Silence.

Utter silence.

That was the only sound everypony could hear as they waited for news of Fluttershy. Twilight normally didn’t mind silence, it made it easier to study and focus on her work. But this time she wished something would happen to break it: Pinkie Pie singing another random song, a belch from Spike signaling a letter from the princess, even the ticking of a clock would have been welcomed. But there was nothing.

Twilight looked over her friends, who shared the same emotions on her face: fear, sorrow, hopelessness and, above all, worry. It was not long ago that they had watched the most gentle of them coughing blood into her hoof, but Twilight saw more of that when she teleported Fluttershy to the hospital. A river of blood had poured out of Fluttershy’s nose and mouth as she coughed, so much so that it seemed artificial, a grotesque impossibility. Twilight had to remind herself how much blood a pony’s body could actually hold.

The images that flashed her in mind made her hug Spike closer to her chest as her little brother continued to cry silently. Only minutes ago he’d sent a letter to Princess Celestia to let her know of Fluttershy’s horrible change of condition and to send help immediately. Twilight could only pray that her mentor and fellow princess could make it in time. She and her friends were barely hanging on themselves.

Applejack leaned against a wall for support, her hat covering her face to hide the tears dripping from her eyes. Twilight saw them anyway. Out of all the ponies here who had to deal with - dare she say it - hardship, Applejack was the most experienced. Still, that didn’t make it any easier.

Rarity was right beside her, being comforted by Pinkie Pie, whose mane was completely flat. She had barely been able to stay standing thanks to her tireless run and the revelation that one of her best friends was dying. Pinkie Pie, bless her soul, supported Rarity and hugged her tight, saying everything would be okay. Twilight was surprised by Pinkie’s mature attitude in all of this, but then again nopony surprised her more than Pinkie Pie.

Perhaps the one taking it the worst was Rainbow Dash, whose eyes never left the doors that Fluttershy was taken into. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash had been best friends since they were fillies and knew each other the longest. Although Dash wasn’t crying like the rest of them, Twilight knew that, deep inside, her heart was breaking into tiny pieces.

Twilight could relate. She was the Element of Magic, an alicorn, and one of the most powerful mages since the time of Starswirl the Bearded himself. How was it that she couldn’t help her best friend now when she needed her the most?

Suddenly, there were hoofsteps. Twilight’s ears listened closely as hope began to grow in her chest. She knew those metal protected hooves from anywhere. Looking towards the hall, she and the girls saw the one pony that Twilight could turn to should anything go wrong. The one who had always been there for her.

“Princess Celestia!” shouted Twilight, rushing to her mentor. She disregarded all sense of manners to the princess and hugged her as tight as she could, laying her teary-eyed face on Celestia’s shoulder. “I’m so glad you're here.”

The princess didn’t reprimand Twilight. She simply hugged Twilight back, warming her like the sun that she raised. “I’m so sorry, Twilight. I came as fast as I could when I got your message. I only wish I came sooner,” said Princess Celestia, sorrow emitting from her tone. “Doctor Gold Heart is on his way soon with his best team. They’ll help Fluttershy as best as they can.”

The uneasiness in Twilight’s heart faded a bit upon hearing this. If anypony could help Fluttershy now it was Princess Celestia.

“Girls, look!” said Rainbow Dash, catching their attention. They saw Doctor Stable coming out of the ICU doors with an emotionless expression on his face. When they turned, there were hopeful looks in their eyes that everything was okay.

He was about to say something when he noticed Princess Celestia. “P-princess! W-we didn’t know you would be here.”

“One of my friends and an Element of Harmony is in critical condition. I would be here even if Canterlot itself was on fire,” stated Princess Celestia. “Please, tell us Fluttershy’s condition.”

The moment Doctor Stable lowered his head and closed his eyes Twilight felt her heart sink into her stomach, and she was sure she wasn’t the only one. “I... I’m sorry, everypony. We lost her. F-F-Fluttershy is gone.”

Rarity gasped as she held her hooves to her lips before falling to the floor in tears, her cries of woe echoing across the hall. Pinkie Pie carefully held onto Rarity as she wept alongside her friend. The only thing louder than Rarity’s screams was Applejack hitting the wall with her rear hooves over and over again.

She hit them a few more times before falling to her haunches and started moaning with the rest of them. “Not Fluttershy! Please not her!”

Spike had already tackled into Twilight’s embrace as the two of them held onto each other and cried together. An emptiness in Twilight’s heart began to grow inside of her, like a piece of her soul had been torn away and she was left to fill the void with nothing but her tears. She was gone. One of her best friends in the world was gone. Twilight would never hear Fluttershy’s sweet voice sing a song, or watch her pick flowers alongside her animal companions. For over five years, Fluttershy had been with her through the most challenging events in her life, from Nightmare Moon to her own ascension into becoming an princess. And she never would have done all this, became the mare she was today, without her.

If Twilight had the power, she would sacrifice all the magic she had in her body just for a chance to bring her back. But no magic could do such a thing. Fluttershy was dead and would never return. She slowly turned to her mentor and felt a gasp escape her lips as she saw Princess Celestia’s cheeks covered with fresh tears. She had rarely seen the princess cry before.

“Liar!”

Twilight nearly jumped when she heard the sound of Doctor Stable being slammed against the wall by Rainbow Dash, whose furious face made Twilight tremble. “She’s not dead! You hear me! Fluttershy can’t be dead! Who's gonna look after all her animals?! Who’s gonna be there to cheer for me when I make it to the Wonderbolts?! Who... who...” Rainbow Dash continued to huff and puff as Doctor Stable, bleeding from the lip, trembled in Dash’s grip. “You’re going to go back in there and you’re going to save her! You hear me! Save my best friend! Save her now!”

“Rainbow Dash! Enough!” shouted Celestia. “I know you are in grief, but do not attack Doctor Stable! He did his best and—”

“Buck you, Celestia!” shouted Dash, earning a gasp from Twilight and Rarity at her choice of language towards Princess Celestia herself. Before anypony could respond, Rainbow Dash flew into the ICU.

“Rainbow, wait!” shouted Twilight as she followed her friend, leaving the rest behind.

Rainbow Dash had never told anypony that she was friendless before she met Fluttershy. She didn’t tell them because the memories of being alone for so long hurt. She hated being alone. It only got worse after her parents divorced. Her mother left her and she never saw her again. Her father had to work most of the day just to pay their rent. No friends. No family. Rainbow Dash felt like the loneliest pony in the world.

Until, one day, another filly with a pink mane sat down beside her and asked if she could join her for lunch. When asked why, the filly had said that their eyes were the same. Dash didn’t know what she meant at first, but she then realized that Fluttershy had also been alone. And that was how they first met. Two lonely fillies searching for friendship that had found each other in their darkest hour.

Rainbow Dash swore to never lose her friendship with Fluttershy, protecting her from bullies and doing everything with her, from watching clouds pass by to even butterfly migrations. They were more than friends in her mind, they were sisters of the sky.

And now her sister needed her more than ever.

Rainbow Dash burst through every door in her way, knocking them off their hinges with the power behind her speed. She didn’t care about what was in her way or who was in her way. All her mind could focus on was finding Fluttershy. She finally saw the operation room and kicked the doors open. “Where is she?!”

The nurses all stopped their cleaning and stared at Rainbow Dash in shock. She scanned her eyes around the room, noticing the medical equipment that the nurses were putting away, before she stopped at the sight in the center. On the operating table was a pony figure covered with a bloody, white sheet.

“Fluttershy!” screamed Rainbow Dash as she flew towards the body. Tears in her eyes, she froze upon seeing the faint outline of her friend’s face. With a shaking hoof, she lowered the blanket and choked.

Fluttershy's eyes were closed like she was in a deep sleep, but Dash couldn’t hear her breathing. Blood lingered on the edges of her mouth and nose, its smell overcoming Dash’s senses and making her woozy. “No, no, no... oh please, no...” whispered Dash as she caressed Fluttershy’s cold cheek. “Please wake up, Fluttershy. Don’t do this to me. You still have to see me get into the Wonderbolts.” She growled before taking her by the shoulder and shaking the departed pegasus. “That was our promise! Our promise! You’d be there for my first Wonderbolt show and I would be your best mare for your wedding! We promised we’d live our dreams together and die happy! Don’t you dare break that promise now! Don’t you dare die on me!”

“Miss! Please! You must get away from—”

“Get back!” screamed Rainbow Dash at the nurses viciously. She held onto Fluttershy, eyes wild with promises of hurt should any of them come near her. “S-stay away from us! Just leave us alone!”

“Rainbow Dash!”

Dash turned towards the door as Twilight, huffing and puffing, entered. She stopped in place and a hoof came to her mouth at the sight before her, tears silently beginning to fall. Shaking her head, Twilight walked over to Rainbow Dash, who hugged Fluttershy even tighter. “Dash... please, we have to go. Let them do their job.”

“No! I won’t leave her, Twilight! She needs me!” cried Dash, who was finding it harder to see with all the blurry water in her vision.

“Rainbow...” Twilight began to choke up as she took a deep breath to calm down. “There’s nothing you can do for her anymore. She’s... she’s...”

“Don’t say it!”

“...Fluttershy is dead.”

Dash screamed. She screamed so loud it could be heard even outside of the ICU. She cried out Fluttershy’s name over and over again, begging her to come back, only to be answered with silence save for the imperceptible, arrhythmic patter of tears upon the sterile floor. Rainbow Dash sniffed and looked once more at the peaceful expression of Fluttershy, her sister in the sky, before she gently laid her back on the table. “Fluttershy... I’m so sorry. I’m so, so sorry...”

Twilight finally walked forward and hugged her friend from behind. She used her horn to slowly slip the sheet over Fluttershy’s face as Rainbow Dash collapsed into her hooves, her energy all but gone. Nurse Redheart stepped forward and bowed her head. “I am sorry for your loss, truly. But we need to give her an autopsy.”

“No!” yelled Rainbow Dash as she grabbed Twilight and looked into her eyes, pleading. “Don’t let them cut her up, Twilight! She deserves better!”

Twilight closed her eyes and nodded before turning to Nurse Redheart. “Please, just clean her up and put a stasis spell on her.”

“But we don’t know what she died from, Princess. This could be something that has to be researched so it doesn’t happen again!” argued Nurse Redheart.

Twilight shook her head. “If this was anypony else I would be fine with it. But not Fluttershy. Not her. I won’t let her beautiful body be ruined anymore than it already has. Princess’s orders.”

Sighing in defeat, Nurse Redheart nodded as Twilight helped Rainbow Dash out of the room. The pegasus took one more glance at Fluttershy’s body before she whispered, “Goodbye...”

None of their friends spoke a word as Twilight and Rainbow Dash returned from the ICU. A hollow silence filled the air as Twilight looked up and saw everypony look at her with their teary eyes. She lowered her head, wishing that she was all alone right now to mourn privately.

I don’t know what to do, thought Twilight, whose ears folded back. They want me to do something, anything, but what can I do? I can’t bring her back. I can’t stop this. I can’t... what am I going to do?

Twilight’s worries were put to rest once Princess Celestia cleared her throat. She didn't even flinch when everypony's eyes shifted to her and away from Twilight. Despite not crying like the rest of them, Twilight could see just how much pain Princess Celestia herself was in by looking into her eyes. Is Celestia being strong for us? Or has she seen so much loss that she’s used to it?

“My little ponies,” said Princess Celestia, lowering her head in grief. “Words cannot express the tragedy that has happened to us today. I may not have been close to Fluttershy like the rest of you, but I still saw her as a friend. I will miss her, as will all of Equestria.” Rarity cried harder as Celestia continued, “I know you may feel at a loss for what to do, so I suggest you each head home for now. It has been a long and tiring day for you all.”

“W-what about her... f-f-funeral?” questioned Spike, rubbing his snot-dripping nose. “A-and her family?”

A sob escaped Rainbow Dash as she let her hooves cover her face. “W-what am I going to tell her parents? H-how can I t-tell them th-that their o-only daughter is d-dead?”

“I will take care of everything, everypony,” assured Princess Celestia. “Fluttershy was a hero to this nation and we will honor her as best as we can. I’ll notify her parents while arranging a proper service. If you wish to offer suggestions, or help out, please see me in a few days. For now, try to get some rest.”

A great weight felt like it was released from Twilight’s back as she sighed in relief. Much as she would have loved to be involved in the preparations for Fluttershy’s funeral, Twilight knew she was not in the right state of mind to do so. Rainbow Dash slowly left Twilight’s comforting wing before she bolted out of the room at top speed. Nopony saw any point in stopping her.

Rarity, finding the strength to move on her own four legs, wiped her tears before turning to Pinkie, nodding in thanks. She bowed to the princess one more time before making her way out the hallway. Applejack was right beside her, saying nothing and not evening glancing at anypony as she walked off in a hurry.

Spike slowly walked up to Twilight and jumped onto her back, hugging her neck tight. Twilight didn’t mind as she felt the warm, wet tears from her little dragon damp the back of her neck. She looked at the princess and quickly nuzzled her neck. “Please come by my place later?”

“I will, Twilight. I promise,” vowed Princess Celestia.

Twilight nodded and slowly walked away, her thoughts still on her dearly departed friend.

When Twilight left, only Pinkie Pie remained as she turned to Princess Celestia and whispered. “Princess?”

“Yes, Pinkie?” asked Celestia.

“C-can... can you give me a hug? I gave all my hugs to Rarity and... and...” Pinkie lifted her head, her bangs clearing her face as tears fell down her muzzle. “...and I could really use a hug right now.”

Princess Celestia closed her eyes and nodded, walking over and gently embracing Pinkie Pie. A single droplet of water dripped down the cheek of the sun princess as she held onto Pinkie Pie for a long time.

The past three days flew by so quickly for Twilight that she found it hard to believe that it was the day of the funeral already. It had been hotly debated among the five of them and Fluttershy’s parents what her final arrangements would be since Fluttershy left no will. Most pegasi cremated their dead and scattered their ashes among the winds, the loved ones keeping a single feather of the deceased so they could put it in a shrine. However, some of them argued that since Fluttershy loved nature and its wonders so much that she should be buried and become one with it. In the end, Celestia offered a third solution. She would build a tomb for Fluttershy at the spot where she received her cutie mark years ago, a place Rainbow Dash said she visited once a year.

The tomb was built in a single day by the finest architects and stonemasons of Equestria who wished to honor one of the heroes of their great nation. It was a fitting size with smooth, white marble and flowers decorating its walls and columns. There were carvings of all the animals that Fluttershy had taken care of over her many years. They ranged from soft and cute animals like bunnies, birds, dogs and chipmunks to larger creatures like manticores and dragons. Even a carving of Cerberus was present. Statues of angels were placed at the corner, looking up into the sky as their wings spread out, as if they were ready to guide Fluttershy’s soul into the great beyond.

Finally, there was the door. it was open for now, ready for the casket to be delivered inside and Fluttershy placed in her final rest. But above it read something that made Twilight realize that this was actually happening. She was saying farewell to one of her best friends:

Twilight had never believed much in the prospect of an afterlife, nor had she ever thought about the concept of death itself before. In all the adventures she and her fellow Elements had, there was always a chance they could have been killed by the powerful evils they faced. Yet each time they had triumphed with victory after victory.

But now she had lost one of the five most important ponies in her life, ponies whom she loved dearly and shared with a bond like no other. Turning her gaze from the tomb in the distance, she looked at all five of her friends who sat next to her on the cushions given to them as they focused on the service. Like her, they were dressed in mourning black, a color Twilight was starting to hate after seeing so much of it today. Every single one of them was feeling the same pain she was feeling if their expressions told her anything.

No matter how much makeup she put on, nothing could prevent Rarity from looking ten years older, with mascara dripping down her bloodshot eyes that would not stop crying. Applejack had lost all the warmth in her eyes, just staring at the ground looking ready to either break down or rip a pony’s head off. Maybe both. She could barely see Pinkie because her flat, drooping mane was covering her entire face. Even Rainbow Dash was barely holding it in as she kept batting her eyes with tissue after tissue given to her by Spike, who looked like his whole world had crumbled. His entire innocence had been lost with what had happened to Fluttershy, and Twilight wished she could have protected him from it.

Then again, Twilight wished somepony else could have protected her as well.

Her sorrows were somewhat lifted when she felt the wing of her mentor, sitting right beside her, wrap around her back. She turned to the other side of the row, where Celestia, Luna, her brother and Cadance were all there for support. Each of them had contributed in someway to the funeral: Celestia with the tomb’s construction, Luna with the flowers, and Cadance and Shining Armor with the glass casket.

And yet they were only a small part. There was a reason why the funeral was in a field. Almost all of Ponyville had come to say their final farewells along with every animal in the entire area. Every creature from her cottage, White Tail Woods, and even the Everfree Forest had come. Even dangerous beasts like tigers, bears, and manticores were all sitting in silence, mourning for the mare who took care of them. Even Angel, the bunny who always had an attitude, had more than once bounced on the casket, crying and pounding it as if he was begging for Fluttershy to wake up.

Turning towards the service itself, Twilight tried her best to ignore the sobbing mother and father of Fluttershy while they talked about their beloved daughter’s life. She wondered if either of them were wishing they were dead right now instead of Fluttershy. Her own parents told her the day Discord had put his curse on them, they saw their own children lying dead with nothing either of them could do.They said the worst experience a parent can go through is outliving their children, forced to know that they are still alive to suffer for it.

Breaking away from the sobbing parents, Twilight focused on the actual casket itself with Fluttershy lying inside.

Since Rarity was in her shop for many hours in the days preceding the funeral, Twilight knew Fluttershy’s final dress was going to be spectacular. And indeed it was. She wore a laced dress of green and blue, with fine pink ribbons embroidered along the sleeves. The flower and butterfly patches went well with the bottom of the dress, stitched to a series of growing vines in pale tones of green. Fluttershy herself looked primed and prepared with her mane combed and flowered while her fur was soft and clean. In accordance with Twilight’s wishes, she hadn’t been cut up, and while part of her logical side knew Fluttershy should have been examined for disease, she couldn’t find it in her heart to do so. Days had passed and the only illness that she and her friends suffered from, the ones who had the most risk to exposure, was a broken heart.

She looks so beautiful. So calm and peaceful... thought Twilight as she gazed upon Fluttershy’s unmoving face. The casket was perfect. It held not only Fluttershy’s cutie mark, but also the rest of her friends’, including Twilight’s. Because the truth was all of them were in that casket. Each of them was lying on the silk bed, hooves folded, as they waited to be put to rest forever. When Fluttershy died, a part of them died with her.

Twilight’s thoughts were soon put to an end when she felt Spike nudge her. She looked around and saw that everypony was waiting for her speech while Fluttershy’s parents walked back to their seats. Twilight sighed and sat up, ready to deliver her speech when she suddenly heard a loud and booming voice.

“TWILIGHT SPARKLE!”

Twilight nearly lost control of her bladder at the sound of the booming, masculine voice. She looked up as the sky grew dark and black clouds began to circulate above. Lightning shot out from the center as ponies and animals all began to scream or yipe. A serpent-like figure flew down and landed between Twilight and the casket.

Her mouth dropped as she realized there was one other individual who she had forgotten to tell about Fluttershy’s death, one who treasured Fluttershy as a true friend like the rest of them.

“Discord...”

Standing before her was the Spirit of Chaos himself, with a look that Twilight had never seen on his face before. It was one of utter rage, like he was willing to unleash all his powers upon the world and destroy it all. Looking into his eyes was like looking into the center of an inferno, and his chaotic aura washed over Twilight like a tsunami. And there was a very good reason.

“Why didn’t you tell me? Why didn’t you summon me or call me or anything?” screamed Discord, spit coming out of his mouth. “I am the fricken spirit of chaos! Almost nothing is beyond my power! I could have healed her! I could have done something! Why didn’t you let me save her?!”

Twilight didn’t think she could have felt more guilty than she did now. Never once did she consider that Discord would be saddened by Fluttershy’s death, possibly because there was always a part of her that still never trusted him. But then something happened that made her realize just how close Discord and Fluttershy were.

Discord... was crying.

Not a single breath was heard except for Discord, the monster who almost took over Equestria, who slowly turned around and gently touched the glass cover. He stared into the one pony who treated him with friendship, like a real individual instead of a monster. And he wept. For the first time perhaps in his life, he was crying real tears. Twilight, crying herself, found herself hugging her former enemy. Neither of them had anything in common. She was an orderly princess who was dedicated to harmony. He was a spirit of chaos who reveled in anarchy. Yet they held one thing in common. The love of one pony.

Fluttershy.

Discord hugged Twilight back. For the first time ever, they embraced as equals. There was no need for words. This simple act was enough to show just how important Fluttershy was to them, how she had affected every one of them.

And now she was gone.

Twilight never thought she would hate classical music, having grown to hear it all the time in her house. But now she never wanted to hear the song Depart Young Soul again for as long as she lived. The professional orchestra that Celestia hired played this as she and her fellow Elements carried the casket towards the tomb’s entrance. The sobbing from the crowd grew louder as every pony and animal watched Fluttershy laid at her final resting place.

Twilight would have loved to just run away more than anything else, but every time she gazed at Fluttershy’s still face she steered herself onward. Slowly, after what seemed like an eternity, the five, carrying their sixth, entered the tomb. It was very spacious, with a magically lit chandelier that would burn for a thousand years.

Finally, in the center of the room was the alter where Fluttershy would be placed. The five of them managed to place her gently and that was it. Fluttershy was officially laid to rest.

The five of them stood there, staring at her. No one made an effort to leave, even when the music ended and silence came. Twilight spent her last moments conjuring up memories of Fluttershy, ranging from their first meeting, to the dragon she stared down, to her efforts to become a stronger flyer. All the smiles, laughter, nervous looks, even that tiny, cute “yay” she did when she was excited, all of it, all of her, was now a precious memory.

“We... we need to go...” muttered Applejack, speaking at last. “We need to let her r-rest...”

“Just... can’t we say goodbye?” asked Rainbow Dash, pleading with her eyes misty.

Applejack nodded and stepped forward. “Fluttershy... y’all were a special friend to me. The way ya always helped me with mah farm animals and willin’ to do whatever it takes to make sure yer friends were happy, even when it was something y’all were against doin’. All five of ya are like family to me and losin’ ya... it’s just as hard as losing mah Pa and Ma...” Applejack wiped her eyes and lowered her head to kiss the casket’s glass covering. “Ah’m sorry Ah pushed ya so hard that time with the vampire bats. Ah’m sorry Ah forced ya into somethin’ ya didn’t want to do. Ah know yer already gonna forgive me, but Ah just needed to say that... goodbye. And say hello to mah folks for me...”

Rarity was next as she struggled to say something, but only managed to say. “I love you... so much, Fluttershy. I just... will miss you so much...”

Unable to take anymore, Rarity bolted towards the exit, wailing. The others looked at her with sympathy before turning their eyes back to Fluttershy. Pinkie came next as she gave a small smile and began to sing:

Pinkie also kissed the casket before letting Twilight step forward.

Twilight had made many speeches in her life. Sometimes she practiced them for hours on end. Now that she was here, saying goodbye to one of her closest friends in this life, she had nothing to say. All she could do was kiss the glass and smile. “Goodbye, Fluttershy. Rest in peace.”

Rainbow was the last as she kissed the casket three times before lowering her head in shame. “Fluttershy... you know how you said you wished you were braver than me? Well, you were already so. True courage is knowing your fears and facing them. You did that with every challenge you faced in your life and that made you cool. Maybe even cooler than me.” She sighed and looked towards one of the windows of the tomb where the sun was setting. “Do you remember when we were fillies? We promised to be best friends forever? ‘Till the day we die... I can’t believe you of all ponies broke our promise.” Wiping her eyes, she turned back and smiled. “You better hope I die of old age or else I’m going to give you quite the lashing.”

She kissed the casket one more time. “I love you, Fluttershy. My sister and friend. I’ll never forget you.”

The four bowed one more time before their friend, silently wishing her a happy afterlife before they each left the tomb one by one. Slowly, the entrance was sealed shut. And all was silent as a grave.

Author's Notes:

Next chapter, the bloodshed begins