The pub was old, older than most, but little known. The Parting Glass was its name and, tonight, it would host two of Equestria's last remaining barers of Harmony. As the whiskey flowed, they would recall their past and rekindle a friendship once lost to the ravages of time, and maybe- just maybe- discover something more...

At the bar sat an orange mare, blonde locks shot through grey; a faded brown stetson rested beside her as she nursed a mug of cider. The only sounds in the pub was the steady murmur of the bar's few patrons and the quiet clinking of glasses as the ancient bartender tended to his wears.

"Will ya have another drink?" He asked quietly, his raspy voice nary above a whisper. The mare simply slid out her glass for him to refill.

The heavy oak doors of the pub slowly swung open as a cyan pegasus wearily ambled inside. In times past she would have blown in, wanting to make a grand entrance. But time and wear had mellowed her considerably. Her once rainbow mane was now various shades of silver; her rose colored eyes weary and tired, but she still walked with pride: her back straight and her hoof steps sure. She paused and gazed slowly around the candlelit pub, before spotting a familiar mare: one she hadn't seen nor spoken to for the better part of a half a century.

With a deep breath, she meandered up to the bar, taking a seat next to her before demanding in her trademark raspy voice: "I'll have a glass of your finest whiskey." The bartender nodded before rummaging through the shelves, pulling out a dusty bottle with Uisce beatha barely visible on the label. Placing a glass on the counter he pulled the cork, releasing a bittersweet aroma of fine hard liquor.

"Ah reckon ya better make it two, bar keep." came the southern alto from the orange mare. Nodding, the barkeep laid out a second glass before filling both and sliding them to their respective ponies.

The two mares sat, sipping their drinks in miserable silence.
"So, Applejack, what brings you to a place like this, on tonight of all nights? Don't you have a family you could be spending it with?" The cyan mare's raspy voice breaking the silence between the two.

"Rainbow, you've been gone so long Ah've doubt you've heard . . . But, Ah don't have much of a family anymore." She heaved a weary sigh before continuing, "Big Mac passed 'bout twelve years back in an accident, an' Applebloom just doesn't come around anymore." Applejack looked down at her drink in silent mourning for a moment. "Ya left fer the Wonderbolts all those years ago. . . After ya went, Ah reckon things just kinda drifted apart."

Rainbow Dash stared at her in thought for a moment. "But what about the girls, Twilight and the others?"

"Well . . . " Applejack took a sip of her drink before stating, "Ah reckon Twilight's still living up in Canterlot. Last Ah saw of her was some ten years back. She hadn't aged a day; that was at Pinkie's funeral. Rarity passed last year. We found her in her shop slumped over her sewing machine and no one's seen Fluttershy since you left. Ah reckon you and me 're the only one's left, besides Twilight," she sighed and tossed down the rest of her drink. Noticing that both their glasses were empty, she motioned for the barkeep to fill them up again.

"What about a husband? Any foals of your own?" Rainbow inquired.

"Ah never married. Ah reckon ah was two busy on the farm. After Granny Smith and Big Mac passed, Ah had to do it on my own. Sure, my cousins would come by and help now and again but fer the most part Ah live on my own." A few moments passed in silence as the two old friends each took a sip from their mug before Applejack intoned, "What about you Dash? You ever marry and settle down?"

"No," replied Rainbow Dash "I had my career as a Wonderbolt, and after I retired I traveled the world. I was always searching for something. What I was looking for, I don't know. I came back to Ponyville a few days ago and've been just getting the lay of things. Nothing's changed much. I flew over the farm the other day but I didn't see you. I hadn't had the time to visit anyone else and now I suppose I won't be able to . . ." She paused before adding, "Well, I guess I could visit their graves." Rainbow Dash sighed a tear trailing down her worn cheek.

Applejack sat back and looked over her old friend. Time had not been kind to the normally brash pagasus: her fur had faded with decades of being out in the weather; her once colorful mane and tail now a rainbow of silvers and grays; her face was lined with many a scar as was the rest of her. She now noticed just how rough a life her old friend lived "Are you going to be staying for long?" Applejack quietly yet hopefully asked. It would be nice to have a friend after being alone for so long.

Rainbow Dash sat quietly for a while before replying, "I'm too old to go adventuring anymore, so yes
I will be here for a time . . . . Barkeep, another round please?" she watched as the old pony filled her's and Applejack's glasses.
Rainbow Dash leaned back and sighed. Her rose colored eyes closed as she thought back to her youth. "I sure am going to miss Pinkie's parties . . . Buck I'm even going to miss Rarity's constant attempts to doll me up!" at this point, a few small tears flowed from her eyes as she whispered "And I sure miss Fluttershy most of all. I'll never forgive myself for leaving her behind. I never thought about how my departure would affect all of you."

"Neither did Ah, Rainbow. Neither did Ah." Applejack sighed wistfully.

Author's Note

Howdy well here ya go. For thous who are wondering the words Uisce Beatha literally means the waters of life and is the Irish word for whiskey .. . . . Now there's a lovely word. At any rate I reckon this story takes place some 60 or so years after the finial events of the seventh season of my little pony FIM as you can see by reading applejack and rainbow dash are rather old and as the waters of life flow that cold hearthwarming eve the reals of time begin to play as they remember back on their lost yesterdays and in the end might just bring two lost friends closer than they ever were in their youth.

P.S comments and reviews help me grow as a writer and let me know what people think about my story so please comment even if you think the story is bad i can't improve if i don't know. thanks