“- and so, it is with great sorrow that we commend my student, Twilight Sky, to the grave and the great pony above, may she live out the rest of her immortal life in peace, prosperity and happiness.”
Celestia’s horn glowed a light green, lifting the small coffin in front of her and lowering it into the deep pit within Ponyville cemetery slowly. She shed no tears and the whole graveyard remained silent as she laid her Most Faithful Student to rest. It was with some finality that, a moment later, her horn stopped glowing and she stepped back, her head bowed and eyes shut.
Two ponies stood up from the front row of chairs, one was a sombre tan earth pony, his cutie-mark a single slice of an apple, while the other was the alicorn of the night, Princess Luna. They both walked silently towards the waiting grave and the two shovels dug in beside it. Both of them picked their shovels up with the aid of tooth and hoof alone, and both made sure that the first shovels of dirt hit the coffin at the same time.
Celestia watched her sister and Applejacks descendent fill in the grave of her student, the only sound within the graveyard was the intermittent ‘thunk’ as the dirt hit the bottom of the grave. Her eyes were dry, and her resolve was steely. She’d come to terms with her demons weeks ago, she’d accepted the situation and prepared herself for it, for the loss of yet another of her ‘Most Faithful’.
The graveyard was still, save for the two ponies that were still laying Twilight beneath the Earth. All several-hundred ponies gathered there remained deathly quiet, deathly still as the work continued. The world was silent, the wind didn’t gust and the clouds didn’t move across the sky, as if the world itself mourned for the loss of the last bearer of harmony.
Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and now Twilight Sparkle. They’d all left the world doing what they loved, none of them regretted a thing. But ponies could only live for so long.
A resounding ‘Thud’ echoed through the graveyard, the tan pony and the dark alicorn stood back from their work and bowed their heads simultaneously, each muttering their own goodbyes to the pony who had, through one way or another, taught them the meaning of friendship. Then they straightened, not a tear in their eyes, and re-took their seats.
After another moment, Celestia rose her head and spoke to the masses, all crammed within the small graveyard. “It is done. Let us remember Twilight as she would like us to remember her, and let us never forget our own memories of her.”
Short, sweet and sonorous.
Every head bowed and mumbled their own words, a final prayer for Twilight Sparkle. And one-by-one, they stood, they turned, and they left the graveyard until the only ponies remaining were Celestia, Luna and the tan earth pony.
Celestia sighed, the emotions she’d been denying herself through the funeral finally meeting the air as a tear tracked its course down Celestia’s cheek. A glance towards Luna, waiting patiently beside Celestia, strengthened her resolve as her horn glowed once more, lifting a large and flat stone from behind the podium and guiding it towards her student’s grave, before driving it down into the earth with enough force to leave it standing freely against the still air.
Luna offered a smile towards her sister, lighting her own horn a dusky blue colour before surrounding the stone with her aura. Slowly, ever-so-slowly, the stone began to shape itself, smoothing the rough edges and leaving a teardrop grave-marker behind with the Star of magic engraved onto it. Beneath it, the inscription read:
Twilight Sky Element of Magic Sep 982 – Jul 1104 Friendship is Magic Love is Eternal
“She’d like that.” The earth pony behind them spoke, his voice a gentle burr against the silent wind. Luna smiled her appreciation at the pony before glancing at her sister. Celestia just kept looking at the stone, a sad smile on her face as she walked towards it, coming to a halt just in front of it and sitting down on the ground.
Luna started forwards, prepared to comfort her sister, when a hoof on her shoulder stopped her; the pony beside her wore the same look of sadness as her sister, but his offer was clear. Luna nodded, turned and left the graveyard, being careful to keep her eyes dry.
The tan pony waited a moment before walking up besides Celestia and sitting down, looking at the stone in front of him. Apple Slice spoke into the silence, “I met Twilight twenty-five years ago. She taught me the meaning of friendship and the magic that came from it. I’ll always remember her for her smile that she managed to keep just for me and her memories.”
Celestia nodded, shutting her eyes against her memories. “If you don’t mind me asking Princess, who was she?”
Celestia opened her eyes, looking at the gravestone with a slight smile, “She was my student, my Most Faithful student.” Apple Slice waited for a moment for her to continue, realised that it was unlikely and spoke up again, “Yes, but who was she?”
Celestia sighed, her omni-benevolent smile slipping for a moment before replacing itself as she talked, “Twilight Sparkle, that’s her given name, she was my student oh-so long ago. Not unlike you for that matter, she never saw the need for friends until I forced her hoof. I sent her to Ponyville so long ago, to oversee the Summer Sun Celebrations of the millennium and to make some friends.”
“She fought against it, she never wanted friends before and could never see the point in them.” Celestia smirked, her smile lifting momentarily, “But she made them nevertheless, fighting Nightmare Moon, she realised just how powerful the magic of friendship was. That was when she started studying the magic of friendship here, in Ponyville.”
“She studied for around five years in Ponyville before she came back to Canterlot. Officially it was because she was instrumental in some new research on magical theory pertaining to flight, in reality… it was because I missed her. She was my only friend back then, Luna was nocturnal and every other pony was constrained by formality. Twilight was the only one I could ever really relax around, so I brought her back to Canterlot.”
“I extended the offer to her friends; I knew how much friendship could sour with isolation, but nearly all of them had their lives to live. Applejack, the bearer of honesty and your grandmother, she had the farm to take care of. Fluttershy, the bearer of kindness, she cared for the animals around Ponyville and the Everfree, she could never leave them to fend for themselves. Rarity, the bearer of generosity, had her business, if she’d had her way that wouldn’t have counted for naught, but Twilight insisted that she stayed here, ‘no point coming with me if you have to completely relocate’, and Pinkie… if I remember correctly, Pinkie’s response was to wish her luck and to throw her a leaving party.”
“And then there was Rainbow Dash.”
Apple glanced to the side, then back at Twilight’s stone, “The element of loyalty?”
“Bearer.” Celestia corrected automatically, “But yes, Rainbow Dash, the bearer of loyalty…”
Twilight Sparkle sighed heavily, looking around Ponyville with a sad smile as she remembered her many memories here. She’d lived here for five years, long enough to become known as the town librarian by name and long enough that she had needed to think long and hard before finally accepting Celestia’s request to move back to Canterlot.
Except it seemed like she’d be leaving behind so much. Twilight wasn’t one for sentimentalities, but she’d felt a genuine connection to the town that had offered her so much and given her a home away from home, not to mention her friends which had had her back every step of the way. Except for now it seemed. Twilight couldn’t really blame them, they all had lives to live here, they all had jobs and were all established here with each other long before Twilight had ever come along.
Now there was only Rainbow to talk to, she’d seen each of her other friends and they’d all replied a negative, some with more persuasion than others. But it wasn’t in Twilight to drag them away from their homes and families to fulfil her own wishes, or Celestia’s in any case. She didn’t regret putting her hoof down, Rarity had a family here, she had her life and business to run and Sweetie Belle to take care of.
Twilight steeled herself for another refusal, it was obvious that Rainbow would want to stay here, she had her job, her home and her friends grounded here. Maybe she’d try to come with Twilight, but she was sure that after pointing out the cold logic to Rainbow, she’d agree with her, better to let her go quietly, there’d be less tears at the station.
Speaking of Rainbow for that matter, she hadn’t seen hide nor hair of the pegasus all day, nor since she’d announced to all her friends that she was going to be leaving and she’d given them a few days to decide on their own choices. But that time was now up, she’d need to go and find Rainbow first it seemed. Deciding to head back to the library to pick up her hot air balloon, she set off, deep in thought as to where her friend was.
As it turned out, she was on her doorstep, perched on a small suitcase and swinging her legs impatiently as she waited. Upon seeing Twilight, she waved, smiling brightly at her before hopping off the suitcase and waiting by the door for Twilight, who was walking over with her mouth open.
“So I made my decision.” Rainbow said, smiling brightly at Twilight. “Bu- bu- but, what about your job, your home, your life?” Twilight garbled, her previously well-thought out cold logic long gone as she tried to rationalise Rainbow’s thoughts. “Yeah, well I’m sure Canterlot has a weather team just waiting for the Dash to join them.” Rainbow replied, striking a pose before falling onto her hooves again. “As for my home, you said that the Princess was going to be providing accommodation right?”
Twilight nodded, struck dumb by Rainbows replies. “Well then what’s the problem? You asked us all if we wanted to go, I’m saying that I want to go.” Regaining some semblance of coherence, Twilight finally replied, “But what about your friends, they’re all staying here.” “Our friends Twi, and fine. If they’re not going to come with you to accompany you, all the more reason for me to come.” Twilight opened and closed her mouth a few more times, before sighing and nodding. “Fine. But the train leaves in an hour.” Rainbow gestured to her suitcase expectantly, looking back at Twilight with a wry smile.
“Oh shut up.”
“She was the only one who accompanied her when she left, and she stayed there for that matter.” “So what happened?” Apple asked, looking over at Celestia. “Time happened I suppose. Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle stayed at the castle for a number of years, their other friends visited once a week, then once a month, then the odd day out of the blue. Of course, she still had Rainbow Dash for daily life, except I think that got a bit too hectic for her sometimes.”
“Rainbow Dash!” the shout echoed up and down the cavernous corridors and passageways of Canterlot castle, causing some of the crystal teardrops hanging from the chandelier above to vibrate slightly, resonating. The named pegasus stopped humming, turning her head towards the source of the shout, “Yeah Twi?” “Do you have to hum constantly?” she asked, exasperated. Rainbow shrugged, “I’m bored, what can I say.”
Twilight gritted her teeth, trying her best to control her temper, “Don’t you have a routine to practice perhaps?” Rainbow snorted, laying back on the floor, “Learnt it three years ago, Spits says that I don’t need to come in for regular practice anymore, at least not while they’re training newbies.” Twilight groaned internally, looking at the stack of paperwork in front of her before turning back to Rainbow Dash, “Well can’t you hum somewhere else maybe? I have a lot of work to do.”
Rainbow shook her head, “Where else? Plus you’re the only pony I actually know around here Twi.” She paused, “Why don’t we go for a walk, that’ll help you calm down.” She said with a smile which Twilight did not return. “I’m. Not. Stressed.” Twilight said, biting off each word with finality. Rainbow just quirked her head and fixed her gaze on the bin overflowing with cracked quills, sheets of paper and empty ink bottles. Twilight’s jaw slowly unclenched itself, opening to allow the sigh to pass through, “Alright… I guess you’re right.”
“Then what are we waiting for, let’s go.” Rainbow said, launching herself up from the floor with agility that would have made Pinkie Pie jealous. “Fine… just give me a moment to tidy up.” Twilight replied, gesturing to the mound of papers, quills and booklets that littered the desk. Rainbow nodded, walking over to the door and waiting as Twilight’s magic enveloped the vast number of papers and stationary on the desk, lifting them all up as one and sorting them into a number of piles and within a matter of moments, it was done and Twilight turned from the desk and joined Rainbow at the door.
“Ready?” Rainbow asked. “Sure, let’s go.” Came the reply.
“So how much did you know about, you know…?” Apple Slice asked, looking pointedly to the right again before turning back to Celestia. “More than they thought I did, less than I’d have liked to know.” Came the reply, accompanied by a whimsical smile from the old monarch. “I had my suspicions after a little while, small things, they travelled together, they ate together, I even think they slept in the same room once or twice. But I never knew for certain...”
The sun laid low in the sky, evening rolling in on the warm summer’s day and casting long shadows everywhere. Two ponies walked in the palace gardens, the shadows stretching behind them as they made their way through the deserted foliage. The gardens were always quiet at this time in the evening and the two ponies knew that, they also knew of a bench, not far from the statue of Discord, which was perfect for such an occasion.
They sat down, watching the sunset quietly as they had done for the past month or so.
“Twi?” “Yeah?” “You ever had any regrets in your life?” “A few, I regret not making friends earlier, stuff like that. Why’d you ask?”
Rainbow shifted on the bench next to Twilight, a shiver passing through her body as she prepared herself. “Well, I’ve had a few regrets too; you remember how I was, when you first met me? When I always practiced at every spare moment in the day?” Twilight nodded. “That’s one of them. I know that my dream’s always been to join the Wonderbolts, but I’ve ignored other dreams in exchange for the Wonderbolts. So many opportunities, and each time I was too busy practising a new stunt or routine.”
Twilight put her hoof on Rainbow’s shoulder, “Don’t feel too bad though, you’ve managed your first dream, what’s stopping you from fulfilling your other dreams too?” she asked, smiling encouragingly at her friend. Rainbow turned her head, a slight smile on her face as she met Twilight’s reassuring gaze, then kept looking. After what seemed like an impossible amount of time, Rainbow’s cheeks coloured and she broke eye-contact, looking out at the sunset again. “No reason.” She replied quickly, her cheeks still tinted red against the dying light.
Rainbow took a deep breath before continuing, “Look, what I’m trying to say is that I have a lot of regrets, I just don’t want to do something that’s going to make another one now.” Twilight remained silent, her brow furrowed slightly as she tried to follow Rainbow’s words. “Twilight, me and you, we’re good friends right?” “The best.” Twilight replied, confused. “Well… what if that wasn’t enough?” Rainbow replied, turning to Twilight again, her eyes determined. “Wha-?” Then Rainbow leant forwards and kissed her on the lips. Twilight’s eyes widened and she immediately backed away, breaking the kiss and looking at Rainbow with her mouth wide open. Rainbow, for her part, looked at Twilight and cringed, wilting down into her seat and turning back to the sunset.
“What did I say? Just another regret.” Rainbow said into the air, still looking at the sunset. Twilight’s head spun, ‘Rainbow Dash had kissed her? But what did that even mean? Since when had Rainbow ever hinted at feeling like, well, that?’ The silence was broken by a short and quiet sobbing sound, loud against the backdrop. Twilight turned her head to see the source.
Rainbow Dash, still looking straight at the sunset, was crying, the tears sparkling amazingly from the sunset as they refracted the light into several million rainbows. “Rainbow…” she started, voice choked. “All this time, all I did? And it ends like this?” Rainbow asked, although Twilight wasn’t sure who she was even asking. “All you did, what do you mean?” Twilight asked, worried by Rainbow’s replies.
“All those walks, all those trips to the coffee shops, all the times we’ve come here and watched the sunset, and you never even knew?” Rainbow let out a bittersweet laugh, “Well at least I know now.”
Twilight kept looking at her friend, completely at a loss for what to do. She had skimmed Cadence’s books on love, but they’d been mostly unhelpful, all of them referring to ‘testing the waters’ and ‘doing what felt right,’ nothing concrete anywhere.
“Rainbow?” Twilight repeated, seeing the flick of an ear that heralded she’d been heard, “I… I never knew you felt about me that way, I’d never even considered it.” Memory after memory flew her by, Rainbow and her at Pony Joes, Rainbow and her laughing together at a play, Rainbow and her, those nights where the loneliness of the stone city finally got to her, and where she’d ask Rainbow to come and comfort her for the night…
Had she really been lying to herself all this time?
“Rainbow?” Twilight asked again. “What Twilight, you’ve already broken my heart, can’t you at least give me some peace now?” Rainbow snapped, swinging her head towards Twilight and fixing her with her puffy-eyed glare. Twilight drew back slightly, but steeled herself, “What if I said that I didn’t regret it?” The same look of confusion passed over Rainbow’s face as it had done Twilight’s. And Twilight leant in to kiss Rainbow.
It had none of the elegance that Rainbow’s kiss had possessed; it had none of the co-ordination or the restraint, but it was the action that counted, that’s what Twilight told herself. After a few seconds, Twilight drew back, breaking the kiss and looking at Rainbow anxiously.
“Buh- wha- I thought- you said-“ Rainbow stuttered, her cheeks almost glowing as the sun started to set over the horizon. “I said that I’d never considered it.” Twilight answered, “Not whether I wanted it, deep down I suppose.” She continued, still trying to weigh up her own emotions on the matter. “So… does this mean that you, you know… like mares?” Rainbow started, looking oddly nervous for once.
Twilight thought, she’d never felt like this before, she’d never felt her heart ring so loudly against her chest, nor felt her brain explode as she kissed her… “I like you.” She replied honestly. “That’s good.” Rainbow replied, her smile replacing itself as they looked towards each other with the same mutual smile.
They both leant in as the sun passed over the horizon, sharing their first kiss together in the silent stone city.
“And you saw that?” “No, as it turned out, they weren’t alone in the garden. My Sister was keeping watch over the sunset that evening, turns out she got more than she expected to get.” Celestia replied with a wry smile, fondly remembering that night when Luna had bounded into her room, yelling the good news at her.
“Did they get their happily ever after?” Apple Slice asked, looking at Twilight’s grave. “I think they got their own piece of it, yes.”
“The Mage and the Wonderbolt, has a certain ring to it ey?” Rainbow called across the room, eyeing the poster laid on the desk, decorated with a rainbow in shades of twilight and a simple inscription at the bottom.
You are invited to the wedding of Twilight Sparkle & Rainbow Dash August 24th 1012 Ponyville Town Hall 11:00 AM RSVP
Rainbow was almost buzzing, they’d been officially dating for barely seven months, then she’d posed the question, how could Rainbow have refused, she’d be lying if she’d said she didn’t want the same thing. Twilight had just beaten her to the bat.
Twilight chuckled, walking over to Rainbow and wrapping a hoof around her, “I don’t know, I think I just the Daredevil and the Student works just as well; have you thought any more for a name?” she asked, nuzzling Rainbow gently.
“A few…” Rainbow admitted, before Twilight drew back and waited patiently.
“Clouds” “Hmm… pass.”
“Bolt” “Doubtful”
“Spark” “As much as I appreciate it, Spark doesn’t have the same appeal.”
“Dash” Twilight just looked at her.
“Well, I’m out of ideas.” Rainbow said, exasperated as she drew forth another invitation and placed it in an envelope addressed to Sweet Apple Acres.
“How about Sky?” Twilight asked, her magic surrounding several of the invitations and placing them into their respective envelopes. One to the Carousel Boutique in Las Pegasus, another to the Trottingham veterinary department and another to a house in Canterlot, her parents.
“Hmm… Sky, sky, sky… Sky sounds cool I suppose.” Rainbow replied, placing one of the ever-dwindling invitations into another envelope, this one directed to an apartment in Cloudsdale and to the ponies she hadn’t seen in far too long.
Twilight snorted, “Sky it is then, I’ll send Celestia the papers then… Rainbow Sky.” She said, smiling at Rainbow’s naming methods. “It’s Dash until tomorrow Mrs Sky.”
The graveyard remained silent for a moment before Apple Slice spoke up again, “How did she die? Loyalty, I mean.” Celestia smiled at a memory, “Well, contrary to popular rumour and probably her own wishes, she didn’t die in a great ball of flame, nor was it doing a sonic rainboom.” “But was she…” “Happy? I can promise you that she was.”
Twilight Sparkle sat in a room of whitewashed walls and beeping monitors, the only other occupant of the room was the pony laid in the bed.
Time had not been kind to Twilight or Rainbow, Rainbow’s mane and tail had been reduced to shades of grey while her coat had paled considerably, no-longer the colour of the sky she had loved, now reduced to a powder-blue shade, more grey than blue. Her breathing was laboured and her wings had been bound to her sides to prevent her from escaping… again. Even in old age, Rainbow Dash wasn’t one to sit back and do nothing.
Twilight on the other hand, now had a full shock of white hair, her magical usage destroying most of her pigment and reducing her nervous system by half. Yet Twilight, for her older look, was sat by the bed of her wife. Nearly seventy years had gone by, seventy happy years of marriage and comfort and love. Twilight only regretted never making it to seventy-one.
A wracking cough broke her from her reverie; Rainbow had woken up and started hacking up phlegm and blood. With practiced ease, Twilight stood up and lifted a small metal dish from the side of the room with her magic, bringing it over to Rainbow and holding it in front of her mouth, rubbing her wife on the back slowly all the while.
Eventually, Rainbow stopped and Twilight removed the dish, glancing at its contents before removing them and placing the dish back on the side, just in case. She gently guided Rainbow’s hunched form back in to her laid-down position, still rubbing her back.
“Hey Rainbow, how’re you feeling?” She asked, smiling softly at her patient. Rainbow turned her head, both her eyes, still vibrant, fixed themselves onto Twilight and she cracked a smile, “Like I’m going to die of old age probably.” She replied chuckling before coughing loudly again, the humour in the statement apparent only to her.
Twilight smiled, moving to knead Rainbow’s shoulder gently but remaining silent. “Did you ever think we’d make it this far?” Rainbow asked between strained breaths. “Never in a million years.” Twilight replied. “Did you ever make up any of your regrets?” “I made up for the one that mattered.” Came the reply as Rainbow turned her head and smiled tiredly at Twilight who returned the smile.
“I think I’d like one thing before I go though…” Rainbow continued, “A goodbye kiss maybe?” she asked hopefully. “You’re not going to die yet Rainbow, you’ve still got another day left in you right?” Twilight assured, not convinced on who she was reassuring. But she met the sombre look in Rainbow’s eye and her face fell.
“So this is it?” “This is it… about that goodbye kiss?” Twilight choked back a sob, “As if you’d need to ask…” Twilight leant over the bed, pressing her worn lips against Rainbow’s old and cracked mouth. Both of them kept their eyes shut as they held the kiss, then Twilight felt, rather than heard, her marefriend give out her last breath before she died.
Twilight lifted her head away from Rainbow, opening her eyes and looking at her. Then she shut them as the monitors started flatlining, one by one as they finally realised that Rainbow was no-longer with them and as Twilight stopped interfering with them. She knew how much staying in a hospital had chafed with Rainbow, the least that she could offer her was a quiet death of her own choosing.
She stayed that way as she heard the door open and the doctors enter, as she heard them start their activities and as she heart them charge the defibrillator and as she heard one of them finally announce the time of death. At exactly ten minutes past three in the afternoon on the15th March 1082, Rainbow Sky had passed away due to a heart condition obtained as a result of her old age.
It was some time after she heard the door open to allow Rainbow to be transported to the morgue that she heard another sound.
The door opened again and Twilight heard a small tip-tapping sound on the marbled floor. “Princess.” She acknowledged, keeping her eyes shut and refusing to accept that when she opened them, Rainbow would be gone. “Twilight.” Came the reply Twilight had expected, she opened her eyes, glancing briefly back at the Princess of the Sun before she turned back to the spot where her marefriend had rested.
“How do you cope Princess? I mean, even when I lost Applejack, Rarity and Fluttershy, it never hurt this much.” “It’s because you never loved them as you did Rainbow, you loved them all as your friends, Rainbow went beyond that. She was your partner, it’s only logical that you’d mourn her more” The princesses voice was soft, but the chilly logic was sound, Twilight sighed. “And the coping?” “It doesn’t get easier, you’ll always remember her, more than anyone else will, you’ll remember her Twilight, and you’ll never forget.”
“That sounds more like a curse than a blessing now.” Twilight said with a bitter laugh. The silence spoke volumes. “How are you going to cope Celestia? I’m not going to live forever either. I might be a unicorn but nopony lives forever save for you and Luna.”
“Who said I would?”
Apple Slice watched the monarch quietly as the tears tracked their way down her face. “That’s who she was, Twilight Sparkle and Twilight Sky, a pony who left a legacy.” Celestia finished, her eyes shut once more at the memories assaulted her.
Throwing caution to the winds, Apple Slice stood up and nudged Celestia on the shoulder, standing by her with a friendly smile, “Come on, your sister will be getting worried, let’s go and find her, Twilight’ll still be here later if you want to talk to her.” He said, fixing a smile on his face as he spoke to the ruler, offering her a hoof.
Celestia looked back at the young pony and smiled softly, lifting herself to her hooves with the aid of a small Earth pony. She was old, she had so many memories, and those of her Most Faithful’s were the most treasured of those.
One day, there would be another Most Faithful, there would always be another Most Faithful.
Apple Slice paused, letting Celestia walk on before glancing back at the pair of tombstones under the willow tree, Twilight’s grave, and the stone next to it, completely spotless despite the twenty years that it had stood.
Rainbow Sky Element of Loyalty Jun 983 – Mar 1082 Loyal to the Last Twilight Rainbow Skies Forever
