know if I truly love her or if it's something else, but a small piece of me feels for her. I once thought it might be because she held your heart, but I know now that it isn't. She can never replace you, but she’s gained a place next you in my heart. Even if I don't love her like I love you, she is still as special to me as you were.” Rainbow stood up and turned her face to look the statue in the eye, “Thanks for listening again AJ, I’m gonna get going. It's late and Twilight should be done with the princesses by now, so I was thinking I’d grab some cupcakes for her and surprise her. I’ll be back again sometime.” Rainbow said over her shoulder as she headed off to Sugarcube Corner, feeling slightly better than she had for a while. She found herself whistling a bit with a spring in her step. That all came crashing down when she saw Twilight sitting at a table in front of Sugarcube Corner with a stetson that had singed edges and holes burnt through it. Twilight sat with the hat in front of her, her shoulders visibly shaking as she held a small piece of paper in her hooves. Rainbow darted up to her and wrapped her in her hooves; Twilight returned the embrace, weeping silently as she buried her head into Rainbow’s chest. Rainbow looked at the letter on the table. It read: My Darling Twilight, First off I would like to say I'm sorry. I left you to fend for yourself in a new world without my voice and guidance. If you’re reading this, then they performed the surgery and I am with you in a small way. I left you with my heart, as I promised, and I took a piece of you with me. I know it's going to be hard for you, but I believe you can do it. I will always be with you, even if you can't hear me. I imagine you'll have Rainbow by your side as well, to help you with things. If she is, tell her that I say goodbye and I forgive her for everything. Tell her that I am sorry that I neglected her in the end; I did it because I couldn't bear to see her without her wings. Most of all, my dear Twilight, know that I love you with everything I was and I tried my hardest to wait for you to return to me. Whatever you do, don't let yourself grow depressed and don't let yourself forget that our friends, no matter where they are, are there for you. Your Love Applejack > Beginnings > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Somewhere over the rainbow Way up high There's a land that I heard of Once in a lullaby Somewhere over the rainbow Skies are blue And the dreams that you dare to dream Really do come true Someday I'll wish upon a star And wake up where the clouds are far Behind me Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me Somewhere over the rainbow Bluebirds fly Birds fly over the rainbow Why then, oh why can't I? If happy little bluebirds fly Beyond the rainbow Why, oh why can't I? As Rainbow Dash finished singing she gently kissed her new roommate just below her purple horn, “Sleep tight Twi, I’m here for you.” Rainbow looked at the sleeping mare and remembered how hard the first few days had been for Twilight after she was discharged. ~~ The first few days after Twilight had woken up had been the worst and so far she seemed to be recovering greatly. So great that the doctors had declared her fit to leave. THe question of housing had come up and Rainbow jumped on it right away, inviting Twi to come and live with her. Twilight was hesitant but Rainbow had been insistent, the doctor had finalized it by saying that somepony would need to look after Twilight for awhile. The majority of the first day saw a purple colored blur darting from room to room, taking in everything about the sparsely decorated apartment. The inquisitive guest finished off her exploration on the balcony, staring up at the sky with a faraway look in her eyes. At first the cyan host hadn’t thought much of it, she knew that her guest needed space to work through things but as the third hour of Twilight starring into the sky passed Rainbow began to worry. Dinner was even more unnerving for the pegasus. When she brought twilight dinner she seemed startled and disoriented and wasn’t even aware that any time had passed at all. It took Rainbow several minutes to bring her down from the panic attack and then the silence started. Twilight at her meal without blinking or speaking a single word. No matter how hard Rainbow pushed her to open up it ended in failure and a stoic statue like stare from her friend. The next challenge presented itself in sleeping arrangements. Rainbow didn’t have a spare bed and opted to give hers to Twilight while she would spend the night on the couch. Close enough to come running if Twilight needed anything but not so close as to seem overly protective. When Rainbow tried to leave though two lavender hooves wrapped around her shoulders from above and a soft sniffling tickled at her ears. Twilight begged Rainbow to stay, babbling about how lonely it felt to sleep alone and how scared she was of the coldness of having nopony near her. It hadn’t taken much from Twilight before Rainbow found herself in a lavender vice and the sounds of soft snores played in her ears. Shortly after she managed to drift off she found herself awakening to a sharp pain in her side. Lavender hooves thrashed in her visions and the sound of scared whimpers filled the room. It took some trial and error but she found if she held Twilight’s head to her chest and rubbed her mane while whispering to her that she would calm enough to sleep in relative peace, though the bruises on her stomach and sides proved that she was still prone to thrashing about in her sleep. She tried a few other methods from time to time, hoping to find someway that could maybe save her from the thrashing but all it served was to teach Rainbow how strong Twilight still was, even after eight years in a coma, forcing Rainbow to relent and stick to simply it soothing Twilight. It happened the again the night after that and the night after that as well. On the fourth night Rainbow remembered an old song her mother sang to her. Rainbow was by no means a good singer but sitting there holding onto Twilight she found the song came out wonderfully and if the calm gentle breaths coming from her lavender friend were any indication, Twilight enjoyed it just as much. THat was the first night in far too many nights that Rainbow got a good rest herself. After that night it became a nightly ritual for her to sing to Twilight whenever the night fears surfaced in Twilight’s mind, snuggling close to her after and holding her tight so she wouldn't feel alone. ~~ Rainbows thoughts returned to the present, a concerned look passing over her face, as she began thinking about the things she had noticed over the last week. Twilight might look and act like she was holding up fine, but there were signs to the contrary. Often time Twilight would stare out a window at the sky with a blank face, or she would stop talking mid-sentence and trail off into silence, looking into the distance with unfocused eyes. There were the nightly fits that she had to stop with the lullaby, and there was also the crying when she thought she was alone. The strangest and most worrying thing was the random crying. Twilight would be talking or smiling and laughing but tears would stream down her face. She never seemed to notice the tears when it happened. Rainbow had no clue what to make of it and Twilight refused to see a therapist about it. With a sigh Rainbow looked down and kissed Twilight on the forehead. Tomorrow was another day and she could try again to tackle some of those problems. Smiling gently she snuggled down under the covers and up against her lavender friend, drifting off to sleep with a content smile that she shared with her companion. ~~ Rainbow didn't get a chance to talk to Twilight until the next night, they’d had a busy day writing to Rarity and Fluttershy and helping Twilight learn to move her wheelchair with help from the leylines the Princesses had woven into the chair to allow movement with a minimal amount of magic. The chance came that night when Rainbow awoke with a start, realizing that Twilight hadn't started her usual thrashing caused by her night terrors. Instead, Twilight was missing completely, Rainbow panicked for a second before she noticed a silhouette, sitting on the balcony and staring up at the sky. She walked over to Twilight and gently lifted her from the wheelchair to the bench next to her, wrapping a hoof around her. Twilight took a deep shuddering breath, glancing up at the intruder, “Rainbow, where did you come from?” Rainbow breathed in the night air for a moment before looking back at Twilight, “I'm sorry, I noticed you weren't in bed and I thought you might like some company out here.” Rainbow smiled warmly at Twilight before sighing, “Twilight, I know you don't want to talk about it, but I am worried. You act like you're fine but I can see that you’re not. You drift off, you cry without knowing you are, you lose yourself in the sky constantly. It's worrying me, please let me know what you’re thinking, I could help.” Rainbow gently stroked Twilight's mane as she spoke. Twilight thought for a second before looking across the balcony again. “Rainbow for you it's been eight long years, but for me it's been the blink of an eye. I went to sleep and woke up in a world I couldn't fathom. I saw you, crippled and in pain, the love of my life gone forever, and my friends had all drifted away. All this happened while I peacefully slept the years away. I woke up a month ago and saw a world that had forgotten about me. I held you back; I wasn't even awake and I took you away from the world. I look at the sky and I wonder if this is how Luna felt when she returned, trapped in a world which had forgotten her and left her behind. I wonder if the world even noticed that I left.” Twilight started sobbing, “I keep pushing you away because I don't want to do this to you… I want you to live your life again. I don't belong in this world.” Twilight paused to breathe, steadying herself. “I’ve taken, not just one, but two wonderful ponies from the world. I know you might not see it that way but I held you back. I took a living pony from the world and locked it in a room with me without even realizing I was. I stopped you from moving on with the world and held you back with me. You left this world because of my actions and carelessness.” “The worst part is that I feel like I should be hated. I robbed this village of two wonderful ponies, and nopony even seems to care that it was my fault. Applebloom forgave me, I stole the closest thing to a mother she ever had and she forgave me. She gave me the hat that AJ wore all the time and she forgave me. How can she forgive me? She should hate me. Applebloom should want to kill me, take revenge, but instead she forgives me. Then there's you, you were so loyal to me, but I held you back, your dreams were gone and I held you, with chains of loyalty I didn’t deserve, from finding more while I slept. I wasn't even aware of it but I couldn't let you go, I forced you to watch the world move on while everyone forget us.” Twilight buried herself in Rainbow's chest as her she sobbed harder, “Then there's this feeling that I failed Her, and instead of hanging onto her memories I find myself moving on. I find myself looking at someone else like I looked at her. I just learnt she died, but it still doesn't seem real and I find that I’m already moving on. I failed her because I constantly stare at the sky, wondering about the easiest way to join her. I want to end my life, but her gift,” Twilight placed a hoof over her chest, “beating in my chest, stops me. I can barely get myself up every morning, I just want to keep sleeping forever, but listening to the beating of her heart reminds me how mad you got and how mad AJ would be at me for these thoughts, and so I drag myself out and plaster on a smile. I feel it beating in my chest, each beat feeling like another link in a chain, tying me to a life I feel I don't deserve, and a life I desperately feel should end. It’s a life that I’m no longer part of, a life that is eight years older than I am and has forgotten me. It's a life that exists without me and yet here I am, forcing myself onto it.” Rainbow shuddered slightly. “I...I” Rainbow closed her mouth and pulled Twilight close. She hadn't ever stopped to think about how long she had to come to terms with everything as opposed to Twilight. Everything Rainbow had had time to deal with was only just starting to hit Twilight. She remembered how hard it had been for her and could only imagine how hard this was for Twilight. She pulled Twilight in closer and whispered, “I am sorry.” Twilight sobbed harder, “Why are you sorry? Everything was my fault. I was careless in my lab and I robbed you of your dreams because of it. I robbed this world of a wonderful pony because of it. I shouldn't be forgiven, yet everyone is so forgiving. I can't stand it, I don't deserve forgiveness. I deserve hatred and loathing, not forgiveness. I am the most powerful unicorn since Starswhirl and I couldn't do anything because I was unconscious. I couldn't save the mare I loved or my best friend, all because I was too stupid to see a world outside my books.” Twilight was nearly hysterical by this point. “Why did the world forget me and you? Why didn't you forget me too and move one? Why did you have to stay and let the world go on without you? I don't deserve you, I don't deserve this life. You deserve so much better, you deserve to live in the world. I stole it from you and I couldn't do anything about it.” Twilight paused to breathe for a minute before continuing, her voice much quieter now. “Applejack was a better pony than me; she deserved to be here today not me. I can't even perform great magic anymore; the princesses could only give me false hope for a chance to return to the unicorn I once was. I can do no more than help myself in and out of the wheelchair and move the wheelchair, without risking my magic forever. I’m useless now, but AJ would have been able to continue on the farm doing paperwork. I lost my home and my job; my dreams have turned into the same ashes as my home. AJ deserves to be here, not me. I should be the one remembered in a statue with nothing but a plaque to let people see who I was, not Applejack.” Twilight's sobbing had resumed full force as she continued pouring out her soul to Rainbow Dash. Rainbow kept stroking her mane, “Twilight, I know it hurts, but it’ll pass eventually. Applejack doesn't deserve to be here anymore than you do, she chose to let you continue because she loved you and wanted to give you the chance. She knew that you would find a place for yourself, even without magic you are a great unicorn. You are a brilliant pony, with or without your magic.” Twilight clutched Rainbow even tighter, and began speaking again. “What good are the Elements of Harmony with one dead and another who has lost their virtue? I was the protector of harmony and now I am nothing. I am nothing but a weak, crippled, unicorn. You have lost your wings but there is still so much you can do. I lost my magic and my legs and have nothing left. What can I do? I can read books. What a wonder that is. I can do what anypony with an education can do. What am I without my magic and the ability to wield my element?” She clung tightly to Rainbow, tears streaming down her face and mingling with the soft cyan fur of her friend. “Twilight, you may not be the Element of Magic any more but you are still Twilight the smartest pony in Equestria today. You are also Twilight Sparkle, the mare I couldn't live without. I lost my dreams with my wings, but after Applejack passed I had a new dream. I dreamed of the day you would wake up and everyone would get together again, and things would be happy again. I told myself that Twilight wouldn't sleep forever and someday we could share the memory of Applejack together.” “Would you like to know why I kept one wing Twilight?” Twilight nodded slightly. “I kept it because it makes me think of you. I have one wing that is nothing but a stump full of memories, like my feeling for Applejack, the other is a maimed and scarred wing, it may look useless but I can still feel the elements through it. I can tell the weather with it, I can stretch it out and feel the wind in it. It isn't the same wing but it's still there and it helps me remember the things I forgot. That wing is like you, it’s different now, but if you think about it and look at it you can see how great it once was and how great it still is, even though it is so different than before.” Rainbow flared out her remaining wing with barely a wince and flapped it. “This wing is still a wing, even without the ability to do what it once did, and even if it looks ugly it has its own beauty in its ability to survive. It still has the ability to hold things and move them; it can still be useful even though it's lost the ability to do its original functions. It's still a beautiful wing.” Rainbow stroked Twilight's mane lightly, she knew that she had been lying to herself now. Rainbow knew that every time she had said she wasn't falling for Twilight or that she didn't love Twilight, she had been lying. She could feel it as she spoke, she could feel the warmth in her chest. She could feel the same warmth that had once only appeared whenever she was near Applejack. She knew she couldn't let Twilight know yet, the poor thing had more than enough to deal with. Rainbow continued, switching away from the topic of her remaining wing as she folded it back to her side. “Twilight the day you woke up, my dream that I had after I lost Applejack began to bear fruit. Now that you’re awake, we can all come together again and remember the times gone by. We can tell you about the world you have missed and the world you’re now in. This world hasn't completely forgotten you yet, there are still those in it who won't let it. Now that you’re up, those who kept you alive in the world can tell you of the years you missed.” Twilight released her hold of Rainbow Dash and looked up at the sky again. “I don't know Rainbow; I don't feel like I really belong in this world. It’s moved on without me for eight years already, maybe there’s a place in it for me, but I don't know if I want to find it, or if I even have the strength to. Everything I had is gone, eight years has seen to its erasing. All I have left is you and what Applejack left me. The princesses are still here, but even they’ve had to continue without me. Luna is perhaps the only one who can empathize with me, she lost a thousand years. Compared to her, my plight is nothing, but it feels like it’s worse somehow. Luna lost her sister; she didn't have a lot other than that to lose. When she returned, she was never recognized as Princess Luna, but there were still remnants left of what she had done. I left nothing; I have no remnants that I left. My friends left, they moved on and forgot me. They left me like they would a useless tool, it was wonderful and they loved it till it broke.” Twilight began to weep again, “I’m only in this world because a forgotten pony chained me to it. I love that pony, but who really remembers her? To everyone else she’s a memory and life has moved on. I am the same now, just a memory brought back into the world. I’m a memory with a body that has no place in the world it's been chained to. You tell me that things can be picked up and fixed and we can resume where we left off, but that's impossible. The rest of my life will be spent trying to regain the time I lost, how is that any way to live?” By the time Twilight finished talking she was crying full-on into Rainbow's chest once more. Rainbow stared at her friend, afraid to speak lest it upset Twilight more, instead, she pulled her in for another hug and kissed her forehead, remaining like that for several minutes until Twilight's crying died down and she had ceased sobbing. “Perhaps you’re right, but what if you chose to not try and regain what you lost, but you choose to start over instead. Begin making new memories with new ponies, restart your friendship studies. Those ponies you once knew are now new ponies for you to get to know. You don't have to try and make up for lost time; you can just continue from where you left off. I’d want you to, but if you don't think you can, let’s just start from square one and get to know the new ponies who you knew in a past life.” Twilight paused and stared at Rainbow Dash with her tear stained face, “Since when have you been so insightful? You were always so rash and now you have insightful help. Maybe you’re right. You’re not the pony I knew and yet you are.” Twilight pulled Rainbow close and snuggled up to her. “I think I’ll take your advice. I can't shake everything and I still don't know if I can keep living in this new world, but I can try. I can try and meet new ponies and make friends with them. It will be hard since I remember who they once were, but I think if you’re there with me, maybe I can make it. You are one of my reasons for not running away from this new life I’ve been given.” Rainbow took a deep breath, “Twilight if you feel any of those thoughts again, please tell me. I worry a lot about you right now. I didn't realize how hard things have been for you and the fact you kept it a secret worries me the most. Promise me that the next time you feel like ending it, you’ll talk to me sooner. I’ve waited eight years for you to return and I don't think I could take it if you left me again. I’ve already lost one pony I love… I don't think I could handle losing another. Pinkie Pie, I know wouldn't be able to take it, she took the Applejacks death harder than any of us. So please, if those thoughts plague you again, tell me.” Twilight smiled at Rainbow, “Of course, you are currently my anchor to the world and I need to trust you. I still love Applejack and I always will… but I can't cling to it, she wouldn't want me to. She’s still here in a way, and even if I don't feel strong enough to keep going, I have you to lean on.” Rainbow smiled warmly, “That's all I need you to know, if you need a shoulder to cry on or a pony to lean on for support, that's me. I’ve been by your side for eight years, dreaming of the day you would wake up again. I swore that when you awoke, I’d be there for you as Applejack would have been if she was there.” Rainbow gently picked up Twilight again, “Let's get to bed; Fluttershy said she’ll be returning tomorrow in her letter and I think you should be rested for this one. We should also find a way to thank Ditzy Doo for getting our letters out in one day, and managing to bring a letter back with her in the same day too.” She lay Twilight in the bed and crawled in next to her. Twilight snuggled up against her and drifted off. Rainbow wrapped Twilight in her arms and nuzzled her. She waited until she was sure Twilight was asleep, before whispering to the sleeping mare, “I love you, I see that now. I lost Applejack, but you filled the hole she left, I still love her, but I know she’s gone and you’ve taken a spot next to her in my heart. Please never leave me again.” The sleeping Twilight smiled and snuggled closer in her sleep, the best sleep she’d had since she woke up. > Old Acquaintances > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fluttershy leaned against the cool glass of the window and sighed, her eyes staring at a sand dune off in the distance that seemed to be going along with the train. Turning away from the window at the sound of a clatter she saw her to foals up on the luggage rack a few seats down on the other side of the car and it brought a small smile to her lips. “How ya feelin’ Fluttershy?” A massive red stallion that sat across from her turn from his window to look at the butter yellow pegasus who smiled back at him. “I’m fine, just...lost in my mind.” Fluttershy turned to look at the foals. “Do you ever wonder what might have been Big Mac?” Big Mac tapped his chin with a hoof and shrugged. “Eeenope.” The two foals jumped down from the luggage rack, one thumping onto the floor while the other glided across the car and landed on the seat next to his mother. “Hey mom, why are we going to Ponyville?” The other foal ran up and jumped up next to her father. “Yea, you and dad never want to leave Appleoosa, so why now?” Big Mac and Fluttershy both patted their respective foals with a smile. “An old friend of ours has woken up from her really long nap and we thought it might be nice to meet her again.” Fluttershy turned to Big Mac. “And your dad wants to see the old farm and his baby sister again.” Big Mac smiled and scooped the filly at his side into a hug. “I bet you and Apple Bloom would get along great.” “Do you think you and mom will ever get married?” The young filly looked at her dad with a big smile while her brother piped up. “Yea, I bet the farm in Ponyville would be a great place to get married.” Fluttershy blushed slightly and coughed into her hoof. “We have been over this Honeycrisp. Me and Big Mac don’t feel that way about each other. We didn't mean to have you two but we don’t regret what happened for a single moment. We love both of you more than you could possibly ever imagine.” Big Mac nodded. “Eeyup. Me and yer mum ain’t compatible like that. We gave it a go and it didn’t work out, but we don’t regret it.” Honeycrisp looked at his sister and smiled. “So Honeysuckle, what you think Aunt Twilight is like.” Honeysuckle tapped her chin. “Well mom says she was a wonderful pony. Really smart and kind and loyal. She always put others before herself and always stepped up to the plate. She kinda sounds like a teacher. Oh maybe she is and she could teach us all sorts of things while we’re visiting.” Suddenly the train whistle blew and all four ponies looked out the window and saw a train station in the distance, an easily discernible blue dot sat behind a purple one. Fluttershy perked up and a tear formed in the corner of her as she stood up and moved towards the door while Big Mac got the children’s luggage down with his own and Fluttershy’s. The two foals watched their mother quizzically as she stood by the door, almost prancing from side to as she waited for the doors to open. As they opened she shot out and the kids slowly followed their father out. ~ ~ ~ “Twilight are you ready for this?” Rainbow sat beside Twilight at the train station watching a train approach. “I don't know Rainbow? Seeing her after eight years, it feels weird.” Twilight twirled her hoof on her thigh. “With you and Pinkie I didn’t have much of a choice because you live here, but Fluttershy, I’m not so sure about.” Twilight nervously fidgeted in her wheelchair as the train got closer. “Are you sure about this, Fluttershy has always been kind of emotional.” Rainbow grinned, “Don't worry you will love it and you will love seeing Flutters again.” The screeching of train brakes sounded out as the massive hunk of steel and wood slowed to halt in front of the two ponies. As Twilight watched the doors open she could have sworn time had slowed to a crawl and someone had turned up the volume of her body. Her heart thudded loudly in her chest as her breaths came in shorter and shorter gasps in time with the slowly opening door. Her mind conjured up hundreds of different possibilities but ultimately came up short as she found her chaired flipped on it’s back and her eyes staring at a cloud that floated across the sky listlessly.. The sound of her name caused her to look down at her chest were a mass of pink obscured her vision. The mass sobbed happily into her chest causing the ends of each strand of mane to tickle her slightly. Twilight reached up and gently placed her hoof on the ponies and smiled happily. “Hi Fluttershy, it's been awhile.” Twilight gently stroked the pink mane as Fluttershy buried herself deeper in her chest. “How are you, you been doing alright? The Fluttershy took some deep breathes and smiled up at Twilight as Big Mac righted the wheelchair and Twilight together. Twilight froze as she noticed the massive red stallion behind her with a hoof on the wheelchair. She stared up at his kind eyes for several moments before Fluttershy started talking again, bringing her attention back to her friend. “Twilight...” Fluttershy sniffled and squeezed tighter. “I am so glad. I missed you so much.” Fluttershy pulled her face out of Twilight's chest and looked her square in the eyes. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t there for you when you woke. Can you ever forgive me?” Fluttershy’s lip quivered as tears dripped from her eyes. Twilight smiled and leaned down to nuzzle Fluttershy. “There is nothing to forgive. You had a life to live, I am just glad you could visit me.” Fluttershy turned to Big Mac and nodded her head then turned to a quizzical Twilight. “I have a surprise for you, and it’s a bit of a long story so lets just start with introductions.” Fluttershy turned and motioned to two small fillies. They peaked out from behind Big Mac and looked at Twilight with large curious eyes. The first one was an earth pony the same coloring as Fluttershy and the second was a pegasi the same coloring as Big Mac. “This is Honeysuckle and Honeycrisp. Honeysuckle is my earth pony daughter and Honeycrisp is my pegasi son.” She patted them on the head respectively and then turned to a slowly approaching Big Mac with smile and leaned against him. Twilight sat dumbfounded, Fluttershy was a mother, and Big Mac was the father. It also seemed like motherhood had done wonders for her shyness. She hadn't seen any signs of the Fluttershy who used to apologize all the time and hide behind her mane. She never thought she would see Fluttershy openly show affection in public but there she was leaning on Big Mac. Twilight sat silently moving her mouth as she thought before sighing and passing out. “Oh wow Fluttershy, I did not expect that to happen. Maybe we should have warned her about you and Big Mac. Or maybe I shoulda warned her how much you have changed, or the kids.” Rainbow walked up to Twilight's wheelchair and began to push her away from the train station with a slightly guilty look. “That smile she has is amazing, I don't think I have seen a smile like that since her parents were here.” Rainbow sighed, “It's good to see she can smile like that, I was getting worried especially since our conversation last night.” Fluttershy looked at Rainbow with a bemused expression, “Is everything alright Rainbow?” Rainbow sighed, “I’m not sure, she was acting normal and all until I brought her home. OR at least neither me or the docs noticed anything at the hospital.” Fluttershy gave Rainbow her famous look. “Rainbow you should be ashamed, she was everything to you these last couple of years. I would expect you to at least think about how she is feeling. This can't be easy for her, and you know how she likes to take things on by herself.” Rainbow got a guilty look. “Yea I kinda got so wrapped up in her being awake and how happy I was I didn't pay attention to how she was doing, mentally speaking. Sorry doesn't cut it but I really am, I should have payed more attention.” Rainbow and Fluttershy didn't notice Twilight had woken up and was listening to them while pretending to remain passed out. “I mean I waited eight years to see her open her eyes and when it did happen I was just so happy. I might have handled things pretty badly, I should have paid more attention to what might be going on in her head. I made a few mistakes and I just felt so bad I had trouble facing her, first I let her find out about Applejack and her Library. I handled that situation horribly, I can’t believe how that went down.” Rainbow rubbed the back of her head with a hoof as she looked down at the ground with ears back. “Not to mention she met Apple Bloom and learned how long she had been out from that meeting. I probably should have been open with everything right away but I just wanted to pick up where things were left off. That was my biggest mistake. Part of me thought it might be better for her if we pretended it hadn't been that long it would be easier on her but I was dead wrong about that. Then I made the mistake of not being there for her enough because of how ashamed I was, and that caused me to miss things I should have been able to see. That last one was a huge mistake that I am trying to rectify now by having her stay with me.” Fluttershy continued giving Rainbow the look. “Are you blaming yourself for something again Rainbow, we talked about all this already. You know it's not your fault and that there are those who are here for you still. Applejack isn't here to save you this time, so don't go down that road again.” Rainbow looked up at the sky and sighed heavily as old memories resurfaced. “I know Fluttershy, don't worry. I won't be leaving Twilight alone. I feel bad about how I have handled things but I know that I need to just do better and not blame myself. I won't be trying anything like that again so don't worry. Everyone jumped as Twilight spoke up, “What are you guys talking about, what did Applejack do for you Rainbow?” Twilight looked between Fluttershy and Rainbow with a slightly terrified expression then fixed her eyes on her cyan friend. “Rainbow Dash, what is Fluttershy talking about? What did you try to do, how does it involve Applejack? Did you do something horrible and why would they worry about you trying it again?”” Rainbow fidgeted a bit before sighing. “When I first woke and found out what happened and what I lost I grew very despondent. After Applejack's final day was declared I slipped over the edge into depression.” Rainbow grew silent and slowed to a stop for moment before she shook her head and continued. “I grew reclusive and would have starved myself to death if Applejack hadn't found me.” A tear rolled down her cheek from her rose colored eye. “The doctors were infuriated. She was pretty far gone by then and could barely move but she fought past the doctors and searched for me all night long. She saved me from myself and what would have been the worst thing I possibly could have done.” Rainbow looked in the direction of Applejack's statue. “I owe her so much, and I didn't even let her say good bye. I wish sometimes that I could change that, not out of regret but because she deserved the chance to say goodbye.” Rainbow felt a hoof take hers and smiled as the purple hoof squeezed hers. “She knows how you feel Rainbow, she knew then too. That's why she went to such lengths to save you from yourself. I sometimes think she could even see the honesty and dishonesty of the actions around her. I used to feel that she was far more insightful than most of us thought, like our very actions told her more than our mouths.” Twilight followed Rainbows gaze, “It's part of why I loved her, and Rainbow. Thank you for sharing, I know you don't think I need to know everything about the last eight years but I still want to know about what my friends did. The good and the bad, it makes me feel like I might have a place here sometimes.” Twilight's eyes began to get teary. “Applejack was so hopeful for my return she made sure that I would have some pony there for me when I woke up. Pinkie probably kept me alive as well in some way. I don't know if a place exists for me here but sometimes when I hear about events from the past I think that maybe a hole was kept open for me to fill.” Twilight squeezed Rainbows hoof harder and leaned her head back and rubbed against Rainbows chin. Fluttershy cleared her throat, “Sorry to interrupt this tender moment but you guys have an audience.” The two fillies on Twilight's lap were looking at her, their eyes filled with wonderment and Fluttershy was looking at them with a slight blush. Twilight turned a light crimson color, and and pulled her hoof away from Rainbows and leaned forward. “So Rainbow where are we going, is it to see Pinkie Pie?” Rainbow smiled and shook her head, “Yep, we were.” Twilight turned and looked at Big Mac, “So you and Fluttershy eh, I wish I had been there to see the wedding. I bet it was a wonderful wedding, I am sorry that your sister couldn't...” Twilight's voice cracked a little bit, “I am sorry about your sister in general. I wanted to tell you right away about our relationship but she didn't want. I hope you can forgive me for everything that has happened.” Big Mac turned and looked her square in the eyes and stopped Rainbow. “Eeyup,” He then wrapped in a massive hug. “I forgive ya. Tweren't yer fault and Ah don't blame ya.” Big Mac said as he hugged Twilight. “Though, me an’ Fluttershy ain’t married, tis a long short story but we never did get married.” Twilight opened her mouth to speak but Fluttershy interrupted her. “He was there for me after the accident and I was there for him. We spent a lot of time together and sometimes after AJ’s funeral it happened. We never meant for it to but it was one of the most wonderful nights of my life.” Fluttershy leaned up against Big Mac and nuzzled him. “I don’t know if I love Big Mac but I do rely on him for a lot things back in Appleoosa. We both agreed that we didn't want to wed, no real reason we just don’t think that it would work out in the end.” Big Mac smiled and returned Fluttershy’s nuzzle before they stepped apart and they all continued on. Twilight smiled and then frowned a little. “I really am sorry Big Mac, she was a wonderful mare. I wish I could bring her back for you but even magic can't do that.” Twilight took a shuddering breath as her tears started. “I know I shouldn't cling to her and what I felt for her but it's hard. It feels so sudden to me. If Celestia could hear me thinking about even attempting something like reviving her, she would be livid. Though some part of me knows its dumb, shes not really gone.” Twilight smiled at everyone present and pulled them in for hug. “Oohh a group hug and no one invited me. That's not very nice at all, I love hugs and smiles and I love sharing them with other people.” Everyone looked up at a falsely pouting Pinkie and burst out laughing. “Sorry Pinkie come on over and join us, there's room for you in here as well.” Twilight reached out with a hoof as Pinkie bounced up and pulled her into the hug. “So is anyone else hungry, cause I could use something to eat.” Twilight broke the hug as she looked at everyone present. “Let's head over to Sugarcube Corner and get something to eat.” ~~ They had finished lunch and were gathered at Applejack's statue. “Hey Applejack, I guess this is the first time I have really visited. I don't think that first time really counts.” Twilight sat in her chair looking at the statue with Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash. “I don't know why I decided to drop by, I mean really to me you just left.” Twilight looked over at Fluttershy then Rainbow Dash. “I don't think this is a goodbye it feels more like visit to an old friend. I don't think I could this without them being present, it would hurt to much.” Fluttershy and Rainbow both leaned closer to Twilight. “So Applejack it's been awhile since I visited, Big Mac and the kids are fine, he is like putty in our daughters hands. Rarity should be coming by soon as well, I bet she is gonna be so excited to see Twilight.” Fluttershy smiled and looked at Rainbow, “You have anything to say?” Rainbow nodded her head, “Naw I visited her pretty recently I think we should just leave Twilight with her for a bit.” Twilight watched them head over to a bench to give her some alone time. “This feels weird, you're just a statue but they think talking to you will help me. How can an unresponsive statue help me? Well anyway maybe it will feel good to get this out their. I miss you, more that I thought I would Applejack. This past month has been horrible, I have spent most of it brooding about outliving you. It didn't help that you chose to leave me. I have spent a lot of time hating you as well, I loved you and then you did this to me.” She pointed at her chest and breathed in deeply. “You chained me to this life I don't want, you are forcing me to live without you. I talked to Rainbow about this and I still feel like I should be dead. You chained me here and then left me to do it alone. The worst thing about hating you is I still love you and I can't talk things over with you. We can't come to an agreement anymore, we can't make up. I want to apologize to you for so many things but you left me with no way to do it.” Twilight moved herself closer to the statue. “You left me two things, chains and memories and together they have formed a cage. I want to hate you for it and kill myself to spite you but I promised Rainbow I wouldn't. I won't forgive you for giving me these chains but I do still love you, and maybe at some point I will be able to forgive you but right now I don't think you deserve even my visits.” Twilight looked at the statue and began to cry silently. “But I can't do that to you because even though I hate what you gave me and what you did to me you were still the greatest thing that ever happened to me. So thank you for the wonderful time we had together, it meant the world to me.” Twilight turned her chair around and headed over to Rainbow and Flutters. “So feel any better?” Rainbow and Fluttershy asked her simultaneously. “A little bit, I don't know why but I do feel a little better. So Fluttershy mind if I ask why you left Ponyville?” Fluttershy lowered her and began to walk towards Rainbows apartment. “Well Twilight, to be honest, you're the reason.” Twilight paused and then continued following her. “It hurt too much to stay here, same for Big Mac. We both decided after the funeral that to move on we needed a change of scenery. I could barely walk around Ponyville without crying and Big Mac just didn't know what to do anymore.” Fluttershy looked at the sky, “We both decided that we wanted to keep doing something we knew and the only other apple orchard close enough to Ponyville to make monthly visits possible was Apploosa. I think it was somewhere around three months after the funeral when I had just started to show that we decided to leave. Rarity had already left and Rainbow Dash was here for you so I packed up and we left for Appleoosa..” Fluttershy turned and hugged Twilight. “I visited every month with Rarity and Spike but I left here so I could move on and stop hurting as much.” Twilight looked at Fluttershy and smiled then it dropped as she saw something behind her. “SPIKE!” Fluttershy winced at backed up a bit. “He’s fine. I think he lives in Canterlot now.” Twilight shook her head and rose a hoof shakily to point behind her. Rainbow and Fluttershy both followed the direction her hoof pointed to a purple dragon with green spikes who had just dropped a bunch of luggage. The dragon slowly turned towards them. “Twilight?” Twilight grabbed her wheelchair and took off in the direction of the dragon tears streaming from her eyes. “SPIKE!” The dragon took off at the same time and they met in the middle, embracing each other for the first time in eight years. > Assitant > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Twilight and Spike sat in Rainbow’s living room looking at eachother but unsure of what to say. On one side sat Spike, guilt over running away and never visiting causing his eyes to flit about the room, desperate for something to look at beside Twilight. The other side of the room was occupied by Twilight, lower lip quivering as she took slow deep breaths in an attempt to keep herself from breaking out in tears again. Spike was the first one to break the silence. Tentatively he spoke up, his voice cracking slightly as he scratched the back of his head with a claw. “I’m sorry Twi, I should have been there for you like Rainbow. I shouldn’t have run away from...well you and everything else that was here.” Twilight took a second to respond as her mind rebooted and she registered somepony had spoken. “What, no Spike. It’s fine, you must have been really hurt and scared by what happened.” Twilight paused and chewed her lip. “I made a promise to you and then I got hurt and broke it. You were scared and hurt and I bet you didn’t think there was anything here for you. I can’t blame you for running away, I don’t blame anyone else for running away so why would I blame you for doing it.” Twilight took a shuddering breath and started to cry a little. “What happened was horrible and you are still young, er were, and didn’t know what to do. You and me, we have never been good with emotions.” Spike rose from the chair he was in and paused before crossing the room. Gingerly he sat next to the weeping unicorn and wrapped his arms around her. “It’s okay Twilight. You came back and everyone has come home to see you again. Life is moving forward and we have each other again and that’s all I have wanted for the last eight years.” Spike held Twilight tight as his tears began. “Your back that’s what matters right now. Your back...” Spike trailed off as he he buried his face in Twilight’s mane and cried with her. Twilight shifted and pulled spike closer in a hug of her own and together they cried themselves to sleep. Rainbow Dash poked her head into the living room when she noticed the lack of talking or crying, her brow furrowed slightly. Her muzzle split into a toothy smile and she chuckled lightly. “She looks like one of those giant dolls you get at a carnival in his arms.” Quietly she crossed the room and pulled a blanket from the closet. Turning back she couldn't help but shake her head, Twilight had curled up in Spike’s lap like a cat, her chest and forelegs on his lap and the rest of her on the couch. Placing the blanket carefully over Spike’s shoulders she tucked the blanket around them awkwardly and kissed Twilight on the forehead before sneaking out again. ~ ~ ~ Spike woke up first to find Twilight curled up on his chest like a cat sleeping quite contently, he gently ran a claw threw her mane remembering how he used to sleep on Twilight’s back before her accident. His eyes teared up as his thoughts drifted back to the day that had haunted him for the last eight years of his, the day he lost his sister, his mother. ~ ~ ~ “Twilight, is she alright? Applejack, Rainbow Dash are they okay?” Spike stood in the waiting room of the hospital looking up at a hysteric Rarity. He had seen the cloud from the library all the way over at Fluttershy’s cottage and taken off as fast as he could. When he found that the library was toppled and Applejack, Twilight and Rainbow had been sent to the hospital he took off at speeds that would have impressed Rainbow Dash. He met Rarity there and she had scooped him up in a massive hug. Usually this would have sent him to cloud nine but not today, the hug felt different. It felt sad, like she wanted to protect him from something. “Spike dear, it’s... it’s “ Rarity couldn’t finish and broke into tears and grabbed him in a tight hug again. He couldn’t remember ever seeing Rarity like this before, and he knew it meant something was terribly awry. He watched Fluttershy walk in and approach a doctor coming out of the ICU. Spike wasn’t sure what was going on or what was being said but watching Fluttershy slide to the floor and curl up, her body shaking uncontrollably sent shivers up his spine. After a moment the butter colored pegasus rose to her hooves shakily, swaying slightly in place before her vacant eyes fixed on Rarity and Spike. With halting, shaky steps she stumbled over towards them, knocking into things with soft thuds as she stumbled unaware of her surroundings. When Fluttershy reached Spike and Rarity she slowly picked her hoof up and paused. Looking at for a second she looked almost confused then reached towards Rarity before collapsing as large sobs shook her wings. She wasn’t making any noise just shaking with hard sobs into the floor, curling into a tighter and tighter ball. Spike stared wordlessly at Fluttershy for a moment before panic set in and he tore away from Rarity. He tore across the floor towards the doctor who had his head hung low and grabbed his coat. “SOMEPONY TELL ME WHAT’S GOING ON! WHAT HAPPENED TO THE LIBRARY?! WHERE’S TWILIGHT AND APPLEJACK, RAINBOW DASH?! SOMEPONY, anypony tell me what’s going on.” He trailed off towards the end, his legs sliding behind him as he hung from the doctors shirt, tears trailing down his cheeks. The doctor gently wrapped a hoof around Spike and lifted him slightly while turning To Rarity and Fluttershy. “Would you two please come with me, I think we need to talk.” He pulled Spike loose and shifted him onto his back where he sat with a vacant stare. “If you have any other friends who should be informed I can send a nurse for them.” Rarity looked at the doctor and told him Pinkie down at Sugarcube Corner should be brought in. “Alright.” he motioned to the nurse at the reception desk and whispered to her to send a message. “While we wait for her would you two please follow me to my office where we can talk in private.” Rarity nudged Fluttershy a few times before wedging her head under a wing and helping her to her feet. Fluttershy leaned heavily against Rarity who had her lips set in a determined line. Passing close to the doctor she gently plucked Spike from his back and moved him to her back. They walked down the hall a short ways before entering a small office. Nondescript with a potted plant in the corner Spike could remember how he fixated on the picture that sat in the corner of the desk. A foal sitting next to it’s mother with a happy smile on his face and not a care in the world. It was a good fifteen minutes before Pinkie arrived. Her mane was flat and her trademark smile was absent. With a subdued air about her she pulled a chair out and looked over to Spike, an eerie tear trailed down her cheek. Spike knew about her Pinkie sense and watching her enter and the tear cause his chest to tighten in fear and his eyes moved to look at the doctor who cleared his throat gently. “So...there was a lab accident at the library, the details are still unclear as to what exactly happened but...your three friends...they were...caught up in it,” the doctor paused and pulled out a box of tissues. “and there’s no easy way to say this but...Twilight is in a coma. Rainbow Dash is going to lose at least one wing and her other one doesn’t look good. Applejack is currently in a coma and in critical condition.” He paused to let it sink in, he had a small tear in one eye. “Hey doc what’s a coma?” Spike looked at the doctor with a worried look, the first thing he had said since his breakdown in the waiting room. His voice was calm and collected but his eyes were brimming with tears. Part of him knew what was happening but his mind was trying to deny it. “Well it’s a little like sleeping,” the doctor paused for a second trying to think of how to explain it. “but instead of getting up in the morning they won’t. There is no way to determine if they will wake up at any point in time. They may stay that way till they day or they might wake up in a week.” Spike looked at the doctor. “So she’s gonna be okay. Twilight and Applejack will be okay.” Even though he was considered young he was as old as any of the younger ponies in the room. He was a tad bit more innocent for sure but the looks he got told him everything he needed to know. There was no need for them to answer as Spike slouched over and pulled into a small ball looking up at the doctor. “I take it that’s not the case, is it?” He looked at every pony around him, each one looked like they wanted nothing more than for him to be right. “NO, TWILIGHT WILL BE FINE. SHE WOULDN’T LEAVE ME LIKE THIS, SHE PROMISED ME.” Every ounce of Spike didn’t want to believe it but he knew that it was true. Raising unsteadily to his feet he looked around at all of them. “She promised.” “Spike she doesn’t want to but she has no choice in this matter. It isn’t her fault this has happened, all we can do right now is pray for every pony involved. I know you love her but there is nothing any pony can do, she will wake up when she does.” Rarity had finally composed herself and was holding the sobbing Fluttershy while she talked gently to Spike. “It’s going to be hard but you must know she is not abandoning you in any way. I won’t say she will be come back but she isn’t doing this to hurt you. She wouldn’t do that and you know it.” She pulled Spike in and wrapped a hoof around him. “We can’t let you guys visit them today but you should be able to visit Applejack and Twilight tomorrow. Rainbow Dash will need more time, we will let you know when she is ready.” Doctor Horse stood up and opened the door to his office. “I am so sorry about what has happened and we are doing everything we can, if you need anything let us know.” Rarity held Spike and gently led Fluttershy out of the office and they went to the Carousel Boutique to wait for tomorrow. ~ ~ ~ Spike’s thoughts returned to the present and he stared at Twilight gently sleeping on his chest. “I am so sorry that I never visited any of you. I am sorry that I ran away. It was foolish of me to think that running away would make the problem go away. It never stopped hurting no matter what I did.” Spike watched as Twilight slowly woke up as he stroked her mane. “Spike,mmm,” Twilight paused and leaned into the gentle stroking, “I missed you. I was so afraid you were gone forever. When I woke up and things started to make sense again the Princess told me that you were okay and she could deliver a message for me but I was too afraid to. I’m so sorry I didn’t send you a message sooner but I was so afraid of what you thought of me. I promised you I wouldn’t leave and then I...” Twilight paused and fidgeted a little and then continued. “I hope you can forgive me.” Twilight turned her sleepy eyes up towards Spikes face and a dark streak ran down her cheek and dropped onto Spike’s leg. Spike’s lips curled upward as he ran a hand over her poll and ruffled her mane. “I forgive you, I did that years ago.” Twilight’s eyes shot open and she slipped off his chest. “Oh Sweet Celestia were, what?” She looked at Spike and her face turned white as she woke up completely and realized how she had been sleeping. Spike smiled at her and sat up.“Sorry. You were half asleep and I have found that you usually forget to filter your thoughts on their way to your mouth when you're sleepy. I find that listening to you during that time works in my favor.” Spike leaned down and scooped her up and placed her gently in her wheelchair. “Plus you just looked so adorable sleeping on my chest like that, like a reversal of our roles.” Twilight found herself giggling slightly at Spike. “You have grown so much Spike, I remember you so much smaller. I used to scoop you up and carry you around on my back, we really have reversed our positions haven’t we.” Twilight looked around and her stomach growled loudly causing her to blush a little. “Maybe not everything should change though, I still don't know how to cook. I could go for some Spike pancakes, you still know how to make those, maybe I should wake Rainbow while you do?” “For you Twilight, your number one assistant will always make breakfast and yea go get her and clean yourself up while I cook.” Spike turned to the kitchen hiding the flash of regret that crossed his face. ~ ~ ~ Twilight rolled herself down hall as quietly as she could, she loved waking Rainbow. She opened her door slowly poking her head in first. She was startled she saw Rainbow kicking about the bed, she looked like she was having a nightmare. She quickly made her way over and placed her hoof on Rainbow’s chest. “Shh shh Rainbow, it’s okay.” Twilight paused as Rainbow calmed down and then blushed deeply and took her hoof back. “Mhm Twilight, please don’t go. I need you here, I was so lost without AJ and you were my light in the dark.” Rainbow rolled over mumbling in her sleep facing Twilight now. Twilight blushed and checked to make sure Rainbow was sound asleep. “I won’t, I miss AJ too and with all that has happened you have become my anchor and beacon as well. I feel bad for doing this to AJ, it almost feels like cheating on her but...” Twilight paused mid sentence and placed a gentle kiss on the sleeping Rainbow, “you have become more than a friend to me.” Twilight sat upright and composed herself before grabbing the sheets and flipping Rainbow out of bed. “Huh, what. OW, what the buck. Oh hey Twi, couldn’t you have been more gentle waking me up?” Twilight snickered and stuck her tongue out as she wheeled herself into the restroom. Rainbow placed her hoof to her lips. “Huh, why are they all tingly?” Rainbow shrugged and stretched and wandered down to the kitchen. ~ ~ ~ Spike was trying to distract himself by baking but he was so used to it nowadays that it wasn’t working like he hoped. He instead found himself back in the past, the time Rarity had found him in Canterlot. ~~~ Spike was running an errand for the royal archives when he heard a squeal and froze. It had been years since he had last heard that sound and he did not like the memories it brought up. He slowly turned to see the white unicorn with the purple mane. “HI Rarity, it’s been awhile.” “SPIKE, YOU LITTLE... oh who am I kidding.” Rarity ran up and tackled Spike in a hug. “It’s so great to see you, it’s been what five years now.” Rarity let go off Spike and helped him up. “so what have you been doing since... these last five years? Are you serving the Princesses or just doing odd jobs around the castle? Might I add you have grown quite a bit.” “Mostly odd jobs, I umm kinda avoid the Princesses, they, like you, bring up unwanted memories.” Spike sighed and hoped she’d get the hint. He had spent four years running from that night and he had only recently returned to Canterlot. Things had been pretty calm and he wasn’t gonna let her ruin it on him. He was happy now, not as happy as... okay he was at least doing fine for himself. Why now and why today? He had been reminded of Twilight all over the place today and now here was his old crush. He just couldn’t get a break. “Oh I am sorry Spike, is it really that hard. She really...” Spike interrupted Rarity, “NO WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT THIS. I JUST CAN’T RARITY SO DROP IT.” Spike took off running completely forgetting his errands. ~ ~ ~ Spikes reminiscing was interrupted by Rainbow Dash. “What smells so heavenly in here Spike, are you making your secret pancakes?” Rainbow smiled at him. “Sadly not, just normal pancakes since you don’t have the secret ingredient.” Spike smiled at Rainbow, “So how has she been since waking up?” Rainbow paused a second worried about whether she should tell him the truth. She decided honesty was her best bet since not being honest had caused a lot of problems already. “Honestly Spike, not as well as she lets on. She has a great mask but underneath it I think it is taking everything she has just to hold it together. She has these moments and then the rest of the time she seems fine. I don’t know if she is okay or just coping with it all really badly.” Rainbow walked to the sink and started washing her hoofs. “I didn’t see it at first because I let things get to me like before but after I started paying more attention it became obvious. She is hurting a lot and I worry every time some pony comes back to her. I worry that each old face having changed so much will send her over the edge and she won’t be able to take it anymore. She told me that she often thinks of suicide, I got her to promise me if she has those thoughts again but I worry she won’t and I won’t catch it soon enough.” Rainbow walked over and grabbed some berries out of the fridge and brought them to the sink and began washing them. “I hope that I am enough for her but I don’t know if I am. I know she is hiding something from me and it worries me alot. I am really worried about it but I can’t get her to tell me. To be honest I think you being here is the greatest thing for her. She used to tell you things she would tell no pony else. If Rarity was here that would be even better, no offense big boy but Rarity really was everyones confident.” Spike shrugged, “I know, I have been Rarity’s assistant for 3 years now. She listens to everyone and keeps secrets better than any pony. I swear I think some of her customers use her services simply so they have some pony to spill their secrets to who won’t blab them.” “Heh, I can see that. So if you’re here does that mean she got the letter?” Rainbow started cutting the larger berries. “Yea she sent me ahead to prepare the store. Though with recent events I think there was more to it. She fainted when she got the letter and then wouldn’t let me read it, instead sending me straight here to prepare the store for her return.” Spike poured out the first pancakes into the pan as he talked. “She always was sneaky and tried to move things along. She always has everyone else in her thoughts before her own.” Rainbow pulled out a jug of whipping cream and poured it into a bowl and started beating it. “Did you know Twilight sometimes talks about you during her episodes. Honestly I think it’s the only mention of you she made. I would sometimes hear her on the balcony dictating a letter. Like she used to back before all of this. She would even make sure you were spelling write and everything, it was a little scary and cute at the same time.” Spike paused in mid scoop of a pancake before continuing. “Really, that sounds like she was stuck in the past, reliving memories. You think it was cause missed me or was it because of something else?” “Honestly I think it was both Spike. She has trouble accepting the time difference and I think even if she hasn’t admitted it that she expected you here or at least to show up quickly. I don’t want you to feel bad or blame yourself but I think she was hurt a lot and couldn’t bare to see that you were gone.” Rainbow turned and nearly dropped the whipped cream. “Actually it was because I felt guilty, I broke my promise to Spike and it was eating me up inside. I didn’t know what I was going to do when I saw him again, the thought of him hating me for breaking the promise. I had the conversation about his longevity a lot and I had promised him that I would be there for him till the end of my life. I broke that promise to him and it hurt me a lot, how could I do that to my brother, my son, my family.” Twilight sat just outside the kitchen still a little wet from her shower, there were fresh tears on her face. Spike walked past Rainbow and handed her the spatula as he passed her. As he reached Twilight he wrapped her in a massive hug. “I am the one to be sorry, I was foolish and scared back then. You didn’t break your promise by yourself. I helped when I ran away from Ponyville. You promised me you wouldn’t leave me and then you slipped into a coma and I left you. You didn’t break your promise I did. I love you Twilight and regret what I did eight years ago every day.” Spike released Twilight and kneeled in front of her. “I might never have forgiven myself or ever visited you if it hadn’t been for Rarity. We both owe her a lot, more than you know and more than I can ever repay her. I ran away the night of your accident and traveled for a few years before settling in Canterlot. I didn’t visit you once until Rarity showed up, she was in town for a fashion show when she found me. She canceled it and forced me to visit you, and it was her greatest gift to me ever. I have spent the last three years as her assistant visiting you with her once a month. She brought us together after everything. I will always be your brother and family Twilight.” He hugged her again. “So you’re no longer my assistant then, you’re hers? Aren’t you afraid of leaving me alone?” Twilight didn’t cry but smiled a little. Spike shook his head and sighed. “No and I am not leaving you alone, you have some pony else by your side to care for you. I will be there for you but not as an assistant anymore.” Spike hugged Twilight again. “Somehow that doesn’t feel as bad as I would have thought. I don’t have a place for an assistant anymore, the library is gone and with it a piece of the life I had. I have someone else by my side right now, and you can now be just family to me. You always were family and sometimes it made me feel guilty about the assistant thing. I won’t have to now because you’re just my family now.” Twilight wrapped her hooves around Spike and hugged him lovingly. “I hate to be a buzzkill but breakfast is ready.” Rainbow placed a plate of pancakes on the table and everyone joined her at the table. It looked like a family settling down to breakfast to talk about their plans and expectations for the day. Something none of them paid heed to because they were all just so happy sitting together like this, two of them had been waiting for a moment like this for eight years and the other feeling something she hadn’t thought she ever would, not even with the mare she had been dating before. That thought passed through her mind but for some reason this time the thoughts of moving past her marefriend didn’t bother her. > Weaving it together > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rarity sat in the train car, fidgeting with the letter she’d received a few days ago. It held the greatest news she had had in eight years. She was even moving back to Ponyville in light of this news, she had sent Spike ahead to prepare her shop and hopefully to see her again. Her thoughts stuck on Spike, she remembered their meeting three years ago. It had been on the anniversary of Twilight’s accident and she had been in Canterlot for the fashion show and the benefit. ~ ~ ~ Rarity was walking down the street to visit Pony Joe’s donut shop; she made a point of it whenever she came to Canterlot. She and him always talked about Twilight and ate her favorite donuts, a ritual of remembrance for a lost friend that the two of them shared. Wistfully her eye’s closed slightly and she chuckled, Joe had mentioned that Spike should join them, her smile faded, but then she had to tell him how he was missing. Her and Donut Joe both loved that little scamp and both of them wanted him around. Rarity turned a corner, her mind a thousand miles away. The smell of sulphur sent her mind further down memory lane. Opening her eyes slowly with a heavy sigh she looked around to find her bearings and froze. A thousand thought swirled through her mind as she followed the curve of a purple tail then the green spikes until she reached the crest. With a high pitched gasp her legs started to move her forward as she screamed. “SPIKE, YOU LITTLE...”her sentence cut off as she threw herself around his neck. “Oh who am I kidding. It’s so great to see you. It’s been what, five years now?” She ran up and gave him a hug. “So what have you been doing since... these last five years? Are you serving the Princesses or just doing odd jobs around the castle? Might I add you have grown resplendently. I remember how small you used to be, you’re starting to look more like an adult dragon these days. It’s quite impressive.” Spike looked at her, confused for a second before smiling a little, “Mostly odd jobs. I, umm, kinda avoid the Princesses, they bring up unwanted memories.” Rarity looked at him; he clearly didn’t want to talk about Twilight. “Oh I am sorry Spike, is it really that hard. She really...” She was interrupted as Spike exploded at her “NO. WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT THIS. I JUST CAN’T RARITY, SO DROP IT.” Rarity watched him run off down the street, she felt horrible. She could clearly see he didn’t want to talk about it but she had to at least try and reassure him. She looked at where he had gone and decided that she would get him to visit Twilight before she left Canterlot. First though, she had to cancel the fashion show, this was more important. ~ ~ ~ Rarity was shaken from her trip down memory lane by the caterer “Would you like some lunch miss?” “Yes, do you serve daisy sandwiches with hay fries?” Rarity answered quickly. “We do.” The caterer pulled out her order from his cart and passed it over in exchange for some bits, then continued on his way. Rarity returned to her thoughts and ate slowly. ~ ~ ~ “You want to cancel the show, but why? You hold this show every year and the work is always considered your best.” Fancy Pants had nearly choked on his tea when Rarity had declared that she would not be attending her show. “A dear friend of mine is here and he needs my help. The show would only serve to distract me and I can’t afford it. My friend was hurt in the past and even if I can’t heal his wounds myself, I can certainly try and help him through this, and for that I need apply myself completely to the task.” Rarity sat calmly drinking her tea. “I am not saying cancel the show; just say that I won’t be attending. I know it is unheard of for the designer to miss her own show, but this is more important to me.” “If you don’t attend, we may as well cancel the show. Everypony is expecting to talk to you and discuss the newest fashion line with you.” Fancy Pants had put his tea down and was returning Rarity’s stare “I must insist that you attend, maybe you could bring along your friend too, you throw this charity show and ball every year and for you not to attend, whatever the circumstances, would be ludicrous.” “I understand that but this task is far more important, and it is not something that can be done whilst I am talking to a hundred other ponies, all vying for my attention. To reunite this family would be far greater than any charity ball I could throw.” Rarity took a deep breath. “You have always been the one who puts everything together so I know you can handle it alone. I will not be attending and that is final.” Fancy Pants readied a rebuttal but was silenced by Rarity. “I said that was the final word, I will not be attending the charity functions Fancy and there is nothing you can say to change my mind.” ~ ~ ~ Her mind returned to the present with the announcement of the trains’ arrival to Ponyville. She looked out the window and noted a lack of anyone to greet her, she smiled a bit. “I see he has more important things to attend to. I guess it was good to send him ahead, I do hope he finished cleaning the boutique.” Rarity sighed as she left the train. She took her luggage in her magic and made her way through the empty streets of Ponyville. It was still too early for anyone to be up and about. She noticed a few stalls setting up for the coming day, her gaze falling on the spot which Applejack used to take and she sighed. “Eight years sure has changed things, it’s like any other morning around here. I wonder how many ponies still remember you Applejack?” She watched as a watchmaker pulled his cart into the spot and began setting up before moving on. She passed by Sugarcube corner and let the smell of the early morning baking encompass her, making her pause. “I see you every year and yet it always feels like so much longer. I do hope you’re holding up Pinkie, you took things pretty hard when we all began to leave.” If she had been looking closer, she might have noticed the pink mare in the window, watching her walk away. She paused one last time before making it to her Boutique to look at the statue that stood where the library once was. “Hey Applejack, I’m back. I’ll stop by for a visit later.” She finished her stroll and paused at the door of her Boutique. “It’s been just shy of seven years since I last came here.” Rarity murmured to herself, looking at the boutique with nostalgia evident in her gaze. “It looks just like it did when I left, I am glad I never sold it, there are so many memories here.” As Rarity walked up and unlocked the door, she began humming an old tune she used to sing while she sewed. It brought back some fond memories for her as well as some which were not so fond. She opened the door and smiled as the bell rang, remembering her old slogan. “Welcome to Carousel Boutique where every garment is chic, unique, and magnifique.” She smiled faintly as her voice echoed in the empty shop, then she sighed and looked around. “At least Spike managed to clean up before he met her. I do hope that went well for him.” She placed her luggage in a corner and went to the kitchen, opening her drinks cabinet. “Oh thank Celestia, he bought tea.” She set about making herself a morning cup of tea, her thoughts returning to Canterlot three years ago. ~ ~ ~ She spent the rest of the day trying to find Spike and didn’t find anything until late afternoon, when she saw him in a bookstore. She smiled with relief and entered the bookstore. “Welcome, I’ll be with you in a second, feel free to look around while you wait.” Spike spoke up, his back to the door as the bell above Rarity jingled. “I think I can wait Spike, I am here to talk to you anyway.” Spike froze at the sound of her voice, keeping still as Rarity walked down the aisle where Spike had been shelving some inventory and sitting next to him. “So you’re working in a bookstore, I thought you said you were doing odd jobs at the castle.” Spike exhaled heavily, “I don’t want to talk Rarity, today was hard enough for me. I have already had far too many reminders of things I wanted to forget. You do it every year with your charity fashion show full of lavender and pink followed by a charity ball in her honor. This year though… it hurts more than usual. I don’t know if it’s the bookstore job or seeing Twilight’s family or seeing you again, but I just want to finish and go hide in my apartment.” Spike’s eyes began to get watery as memories of Twilight started to swim through his head. “I am so sorry Spike, I didn’t know. I do the show and the ball to keep her memory alive. I don’t have a lot of time to visit her, I try to at least once a month but it’s really hard. So I throw the show and the ball to keep her memory alive and to honor her in Canterlot. I know you probably just want to forget and move on, but the fact you found a job at a bookstore tells me you don’t really want to. Even though you were hurt by what happened, you wanted to remember her. I know you don’t want to hear this but if you’ll let me, I want to take you to Ponyville to see her. You don’t have to answer today but please consider it. I’ll be at Pony Joe’s donut shop for lunch until I leave Canterlot again, meet me there if you decide what you want to do. ~ ~ ~ The whistling of Rarity’s teapot brought her out of her reverie; she pulled the kettle off the stove, brewed her tea and went out into the main room, drinking her tea as she surveyed the shop. She couldn’t help but smile as she remembered all the good times she’d had with her friends here. She wandered over to her luggage and pulled a lavender blanket out and ran it through her hooves. “I hope Twilight likes it.” She said to herself, putting it carefully over an old armchair and looking at the clock, it was still early so she decided to get a little rest. ~ ~ ~ Rarity woke a few hours later to the sound of the shops’ bell. She slowly got up, stretching and yawning before heading to the restroom to make herself presentable. As she made her way downstairs the voices of Spike, Twilight and Rainbow drifted up to her ears and she smiled. She could hardly believe she was hearing Twilight’s voice again, even with the letter in advance; she tried to stifle her tears but only made them worse. She turned the corner at the bottom of the stairs and stood there, looking at her guests. She saw Spike with a smile she hadn’t seen him wear in eight years, she saw Rainbow and Twilight stood next to each other. Rarity found herself grinning widely as Rainbow’s wing twitched when Twilight’s hoof brushed hers. Looking closer she saw them leaning towards each other slightly both of them looking so happy with each other. With a quick shake of her head she stepped into the room. “Twilight, it’s so great to see you.” Rarity quickly made her way over to Twilight and wrapped her in a hug. “I hope Rainbow has been keeping you well. Oh I have something for you.” She said turning to her luggage, “Now where did I put it?” She began digging in her suitcases, only to realize, after a few minutes, that she’d hung it over the chair the luggage was on, she held up the blanket she had sewn for Twilight, folding it carefully within her magic. “Spike can you go fix some tea for us?” Rarity turned to Spike and smiled. “Rainbow and Twilight, make yourself comfortable on the couch.” She turned back to them and levitated some cushions over to the pair of ponies. “I can’t wait to hear how things have been for you two since you woke up Twilight. Don’t worry, I’ll tell you about what I have been up to as well. Admittedly it’s not that much.” Rarity smiled as she watched Rainbow and Twilight place themselves on the couch. Rarity had to suppress a chuckle as she watched Rainbow gently lift Twilight in her forehooves and helped her get situated on the couch before taking a seat right at her side. “I see you two are getting along quite nicely, but have you been taking good care of each other?” Twilight and Rainbow fidgeted a little and shared a look before Rainbow spoke up. “It’s been a little rough, I made a few mistakes but Twilight has been getting better.” Rainbow smiled sheepishly and Twilight placed a hoof near her on the couch, Rarity smiled a little. “I will admit I was a little lost at first and I was trying to take it all on by myself, which might have caused Rainbow some unneeded worry, but we talked about it and it’s getting better.” Twilight fidgeted a little. “I mean most things are improving, things are still pretty hard for me. Seeing you looking so different and Spike is so much bigger, I don’t think he’s going to be on two legs for much longer. Anyway, how have you been Rarity, and what’s that blanket?” “Oh yes, I knew about your disability from the doctor and when I heard you were up I thought I might make you a little something to keep your legs warm.” Rarity levitated the lavender blanket with Twilight’s cutie mark embroidered in the center. “It’s not much but I saw the wound on your flank once when I visited and I thought you might like seeing it in its old splendor again. I do hope you like it.” Rarity smiled brightly and Spike walked back in. “I have black tea here for everyone, I thought it might help us relax while talking about sensitive topics.” Spike moved about the room and gave everyone a cup of tea before sitting beside Rarity. “So Rarity, are you and Spike...” Twilight fidgeted a little. “Oh dear, no. He’s been my assistant for three years. I think he might have dated Sweetie Belle for a bit once upon a time, but no we are not together.” Spike blushed. “Yeah, me and Sweetie Belle went out with one another for a while, but the whole different species thing… she insisted it wouldn’t be a problem and maybe it wouldn’t be at first but I knew, sooner or later, it would get in the way.” “Enough about us Twilight, what about you and Rainbow? How are things between you two?” Rarity leaned in a little closer with a coy smile. “Is anything happening with you two, besides Twilight adjusting to her circumstances I mean. You two do look awfully close.” Twilight and Rainbow both blushed, Rainbow rubbing a hoof on the back of her head as she replied, “I don’t know what you’re talking about Rarity. I mean sure we might have bonded a little over our mutual loss, but we are still just friends and I don’t think Twilight needs something like that right now. Maybe that’s something she can think about later but right now...” Rainbow trailed off, feeling Twilights’ glare pierce her. “I know you’re worried about me Rainbow, but I don’t think you have the right to decide that for me. You are right though, I am not ready to try that yet, I haven’t even had time to really mourn Applejack.” Twilight leaned over and rested her head against Rainbow. “I don’t know if I really can mourn her, I know I should, but her passing… it just doesn’t feel real.” “In a way it’s not Twi, she’s still with you.” Rainbow placed her hoof on Twilight’s chest. “She isn’t here in body, but she is here with us all the same.” Rarity smiled. “Well you two look awfully close, and she is right Twilight, Applejack is still with you and she won’t ever leave you. If I remember rightly, she left her Stetson to you as well, and she gave you her heart in every way she could. Maybe mourning her isn’t the action you should take, but instead just remember her. I know at least one mare who would love to remember her with you and shares your feeling of loss over Applejack.” Rarity had one of her coy smiles on again. “You might not be ready for starting a romance so soon, but from what I can see, you already have, or rather one already exists if you choose to explore it.” “I agree with Rarity, you two seem to be blind to it but even I can see it.” Spike chuckled at the two sitting on the couch, looking at each other with confused expressions. Rainbow still had her wing wrapped around Twilight, while she continued leaning on Rainbows’ shoulder. “Anyway Rarity, I think Twilight is more interested in what you’ve been up to while she was out.” Rarity smiled, “Of course, well to be honest, I was one of the last to leave. I went to Neigh York to really get started in the fashion industry, which was easier than I thought since I was already fairly famous. After a while, my parents contacted me, asking if I could take care of Sweetie Belle again. I gladly accepted without knowing it would mean moving to Las Pegasus where she was taking vocal lessons and becoming famous in her own field. The fashion industry there was quite a change of pace, but I relished in the challenge.” Rarity paused and sipped her tea. “Spike, can you make us some lunch, I haven’t eaten since the train. Now where was I, ah yes Las Pegasus.” “So after I got settled there and my name was well known, I decided it was time to do something for you besides my visits. I decided to contact Fancy Pants in Canterlot, since he owed me a favor, and I set up a fashion show and charity gala. I made sure all the proceeds went to education and supporting struggling farmers. I held it once a year on the anniversary of yours and Applejack’s incident. I will admit it didn’t take as well as I hoped at first, but it gathered momentum fairly quickly after the second show.” “It was during one of my visits to Canterlot for it that I met Spike again. I was still quite mad at him but after seeing him, all of that faded. I felt sorry for him and I convinced him to come see you, it was quite the emotional reunion.” Rarity paused and thought for second. “That’s pretty much everything. My sister is famous now, I don’t think I mentioned that, she was spotted by Sapphire Shores and goes by Crystal Belle now.” “Wow Rarity, you achieved your dreams and then some it seems. It doesn’t sound like much but I bet it was a lot of work for you.” Twilight sat up, Rainbows’ wing still holding her so she ended up scooting closer to Rainbow. “I’m glad to know you didn’t let AJ’s death get to you, or my condition either.” “Of course not dear, it hurt, but neither of you would have wanted that. I remembered you in my fashion and I put my sorrow into it as well to help cope, but I never let it stop me.” Rarity looked over at Rainbow, her expression suddenly cool. “Like some ponies I know. Of course I guess I can’t blame those ponies, to lose so much so quickly I can hardly imagine the pain and sorrow or the rage they must have felt. With that in mind I can hardly blame them for any unsavory actions they may have taken.” “Rarity she knows, we’ve talked a lot lately and she has heard it all. She knows what I did and how hard it was for me and everyone else, so no need to be so cryptic.” Rainbow sighed at Rarity. “She has seen how I sometimes let my emotions get the better of me first-hand as well; it’s one of the things I’ve regretted since she woke up.” Twilight had been sat listening before she interjected. “I imagine you have a fair idea of many things that have happened, and honestly, I don’t want to rehash it all again so why don’t we all just catch up. Talk about life as it is now and how things have been going, like we used to. I am curious about the eight years I lost, but Rainbow gave me some good advice about just picking up from here instead of dwelling on the past and I agree with her, so let’s talk and catch up, then start from here.” ~~ Spike walked in a few minutes later with a tray of sandwiches and a pitcher of apple cider and smiled. He looked at the three mares sitting around, laughing and chatting like they used to before everything happened. It looked right to him, so he smiled and brought the table over, putting the food down before joining them in telling stories and enjoying the afternoon. > Goodbyes > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pinkie stepped into the basement, reaching to her left with a hoof and flipping a switch on the wall. Light flooded the room revealing sacks of flour stacked on pallets in a corner to her right, sugar stacked against the wall directly in front of her and spare ovens and parts for other bakery essentials. With a smile she walked over to the sacks of flour, squeezing behind them she reached her hoof out and placed it on a brick that had three balloons scratched into it. Slowly a grinding sound filled the room as the wall slid down into the floor revealing a black archway. “I should probably get this staircase some lighting,” Pinkie mused as she stared into the darkness. She stuck one hoof out and waved it about until a tink sound echoed out. Nodding with approval she began to slowly descend into the darkness, pasuing with each step to wave her hoof her around until she found the next step. After several minutes the darkness began to disperse and lighten up. Pinkie smiled and leaned over the railing looking down at a small rectangle of light below her. With a gleeful squeal, Pinkie jumped onto the railing and began sliding down. As she neared the end Pinkie crouched down and licked her lips. Her first hoof reached the edge and she pitched forward. Pulling herself tight she kicked of the railing with her back hoof. Sailing through the air she spun herself around and kicked open a door visible only by the lines of light around it. A light colored blue unicorn turned slowly, her world slowing down around her as she watched a manic pink earth pony come sailing through the previously closed door. “TRIXIE!” Pinkie exclaimed with exuberance. “I am so glad you could make it.” The mass of pink fur and energy rammed into the unicorn and they rolled across the floor together. Pinkie’s hooves wrapped tightly around Trixie’s neck in a bone crushing hug.” I was worried your show might keep you in Manehatten and you wouldn't be able to attend my fantabulous good morning party for Twilight, even though she woke up in the afternoon, hmmm maybe it's a good afternoon party, no that would be silly, that's what you say to people on the street when you see them not what you say when they wake up, unless its Rainbow and she is waking up in the afternoon again.” Trixie wrestled against the pink pony as her face began to traverse across the darker shades of blue. As it settled on a color reminiscent of a certain princess of the night Pinkie finally released her and she immediately began a hunt for her hat while addressing her almost murder. “That's all well and good Pinkie but why did you feel the need to call me. I have made my peace with Twilight but I don't think I would call her a friend.” Pinkie paused and tilted her head to the side with a small giggle. “Well of course she's your friend. If you hadn't returned and seen what your nemesis had become you never would have stopped to reevaluate your life. If you hadn't done that then we never woulda had our special night. If we never had that night you never would have discovered that other thing you like and then you would have gone back to being a meany pants.”Pinkie dusted herself off and beamed at Trixie. “The reason I called you though was less formal, I need somepony for the fireworks since I don't have my license anymore.” Trixie rolled her eyes and spied her hat over by the door where she had been before a tackle had relocated her across the room. Walking over to grab her hat she smiled, remembering the night she and Pinkie had shared, such a grand night it had been. “I guess you're right, I do owe Twilight a lot. It was humbling to see that even somepony as great as her could fall. Trixie realizes that what happened to her couldn't have happened to a worse pony. Twilight never deserved what happened to her. Trixie thinks that Twilight deserves any future happiness she finds and Trixie will gladly help you with that Pinkie.” Pinkie giggled. “There you go with that third person again. You know you don't have to do that around me. Even if we aren't special someponys we did share a wonderful time together and are real close.” She deflated a little and frowned. “I know you wanted more but I just couldn't do that to everypony else. I can't give one pony more smiles than the rest, it's not fair.” “Trixie understands and is okay with it, no need to frown on Trixie’s behalf.” Trixie pulled Pinkie into a reassuring hug. “So what do you have planned for the party tonight and do you need anything from Trixie other than a fireworks display.” Pinkie instantly recovered from her sadness and bounded off towards a door on the far side of the room. Flinging it open she bounded onto a balcony and pulled a giant lever. Light flared to life, racing down a gargantuan room. The lights continued to flicker on into the distance far after anypony would have thought feasible for a hidden warehouse. Down below the balcony a sign read “You are here.” Trixie shook her head and turned to look at the pink pony as she spoke up. “I am glad you asked Trixie, it's time to gather supplies and get out the big cannon.” Trixie shook her head. “This is going to be one hell of a party.” Pinkie started down a staircase and paused. “Before that can you go deliver the invitations, there by the industrial printer.” “I think that sounds good, I will be back later to help you finish up the preparations.” Trixie turned and headed off to find the industrial printer and paused. Turning back she started to speak. “Wait, how did you lose your...” Pinkie had already disappeared into the depths of the party warehouse. Trixie shook her head and sighed. “It’s probably better I don’t know.” ~ ~ ~ Trixie stepped out of the door and looked around, spotting a telltale rainbow mane sitting at a table in front of Sugarcube Corner. With a smile Trixie shifted the heavy canvas bag of invites and headed off towards Rainbow Dash. “Hey Rainbow, you seen Twilight around. Trixie is delivering invitations for Pinkie’s shindig and Trixie wants to deliver hers first. Trixie wishes to see her and talk. Trixie hasn’t had a chance to and theres a few things Trixie wishes to get off my chest.” Trixie took a seat across a table from Rainbow Dash waving the server off as she sat. “I don’t know, she said she wanted time to be alone and think. I let her go because I had some stuff to do as well. I would try by the statue, she gravitates to it a lot.” Rainbow put her drink down and sighed. “Things have been hard for her since she woke up. I do what I can for her but Twilight isn’t really letting anyone in. Good luck Trixie, I gotta go help Carrot Top with her harvest.” Rainbow stood and placed a few bits on the table. “See you tonight Trixie.” She left, heading for Carrot Top’s place and her next months rent hopefully. Trixie grabbed the bag in her magic and turned towards the hill and set off. She gave out a few invitations as she met ponies along the way but didn't do more than give them a cursory greeting with the invitation. Trixie reached the hill and paused, staring up towards the top and fidgeting nervously. With a heavy sigh she made her way up the hill. Cresting the hill she paused and stared up at the large statue of the mare she had only met briefly. Taking a seat, she fixed her eyes on the hollow eyes of the statue. For several moments Trixie’s gaze stayed fixed to the statues as her mind mulled over what little she knew of the mare before her. They had only met briefly and it was in one of the hardest times of her life but she had been so kind if not a little harsh. Trixie lowered her head to grab the special invitation from the bag and froze. She saw just a few feet from her, the mare she wanted to talk to most in the world. The mare who had caused her more pain than any other in her life. The mare she had hated for so many years. The mare who had destroyed her life not once or twice but three times. For a moment her heart began beating a beat of hate before it broke for the mare. It broke as Trixie was unable to see any of the strength she remembered from the mare. She sat hunched forward with her hooves crossed in her lap and ears hanging forward slightly. The only sign of life coming from Twilight was a gentle rise and fall of her chest and two dark trails adorning her cheeks. Trixie couldn't help but feel as though she looked small, broken, defeated. Trixie stared and squirmed in place as she watched Twilight, unsure of what to do. I need to talk to her but, I... she wouldn’t want to talk to me, I have never been anything but horrid to her. This isn’t right I should leave. With her thoughts sorted Trixie turned away and froze as her hoof snapped a twig. Turning her head back she watched Twilight for any sign that she had heard before slinking down the hill a moment later. The further down the hill she got the slower Trixie’s steps got until she froze with one hoof raised for her next step. Turning her head back she met the hollow unflinching gaze of Applejack. Trixie shivered, feeling as though the statue was glaring her down. “What would you have me do, say to her? Applejack, what should I do? I am the last mare she should see. The way she remembers me is a horrid mare. Why would she want to see a somepony she thinks is a monster?” The statues gaze bore down on Trixie, making her sink lower and lower to the ground the longer she kept her gaze fixed. With a heavy sigh Trixie stood. “FINE. YOU WIN.” She whisper shouted before slowly making her way back up the hill. Cresting the hill she slowly approached Twilight. “Twilight,” she whispered, hoping that she wouldn’t respond so she could leave. Turning her eyes to the statue she met the hollow gaze and slowly sat beside Twilight. The hill was silent for several minutes before Twilight suddenly broke it. “Please make it quick.” Trixie’s eyes went huge and she turned her head slowly like someone turning to look at something that was about to kill them. She started waving her hooves frantically. “WHAT, NO...That’s not why Trixie is here.” Trixie dropped her hooves back to the ground and rubbed one on the back of the other. “Trixie is here to...Trixie is here.” Trixie mumbled the rest quickly and barely audible causing Twilight’s brow to furrow. Twilight looked up slightly, her eyes never leaving the statue. “You’re here to what, banish me again. Maybe finish your here to finish me off. Oh I know, you're here to mock me now that you can claim to be the Great and Powerful and I won't be there to prove you wrong anymore is that it. Please, be my guest. I deserve it.” Twilight’s sighed and rubbed her back legs through the blanket she had covering them. Trixie sat quiet for a moment her mouth opening and closing. “I deserve that but it’s not why I am here.” Trixie rubbed the back of her head with her hoof. “Trixie isn’t like that anymore. Trixie is here today to...Trixie wishes...Trixie wants to thank you. You probably have no idea why Trixie is thanking you but Trixie owes her new life to you. If Trixie hadn’t seen you in that coma then Trixie never would have changed. You forced Trixie to take a new look at her life, even more so than any of the other times you had beaten her.” Twilight turned and looked at Trixie with a mixture of anger and confusion. “You want to thank me for killing my friend and destroying Rainbow’s dream. You want to thank me for putting myself in a coma and ruining my families lives and the Celestia only knows how much I hurt the princesses.” Trixie shook her head slowly before meeting Twilight’s gaze. “No, that’s not it at all. Trixie is thanking you for making her see how wrong she was. Trixie came to Ponyville while you were in a coma and...it...it forced Trixie to see that there was no such thing as great and powerful like she thought. Trixie realized that no matter how great and powerful a pony is there is always somepony somewhere who is better. When Trixie saw you in a coma it broke her, and what followed were anything but a shining moments for her.” Tilted her head back and popped her neck and let a silence fall for a minute. “At first Trixie denied it. Trixie screamed and raved, nopony could convince her someone as great and powerful as Twilight Sparkle could have succumbed to such a fate. Trixie is not proud of what seeing you like that brought out of her.” Trixie lowered her head and pulled in on herself, trying to hide from the the thoughts in her mind. “After those thoughts dried up though, Trixie got worse. Trixie kept trying to to wake you and prove you were faking it. If Applejack had not been around Trixie fears what might have happened. But you Twilight, you have forced Trixie to see herself in a new light three times and that is why I am here. I am here to thank you for making Trixie see what a horrible mare she was.” Trixie looked up at the statue and the hollow gaze no longer felt harsh, she swore she could see a slight smile on the statue now. “You gave Trixie a chance to be normal and to learn about the things she neglected.” Twilight sat silent, staring at Trixie like a pony who has just had advanced thaumic energy theory explained to her for several moments before her mind finished processing what she had just heard. She slumped over and tried to bury her head in her lap. “Everywhere I turn I see a new life I wrecked. How many ponies did I hurt with my stupidity. Why, why, why, why?” She slowly trailed off, the cries of why dying off into sobs. Trixie hesitantly raised a hoof towards Twilight and paused, staring at her shaking back for a brief moment before gently resting her hoof against it. She massaged in small circles, offering what little comfort she could. “Sh Twilight. It will be okay.” Trixie offered the words to Twilight hoping she would believe them more than she did. They sat like that for several minutes before Twilight’s crying subsided enough for her to speak again. “Look at me, crying at the drop of a hat and in front of a mare I thought wanted me dead. I...” She trailed off, staring intently at the blanket. “I just, why did I have to wake up. Why couldn’t Rainbow Dash have left and moved on like the rest. I destroyed her life and she still stayed by my side the entire time I was in a coma. One mistake and I ruined not only one life but several. Now I am here, forcing myself back into those lives that have forgotten me. Everypony expects me to just pick up and resume the friendships but these ponies are barely the ponies I remember. All of them have moved on and have these ugly scars across their heart that covers my name. What did I do to deserve this cruel fate?” Trixie tried to speak up only for Twilight to continue. “Rainbow told me to just treat it like meeting new ponies but I can’t. I keep seeing them as they were before I went into a coma. I see how different they are and it scares me. I am terrified of these ponies around me now. Nothing is the same, it’s all feels wrong.” Twilight wrapped her hooves around herself and leaned forward, her body quaking in fear for a moment before it settled and her eyes took on a slightly vacant appearance. “ I want to pick up the pieces and move on but everytime I see one of them I am terrified. I put on a fake smile and pretend I am fine and I can tell most of them don't believe me. Why me, what did I do to deserve this?” Twilight looked up at Applejack. “Why? Why me? What wrong did I commit to deserve this punishment?” Trixie let the words run around in her head before she came up with a response. “As Trixie sees it, none. It was an accident, a tragic accident but an accident nonetheless. You are not wrong, many were hurt by it. You had a great influence on so many and for them to see you reduced to something so small, it hurt a lot of ponies. Others were hurt by the after effects of the accident, Applejack’s passing and the breakup of the elements of harmony.” Trixie paused as a fresh wave of memories washed over her. The day she had seen the article and how afraid the ponies reading it were. She remembered that one pony who wasn’t afraid but rather he looked pensive. “But, there were others who were swayed by it. Many who saw the papers took away from it a lesson in humility. That is the lesson Trixie took. Trixie believed she was invincible but you proved her wrong simply by not being invincible, her and many others.” Trixie stood up and turned to face the horizon, gesturing out with a hoof. “Trixie travels far and wide, it’s her trade. In her travels she meets a lot of ponies. Ponies of all walks of life and ponies of all mindsets. Many believe themselves to be like Trixie, great and powerful but all them saw what had become of you and were shaken.” She turned back to Twilight and smiled slightly. “To read about the most powerful pony of all time being unable to prevent such a tragedy to her own mare friend, it’s a sobering idea for a pony who thinks they are invincible.” Her smile fell and she shook her head. “It was a sad day when it happened but it echoed out, changing the lives of everypony whose ears it reached.” Twilight sat silent, her brow furrowed in thought. “Did I really shake that many ponies?” “You did, and not just ponies like Trixie but regular ponies as well. Your name was well known and it was a great tragedy to lose you and Applejack but tragedy affects all differently.” Trixie took a deep breath and held it for a moment before exhaling. “Some let the sadness be what they take away but others, others see it as a lesson. They see a sorrow that can teach them a lesson about life.” Trixie shook her head. “Some like me decide to learn everything they can from what happened. It’s even more the case when that someone is as important as you.” Twilight looked up into the cloudless sky, a pensive look on her face. Silence ruled the hilltop for several minutes before Twilight’s head tilted down to meet AJ’s eyes. “Thank you Trixie.” Turning she reached under her blanket. “Could you do something for me?” Trixie nodded and Twilight pulled an envelope from under the blanket. “Please deliver this to Rainbow as soon as you can.” Trixie nodded and Twilight turned and began wheeling herself away before she paused and turned back. “One more thing Trixie. If you found somepony that makes you happy never let them go. Hold onto them like every day is your last.” With that she turned away and wheeled off towards Sweet Apple Acres. Trixie looked over the note and then to where Twilight had gone off, trying to place the look she had seen on Twilight’s face at that last moment. “Trixie doesn’t understand. What are you trying to say Twilight?” Turning she headed off towards Carrot Top’s to deliver the letter and more invitations, questions rattling around in her mind begging to be answered. ~ ~ ~ Pinkie Pie bounced along the between the shelves of her party warehouse, humming a song she had just made up when suddenly she froze. She closed her eyes and shuddered for a moment before her face turned up to the ceiling and a tear rolled down her cheek. “But you're gonna miss the party if you do that Twilight.” Her head lowered and she dropped to all fours. “And what about Dashy?” Slowly she began to walk towards the nearest exit, stopping to look over at the party that would never get thrown. She stepped onto the lift that would bring her out near Carrot Top’s and turned to look at the warehouse as she hit the lights and it all went dark again. The lift rose as darkness overtook her party supplies once more. Pinkie shook her head and slapped her cheeks as the lift rose but her hair remained flat as she stepped off the lift and saw Rainbow Dash slumped over in Carrot Top’s garden. Trixie stood nearby looking around for anypony to help before she spotted Pinkie Pie and motioned her over desperately. Approaching slowly Pinkie ran over a thousand different things in her mind and finally settled on taking a seat beside Rainbow and placing a hoof over her shoulders. A sudden pressure against her chest nearly knocked her over and she wrapped her other hoof around Rainbow as she broke down and sobbed turning her bubblegum pink coat a deep shade of ruby. Her eyes shifted down to a note that sat discarded on the ground. Tears filled her eyes as she read it and she buried herself in the prismatic mane and joined her friend in her tears. The note read simply: Dear Rainbow Dash, Thank you. Thank you for everything you have done for me and for being there for me. I tried but I can’t do it anymore. Thank you so much for everything you did but this is goodbye. Your dearest friend, Twilight Sparkle > Beginnings > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- A sky colored pegasus lay with her hooves tucked under herself at the top under a tree of a hill just outside the orchard a friend of hers had owned once upon a time. A gentle breeze swept the smell of apples over her, tousling her mane and the feathers of her one wing. The sun was rising on the horizon and a line marked the difference between night and day that slowly traveled up the hill. A sad smile played at the lonely mare’s lips as the line drew closer and closer to her until daylight washed over her and she turned her head. A tear dripped down her cheek and landed a stone set at the base of the tree nestled between two thick roots. On the stone was five pointed star encircled by five stars beside a trio of apples. The mare’s tear fell on the five pointed star and ran along the engraved lines making the star stick out against the stone. Shaking her head from side to side as she wiped another tear from her cheek the mare spoke in quiet voice. “I miss you two so much.” A unicorn of a similar coat color but with a silver mane and tail crested the hill behind the mare and removed her star studded purple hat. “Hey Rainbow.” She spoke softly with a warm smile. “Always the first one here.” Rainbow turned her head to look at the newcomer and sighed lightly. “Hey Trixie.” Turning back to the stone she laid a hoof on it and traced the two pictures engraved on it. A pink mare crested the hill and nuzzled Trixie. “Hey sweetie you were supposed to wait for me.” She looked over at Rainbow Dash and the stone and a frown flashed across her face but vanished before any could say they had seen it. “Hey Dashie.” Rainbow nodded in acknowledgement but kept her gaze fixed on the stone. Trixie looked at Pinkie and gave her a quick peck on the cheek “Did you bring the basket Pinkie?” Pinkie nodded and pulled said basket from her mane. “Good, now all we need is the blanket, and it should be arriving with the other two soon.” Rainbow shifted slightly and rose to her hooves slowly. Turning back she walked to Pinkie and gave her a quick hug then Trixie received one. “I’m glad you two could make it again. I know it’s a lot to ask but...” Rainbow trailed off for a second. “I need my friends today more than any other day of the year. I just wish Fluttershy could have made it.” Both Trixie and Pinkie wrapped Rainbow in a hug together and nuzzled her. “We understand Rainbow, and Fluttershy sends her best. She said she will come by in the afternoon and stay overnight..” They turned as the sound of footsteps reached their ears and they watched a purple dragon crest the hill with an alabaster unicorn. The dragon and the unicorn waved and picked up their pace. “Morning girls.” The unicorn smiled and gave them all a quick hug while the dragon walked past them to the stone. Kneeling down he kissed the first two fingers on his right hand and placed them on the stone over the star mark. “Hey Twi.” He placed his hand over the trio of apples. “Hey AJ.” A tear rolled down his cheek and he sniffled lightly. “I’m back again.” He stood and turned to the ponies and stepped up to Rainbow. “Hey.” He leaned over and gave her a quick hug before turning and helping the mare he had arrived with with her bags. Together they laid out a blanket and then Pinkie began to lay out sandwiches and cupcakes and some cider. After the blanket was covered they stood around it leaving the side that lay against the stone empty. Bowing their heads for a moment they offered a silent prayer before Rainbow spoke up. “It’s been another year without you, that makes three without both of you.” She paused and choked back a sob. “We miss you so much.” She fell to her knees and held back her tears as her body shook before the others stepped up and wrapped her in a hug. Pinkie looked to the white unicorn. “Rarity did you bring them?” Rarity nodded and pulled out two felt dolls. One of purple with a purple mane that had a pink streak in it and the other orange with a blonde mane and tail and a stetson on it’s head. She reverently laid them on the stone. Stepping back she leaned against. “Three years ago you made your choice Twilight. While we may not understand or accept it we are powerless to change it. You broke your promise to Spike.” She paused and looked up into his eyes brimming with tears and nuzzled his hand that moved to scratch her ears. “We miss you so much. Rainbow keeps blaming herself even though there was nothing more she could have done. We aren't here for that though. Today we are here to remember you and all the good times.” Pinkie raised her head and took a breath. “We are here to remember the parties and the smiles we shared. Trixie is here to honor you for the advice you gave her and the strength you gave her that let her change.” Pinkie looked over at Trixie and gave her a kiss on the lips. “And to thank you for the final piece of advice you gave her that let two ponies discover true happiness together.” All the assembled ponies and dragon reached forward and grabbed a glass together. “We are here to celebrate your life and remember the pony we all loved.” Rainbow took a deep shuddering breath. “And to remember the warmth your presence brought to all our lives.” In a quieter voice she added one more addendum. “Some more than others were warmed by your presence.” Raising her voice again. “Let us not forget Twilight Sparkle and the mare she loved and the mare we all loved just as deeply, Applejack.” All the glass raised and a resounding here here echoed out and then they all took a swig. Everyone smiled at one another and then froze as a new voice reached their ears. “I would like to add something. I would like to add an apology to everypony present. Especially Applejack and Rainbow. I failed them and myself.” Everypony slowly turned to the sound of the voice, lowering the glasses in time with their turning heads. A purple unicorn in a wheelchair sat awkwardly between Trixie and Rarity, a blanket adorned with the same mark engraved on the stone sat across her lap. A weak smile held the corners of her mouth up but slowly the dropped. No one made a sound and just stared instead. The first to move was Spike as he dropped his glass and sprang forward to wrap his arms around the mare and lift her from the chair as he screamed in exuberance. “TWILIGHT!” His shout broke the silence and everypony moved at the same time to tackle Twilight and Spike. Everypony except Rainbow pony piled onto the two of them, tears of joy replacing their tears of sorrow. Rainbow stepped forward hesitantly at first then stopped and bit her lip. Pinkie noticed and nudged everypony else, they all looked back and moved to the side. Spike pulled Twilight into a sitting position and stepped to the side. Twilight looked around confused for a moment before her eyes locked with Rainbows and silence returned to the hilltop. Rubbing the back of her head sheepishly Twilight went to speak but instead found herself in a bone-crushing hug perpetrated by a vice like set of fore hooves. Tears soaked into her chest as the sky colored mare sobbed into her chest. Gingerly she patted the pegasus on the back before trying to push her away a little. Rainbow complied and went to speak but found a purple hoof on her lips. Shaking her head from side to side Twilight gently removed her hoof and leaned forward. Everypony and dragon gasped as they watched purple lips meet blue lips in a loving kiss. The pegasus’s eyes grew ten sizes before fluttering close as she leaned into the kiss. For several moments nopony said a word and the kiss went uninterrupted. Slowly Twilight pulled away, a trail of spittle connecting the lips for a little longer before it broke. Twilight smiled warmly. “I’m so sorry for everything Rainbow. I never meant for this to happen.” Rainbow nodded numbly and everypony gathered around and helped Twilight to the picnic. Spike broke the silence again with a question. “Where were you?” Twilight scooted herself closer to Rainbow who absentmindedly wrapped her wing over her back causing her to snuggle closer. “I was finding myself again.” Rarity raised an eyebrow. “And this lead to you kissing Rainbow how?” At the sound of her name Rainbow perked up and looked at Twilight. “Yea how did, when did you?” She fumbled for words causing Twilight to chuckle. “I’m not real sure about that one. I guess it really started when I tried to end it and all I could see was your tear stained face in my mind.” Twilight paused and absent mindedly picked up a cider in her magic. “It was a low point for me but every time it became unbearable you were there for me. You and AJ never left my side no matter how bad it got.” She took a sip. Trixie spoke up next. “Where did you go to find yourself and when did you get your magic back.” Twilight lowered the cider and sighed. “I didn't get it back, just some of it. As for where, Zebrica. It’s a long story but the important part is I learned of new ways to channel my magic and while I will never have the power I had before I can do simple tasks again.” Twilight looked at Rainbow who still seemed lost in her mind and sighed again. “I traveled all over the world looking for myself only to learn I had left it behind.” Pinkie smiled and bounced a little, looking happier than she had in years. “I am so glad I was wrong. Well kind of wrong. I had a sense and it said you were leaving us and it didn’t say anything about returning so I thought...” She trailed off and turned to the stone. Twilight frowned and pulled Rainbow closer. “I’m so sorry for that. I was planning on that being the case but I just couldn’t. I tried more than once but I was never able to, the pumping of my heart that once belonged to the mare I loved always grew louder and distracted me with visions of Rainbow here.” Twilight gently kissed the mentioned mare’s cheek. “In the end I decided to find something I could do and that lead me all over the world.” Rainbow looked over at Twilight, a blush on her cheeks. “So are you back for good?” Twilight nodded. “I talked with Cheerilee yesterday and I am going to begin teaching foals about magic. I may not be a scholar like I was before but I still love knowledge and I also love imparting it on others. It’s an oddly good fit. Of course if you want me to leave I c-” A pair of cyan lips interrupted her and a few of the others gasped lightly. Rainbow broke the kiss. “No, please don’t go again.” Twilight nuzzled into Rainbow. “Never.” Turning to her friends she smiled. “So will my family be in town for this, or the princesses? Will Fluttershy be coming by later?” Spike chuckled to himself. “She’s still in Appleoosa tending the reserve. She’s getting it ready so she can be here for a couple of days, she will be by later today. Pinkie has a party scheduled this afternoon for everyone to get together. Your family, the princesses, the original cutie mark crusaders and the town will be there and Fluttershy will probably arrive during the party. It’s usually a memorial but I think Pinkie won’t mind changing things up a little and making it a welcome home party.” Pinkie bounced into the air and pumped her hoof a few times. “OH MY GOSH I HAVE THE BEST PARTY EVER PLANNED FOR THIS.” Pausing for a moment in the air she lowered slowly to the ground. “Well not this, it was supposed to be your good morning party but a few changes won’t hurt and we can make it your Good Morning, Hope You Had a Fun Trip and Welcome Home party. It will be EPIC.” She turned to Trixie and pulled her into a deep kiss. “I AM SO EXCITED! WE NEED TO GET VINYL INTO TOWN AND PULL IN A FEW PYROTECHNIC EXPERTS AND TWILIGHT CAN HELP WITH THE MAGIC SHOW TO SHOW OFF HER...” Pinkie trailed off into an incoherent babbling. Trixie shook her head defeatedly. “Well I guess that’s our cue to leave. I will see you later Twilight. I am glad you didn't do anything drastic.” Spike nodded along with Rarity. “Yes, I think we will leave to. Help Pinkie out. You and Rainbow can have the picnic, I can stop by and pick it up later when I come to get you for the party.” Rarity nodded and rose with Spike and left with Trixie and Pinkie, leaving Twilight alone with Rainbow. Rainbow looked at Twilight and Twilight looked at Rainbow. They both smiled, sheepishly at first but then it grew happier and more confident before they leaned in and shared another kiss. Rainbow spoke up first after the kiss broke. “I should have said this a long time ago Twilight but, I love you.” Twilight sighed and leaned against Rainbow’s chest. “I love you too Rainbow. I am so sorry for everything I put you through.” Rainbow rubbed a hoof throw Twilight’s mane. “It’s okay, you can make it up to me. We have the rest of our lives to make it up to each other for everything we did wrong.” Rainbow hugged Twilight tighter for a second. Twilight leaned into the hug and sighed wistfully as she nuzzled Rainbow’s chest. “I am not going anywhere again. I know where I belong now and it’s here in Ponyville with you and Pinkie and Rarity and everypony else. Life will never stop moving forward and I need to move with it, not get lost in the current.” Silence eclipsed them both as they lay together in each other's embrace, looking over at the stone. They both reached out and placed a hoof on the apples with a smile. A blue hoof placed itself on a purple chest and was covered by a purple hoof. They whispered a thanks and goodbye as they leaned into each other and turned up to look at the tree that sprouted a few blossoms at that moment, one of which fell free and settled on the hooves over the apples etched into the stone.