Kagayaku Sora no Shijima ni wa
It was dark. But, not too dark. A nice level of illumination. The word soothing came to mind.
“Oh, so you’re awake?” Twilight sat up straight, and saw her teacher, using her wings to push the boat along. It was a small boat, enough to fit a few ponies, maybe three. It was just them, out at sea. It couldn’t be much further to the location, if this was the rate they were going at.
“Where.... are we?” Twilight asked, looking around. All around them was a deep fog.
“Are you sure you want to know?” Celestia asked, her eyes locked on her student, who then dismissed it.
“Nah...” she knew what was coming. The transformation. It wasn’t as simple as you’d think. The soul is taken from the body, and the body is changed. Who you were no longer lives, and you come back a different pony, “On second thought, I don’t need to know.” There was a few minutes of glum silence, and both equines seemed happiest this way.
“I seem to have been asleep quite a while...” Twilight muttered, and then, in the water, were slides of her life, floating by. Her entrance exam, when she met her teacher, when her brother became captain, her first fifth-level spell(with great help from her teacher, the memory revealed), the numerous papers she wrote, her adventures in Ponyville, the time Discord broke free, the marriage of her brother and foal sitter, the liberation of her foal sitter’s kingdom, the news of a little brother on the way...
All the memories were there. All the emotions she felt at the time were there. It was as if her life was playing out in front of her.
“What’s this?” Twilight asked, looking up at her teacher, who gave a warm smile.
“Your cinematic record. Everything you’ve done in life, for both of us to share.” Twilight nodded, before resting a hoof in the water, and a small trail in its wake.
“I see... so, this is how I lived...” she closed her eyes, and heard a faint melody in the soft wind, “Twilight Sparkle is...”
“Not yet, my faithful student.” Celestia said, looking down with her student, “You’ll remain the element of magic a while longer.” Celestia wrapped a wing around her student as they watched her memories, most of which had the mare in white herself in them, “‘I’ll take full responsibility for you until the end, as you're equally-as-faithful teacher’.” Celestia quoted herself, when Twilight first moved to the castle. It put her parents at ease, at least. Twilight gave a slight chuckle at this.
“Cadance is sure to cry like a filly...” Celestia gave a similar chuckle.
“You both knew everything about each other. I think it’s only natural.”
“What about the other elements? Are they okay?” Twilight asked, and Celestia frowned.
“I think they’ll be a little sad that you won’t be coming back, but... Pinkie’s sure to throw you a party, no matter what.” Celestia gave a rare joke.
“She’s like that...” Twilight gave a blissful smile, head held up and smiling as the wind blew through, “I wonder how Spike’ll take this news...”
“Well, you’d be the first princess with a dragon as her closest friend, and practically adopted son.” Celestia smiled at her student. She was taking it relatively well. Then, small, different colored orbs floated by, six being particularly stubborn.
“What is this light?” She asked.
“These are the feelings held for you by everypony who has ever heard of you, my dear student.” Celestia answered, and Twilight heard each opinion.
“Feelings for... me?” she asked.
“What an adorable daughter!”
“What a cur. Yet another one of those unicorn children.”
“Hey, she doesn’t look half bad...”
“I have to protect her. No matter what.”
“For an egghead, she isn’t half bad.”
“She could use a bit more muscle, but brains around the barn might be mighty useful, ah reckon.”
“She is the bestest friend I ever ever ever ever had!”
“Heh... such a foolish foal.”
“She could try to stop reading too deep into things. But, she gets that from her teacher, I suppose.”
“Just an absolute gem. And, she’s always there in a jam.”
“I hope she comes back safely... If, if she wants, that is...”
“She’s the bestest sister ever. Could be a bit better at cooking though. Can’t complain.”
“A unicorn, eh? That’s a first. Can’t say I’m surprised that she beat me, though. Nice play, you lavender cur, you beat me. But, now that you did, you can’t lose to anything else. You got me?! I don’t care if the apocalypse comes, you gotta beat it like you did me!”
“Such promise... I am glad that I fell to her.“
“I hope she's sleeping soundly, after she condemned my race...“
“I’m glad she gave the great and... I mean, I’m glad she gave me a second chance. I really needed it.”
“Nothin’ but a namby pamby.”
“She get rid of annoying pony? Do whatever she want!”
“She’s really nice. Doesn’t ask questions about my research either. I should really talk to her more.”
“I’m glad she gave me that map. Without any trouble, either! Maybe I should get her a muffin...”
“We are glad she gave us... I’M glad she gave ME a second chance. Not many ponies do.”
“She’s one of the best ponies I know. I hope she finds that special somepony someday. I’ll do all in my power to make sure that happens, as a matter of fact.”
“My faithful student... I couldn’t be more proud of you.”
Twilight had a melancholic look on her face, as tears rolled down, “They’re pretty.” Celestia was taken aback by this reaction.
“Pretty?”
“Yeah... parting with everypony doesn’t make me feel... lonely, or sad now. But, I think these are pretty.” Then, remembering to give her something, Celestia took out a thick book. It was white, but read ‘Diary’ in golden letters.
“What’s this?” Twilight asked, and Celestia smiled.
“It’s my diary.” She smiled, “I started to keep it after you came into my life. Luna and Cadance even began to write it, believe it or not.”
“Luna and Cadance...?” Twilight asked, opening to a random page.
Celestia:
Today’s the day. Luna will come back from her imprisonment, and, hopefully, Twilight will free her from the rage and jealousy that has consumed her. It pains me to put her in such danger, but it is necessary. Not only in her development as a court wizard, but in her development of character. I hope that, by putting all my faith in her, she can accomplish anything.
Like my diamond in the sky.
Cadance:
‘Tia just told me. Twilight will be sent off to Ponyville under the guise of preparing for the Summer Sun Festival. But, in reality, she’s hoping Twilight can find and befriend the Elements of Harmony. She also revealed to me this journal, which has catalogued everything she and Twilight. I’m honored that she’d pick me to help in the writing of this book, a collection of Twilight’s adventures. But, she’s also leaving the name up to Luna. Some ponies might say that 'Tia is ignorant. Ignorance? Most certainly not. Over confidence in the abilities of her student? Maybe.
But, I think it’s more than that. I think it’s nothing but a little faith.
Luna:
Celestia... her times with her student, recorded here? And I’m expected to think of a name for this? Heh... leave big decisions up to me, and I haven’t even been here for twenty four hours. But, it’s one I take seriously. I do not know what my sister has in store for her student, nor if she shall share any of this information with me. But, I got to know Twilight in the following celebration of my return, so I can safely say that their faith is returned to each other.
‘Song of Oath’... Yes, both are loyal, and share that... connection, rarely seen elsewhere.
“What now, my student?” Celestia asked, hearing the book close.
“Nothing... Maybe go to a beach, collect some seashells.” Twilight said, wiping fresh tears from her face.
“You’d go crazy within the hour.” Celestia joked.
“Maybe I’ll run tests on the sea shells.” Twilight said, woefully. Closing her eyes, and looking up at the moon, she sighed, before opening them a crack, the moon reflecting into Celestia’s gaze, “Everypony and everything that could harm my friends... is it truly gone? Because I set my sights so high, am I undone now? Is that how Twilight Sparkle, protege to Princess Celestia, sister to Shining Armor captain of the royal guard, sister in law and best friend to Princess Cadance of the Crystal Empire will be remembered?” Her teacher remained silent, continuing to ferry their way. Slowly, the fog cleared, and she could see a small island ahead.
The lavender unicorn could feel that it was ancient. She didn't even need to be on the island and feel its soil beneath her hooves to know that. Yet, it was somewhat comforting, to know that she was to be made immortal in such a timeless place.
As she looked down, she was surprised to find a flower crown floating downstream. Picking it up with her hoof, Twilight looked at, and smiled. It was a replica of the ‘Crown of Magic’, as she called it. Everything was made of flowers, but it looked more majestic than the real thing.
“Allow me.” Celestia said, taking it in her magical grasp and placing it on her student’s head, “I’m glad I could be the perfect teacher to you, until the last, Twilight.” She gave her lavender student a hug with, not just her wings, but her forelegs as well. Taking a step back, she observed her student wearing a crown, not having a chance to before.
“That fits you very well.”
“Yeah.” Twilight said, looking at the moon, “I’m Twilight Sparkle... just... Twilight Sparkle.” It wasn’t long after Twilight found herself being carried by her master. Her wings were soft and flexible, and augmented the beauty of the island they had landed on. The island was overrun with hardwood trees, that pierced the heavens, making it hard for the young unicorn to know where she was going. Yet, she trusted her teacher to lead them to wherever they were going. Truth be told, the unicorn didn't much care. Was it her impending death that made this sudden calmness and apathy rush over her? Perhaps. Yet, she wasn't going to complain; it was relaxing to know she had accepted her death. It was several hours after they began that a large, broken down cathedral broke into view.
“This... was my first castle, long ago.” Celestia began, slowing her already sluggish pace, “Back then, the ponies thought we should rule from the safety of our home, this Insula Deorum. As you can imagine, it was heavily because of superstition.” Twilight then caught sight of an apparition, perhaps. A biped, clad in black, “But, because of one visitor, they soon saw we were no different from them, save for immortality and appearance. It claimed to be a demon, but I hardly think it was. Whatever the case may be...”
akane no utagoe sono mune wo somete yuku
“It would seem it’d like to see you off as well.” she smiled, placing her student down.
“So, this is where it all ends, huh?” She asked, shifting on the throne-esque chair she was put on.
“It’s where it begins and ends, yes.” Celestia confirmed. Twilight looked at the singing apparition, who had a hunger in its eyes. She began to notice things about it; this vulture of souls. It was bipedal, and clad in black, as she observed in passing, but its face was skin, with its black mane falling on its white face. Its eyes were a crimson, and she noticed that, as well as hunger, its eyes held a touch of nostalgia in them. On its elevated right foreleg(Was it a foreleg on a biped? Twilight was too tired to remember), she thought she caught a blue shimmer, as well as a rusty ring on its thumb. It appeared to be wearing a tailcoat(like Fancy Pants, she realized), but wore pants(unlike Fancy Pants), and looked every part like a butler, even down to what she assumed was a pocketwatch.
“That apparition...” Celestia followed her students gaze, and smiled, to which the pale features of the creature returned, before continuing the song it had been singing.
tsuki wo mamoru yoru no yami ga, sasayaku komuriuta, nakanai kodomo no hitomi ga, yume ni nureru made.
“It’s hungry.”
“So it would seem.” Celestia spoke softly, as to not interrupt the singing.
“When you’re done with me, give it what’s left.” Twilight spoke just as soft, and Celestia nodded.
“Generous as always, meus discipulus.” Celestia smiled.
“Will... will it hurt?” Twilight seemed nervous to ask.
“A little, yes. Do not fret, I will try to-”
“No.” Celestia froze when her student said this, “Go ahead and be brutal. Let your emotions go, the stress begone with this. Etch the pain deep into my soul... as proof I lived!” The black-drenched singer had a smile on its lips, and Celestia was still shocked. She quickly recovered, with a smile.
“It’s good you never let go of that strength...” Celestia began, making suggestive movements to remove all hair from her student’s eyes, which were melancholic. In them was a picture of all her friends: Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, herself, Shining Armor, her parents, Princess Celestia, Luna, Cadance, Spike, Trixie... pretty much everypony in Ponyville or she ever met, including the Changeling Queen, King Sombra, Celestia gave her student one final motherly smile, bathed in the warmth of the sun, as she moved in to remove her soul.
sayonara, nidoto wa aenai anata dakara, itoshiku kuruoshiku, yoru wa mune wo eguru you ni.
“My faithful student...”