The Story of NiraLightshine

Disclaimer: My Little Pony belongs to Hasbro and not me. I am only borrowing the characters for this story; there will be some characters that belong to me as well. So there we go.

All good lives have a wonderful story to be told, something many a pony doesn't have, at least not interesting ones. The sound of hoofsteps could be heard as a stallion climbed his way atop the hill, his pale blue coat washed out to a dull gray with age.

This stallion continued on his path with six roses in his muzzle, one for each of the wonderful friends he had. No one knew where he was going. He had told no one. Not his nieces, his nephews, or even his grandchildren.

He wanted to come to this place alone. As his aged body finally arrived at the familiar plot of land reserved for them, he gently set each rose down as his eyes passed over the graves. His memory of past years coming here allowing him to know where each one was.

"It's been 10 years since last I saw any of you...Especially you sis," he whispered, his eyes resting on the cutie mark engraved upon the grave and rather similar to his own. Only, on his flank he had a star with a heart inside of it. A mark of what his destiny had once been.

The names on each of the graves read: Twilight Sparkle, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie. Each one of them had a rose on them, however, the sixth one was still in his muzzle, warm tears in his eyes as he stared at the last one.

"Applejack...it's been so long since you were taken from me. I never stopped thinking about you...I never stopped loving you" he said as he rested a hoof upon the cold unfeeling stone.

"I know you all probably know what my story is by now...wherever you went. Even though Twilight and AJ were the only ones I ever felt comfortable talking about my past with. It was nothing against the rest of you, it was just too painful..." he sighed as he stared up at the sky with his sightless eyes, his wings spread out and letting the gentle breeze wash over them.

In truth, he felt weaker than he could remember in all of his years. A single tear ran down his cheek as he returned his 'sight' to the gravestones.

"I didn't bring the family with me...I couldn't do it, not today. Something told me I had to do this alone. I'm sure Spike knows...I just pray he doesn't come. I hate feeling more and more like a burden since my hearing starting to go...not to mention losing feeling in my hooves." he sighed as he lay on the ground, resting his head upon his tired hooves.

The inevitable beat of wings, which he knew were coming, started. It had always been a telltale sign of Spikes arrival, the massive dragon landing on the ground about twenty feet away from him.

Nira opened his eyes slightly to stare at Spike. He didn't need to see to know the dragon was there. The way he breathed, the way he walked, he knew it all so well. The stallion sat up slightly, wincing as his body groaned in protest.

"I asked you not to come...I wanted to do this alone..." he whispered sadly, turning his attention back to Applejacks grave.

Spike, who had grown to be about half the size of the dragon Fluttershy had tamed so many years ago, looked at him with sad eyes as he moved to lay near the only father he had ever known.

"You're not the only one who lost a mate. I lost my Rarity too..." he said softly, resting a claw upon Rarity's final resting place.

"I have a feeling sometime soon...I'll be visiting another grave here though" he spoke as he gently nuzzed his fathers cheek, the stallion returning the nuzzle.

Nira held his head low as he spoke.

"I know, I'm sorry for that too Spike...Everypony in Ponyville loved our friends..." he sighed, though something about what the drake said caught his attention, the old stallion turning to look at his son.

"Why would you say that you'll be visiting another grave here soon?" he asked, unable to hold back a yawn. He stretched his weary body, groaning as his bones creaked. He chuckled softly, realizing just how weak he had become, casting his empty gaze upon his son.

"Do you mind helping me get home? I don't think I can do that when I'm ready to leave..." he admitted.

Spike nodded, holding back his tears as death filled the air around him. The dragon had known when he landed that this would be the last time he saw his father alive, even if Nira himself wasn't aware of it. The dragon put on a smile, unable to keep his voice from wavering slightly.

"I will dad...J-Just call for me when you're ready to leave." he promised before leaning forward to kiss Rarity's grave. He sighed sadly, murming a few draconic words to the love of his life before he wandered off. He didn't want to disturb Nira and thus resigned himself to silence. Nira stared in the direction of the graves and let out a soft whimper, his lip trembling.

As he lay there in front of the graves of the six best friends he had ever had and resting his head upon his hooves, he whispered,

"I just don't understand why I can't join you six sooner...Why can't I join you? It's been so many years since I got to talk to any of you." he swallowed the lump in his throat, his voice seeming to get weaker as he yawned again.

"I hope you don't mind...if I just rest here for now...maybe I'll have that dream with you again AJ..." he murmured as his eyes closed and one finaly breath slipped past his lips.

Were one to glance upon the old stallion they might think he was simply taking a nap among the company of his friends. In truth, the stallion had passed on, leaving his frail body behind to join his friends on the other side. Finally, after so many years, he was allowed to be with the ones he had loved and lost. Nira Lightshine, Wielder of the Element of Love, had finally reached the end of his journey and earned his happy ending.