Chapter One

"Spike!" Twilight called impatiently. "Keep it down!" The unicorn perked her ears, listening to the din responsible for distracting her from her book. Surely enough, the racket dwindled to murmurs. With a sigh she looked out the window of the arcane library, gazing upon the outside world. The cosmic beauty of the brisk evening sky was unparalleled in its splendor. Luna's stars beamed with elegant radiance, like the twinkling of fireflies in the distance as they cast their light over Equestria.

Stars, thought Twilight. They’re so far away yet appear so close. They flaunt my inability to reach them. Yet in my minds eye, I feel as if I could almost touch them. She sighed heavily as she closed her book and walked towards the double doors of the balcony. As she opened the paneled doorway, she was met with a chilling breeze that cut through the

warmth of her being. Braving the crisp night air, she stepped out onto the railing and looked up towards the expansive starry sky. They're like memories. Familiar, comforting, you want to live in them forever. Regressing to a time when the world was not so complicated. Playing, laughing and living without the pressures of reality. Yet much like the starlight I gaze upon, memories are just the remnants of the past.

Twilight shook her head as a freezing coat had embraced the unicorn. Teeth chattering and body shivering, Twilight headed back inside and closed the door. Warmth slowly crept back into her body as the brittle cold gradually lost its hold. The unicorn’s focus quickly changed as her bedroom door swung open to reveal a baby dragon covered in flour.

“Twilight!” the dragon panted. “Dinner’s ready!”

Twilight stared at the dragon. Raising her hoof to her muzzle, she pondered the situation. “I’m sorry, Spike,” Twilight responded, “but I’m just not hungry right now. Save it for later, I’ll eat then.” She walked over to her bed and laid down.

“Also, uh... you have a visitor, Twilight!” continued Spike, still catching his breath..

“Tell them to go away, Spike. I don’t want to talk to anypony,” Twilight retorted, following the comment with a dismissive flick of her tail as she rested her head underneath of the pillow.

Spike sighed, and walked up to the unicorn. “Twilight, you really have to see who’s here. Trust me, it’ll be worth it!”

The mare dug further under the pillow and pulled it over her ears. “Leave me alone, Spike! I don’t want to see whoever came, just tell them to go away!” the unicorn yelled as a small tear graced its way down her muzzle, before being absorbed into the pillow. “Please just... go! I want to be left alone for the night...”

“Hello, my faithful student. I trust you’re doing fine?” a regal voice asked from the doorway, tainted with worry.

Twilight’s eyes widened, as she flung the pillow across the room and turned around. “P-P-Princess Celestia? What are you doing here?” Twilight stuttered, eyes locked on the alicorn that proudly stood in her room.

“I thought I'd drop in and see how you were doing,” Celestia stated.

Twilight blinked in response.

"If you must know, Spike hinted in a letter that you might be letting your sorrows get the better of you. Do you feel like talking about it?" Celestia inquired.

Twilight turned her face down toward the bed, before letting another small tear escape her eye. “I just... miss them.”

Celestia slowly walked over to Twilight, and embraced the unicorn with her wing. “Twilight... it has been over a year since that tragic day. I could tell your friends were happy with their lives from the letters you sent to me. Even now, I don’t think they would wish you to continue dwelling on their passing. Most likely, they’d rather have you think of all the good times. You must always remember that what they did has positively affected your life.”

Twilight buried her muzzle into Celestia’s side as tears began to stream down her face. “I couldn’t save them. It was my fault. I wasn’t strong enough. I just -- I didn’t know. There was nothing I could’ve done. Nothing!” she screamed, her voice slightly muffled.

Celestia looked down at the book that laid face-down in the room, entitled ‘Advanced Offensive Magic for Skilled Spellcasters’. The princess shifted her attention back to Twilight almost as soon as she saw the book. “Now, Twilight. Their deaths were just a stroke of bad luck. There’s no need to fret and constantly think back on what you couldn’t have done. Doing so will only lead you to more depression.”

Twilight turned her head towards the alicorn, tears streaming down her face. “How do I fix this? You’ve lived for over a millennium, you must’ve had loved ones that... died, right?” Twilight asked, trying to maintain a solemn expression through the tears.

Celestia turned her head towards the ceiling as her eyes began to shimmer with a tint of sadness. “I have lost loved ones, Twilight, and I do wish I could see them again, but that’s just not the way of this world. Ponies die. Sometimes there is no answer why... ‘The world goes on’, as they say. The world goes on.”

Twilight was taken back by the sincere response of her mentor. “Will I ever see my friends again? Can’t you bring them back with a spell or something?”

“I’m sorry Twilight, but bringing back the dead is something that nopony can do. You can only rest knowing that your friends are in peace. That’s all.” Celestia responded.

“But you’re the princess! You have to be able to do... something!”

“Twilight, you of all ponies should know that nopony has such power. Not even I.” Celestia stated, turning to look her student in the eyes.

Twilight had her muzzle pointed towards the bed, unwilling to make eye contact with her teacher. “It’s not fair... it should have been me. Why couldn’t it have killed me, too? Why did I have to get lucky?” the distressed unicorn said. “There has to be something you can do! Anything that would bring them back! Anything at all!” she yelled.

“Twilight, sometimes there are roads that are better left untraveled. I don’t want you to experience some of the things I have done. Things that even seemed right at the moment, but only end up hurting you more.”

Twilight shot up immediately. “Do it!” she shouted. “Having my friends back - alive and well, is worth more to me than any price some silly spell puts on them!”

“Don’t make this mistake, Twilight. You’re young. Pure. Nopony your age should ever have to deal with grief beyond her years.”

“Princess, I don’t care about the grief. I need this moment to apologize. To make amends. My friends should all be living their lives! They deserve a second chance. Even you know this! We were destined to remain as a group of six, to protect Equestria, and now there’s only one left - me.” Twilight stated, a touch of desperation in her voice.

"I understand, but this is something you should not be introduced to. Some things are hidden for a reason. I want to help you, but there is only so much I can do."

“But this is something that will help! Don’t you understand, Celestia?”

Celestia sighed heavily. “I do, Twilight. I just don’t want to see your life spent grieving over something you had no control over.”

“Celestia, please. Give me this one chance. I need it more than ever, and you’re the only one that can give it to me. This is the only thing that can help me forgive myself.”

“This may only further aggrieve you in the end, are you sure you want to go through with this?” Celestia asked, her voice filled with concern..

“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life, princess!” Twilight said, her voice bubbling with excitement as she left the embrace of Celestia’s wing and proceeded to bounce around in circles, giggling like a little school-filly.

Celestia sighed. “Tomorrow, at noon, when my power reaches its fullest, I’ll meet you in front of town hall and we’ll begin the process. Although, if you decide not to come, I don’t blame you... it’s a rather risky spell that can backfire at the loss of concentration, and the effects can be fatal. I will ask this one last time, are you sure you want to do this?” The alicorn stared intently at her bounding student.

"Yes!" shouted Twilight, lost in her flight of happiness. A large growl emanated across the room, as Twilight looked sheepishly at Celestia.

Celestia shook her head. “Have you forgotten to eat again, my student?”

Twilight grinned. “Maybe... I was planning on eating later.”

“Well, it sounds like your stomach disagrees with your decision. Go downstairs and eat. When I was going up the stairs, there was a wonderful smell coming from the kitchen. I’d advise you getting some dinner before it’s all gone, Twilight. I’ll remain up here to fully remember this spell.”

Twilight shot her a confused look, before giving a quick nod. She began humming an upbeat tune she had learned from Pinkie and trotted with a large grin on her face as the smell of a freshly cooked dinner wafted towards her nostrils.

Celestia watched her student trot down the stairs, then turned towards the window. Maybe I should have told Twilight about the effects... but doing so would crush her. She was already on the precipice of holding onto too much emotions, anything more could surely traumatize her. Hopefully she’ll be alright after this is all over...

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