Archmage Chapter 8 - “Moonfalls and Mourning”

----------

Shining armor slipped into the room behind her, closing the door. Twilight’s eyes were affixed on her mother and her father, laying in beds side-by-side. The idle beeping of machines was the only sound in the room that could make it through the noise of her own heart beating in her ears. She glanced at the twin glowing monitors, the only light in the dark room aside from one solitary, dim lamp…

Twilight swallowed hard, but had nothing to go down… Her mouth was entirely dry as she slowly approached the two of them. Glimmer and Orion lay with I.V. needles stuck in their forelegs, their eyes closed and their breathing shallow. As she watched, her mother’s heartbeat went erratic for a few seconds before returning to the faint, slow beat it had had for a few moments. The break in steady, static beeps was enough to make her close her mouth and work up the courage to speak.

“What’s wrong with them?”

“The doctors say it was an illness… Something they ate, or somewhere they travelled, or just something wrong with them.” Shining stood next to her, both of them looking at the weak heartbeats coming through the machine. “You know them, they kept it secret from us as long as they could. But mom collapsed just two days ago, and dad wasn’t in much better shape. They took them in, but by the time the doctors diagnosed it, it was too late…” He lifted a hoof, feebly waving it over the two prone bodies. “They were too far gone. They’ve done everything they could to keep them alive, but there’s nothing more to do.” Twilight felt the tears build up immediately.

“They’re dying.”

“Any minute…” Shining Armor’s voice quivered, broke. Together, they pressed against one another, and broke down… The beeping of the machines broke into another erratic set. Twilight gasped and shot forward, her horn aglow. She scrambled. Something, anything. She couldn’t lose her mother, or her father. Not yet. She hadn’t even talked to them in… years! Twilight’s horn glowed brighter as she fought to heal the illness, to purge the sickness from their body.

“Please.” She whimpered, feeling through her father’s prone body. “Please, something… Anything.” There! She felt the disturbance. In his heart, there was a growth… It was blocking passage of a major artery, and his heart was struggling to pump new blood into his system… “No, no, no, please…”

“Twilight,” Shining Armor laid a hoof on her flank.

“I can do this.” The tears fell from her cheeks to the sanitary cotton sheets, darkening the fabric with dots. “I can heal him!”

The long, steady tone signaled the end.

Orion was dead.

Another tone.

Glimmer was gone.

Inside, Twilight broke.

----------------

“There.” Celestia said to Luna. “It’s done… She was with them in the end. That’s the important part, right?”

“I don’t know, Tia…” Luna heaved a heavy sigh, both of them looking down at the hospital next to the castle. “I just don’t know anymore… I should have told her. I should have told her so many things…”

“It’s done now, Lulu.” Celestia said softly. “Nothing we can do to bring them back…”

“We could-“

“No.” Celestia’s tone was firm. “Not again. Not ever.”

“Okay… I thought, just maybe for a-“

“Not. Ever.”

“Not even to allow her one last moment? To say goodbye? I mean, we didn’t even tell her of it… We knew. We both did. But we didn’t say anyth-“ Celestia’s gaze was enough to stop her. Luna let her sentence trail off, felt tears well in her eyes. “I feel so horrible…”

“You and me both, Luna…” Celestia’s tone was melancholy and sad. It reflected the ache in Luna’s own breast perfectly. “I wish there were some words that I could say… Something, some small morsel or gem of knowledge that I could share with her, to make this passing easier. In all the thousands of years I’ve lived, all the knowledge I have at my command…” Celestia sighed, looking up at the stars. “I don’t have anything I could say to her…”

“I think I do…” Luna muttered.

“Do tell.”

“’I’m sorry?’”

“But you aren’t.”

“Don’t say that, please…” Luna whimpered.

“You aren’t, though. Don’t say that you are. If you were sorry, you’d have informed her the moment Glimmer collapsed. If you were sorry, you wouldn’t have treated her as you have. If you were sorry, Luna, maybe that mountain wouldn’t be suffering so much.” Celestia’s words cut to the bone and deeper, striking Luna in her soul. She wept silently for the things she had done, or rather had not done, and how profoundly it affected Twilight. Celestia continued relentlessly.

“In all my years of life, there is only one moment in all of our history that I can ever recall being this upset with you.” Luna knew what she spoke of… She remembered that millennium alone. “I don’t know if I’m disgusted, sympathetic, enraged, or apathetic… Or any of them, or maybe all together. Luna, you really need to consider what you did. How much it affected Twilight.”

“I know,” She sniffled, dripping tears onto the stones beneath their feet. “I know, trust me-“

“I can’t trust you anymore, Luna.” Celestia cut her off. “I thought you could handle this. I thought you had reached a solution. If I had known it involved you doing the deed yourself, I would have… I would have-“

“Stop. Please.” Luna looked up at Celestia with tears in her eyes. They coursed down her cheeks, landing audibly on the cold stone.

“You KNOW the implications, Luna!” Celestia didn’t stop. She planted her hooves, leaning in to emphasize. “You know what happens when you get like this! And what’s worse, this time around it isn’t some two-timing scumbag of a pegas-“

“STOP!” Luna wailed, sobbing helplessly. Celestia stared at her with fire in her eyes for several long moments, watching her dear little sister cry. “Please.” She blubbered. “Stop.”

“I won’t stop, sister. You need to be reminded of your mistakes constantly.” Celestia reached a hoof out to lift Luna’s chin, looking deep into her teary eyes. “Just like I am constantly reminded of mine.”

“Tia…”

“Now go. If you want to ruin what chance you have of salvaging this, this… Whatever.” Celestia released her chin and turned to leave. “Then go. Apologize to her and beg for the forgiveness of a unicorn. Just like you begged for the forgiveness of a pegasus. But so help me, Luna. If it comes back, I don’t know what I’ll do.” Celestia left Luna alone on the balcony… But Luna wasn’t alone for long at all.

”You know,” The soft voice made her shudder. ”We could ally this time. Celestia would surrender. She wouldn’t harm her sister… You could get her back for those things she said… For all this pain.” Luna gasped and looked up at the night, the mysterious and dangerous entity she was so familiar with.

“I… I couldn’t-“

”Not alone, no… And certainly not if you try to take over again. But think about it, little one…” The night appeared behind her, whispering into her ear. ”With me at your side… Together… We could accomplish great things.” It swung around, whispering into her other ear. ”We could rule this land… Forever.”

“Please,” Luna whimpered, crying harder. “Please, no… I don’t want that. I don’t want to hurt Tia… Not anymore.”

”You hurt her every day she has to look at you. You heard what she said. ‘Just like I am constantly reminded of mine.’ Every time she looks into your eyes, Luna… She doesn’t see ‘Luna.’ She sees me.”

“Please…” Luna’s eyes clenched shut as she continued to weep. Her muzzle was lined with the streaks her tears had taken falling down. “Please, no.” The night looked down at her, at this pitiful princess crying her heart out because somepony she cared for had lost her parents. Because she was afraid to fall in love again.

”Very well… Come here.” Luna rose to her hooves and slowly stepped forward, letting the night embrace her and comfort her… For the first time in her life, Luna did not feel warm and safe in those arms. She felt very vulnerable and weak.

Behind the door, Celestia’s brow furrowed.

“Well done, sister…” She said softly. “Guard.”

“Yes, princess?”

“Send a message to the weather team…” Celestia looked out of the window at the clear night sky. “I think…” Her words trailed off into silence…

“Princess…?” The guard asked hesitantly. Celestia blinked and looked at him, a serene, melancholy smile spreading across her lips.

“I think it’s going to rain tomorrow.”

------------

Twilight handled all of the funeral preparations, as usual… Shining Armor was there for support, and Cadance managed to come as well. Twilight sought the console of all her friends. It appeared their happy trip together would have to wait… Fluttershy and Applejack were visiting on the day of the funeral.

Twilight didn’t sleep, hardly ate, and drank little. She pushed herself night and day, studying, planning, preparing, practicing… What’s more, she had these moments where she just started crying. Out of nowhere, the tears would burst forth and she would bawl until it was over with. Her friends were there when she broke down, and if they weren’t, she was soon met by Cadance. Her foalsitter had always been akin to a big sister to her… Now, whenever Twilight broke into tears on the mountainside, or in her chambers, Cadance was always there to hold her. To comfort her. Twilight didn’t sleep after she cried. She muttered a soft thanks to her friends, or her brother, or Cadance, and went back to her self-imposed duties.

When she collapsed two days into the preparations, Cadance carried her to her bed. Twilight slept for more than four hours this time, but what little sleep she got was plagued with unintelligible nightmares, dreams that made her feel sad and unfulfilled, like somepony important was extremely upset with her. When she woke, though, Rarity was sitting in a nearby chair. She was reading some book, and a steaming cup of coffee sat next to her on the table.

“Hey,” Twilight muttered gently.

“Oh, you’re awake. I hope you’ll forgive me, darling. I borrowed your copy of ‘Great Tips for Housemares.’”

“Didn’t even know I had that one…”

“It wasn’t an easy find.” Rarity chuckled and set the book down, sipping at her coffee before padding over to the bed. She carried something in her magic, something that Twilight couldn’t quite make out in her post-sleep haze.

“Have you been watching me?”

“Somewhat.” Rarity admitted. “I just think you need your friends and family in this moment, Twilight. I’m happy to put my own responsibilities, few as they are, aside to be with you. I know you would do the same for me.” Twilight cringed at that statement. “Within reason, darling.”

“Yeah… What’s that?” She asked, nodding at whatever it was Rarity held in her magic.

“Shining Armor stopped by a few hours ago. He said he was searching your home-“

“Their home.” Twilight corrected. Her own home had been Ponyville for a long while… She didn’t think of the house her parents lived in as home anymore. Especially not now…

“Well, yes… But he said he found this. It’s dated, and it’s from your parents.” Rarity hovered the item closer, and Twilight saw it was a letter. Hesitantly, she took it from it’s envelope and unfurled the paper.

“This is… Rarity, it’s dated the day they went to the hospital…” Twilight’s eyes went wide. “This is their final letter… To me…”

“Go on, darling. I’m here for you.” Twilight nodded and started to read…

Our Twilight,

We are very, very sick… Admittedly, we have been for a long while now. We haven’t told you, or Shining, for our own reasons… I hope you’ll forgive us for that. But this can’t go without being told to you in one way or another… Again, I hope you’ll forgive us for our vagueness…

When we heard you became Archmage, we both knew it was our time to go… We stopped trying to heal one another, to heal ourselves, and began the descent. We held off for as long as we could, always hoping to hear from you, always hoping we could last… We made it, Twilight. We lived through to see your destiny come true. Your mark, Twilight, is that of an Archmage. We knew from the moment you acquired it what it meant. We never said it. But we knew. Your mother and I. Please, understand that if we had told you, it might have changed things drastically… You know how prophecy works, Twilight. This is much the same.

We don’t have long… Your mother has collapsed, and I’m not far behind her… Please, Twilight… Don’t-

The writing cut off there, with a long, garish scrawl sliding down towards the edge of the page. Twilight felt Rarity take her hoof as the tears started once more, flowing fast and free. At the bottom was one last note, scrawled in hastily-written, wobbly penmanship.

dont worry

we are so proud.

---------

The funeral was a small, quiet affair. Twilight, Shining Armor, and Cadance stood closest to the two caskets, while Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Cross Stitch, and Fluttershy stood behind them. Celestia presided, all of them trying not to think of the grey, overcast sky above them. Celestia looked between the two holes dug in the ground, the small group of ponies gathered around.

“Are you sure, Twilight?”

“Our entire family is buried here… Grandma and Grandpa, everypony back as far as we can trace… It’s tradition.” She said quietly, looking around at the multitude of gravestones. There had to have been a thousand… More, even.

“Very well.” Celestia bowed her head, taking a step back.

“You or me?” Shining Armor said quietly, nudging Twilight.

“Tradition says oldest…” She returned, nodding her head. “And… I don’t think I can handle it right now.”

“Okay… Thank you.” Shining Armor raised his head high. For a moment, Twilight thought he looked very dignified, with his head held upwards against the cold, heartless wind… But the dark backdrop of grey clouds killed the vision. She instead turned her eyes to the twin caskets, watching as her brother’s violet glow enveloped both of them. Slowly, he lowered them into the ground. Twilight cried again, this time it was a silent affair. The tears ran down her cheeks slowly, falling to the grass without so much as a sniffle from her.

At long last, her parents were in their final resting place. Together, she, Shining Armor, and Cadance shoveled the dirt in, scattered the grass seeds over their graves, and cast the spell that made it grow over… Only their shared headstone was any marker that anypony was buried here.

“C’mon, y’all…” Applejack said quietly. “Let’s give them some time…” She heard the shuffling hoof-falls as her friends left her alone with her family. Celestia was gone as well. There were only the three of them left at the grave, staring blankly at the headstone. Silence reigned, yielding only to the soft sound of rumbling thunder.

“I wonder why…” Shining Armor finally said. “They never told us…”

“Their letter said they had their reasons… I’m sure they were good, whatever they were.” Cadance replied. She tucked up close to Shining Armor, tears in her eyes as well.

“No reason could be that good.” Twilight murmured. Silence again.

“Come on, Twily.” Shining Armor nudged her side just a little. “Let’s get inside with your friends. This rain is gonna fall any second.”

“Just… Give me another minute or two. To… To say goodbye…”

“Okay. Be careful…” Cadance nuzzled her neck as she and Shining Armor left, leaving her alone at the grave of her parents. Alone, but not for very long.

“Luna…”

“Twilight.” The princess swooped in out of the sky, landing smoothly next to Twilight. Together, the two of them looked down at the gravestone, and they were silent for a long while. Twilight spoke first, her tone thin and choked through with tears.

“I… I hadn’t even heard from them. For years.”

“I know.”

“Not a letter, not a visit… The same with Shining… Why?”

“Their reasons were their own, Twilight… Nopony could have known if they did not wish to tell them.”

“But… WHY.” Twilight shuddered. “Why wouldn’t they tell me?” She glanced back at her mark, at the starburst and pinpricks of light… She knew now that it was her true destiny to be Archmage… But she could have known sooner if her parents told her. She could have prepared. She could have studied shadow magic, could have been ready to accept the position. Nocturnal Glow had picked her to take over… He had to have known somehow… Idly, she remembered her father and Nocturnal Glow were on the same council. They had probably been friends. They had probably told him about her…

But nopony had told her.

Luna’s presence reminded her that nopony told her anything anymore.

“I think you should leave,” Twilight said gently.

“You know I can’t…”

“Why not? It didn’t stop you before.”

“Twilight, please… Don’t guilt me. It’s the last thing I need right now.”

“Yeah. Tell me about things that you need, Luna.” Twilight spat bitterly, turning her attention to the lunar princess. “Tell me all the things that you don’t need piled on top of you right now. Tell me about all the stress in your life, about how bad you have it.”

“Please, Twilight… I’ve had a lot on my mind.”

“Not enough, apparently.”

“Stop. Please. Before you say something you regret.”

“WHY NOT?!” Twilight roared. She snapped. The emotion was running fast and free now. These tears weren’t form sadness… They were from anger, frustration, exasperation and rage. “I’ve already DONE something I regret!” Luna gasped. Her own eyes spilled over with tears.

“Please… You don’t mean that.”

“APPARENTLY YOU DIDN’T EITHER!” She raged, advancing on Luna. A lesser pony would have run screaming, but Luna stood her ground as Twilight spat at her all the words that had built up over the past two weeks. “Apparently you don’t care in the slightest about me or my feelings! Apparently you’re just teaching me a lesson! You just want me to learn your magic and get off of your back so I can go on and do whatever it is the Archmage does! I get it! I do! But you could have at least told me you were just getting it out of the way! You could have told me you were just going to take all of those emotions and… And… AND FUCKING DASH THEM ON THE ROCKS!” Twilight’s horn erupted in a brilliant light, casting a dangerous spell at Luna. Without even blinking, the princess dispelled it.

“RRAH!” Twilight cast another, more powerful one. It crackled into nothing. The rain fell then, fast and hard, coming from the laden clouds in torrential sheets. There was no warning. No spattering, or misting first… It was just there. In an instant. Twilight used it to her advantage. Electricity crackled from her horn as she shot lighting at Luna…

A single spark shot out of the tip of her horn, to be immediately extinguished in the rain.

“AAAAAAUGH!” Screaming, Twilight opened herself to the night.