Last Days Of Sunshine
Chapter 10
It was a beautiful day.
The sun shone through the window, casting a buttery glow on the sick princess's face.
Celestia had woken up feeling tired and achy all over.
This is where it ends, she thought sadly.
Outside, birds chirped merrily. A single canary flew down and landed on her window. He cheeped for a minute, and quickly fluttered away.
Celestia sighed. The world was so full of life today.
So why can't I be?
"Tia?"
Glomp!
Celestia was crushed by a midnight blue alicorn.
"TIA!" Luna yelled, hugging her sister tight, crying her eyes out. "I'm so sorry I couldn't visit you this week! I was so busy, it's so hard being all alone, doing all these royal duties, no one would shut up, and the zebra pony's accent was so thick that all I did was smile and nod!"
"Luna, calm down," soothed Celestia.
Luna pulled back and rested her front hooves on her sister's cheeks.
"I've missed you so much," she proclaimed, pulling Celestia's head towards her chest. She gently squeezed it, burying her face into Celestia's once-flowing-now-limp mane. "I have a surprise for you."
Luna reluctantly let go of Celestia's head and stepped out the room.
Celestia heard whispers and excited giggles. Was this what Twilight was going to tell me about yesterday?
Luna peeked back in, then disappeared.
"Ready?" Celestia heard Luna whisper.
"SURPRISE!"
Seven ponies all burst into the room. Pinkie had her party cannon, and as she clicked the button on top, a swirl of confetti and streamers were soon flying around the room. Balloons inflated by the use of magic (Celestia could see a vivid red surround them) and floated to the top of the room. Clouds gently sauntered in, and nested themselves behind Celestia's back, which gave her a very plush, cozy cushion.
"Ha. Ha ha ha!" laughed Celestia. She threw her head back, laughing and smiling.
"Do you like it? Huh? Do you? Do you? Do you?" babbled Pinkie, pulling a silly face after each 'Do you?'.
"We wanted to make your last day special," said Applejack, gesturing to the decorations.
Guards suddenly opened the door, carrying with them a table laden with delicious foods. A cake, s'mores, pies, bowls filled with crunchy carrots, apples, oats, and a loaf of banana bread. The guards set down the table, gave the princess a smile, and left.
Celestia could have sworn one of the guards had a tear in their eye.
"Are you happy?" asked Luna, taking Celestia's hoof.
"This is simply marvelous!" cried Celestia.
"Oh~!" Rarity squealed. "Here are the photos from our little session! Might I add, you look divine!"
Celestia beamed at Rarity, taking the photos and examining herself. She did look quite good, not sick at all.
"My birds composed a song just for you," spoke a soft little voice. Fluttershy had crept up to Celestia's bed.
"I'd love to hear it," said Celestia.
"Uh, can we eat now?" interrupted Rainbow Dash. "I'm kind of STARVING."
"Of course we can, silly! That's what the food's here for!" giggled Pinkie.
Everypony grabbed a plate of food, and made their way to sit around the princess's bed. Luna loaded a silver tray with three apples, a huge slice of chocolate cake, and a plate of oats. She carried the tray over to Celestia and gently placed it on her lap. Luna then grabbed her own tray and sat down on the bed next to Celestia. The eight ponies began eating together, chatting and laughing.
"My, this is an excellent piece of cake," said Celestia, licking chocolate icing from her lips.
"I made it!" bragged Pinkie, a silly smile on her face.
"That was a great meal," said Twilight, a satisfied look on her face.
"I agree," piped Luna.
"It's time," said Fluttershy. "The birds are here!"
A plethora of birds swooped in from the window, led by none other than the small yellow canary. The assembled themselves in color, so a giant rainbow was spread across the room. The reds started, then the oranges, then the yellows. The sounds moved through each color until Celestia's ears were filled with the sweetest song ever. All the ponies swayed in time to the harmony. At the end of the performance, the birds gave a quick bow as everypony applauded them, and they sped out the window, flying towards the horizon.
"That was so beautiful!" complimented Celestia. "Fluttershy, please tell your little friends they were fantastic!"
Fluttershy ducked her head and smiled. "I will, princess."
Celestia lay back, sighing happily. She looked at all the ponies surrounding her, and closed her eyes in content. She felt a hoof poke her.
"Silly! It's not time to sleep! We have one more surprise!" said Pinkie.
Luna, Rarity, and Twilight all gathered in the middle of the room. Their horns started to glow, and rays of magic poured out. The streams entwined together, creating a large, sparkly splodge of magic in the air. They stepped back, and began the show.
It started off with darkness. A little light was peeping through two little slits. After the slits widened, the face of a beautiful snow-white alicorn came into view. She had a short, baby pink mane.
"Celestia, this is your new sister."
"M-mother?" Celestia gasped.
The little filly began to speak. "What's her name, mommy?" she asked in a twinkly voice.
"Her name is Luna."
"Father!" cried Celestia, tears in her eyes.
Foal Celestia began to smile. "She's so pretty," she said.
The memory began to fade.
Another scene began to take place. This time, they were in an examination room. From the current pony's point of view, they were taking an exam. The eyes glanced anxiously towards the judges, and began to concentrate on the egg in front of her. After failing several times, the eyes closed.
"I'm sorry for wasting your time," the pony whimpered in a small voice.
"Twilight, was this the first time we met?" asked Celestia.
All of a sudden, there was a huge boom! The filly's eyes grew wide with shock and the room began to glow a blinding white. Crashes and screams were heard. The flash soon subsided, and the scene was clear. The filly turned her head to look up at a tall, regal looking alicorn with magenta colored eyes and a flowing pastel mane. The alicorn smiled.
The memory disappeared. Soon, many different scenes began to play; the time Celestia had to cancel her visit and as greeted by Pinkie Pie leading a group of parasprites to the Everfree Forest, the Running Of The Leaves, witnessing Rainbow Dash make a sonic Rainboom, comforting Fluttershy when Philomena burst into flames, and finally, spending time with the mane six at a donut shop instead of attending the Grand Galloping Gala.
"We've had so many memories with you, that we wanted to share them with you for the last time," said Twilight. "The fact that you're so special to us makes us want to keep these memories forever."
Everypony gathered round once more, tears shining in their eyes.
"I'm going to miss you so much!" sobbed Luna, cuddling with her sister. "I wish you didn't have to d-die!"
Rarity puckered her lips, tears dripping down her face. Rainbow Dash sniffed and rubbed her eyes furiously. Fluttershy laid her head on the bed and began to weep. Pinkie wasn't smiling anymore, and tears started to leak. Applejack took her hat off, laid it across her chest, and cried silently. Twilight snuggled in on the other side of Celestia and hugged her hard.
Tears poured down Celestia's face, holding the ponies dear to her heart hard, wanting to live, wanting to see them again.
Her breaths racked and got caught in her throat.
It hurts; it hurts too much to go on...
"Oh dear," Celestia whimpered. "Oh, I don't want to die...I really don't want to leave you...Luna, look at me. Luna!"
Luna stared into the eyes of her dying sister.
"I love you," she whispered. "There is no one I would rather spend my last day with then you seven. Please, be strong…for me, for everypony else...Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Luna, I love you all. Remember that..."
Her voice trailed away, and her body grew limp.
"Tia?" Luna sounded like a little foal. She looked down on Celestia's body, and began weeping softly. "Why?" she whispered. "Why have you left us? Why have you left me?"