As she stared out over the scene she had only heard about in stories before her, with endless tears streaming down her face, Twilight's lips started to quiver. It felt as though she was back in time, sitting next to Shining at their Parents' bedsides, anxiously watching over Velvet and Night Light.
Even though no illness had befallen them, no pain had tormented them day and night, and Night Light and Velvet were both peacefully resting at home with their dearest loved ones right by their sides, Twilight and Shining wept in silence, as they knew the time to say goodbye would soon be upon them.
The last thing that Twilight remembered was looking up at her Parents, sweetly holding their hooves with Shiny, just like back when they were Foals, and watching their faces brighten when they smiled through their tears, before they told their Parents they loved them, and begged for them not to go.
The familiar smiles on their Parents' faces, still as bright and kind and warm as every other time, only made their hearts hurt more, and the two Siblings struggled to keep on smiling, even as Velvet kindly reassured them they would be all right, and Night Light promised they did not need to worry.
All that mattered to them was that their brave little Colt and clever Filly were safe, and healthy, and happy, and that there was nothing that would burden them throughout their lives. But after they gently squeezed Twilight and Shining's hooves, they quietly said that they would like to sleep now.
Immediately, both Siblings started to cry uncontrollably as they laid their heads on their Parents' chests, and listened as their breathing steadily slowed down. Then, a deafening silence fell in the room, as Velvet and Night Light passed away, still softly holding on to the hooves of their Family.
Back on the plateau in the Mountains, Twilight had dropped to her knees, crying uncontrollably once again. But now, sitting at the end of the longest chapter of her life, she did not know what was in front of her, and she wanted to delay the inevitable closing for as long as she could, to no avail.
With incredible effort, she rose to her hooves once more, and carefully opened the two urns she had looked after for so long, before she scattered the ashes into the wind, and let Nature itself carry her Parents whither not even the wisest in Equestria knew, no matter how often they experienced it.
As if the very air had heard her cries, the wonderfully warm wind picked up, and twirled around her for a moment, before the area grew silent, as it flowed away from her in every direction. But while Twilight had feared she would not be able to continue, she slowly realised she could breathe again.
Even though she knew it would take a long time for this pain to fade, she took great comfort in the fact that she was able to fulfil her Parents' last wish, all by herself. But as she grabbed another apple treat from her bag, Twilight sighed as she returned to the Empire, so she would not be alone.
Fortunately, despite stopping along the way to take in the beautiful view of the Sun slowly setting over the Mountains, it did not take her very long to reach the Crystal Castle. But when she stepped through the doors, Twilight could feel that something was wrong, so she rushed into the Great Hall.
Her heart ached again when she saw Shining's tear-stained face, before she slowly nodded, and said:
"Th-They're gone... It-It's d-done..."
All of her energy instantly left her again as Shining and she walked towards each other, before the two Siblings fell into a deep embrace, and sank through their legs. As they let out their emotions, even Cadance and Flurry felt how immense their pain and grief were, without uttering a single word.
Neither of the two Princesses, wearing bittersweet smiles on their faces, dared to disturb them, so they quietly left the Great Hall, where they decided to make some tea. But when they made it to the kitchen, Flurry asked her Mother if they could make something for Twilight and Shining to eat, too.
With a solemn nod, Cadance agreed, and a little while later, they returned to the Great Hall, where Shining and Twilight were sombrely and silently sitting still on the couch, with stained faces. But they were snapped out of their focus after Flurry asked her Father and Aunt if they were all right.
Just before they politely thanked Flurry, they picked up the familiar scent of their Mother's stew, and they smiled warmly at the memories, before their smiles fell again just as quickly. Then, after Cadance gave them the bowls of stew, she offered Twilight a folder, filled with the notes she made.
Even though Twilight was speechless at her generous gift, Cadance just smiled as she looked at her, before she sweetly bade her to eat her stew. It was getting late, and she had clearly spent all her energy today, so she was free to stay the night if she wanted to, but Twilight just shook her head.
In response, she told Cadance that they had been very kind, but since she still had much to arrange at home, she said that it was best for her to collect what little she took with her, and leave. But Twilight could tell at a glance that she, and Shining, and even Flurry, were all worried about her.
In reality, she did not want to burden her Family for any longer, so she quickly finished her stew, warmly embraced them, and headed to the doors. But Shining offered to accompany her to the station, even if only to wave goodbye, as it was the least they could do, which she accepted, to his relief.
Save for the Conductor, the Royals were alone on the nigh abandoned station, where Flurry, Cadance, and Shining softly wished Twilight goodbye, before she boarded the train, and left. When they could no longer see her, Cadance took out a scroll and quill, and quickly wrote to Spike and her friends.
For her entire journey home on the empty train, Twilight silently read all her friends' letters and watched the landscape change, as she struggled to keep her mind in the present. She had little left to do before her ascension, but she feared what could be ahead of her without her Parents' support.
Eventually, after the long dark of the tunnel through the Mountains, past countless villages across the land, and stopping at Canterlot, Ponyville appeared on the horizon. When the train stopped, Twi put all her letters away, and stepped onto the platform, when she saw her friends had been waiting.
All her energy left her once again as Spike slowly walked over to embrace her, with the rest of the Mane Six following right behind him, before she collapsed into his arms, where she slowly let out a great sigh, wholly drained, yet incredibly relieved that all her loved ones had been there for her.
As Twilight relaxed her tensed body in her friends' arms, her facade faded, and she solemnly said:
"Thank you..."
And the silence of their embrace was only broken by Twilight's devastated and overjoyed crying...