The Disney Chronicles III: Fantasia

The Rite of Spring: Extinction

Symphony of Sorcery
Land of the Dinosaurs
65 million years

After the horrible battle between Charlie the Stegosaurus and the Tyrannosaurus, our heroes never felt so melancholy. Much like the time when they almost lost Snow White and Pinocchio, they sadly lost a dear friend. This time, Charlie would not come back. The other dinosaurs shared the same sadness. Charlie sacrificed himself for them all and no one stepped up to help him. All night they were silent, but what could they say? Fluttershy cried the most, while her friends weren't doing any better.

Twilight sat on her haunches, staring at the ground sadly. She sat in shock, repeating the same scenario in her head of Charlie brutally killed by the Tyrannosaurus while she and her friends did nothing to help. All because she didn't want any of her other friends to share the same fate. The guilt overtook her, it didn't take long to lose all her strength. Tears rolled down her cheeks, as Twilight sobbed uncontrollably like the one time, when she drank Zecora's potion and thinking Celestia died.

"What have I done?" She asked, softly.

She wasn't asking for a specific pony, but everypony heard. They just eyed Twilight while she mourned.

"We should have helped him; he'd be alive if we did," Twilight cried. "Why didn't we... Why didn't I do something?!"

Spike slowly approached Twilight Sparkle, placing a claw along her back.

"Don't blame yourself, Twilight," Spike said, softly. "It all happened unexpectedly. It'll be alright."

"No, it won't," She sniffed. "I've ruined everything. I shouldn't have stopped any of you from coming to his aid. Now Charlie's dead because of me; it's all my fault!"

Twilight bawled until her eyes turned red. Her other friends approached their friend, doing their best to comfort her.

"It ain't your fault, Twilight," Applejack said. "It's nopony's fault."

"But it's true!" Twilight insists. "Charlie was our friend and I failed. I'm supposed to be the Princess of Friendship, not the Princess of Murder!"

Jiminy hopped onto Twilight's muzzle, as the princess turned to him with teary eyes.

"Twilight look at me," Jiminy spoke. "It's not your fault Charlie's dead. He sacrificed himself to protect us all. There was nothing more we could do."

"But... Charlie," Twilight said. "The other dinosuars..."

"Nopony blames you, Twilight. Not the dinosaurs, not your friends, not even Charlie. Blaming yourself will do you no good."

"Then what do we do now? That predator killed our friend and there's nothing we can do to bring him back."

"Maybe not, but we can't stay sad forever. Charlie would never want that. We have to keep him in our hearts, that's how he'll stay alive."

Twilight slowly nodded, but while she understood she was still very sad. Before she knew it, the mother Diplodocus approached her bringing her head to her level. She could see the guilt and sorry on the unicorn/alicorn's face. But the eyes alone told Twilight that she and her friends are not to blame. Twilight gazed upon the dinosaur for a few seconds before turning back to Jiminy.

"It's not your fault, Twilight," Jiminy said, comforting. "I promise."

Twilight still couldn't help but shed a few tears, as the mother Diplodocus nudged her big head against hers as any mother comforting a child. She knew Jiminy was right, they all knew Charlie wouldn't want them to be sad forever. They mourned for him, paying their respects to him, but they had to move on while keeping Charlie in their hearts forever.