Twilight Sparkle, the Princess of Friendship. The mare that had been chosen by Celestia and Luna themselves to succeed them in ruling over Equestria and Ponykind. This remarkable young alicorn had been known for many great things in her life. Saving Equestria from disasters and villains alike. Bringing disparate peoples like the Griffons and Dragons together to become friends. Accomplishing the impossible time and again with her beloved friends. But today, there was none of that. No grand occurrence, no climactic battles, no heroic feats. No, today, Twilight Sparkle wanted one thing and one thing only, to be with her friends on this, the eve before one of the most important days of her life. And together they were, all lying down on their sleeping bags around a small table covered in drinks and snacks. It was a scene of fun, relaxation and enjoyment, and the smiles everypony wore made it clear that they were happy to be together. None seemed happier than Twilight, who looked fondly to all her companions, Spike especially, whom she now reached over and patted on the head, before the young drake turned back to speak to her.
"So...this is pretty great, right?" he asked.
Twilight's smile widened. She could hear the uncertainty in his voice, the nervousness at being here. And she couldn't blame him for it. After all, with all that was to be expected of them in the near future, it was highly unlikely that such gatherings would be happening all that often. Who knew when the next time would be when they'd have a calm and quiet moment like this? But they were here now, and from Spike's words alone, Twilight knew that they were going to try and make the most of it, which she naturally appreciated.
"Yes, Spike, it is great."
Spike took a sip of his hot chocolate, but said nothing, as it was instead Rainbow who spoke next, given one of her customary cackles before gesturing to all her friends.
"Seriously, if you'd have told me all those years ago that Twilight of all ponies would be ruling all of Equestria, I'd have called you crazy! I mean, come on, the dorky bookworm? That's gonna be our next leader?!"
Everypony laughed, even Twilight, who raised an eyebrow to her speedy friend.
"You wouldn't be wrong. Heck, I'd have called them crazy too."
She chuckled to herself.
"If I'd known then, I'd have gone as white as a sheet."
Fluttershy nodded to that.
"I know I'd have done."
Applejack tipped her hat to her royal friend.
"Well, ah think ah speak fer all o' us when ah say that Equestria couldn't be in better hooves."
There was a murmur of agreement to that, as well as a round of nods, which Twilight blushed to.
"Thanks for saying so, Applejack. But it's still pretty daunting. Becoming an alicorn and Princess was one thing, as was all the extraordinary things we've been through, but...to rule?"
Rarity swept aside some of her mane.
"Oh come now, darling! If ever there was a mare who could keep a place like Equestria from falling apart, it's you!"
Pinkie giggled.
"She's got ya there, Twilight! I mean, hasn't that pretty much been your job since you came to Ponyville?"
Twilight opened her mouth, ready to deny that claim, only to shut it tight again as her eyes widened with that possibility. Spike, knowing her better than anycreature here, smirked before taking another satisfying sip of his chocolate.
"Oh yeah, that awkward moment when you realise you've been looking out for everypony since the start."
Twilight frowned to him after that remark, but when he kept up that smirk, her seriousness broke, and she burst out laughing, followed shortly by everypony else. The laughter died down after a while though, and after glancing around, Fluttershy sighed.
"It's a shame Starlight and Trixie or any of our other friends couldn't be here tonight. I'm sure they'd have loved to be a part of this."
Twilight nodded, she too feeling a sense of disappointment that all of her friends couldn't be here right now.
"I know. But with Starlight's new position at the school, she had a lot of things she needed to make sure was right before she started there officially. She'll catch up later though, I'm sure."
She'd said that confidently, and so the other accepted that for now, Rainbow in particular looking satisfied about all of this.
"Well, even if she doesn't get here before we fall asleep, it's kinda appropriate, you know. It began with the seven of us, so it'd be pretty themey for it to end that way too."
Twilight looked to her, half-amused by her words.
"Themey?"
Rainbow rolled her eyes, grunting with some irritation.
"Ugh! You know what I mean!"
"Thematic?" Applejack suggested.
"Yeah! That!" Rainbow declared, slightly taken aback that it was Applejack of all ponies who'd made the answer, with the latter of course looking more than a little smug afterwards.
Twilight shook her head, then lit up her horn and caused one of the nearby marshmallows in the bowl on the table to float gently into her mouth. After she'd chewed down on it for a few moments though, she couldn't help but notice that Pinkie was looking to her slyly. After gulping her snack down, Twilight glanced left and right, before finally speaking up to her bounciest of friends.
"Um...something wrong, Pinkie?"
Pinkie wiggled her eyebrows a little.
"Soooooooooo...you got any big plans for what you're gonna do when you're in charge of everything? Maybe try and pass a few really awesome laws to make Equestria fun and super-spectacular?"
Though it was phrased in the usual bubbly and happy-go-lucky way Pinkie was so known for, it nevertheless earned Twilight the undivided attention of all her friends, with Rarity speaking next.
"She makes a fair point, Twilight. Rulership comes with many responsibilities, but also many opportunities. I trust you have some plan as to what you might do in your new position?"
Spike snickered to that.
"Rarity, no offense, but this is Twilight we're talking about! When doesn't she have a plan?!"
A moment of silence, followed by the mares looking to one another with embarrassed blushes, and ending with Rarity clearing her throat a little.
"Yes...well...that you for pointing that out, Spikey-Wikey."
Spike himself afforded himself a brief moment of satisfaction over that, which earned him another pat on the head from Twilight, who looked to the rest shortly afterwards.
"You're right, there is a lot I've got planned. I'm of course going to try and foster closer relations with our neighbours. With all the recent changes in our understanding and interactions with the Dragons, the Hippogriffs and everycreature else, Equestria's more connected than ever. That'll mean more diplomacy than what Celestia and Luna probably ever did during their reign."
Fluttershy smiled to her.
"I'm sure you can do it, Twilight. You're the Princess of Friendship. Who better to create new friendships between nations?"
Again, everypony nodded with agreement, and Twilight sighed, looking down to her own mug of hot chocolate.
"It's so strange, when I think about it. For as long as anypony can remember, Celestia has been there to lead us, and while Luna herself can't claim to have as much of a history in ruling, she's still become an integral part of this nation. Being without them will be....an adjustment."
Spike reached over, placing his claw on her side and gaining her attention.
"They'll still be here, right? It's not as if they're gonna be gone from the world completely after all. If you ever need their help, they'll be able to give it to you."
Though slightly taken aback at the mature and reasoned response her Number One Assistant had just given, Twilight still smiled warmly to him, reaching over and sliding him along so as to hold him close to her.
"Thank you, Spike. Sometimes I forget just how much you've grown up since we came here. Thanks for reminding me."
Naturally, a remark like that prompted the dragon to puff out his chest slightly.
"Well, don't hesitate to ask me for advice if you ever need it."
They group all had a good laugh over that, Spike included, and when it was over, Pinkie Pie looked uncharacteristically thoughtful, looking for a long time in silence at her friend who would soon be the absolute ruler of their people.
"It's so weird, what's gonna happen to you. A coronation, ruling Equestria. Aren't...aren't you scared?"
Silence fell, and all eyes turned to her. Twilight, who herself had probably thought on that very question more times than they could count, considered it one last time, and then gave a slow nod.
"If I said I wasn't, I'd be lying. This change...is about as big a change as anypony could ever go through. Things will be expected of me that I never dreamed of. Never sought out. I'm ready for it, I know I am...but that doesn't change the fact that I'm still as worried as I can be."
Slowly, she raised her hoof, looking to it and seeing that it was slightly jittery.
"Look at this. My hooves haven't stopped shaking all night. I'm more nervous about this than anything else that's happened in my life."
Glancing upwards, she saw the concern her friends clearly had for her, causing a small smile on her part.
"I know what I have to do, and I'm willing to do it, don't you worry. But this change, like all change, was always going to frighten me."
Then, after setting her hoof down, a nostalgic smile came to her, and she nodded once before again looking to her friends. She looked each and every one of them in the eye, taking a deep breath, before once more breaking the silence.
"But change...has been good to me. I've been through so many changes in my life, it's kinda hard not to be in awe of it all. But that change, it's all been for the better. Without it...I'd have still been the mare I was when I first set out from Canterlot all hose years ago. Focused and obsessed over my own work, looking down on the very idea of making friends. I'd have never wanted anything more in my life, never wanted any of you in my life, if big changes hadn't come to me."
Her smile widened.
"There's no doubt in my heart that I have become better than I was, and it's all because of you. You were there at the start, you were there throughout all the ordeals and trials I've been through, and even now, after what I'm about to have happen to me, you'll still be by my side."
Her eyes began to well with happy tears.
"I owe you all so much, more than I can ever repay, and more than anything else...it was you who changed me for the better. Everything Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship is...is because of you."
She closed her eyes, bowing her head to them.
"...Thank you."
Another silence, and Twilight could feel the rapid heartbeat in her chest over everything she'd said and felt in those past few minutes. Then, after a long while of nothing, she felt it. An embrace from the side. A scaly-feeling embrace she knew all too well. And then, another followed, but this time with fur. And then another, and another, and another, until at last, she opened her eyes. She saw those around her, those who mattered to her more than she could ever say, all holding her close to them, their own eyes now spilling with tears of joy. Memories of happy times, of adventures gone by, filled their minds as they held each other, and Twilight couldn't even speak because of how overwhelmed she was by all of this. Then, after finally managing to compose herself enough to speak, she opened her mouth, only to have her words halted by Spike, who looked to her with that same adoration he always did, and speaking up himself.
"It's alright, Twilight, we know...and we love you too."
As before, Twilight's tears flowed, and she leaned forward, gently pressing her forehead against that of her oldest friend. And as all seven of them enjoyed the warmth of this shared embrace, Twilight quietly whispered to them all.
"Thank you...for being my friends."
Author's Note
I know I usually wait until Sundays before posting, but I felt I had to get this one out early. I think we all know tomorrow's gonna be a pretty emotional day for us, especially for long-time fans, but here's hoping the show's final bow-out leaves us as happy as we felt when it first entered our lives all those years ago 
