CTS2 Carrying The Sun

 

>Anon, the local King, is old.

>Very old.

>Yesterday was his 150th birthday.

>The breakthroughs in knowledge and magic that have allowed for him to outlive far longer than any human in history is nothing short of breathtaking.

>It's all thanks to research that Twilight Sparkle herself funded. In conjunction with the rest of their friends, too, of course.

>Today, he walks through the polished marble halls exactly like he did yesterday.

>Slowly.

>His slippers shuffle along behind the soft taps of his marble-and-golden cane beneath the matching robes and crown over his shoulders.

>And even though the magic that courses through his veins is seemingly fueled by the universe itself, his body is still old.

>Anon's slippers stop shuffling.

>He feels exhausted all of a sudden.

>Significantly more exhausted than normal.

>His cane slips.

>And, with the most underwhelming of thuds, Anon, the local human, collapses onto the polished tile below, his crown bouncing and rolling away a few feet before orbiting to a stop.

>The shadow of an hourglass in the stained glass window above him falls upon the backs of his robes.

>Anon's heart, after 150 years, has finally come to accept it's long-overdue rest.

 

>The orange hallway turns to a shade of white as the late morning sun shines higher above the castle.

>A guardstallion trots into the hallway, then stops. His eyes blow as wide as dinner plates.

>"...Your majesty?" He calls out hesitantly.

>No answer.

>His body turns cold.

>His throat tightens.

>"/Your majesty/?!" He repeats louder, breaking into a gallop across the polished tile. The clatter of his armor comes to a rest as he kneels besides the form, still face down and unmoving. A trembling hoof reaches out, then retracts.

>The guard finally finds his voice again.

>"Gods above, stars above, please let this be a mistake..." He whispers as his horn glows.

>No pulse.

>No magic.

>Nothing.

>The magic that once roared inside him, woven and nurtured by Celestia herself for decades, was gone.

>The guard's composure breaks.

>His head bows, tears welling in his eyes, shoulders trembling.

>"... No..."

>His face hardens with that of honor, and determination.

>He stands up, and bolts down the hall towards the throne room.

 

>Royal guards and paramedics line the corridor, all hugging one another, foreheads resting against foreheads.

>Twilight Sparkle materializes into the hallway with a brilliant flash of her signature purple magic.

>She stares down at him.

>/Him/.

>The same Anon that Twilight has grown to know as another family member. A lifelong friend since that very first day they met. She gave him that cane for his birthday yesterday.

>"... No..." She whispers. Her head shakes with disbelief. "No no no no- this isn't- he said I'd- he said I'd outlive him! But- but not yet! /Not yet/!"

>She gallops forwards and collapses at his side, cradling him in her forelegs.

>"Wake up!" She screams. "Anon, wake up!"

>Her horn lights. Dozens and dozens and dozens of spells fire off in rapid succession. Diagnostics, stabilizers, necromantic reversal chants. Everything.

>She tries CPR. A technique studied and modernized thanks to Anon himself all those years ago.

>Wails tear from her throat raw as she collapses further on top of him, curling into his neck, her mane covering his chest like the white blanket waiting patiently off to the side, not wanting to be used by anypony.

>Hoofsteps.

>Slow.

>Careful.

>Patient.

>Expecting.

>A soft golden light flows into the room like water.

>Celestia.

>The Queen.

>She steps around the corner and into the hallway.

>She does not rush, nor ask, nor speak at all. The silence in the hallway around her feels quiet enough to be counted in negative decibels. The only two things audible are the sounds of her golden shoes clinking softly on the tile, and the shuddering breaths of a young alicorn.

>Celestia's eyes fall upon Anon's body, and do not leave it.

>The ponies in the room part even further as she steps closer and closer.

>She takes a deep breath, and kneels.

>Her wings lower, brushing a trembling feather against his shoulder, besides Twilight's face.

>She leans down, and nuzzles his cheek.

>She says not a word. For none need to be spoken.

>One by one, the occupants of the hallway kneel.

>The silence, save for the occasional sniffle, is broken by the distant tolls of the Canterlot Bells. Ten slow chimes.

>The last time they chimed ten was during the marriage between the two- one of the most important days in post Nightmare Moon history.

>The day where Anon, the actual, real life alien, had become King of Equestria, and Princess Celestia had become his Queen.

>And Equestria /thrived/.

>But, just like that, the era that Equestria once dreamed to last forever, had come to an end.

 

>The next morning.

>Queen Celestia sits atop her dais.

>Besides her to her left, is Princess Luna sitting in her dais. She is currently levitating a present towards herself, given to her in sorrow by a grieving citizen. The middle aged stallion steps away, allowing the next visitor to step up in line. A young female dragon.

>Noblecreatures and citizens of all types flood the hall in numbers not seen in decades. Bouquets of flowers and gifts alike wait to be passed forth.

>And to her right, by contrast, is King Anonymous's throne. It remains noticeably empty.

>Alone.

>Just like he was yesterday.

>Celestia mentally kicks herself.

>Why wasn't she there?

>He died alone, for heaven's sake!

>Why wasn't /any/ pony there?!

>Her jaw clenches.

>She knew he was mortal.

>It was part of the deal.

>She knew he would expire, and she knew it would happen somewhat soon. Even with her magic, they both knew that his time was borrowed.

>So why wasn't she there besides him until the end like she promised?

>"It is not your fault, Tia." Luna mumbles quietly.

>/CRACK!/

>Celestia stomps a hoof so hard, the corner of her marble throne cracks off in a thick chunk.

>"I MADE A PROMISE, LUNA!" She booms. "I MADE A PROMISE, AND I FAILED!"

>Luna immediately leaps off of her throne to step in front of her sister.

>The line of citizens all freeze collectively. They dare not make a sound as their Moon wastes zero time to sit besides their Sun in comfort.

>Celestia tries to turn her head away to hide her tears, but Luna is there every time, forcing herself to be seen.

"No, Celestia!" She shouts right back. Her voice loud, but not with hatred. "You did /not fail/!"

>Celestia's chest heaves, her wings trembling, eyes already welling up with tears.

>"I wasn't /there/, Luna!" She snarls, her voice already hoarse with agony. Her voice warbles. "He fell in a hallway! A hallway we both walk through every day! And /nopony/ was there! No Guards! No staff! No friends! No family! Not /me/!"

>Her breath shakes. Her eyes lower to the polished marble beneath her hooves.

>A pebble falls from the chipped edge of her throne and tumbles down onto the pile below.

>Her screams collapse to only a whisper.

>"Just cold stone. That's what held him last."

 

"You did not fail him." Luna says again, much quieter, but no less reverent. "You are /not/ the first to lose somepony they love without warning, and I /know/ that we will not be the last. You did /not/ fail him by not witnessing his final breath, Celestia." She leans in. "You /succeeded/ in giving him /years/. /Decades/ of joy, and of laughter, and of companionship. You gave him more than any mortal could ever dream of." She smirks faintly. "And I /know/ what mortals dream of."

>Celestia's lips curl upwards for a brief moment before frowning again.

>"But he /asked me/, Luna. He made me promise." She clears her throat. "'When I go', he said, 'I want you to be the last thing I see'." She closes her eyes. A tear falls. "I /gave him my word/."

>Luna pauses for a moment.

"And I believe you /were/." She finally answers gently. "If not with his eyes, then with his mind." She rests her forehead against hers. "Do you think he did not picture your face in that moment? Do you think his final thoughts were not of you?"

>A shaky sound escapes from Celestia's throat. Somewhere between a scoff, a chuckle, and a sob.

>"You're trying to spare me guilt, Lu." She shakes her head slightly. "It's noble. But it won't work."

>Luna doesn't wait this time.

"I am not trying to /spare/ you guilt, Tia. I am here to /save/ you from it."

>The throne room remains silent.

>Even the birds chirping outside silence themselves, as to not ruin the moment. The world falls silent as if to give Celestia all the room she needs.

"Do not let grief rewrite your memories." Luna continues, stepping back from Celestia. "Do not let the end spoil the journey. He did not die in sorrow. So do not live in it."

>Celestia lights her horn.

>To her right, Anon's throne fills once again as she casts a memory projection spell.

>A transparent golden ghost of Anon when he was younger, sits atop his throne. His robes and crown gleam in the soft sunlight. His signature smile perfectly in place. Somewhere between that genuine warmth, and a faint smirk, always ready to tell a joke.

>Celestia stands from her throne, and kneels besides his. She rests her head against his, even if no contact is made. She swears she can feel his warmth.

>"Please excuse my absence today, Luna." She mumbles. "Court is canceled."

Luna bows her head. "Of course, sister."

>The guests don't need to be told. They nod and bow, before turning and exiting.

>The moment the last guard leaves, Celestia allows herself to cry.

 

>Down in Ponyville,

>Princess Twilight Sparkle steps into the bedroom of Anon's old log cabin, located just outside the town border.

>Anon had built this place by himself, by hand, in less than a week- a feat that was previously unheard of. It was the first thing he ever made for himself in this world. He used to come here all the time, even after he moved to Canterlot full time to rule the country.

>Her horn glows as she uses her magic to stand a picture frame upright again on a shelf. A square of fresh wood sits exposed in the layer of dust that had accumulated around it.

>He'd stopped coming here several years ago when it became too difficult for him to leave too far outside the Castle.

>The rest of her friends, all in their very late years in age, search and clean the rest of the house. Pinkie Pie hums as she sweeps, Rarity wipes down the windows, Fluttershy tends to the kitchen, and Rainbow Dash helps Applejack lift a fallen toolbox upright in his work room.

>They too rarely leave their homes these days also, but they made it clear they were going to be here to help one last time, no matter what. Just like old times.

>Twilight levitates the dusty bed sheets off of the old mattress, when she hears a piece of parchment wrinkle.

>She looks down, and notices an envelope. It looks old.

>She levitates it up to her face, and unfolds it, pulling the note out of it.

'To Princess Twilight Sparkle,

This place is now yours. I built it with my own two hands before I knew what magic was. Before I knew what made you ponies so special- the never ending pursuit to remind me that I am never truly alone.

So even though I was the one who hammered in the nails, it was you girls- my family- who helped make it a home. It was always yours from the beginning.

Do what you want with it. Keep it and clean it up, or knock it down to build something else. I don't care. I'm dead. As long as you make sure that whoever visits this place leaves with a smile.

-Anon'

>The letter trembles in Twilight's magic. Her lip quivers as she struggles to keep the tears back. One falls anyways. She doesn't care.

>She clutches it to her chest, folding her wings over it the same way she'd hug him.

>She swears she can feel his warmth.

>A gentle knock comes from the doorway behind Twilight.

>Pinkie Pie peeks her head into the room, voice soft.

>"Twilight? You okay?"

>Twilight closes her eyes. She nods, smiling faintly. "Y- yeah. I- I just- I found something."

>She levitates the piece of parchment over in front of her pink friend's face.

>As Pinkie reads, her eyes begin to glisten. A proud smile spreads across her face.

>Twilight opens her eyes, and finally turns to look at Pinkie.

>Her eyes widen considerably as she sees the backside of the page, where Anon had written something else. She rips the page back to herself.

'P.S. Half of my wealth is now yours, too, by the way. The other half belongs to Tia and Lu. Don't go spending it all in one place! :)'

 

>"HALF OF HIS WEALTH?!"

>Twilight's wings shoot straight out. The parchment crinkles dangerously in her magic as her eyes blow as wide as dinner plates, re-reading the same page again and again to see if the words change themselves, revealing one final prank. She just knows that's something he would've done.

>But they don't.

>Pinkie leans over her shoulder, and giggles.

>The other girls file in at the sound of Twilight's commotion, each muttering quietly to one another.

>Applejack pushes her hat back as she trots over. "What's all the fuss about, Twi?" She asks, leaning over Twilight's shoulder. She lets out a low whistle. "Whoo-wee... /Half of his wealth/, huh?" She finds herself needing to catch her breath already. "That's... That's gotta be /a lot/, right?"

>"Darlings," Rarity clears her throat darlingly. "You /do realize/ that he was a /King/. /With a King's salary/. And /investments/. And /holdings/. /Property/. International trade gifts, patents, and- /ahem/- the bits he kept winning in bets with nobles."

>Rainbow stares at Twilight, slack-jawed.

>"Twilight... You're rich." She breathes out.

>Twilight's fur is pale.

>She could almost pass for looking like Celestia right now.

>She sits down hard on the floor.

>"Sweet Harmony..." She breathes.

>"Uhm, maybe we should check the rest of the cabin for /anything else/ he might've left behind..." Fluttershy offers.

>Pinkie zooms out of the room, an ability she'll likely never lose. "ON IT!"

 

>The Royal Bed Chambers is quiet.

>There, under the freshly pressed silk linens, is Queen Celestia. Her back faces the room as her ribs and shoulders rise and fall in short, sharp hitches of breath. Anon's cane held tightly against her chest between all four of her legs. Her wings wrap around only herself this time.

>Her once bright and radiant mane lays limp on the pillows behind her.

>Not even Philomena is offering anything to say. Her cage remains silent.

"Sister?"

>Celestia's ear snaps upward as her shoulders flinch reflexively.

>The air inside feels thicker than normal as Luna's shoes push down the luxury carpeting with every reluctant step forward.

>Luna breathes in a deep breath of lavender and exhales slowly.

>She moves forward once again, and sits down on the edge of the bed, shifting the weight of Celestia's body slightly.

>Celestia still doesn't dare turn to face her sister. Not yet.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Luna whispers once more.

>The ornate clock on the opposite wall quietly counts the minutes of inner contemplation.

>Eventually, she speaks. Her voice barely above the volume of a tired breath.

>"I hate being immortal."

>Luna breathes in sharply and turns her head away.

>She understands that pain all too well. She remembers when she didn't know the full extent of it. Of her elder sister's pain.

>The door opens just a crack. An elderly white unicorn mare with brown hair and eyes pokes her head in.

>"Your majesties!" Raven Inkwell opens the door further, holding out a hastily written scroll from a very rich purple alicorn. "Urgent news from Ponyville! Princess Twilight Sparkle has inherited half of the King's treasury!"

>Celestia and Luna instantly whip their heads towards the door, then back to themselves.

>Although shocked at first, the two sisters quickly find each other smiling at one another.

 

>What would Anon do?

>Twilight has since moved to the dusty old sofa in the living room, pondering silently to herself for the last several minutes while her friends have continued to search and clean.

>The edges of Twilight's lips twitch.

>She can already hear his voice again.

"I dunno about you faggots, but if /I/ ever got a shitload of money, I'd just split it up with my friends. Spread it around as far out as I can, you know? Making my friends smile is money enough for me."

>She smiles and shakes her head, exhaling through her nose as her head tilts down.

>Then, she nods, her smile widening, eventually breaking into a giggle.

"Hey girls?" She finally speaks. "How would you all like to be rich too?"

>The room instantly goes dead silent.

>Every set of hooves freezes mid motion.

>Rarity's eyes slowly widen, her eyebrows threatening to float right off of her face. "Come again, darling?"

>Twilight looks up from the piece of parchment and looks around the room at the five stunned faces.

"I mean it. He gave me half. He gave me this home, and this money, and this... this /life/. He only had it because of /us/. Because we stuck with him even when he didn't know anypony. We helped him learn how to live here. And he gave back /more than anypony/ ever could have..." She pauses to let her voice return to her after it warbled off at the end. "/We/ made him feel at home."

>Fluttershy covers her mouth with both hooves, eyes watering.

>Applejack's voice comes first. It cracks a little bit. "Twi... You /really/ don't gotta do that..."

>Twilight just smiles. She nods again.

"I /know/," She says, standing up now. "But I /want/ to. Because /he/ would've."

>Rainbow Dash steps closer. She shifts awkwardly on her hooves.

>"Y- You're really serious?" She asks, her voice scratchier than normal. "Like... Like actual bits? No prank?"

Twilight nods. "You deserve it. All of you. We've all earned it just by surviving this long and still being here for eachother. I'll begin the paperwork today. One share split six ways- seven if we include Spike- which we should."

Applejack nods. "Darn right we should. Spike did a lot of growin' in that heart of his to deserve it. That wouldn't have been possible without 'Non."

>The ponies share proud looks at each other for a long moment-

>Before simultaneously blurting out what they want to do with their shares, claiming their lifelong bucketlist ideas.

"I want to grow my sanctuary!" Fluttershy cheers.

"I want to expand my chains!" Rarity sings.

"Ah can grow more, faster!" Applejack yeehaws.

"More recruits!" Rainbow shouts.

"More cookies!" Pinkie chirps.

>The ponies burst into laughter and hugs.

>Twilight sits right back down, letting the smile spread to her face even more as she takes it all in from her friends surrounding her.

"Thanks, Anon." She whispers to herself.

 

>That night.

>Queen Celestia and Princess Luna have invited Twilight and the others to Canterlot once more for a celebration.

>A celebration of life.

"I am so glad to hear what you've chosen to do with the money, Twilight," Celestia says with a warm smile across the long mahogany dinner table. "Because I just /know/ that's what Anon would've done." The ponies are already dabbing eyelashes with napkins. "It brings me great joy to hear that you all knew him and loved him just as well as I did."

>The others share looks, and pat hooves on backs.

>Whispers of gratitude get passed around the table.

"You only loved him because he gave you the 'Best sex from a living creature on the planet'." Luna jokes suddenly.

>Immediately, the room falls silent.

>Far, far too silent.

>Every pair of eyes looks to Luna, their jaws resting on the table.

"BAHA!" Celestia bursts once. Hard.

>Her struggle to contain herself is apparent. The hoof over her mouth strains to hold back the pressure.

>It fails.

"BAHAHAHAHAHA!"

>Celestia simply explodes into hysterical laughter.

>Her head tilts back far enough that her crown threatens to fall right off of her head. Her cheeks and ribcage instantly begin hurting from the full-bellied cackling.

>Twilight's jaw is slack.

>Pinkie's eyes are dilated in pure awe.

>Rarity looks like she might actually suffer a heart attack.

>"LUNA!" Fluttershy cries, her face turning more red than it's ever been, as if she's just heard the first swear word in fifty years.

>Applejack is the second to break with a poorly kept snort.

>"Holy horseapples, Luna..."

>Celestia's laughter only gets louder. Tears stream down her cheeks. Her golden shoe pounds against the table, silverware jumping from plates.

>Servants and guards peek their heads in at the sudden riot.

"What?" Luna asks, just sitting there smugly, knowing full well she just dropped the best bomb of the last decade. "I asked him once. For research. Sister told me /everything/."

"LUNA!" Celestia wheezes. She leans against the table, practically hyperventilating. "/You/... You /little gremlin/! He made me /swear/ to never tell /anypony/-"

"He knew I'd blab eventually," Luna dismisses with a hoof. "That's why he told you in the first place."

>Twilight buries her face in her wings in embarrassment. Also to hide the smile creeping onto her face.

"Sweet Harmony... You're all infected..."

"And we're better for it!" Pinkie cheers, slamming her hooves on the table. "LONG LIVE ANON!"

"TO ANON!" Rainbow Dash cries, raising her mug of cider.

"TO ANON!" The table echoes, mugs, glasses, and cups rising along.

>Celestia wipes her eyes, her chest still rising and falling with laughter.

"Oh, stars... He would've /loved this/." She breathes.

>Rainbow Dash leans over to Applejack.

"He totally gave her the best sex, didn't he?"

>Applejack snorts cider out of her nose.

 

>Later that night.

>The group of ponies sit outside in the gardens, cheeks still pink from a long evening of story tellings and jokes.

>Celestia wraps a wing around Luna. Her head rests against hers.

"Thank you, sister."

"For what?" Luna murmurs, returning the wing hug with her own.

"For reminding me that just because I need time to grieve, doesn't mean I have to sacrifice /laughter/ to get it."

>Luna leans into her sister.

"It's what he would've wanted."

>The collection of ponies smile at each other around the small firepit Anon had installed many years ago. It was his favorite place to have his friends gather with him when he wasn't in Ponyville. Marshmallows turn from white to brown above the shared flame.

>They collectively begin to understand the lesson.

>Yeah, Anon's still here. Because he never left.

Because Anon is still in all of us.

>...

>Rainbow Dash snorts first.

"/He's in all of us/."

Applejack giggles. "/Stars/, Dashie..."

Rarity lifts a hoof to her chest. "Oh my," She gasps. "That was /absolutely/ a sex joke, wasn't it?"

>Twilight groans, yet her smile remains.

 

>Eventually, the castle falls into sleepy silence.

>Queen Celestia enters her private bed chambers, and closes the door behind her, the room candles blowing out one by one. Anon's cane is still on his spot on the bed, exactly where she had left it.

>As she begins levitating her regalia off, she gets a strange feeling. An urge.

>A sudden urge to get high.

>She can hear him already.

"Aight, Ima get high now. Wanna join or nah?"

>She smiles and shakes her head.

>Celestia looks over at the chaise where he'd often lounge on while he smoked.

"Oh, /Anon/... You had the vocabulary of a goat. On fire."

>She snorts and walks over to his night stand, her horn glowing as the middle drawer opens.

>Inside, an unlabeled wooden box- one that he made himself well over a century ago.

>She opens it, and levitates one of the perfectly rolled joints out of it, returning the box to its home.

>With a flick of her horn, it finds its way to her lips, the tip sparked, and already glowing.

>Celestia walks to the balcony, and looks out over the city below. She pulls up a pillow, sits down, and inhales a long drag. She holds it for a second before exhaling.

>She smiles.

"Yeah. I think I'll join."

>After a few puffs, muscle memory takes over, and she levitates the blunt over to her side where Anon usually sits.

>Celestia swears she can feel his lips touch her magic.

>The bedroom door behind her creaks open. Celestia doesn't need to ask who it is. She just smiles, and levitates the blunt over.

 

>Luna lays besides her sister as the two point their hooves at the sky, tracing imaginary images in the stars above.

>Celestia lets out a sigh.

"What is it, sister?" Luna asks, letting her hoof finally fall back down onto her chest.

>Celestia doesn't respond right away.

>"Lu... I have come to the troubling realization the other day that... that I don't believe I can legally title myself as Queen any longer." A tear rolls down her cheek. "With no King, there's no Queen. But, if I were to retitle myself back to Princess, I- Well, I just feel that I would be taking a piece of him out of my heart. Which is something I am most certain Anon would /not/ have done."

>Luna doesn't respond right away either.

>She rolls her head to look at her elder sister, eyes blinking slowly.

"That is some real bureaucratic ass /nonsense/."

>Celestia exhales. "It is /tradition/, Lu. Equestria has /rules/."

>Luna waves a hoof in the air.

"Pffffft. Tradition this, tradition that. You are /Celestia/. You are the same solar juggernaut who married the alien in the first place."

>Celestia chuckles. "Indeed I did."

"Exactly!" Luna proclaims. "You did not follow tradition then, so why start now? Anon wouldn't have let you gotten away with that 'logic' for longer than two seconds."

>Celestia looks at the stars once more. She sighs again.

>Luna continues.

"You are not a Queen because you married a King, Tia," Her voice quieter but not weaker. "You are a Queen because of the way you /loved/. You made space besides you for the one who never belonged. The fool. The hero. The man who had no place. You /made him belong anyways/."

>Celestia wipes her eyes with the tip of her wing.

>"I- I just- I don't want to erase him."

"Then don't." Luna replies immediately. "Be his Queen. Forever. /We/ make the rules now."

>A moment passes. Luna speaks again.

"And if you /really/ want to keep things 'traditional', I could marry you and keep the Queen title going that way..."

>Celestia laughs.

"Thank you, Lu."

"Always, Tia."

>A long moment passes.

>Luna feels something strange. An urge.

"Tia... I have the sudden urge to say something racist."

 

>Celestia's cheeks are sore from smiling and laughing all day. It's the most she's done in /months/.

>Eventually, they loosen, giving her a moment to remember another cherished moment with Anon.

>Which, then makes her smile again. And again. And again.

>She reaches up with her hooves to massage her cheeks.

"Sweet Sun, I had nearly forgotten what a full day of Anon used to do to me..."

Luna giggles, her head rolling over to look at her sister. "'Used to'?" Her giggles turns to chuckling. "Tia, that man is singlehoofedly responsible causing the rise in the daily average number of spikes in your heart rate."

Celestia chuckles and hums in agreement. "I am /genuinely relieved/ that he's gone. Do you realize how many of my stress migraines were because of /him/?"

>The two share a laugh.

>Celestia's and Luna's cheeks hurt again.

>Luna raises a hoof.

"To no more weird hypothetical questions inappropriate hours!" She toasts.

>Celestia smiles and raises a hoof of her own.

"To no more apologizing for inappropriate language at inappropriate times!"

"To no more whoopee cushions under our thrones!"

"To no more unsolicited ear-scritches- No, wait, I actually quite loved those. I will be mourning this for the next moon cycle."

"I agree, that was indeed a drug I cannot quit from overnight."

>Celestia and Luna roll their heads to look at each other one final time.

>Their sore cheeks continue being sore.

>But, eventually, the laughter dies down yet again.

>The tears streaking down past Celestia's ears and into the carpet beneath her mane begin to flow again.

>"Stars above, Lu." She babbles softly. "I miss him so much."

>Luna drapes her foreleg over her elder sister, forehead pressing against forehead.

"I know. I miss him too."

>Just then, the sounds of Celestia's ukulele cuts through the reverent silence.

>Both sisters roll over as fast as they can just in time to see the very instrument floating above the bed, strings strumming away by themselves.

>Little by little, the blurry form of their King begins to glow within a cloud of golden magic.

"This is not my doing." Celestia breathes, eyes wide. Luna glances at her sister's horn. Sure enough, it isn't glowing. Not even a little bit.

>Anon's ghostly golden glow sits on the edge of Celestia's bed, one ankle resting on the other knee, ukulele in his gentle grasp.

>He looks up from the instrument and up at Celestia.

>He smiles.

>Celestia's hoof flies to her mouth, hot tears pouring down her cheeks in rivers.

"Anon?" She breathes.

>Anon nods. He begins to hum that song.

>Their song.

Celestia sings.

 

-"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine

You make me happy when skies are grey

You'll never know, dear, how much I love you

Please don't take my sunshine away"

-"The other night, dear, as I lay sleeping

I dreamed I held you in my arms

And now that you're here, my dreams are waking

And I will keep you from all harm"

-"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine

You make me happy when skies are grey

You'll never know, dear, how much I love you

Please don't take my sunshine away"

-"I'll always love you and make you happy

I'll pick you up when you've fallen down

You turn the sky blue when it is raining

You'll always keep the sunshine around"

-"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine

You make me happy when skies are grey

You'll never know, dear, how much I love you

Please don't take my sunshine away"

 

>Anon, the local teenager, sits on his living room sofa.

>The ceiling fan above him whirls away unevenly, mixing around the aromas of fast food and carbon monoxide from the open window besides him.

>A man outside in a white tank top walks his pitbull.

>In front of Anon, the crt television sits there silently, the pause icon blinking in the top right corner.

>On screen is the image of a brown leather-bound book with golden trim, sitting on a patch of grass. On the cover is a golden unicorn with blue gems for eyes.

>He looks down at his hands, examining them.

>No wrinkles. No liver spots.

>On the coffee table in front of him is his television remote. He reaches for it.

>He presses [Play].

>The book opens.

>"Once upon a time, in the magical land of Equestria..."