"Of course!" Rainbow shouted out. Her laughter echoed through the rolling hills atop which she sat. The grass on them wavered in the breeze, rippling in waves. It was serene.
"Do you really think so? Like, really really think so?" Pinkie asked, her smile as bright as ever. She looked over at the setting sun, it's orange pink glow lightly kissing the sky goodnight, leaving it open for the rising moon.
"Ah shoot sugarcube, I know so," a certain orange pony said in her country accent. She too looked out upon the horizon, taking in the fluorescent touch of the dying sun. The warm night air overtook her, swallowing her up and comforting her a way nothing else could.
"We've been through so much together - how could we ever not?" Fluttershy whispered, in awe. The stars were beginning to poke holes in the night sky, glimmering down and shining faintly on her. She basked in their glow, the first signs of wrinkles lightly showing on her face.
A voice, knowledgeable and soft, came from behind them. "We did," Twilight said softly. She stepped forward, into the oncoming pale moonlight, taking in its full glory with worn eyes and a gentle smile. "Yes, indeed we did..."
"I'll say," Rarity said. "Nightmare Moon, that dreadful Discord, Queen Cheeselegs..." she giggled, covering her mouth with a hoof. "Ah, but I digress. We did have a wonderful time, I'd say."
The wind washed over their aging faces, blowing their manes westward. "And then that time you and your sis' got all upset with each other." Applejack snickered softly, but good natured.
The fashionista joined in, offering her own slight chuckle. "I remember it like it was yesterday. She's a famous singer now, you know. Cliché, but hey, I'm not one to argue."
"I beg to disagree," Rainbow said, jokingly mocking the unicorn's high-class ways.
"Now, now girls, let's not pin this all on me," she said with a grin. "Does anyone remember when Rainbow here held that 'pet contest', and ended up going with the turtle?"
"Tortoise," Fluttershy said, giggling.
"Tortoise," the mare amended with a little nod.
"Yeah, well...I don't think I would've wanted it any other way. Tank was cool..." Rainbow turned her face to the wind, letting it graze her sides. "At least 20% percent cooler."
They all chuckled. Nostalgia was swollen in the night air, sweeping over them just as the wind. "Yeah, and I remember th' time you thought ya could beat me at the runnin' of the leaves," Applejack said with a wry wink.
"Hey now, I so kicked your flank!" the cyan pegasus accused, tossing her hoof at her friend. Yet her smile was unaltered, and eventually her serious gaze gave way to a fit of chortles. She fell to her back, the thick grass as a comfortable padding. Placing her hooves behind her head, she sighed into the breeze. The darkness was coming on swift now; night would soon be upon them, and the only light would radiate from the little cozy town behind them.
"I s'pose it was a tie," Applejack said, resting back just as her friend.
"Oh, I think this is a silly argument in the first place. All these years, and you two are still going on about that," Rarity said, also easing herself down. "How is Applebloom, by the way. Last I heard she had run off to Canterlot for some reason."
"Ah, that filly's growin up," the farmer said, turning her head to see the unicorn. "I couldn't keep her back on the farm. She's gotta figure out who she is, I guess. Same as I did."
Fluttershy rested herself down beside Rainbow Dash, her pink eyes tossed up to the sky, ever still. "I hope she's all right in that big city..."
"Ah, she's fine. I gotta hand it to that filly, she's a strong one."
As Pinkie nonchalantly plopped down beside Rarity - giving the unicorn a good startle, frizzing her mane and coat - she said, "She is! Like chimicherrychanga strong! And those things are strong, you know."
"Yes, Pinkie, we know." Rarity bit her tongue and let but a small sigh pass her lips. Yet she soon released when she noticed that they had all lain down but one. Still up, sitting slouched in front of the semicircle they had formed, Twilight was silent. "Twilight, dear, is everything all right? Come join us down here, won't you?"
"I...well, I guess," she said. She stood and trudged her way between Rarity and Applejack, plopping down on her back and letting her eyes fall to the rising moon. "It's just...well Pinkie's question got me thinking. Life seems a lot...shorter than before. I don't know how much time we have left. Do you really think - and I mean all of you - that we'll stick together?"
None of them answered immediately. The crisp breeze picked up slightly, now ruffling their fur as it made its pass. The sun was gone now, sunken deep into the far away hills. Twilight, as well as the rest of them, all stared up at it. It was almost as quiet as they were, simply staring down at them from above.
"I think so," came a light, shy voice. Fluttershy looked over to her lavender friend, a tender smile on her lips.
After another pause, Rainbow added, "Yeah, me too. Like, honestly, I think so."
"And me!"
"An' me."
"And me darling. Of course I think so.
A new silence befell them; a tender, gentle silence, that of caring and love.
"You know what? ...me too," Twilight said.
"Then it's settled then!" Pinkie hopped up to her hooves, a huge smile tugging at her lips.
"What is dear?" Rarity asked, cocking her head with a confused gaze.
"Friends Forever, duh!"
"Friends Forever," Twilight said, pushing herself to her own hooves.
"Friends Ferever." Applejack too pushed herself up. She came over and wrapped Twilight in a huge, strong hug, sharing her warmth with the cold mare. Pinkie did the same, wrapping her forelegs around the two as long as she could stretch them.
"Friends until the end," Rarity said, joining the hug.
Fluttershy gripped the bundling mass, adding, "Friends for life."
And, despite her unbecoming nature, Rainbow stood and snuggled in, a tiny grin on her face. "Friends Forever."
"It's true, then," Twilight sniffled. Tears welted in her eyes, glistening in the faint moonlight.
"What is?"
She drew in a deep breath with quivering lips. The warmth around her was great, encouraging, loving. "It's true...that Friendship is Magic."
The screen faded away, leaving blackness on the old television. He sat there on his old couch, speechless, with his little Twilight Sparkle plushy on his lap. Tears were welting in his eyes as well, as the block letters The End appeared on his screen. A soft, faint, wordless song began to play as the title credits began to roll.
Never had he felt more alone. Never had he been left so badly wanting, so sad, or depressed. His apartment seemed bitter cold now, and he could almost see his breath. This was it - the show had ended. As he gently stroked the velvet plush, a tear finally trickled down his eye. It was strange, he thought, to cry for the ending of a show. It was even stranger here, for this show was for young girls.
And yet over the years he had learned so much. Being not so well off financially, and for the most part alone, he relied on the show for his smiles, his joy. And now it was gone.
But it wasn't all sad. He had learned love and tolerance from the most unexpected place in the entire world - from the most beautiful place in the entire world. From the loving eyes of the purple pony in his lap.
He watched the silver credits scroll up his screen, listening to the final ending song, and wishing to relive each of the episodes, one by one. But he couldn't - after all, no one could relive the past. Everything that ever would be was in the future.
That was what this episode was about, wasn't it? Looking to the future and appreciating what you have and have had?
Tears finally fled his ducts, streaming down his face and dropping to the floor. This song pervaised it's way into his mind, tickling it to the core with lovely nostalgia.
He knew this part. He knew this part to heart. And if he was going to look to the morrow with a smile, he knew he had to appreciate today.
"My little pony..." he sang in a wavy, teary voice. "My little pony..."
"You'll always be in my heart..."
