From the Ashes, Friendship is Eternal

by Star_Draco

Rating: everyone
Tags: Twilight Sparkle, Drama, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Alternate Universe, Other, Starlight Glimmer, Tempest Shadow, Spike, Tragedy, Slice of Life
Length: 7789

One of four, final stories that mark the end of my writing of pony based, My Little Pony

This is also a prequel to The Things we have Done

Twilight is surviving the remnants of the Flare disaster years ago. With ponies and other creatures on the verge of extinction, what does a mare like her have left for them. Hope is at its end and a final solution will come. She has hope that with everything she has endured, that Friendship can be Eternal.

Published 2019-12-09 18:00:02 UTC
Last updated 2019-12-09 18:00:02 UTC

It all Ends and then Begins, here

From the Ashes,

Friendship is Eternal

A One shot that was never meant to be released but gave it a second chance.

A sigh left her lips, a powerful steamy breath leaving her and signifying an to a cold night’s end. The magic in her horn, pulling and tugging, trying to find that center point, in which to bring in that bright orb up into the sky.

As the first light of dawn breaks over the horizon line, she squints her eyes, almost to avoid direct line and contact towards the sun. The bright yellow blinding light, slowly but surely brings the light into the darkness that covered the lands. Shadows formed from mountains, where beautiful colors of oranges and browns, mixes with reddish tints and stark contrasts of few bright lesser colors of the blue sky and vague leavings of greens.

The light of the day began and she too, would begin her day. A day just like any other, where she would watch over her ponies, seeing and hearing as their doors opening and exposing them to the world. The ones that worked the nights, turning in at the crack of dawn, giving way to those whom bask under the sun to begin their duties.

Schools took the foals in to teach, businesses opened up to help keep the town running and the ponies would move on with their day, to begin their routines. All of this that happened, all of the movement that happened below her from her castle, as she gazed at their eyes, wondering what they will do to try and change up their days.

It sickened her.

It sickened her to her heart, seeing them all walk around. It made her mad with a passion, tear at her emotions like a starving manticorn, trying to stuff its face with as much as it could with its latest kill.

They moved with a purpose, but not with passion. They headed to work, because it was needed. They forced themselves to put on a brave face, to try and keep spirits in check… but only to fail harshly. Foals entered schools with only the expectations of to learn history, mathematics, agriculture and a few other necessary lessons, in order to help and work next to their fellow ponies when they reach maturity, when they should be having fun.

None of these foals really knew what fun was, with toys and joyful activities being scarce and few. None of them would know the simple and carefree wonder of a foalhood that so many before them had. A bland experience with intellectual standards were their teaches and their life, but nothing more.

The other ponies around went to their jobs, though it was treated more like slavery. The only difference was it meant that they worked for survival for themselves and the ponies around them. To treat no pony different from one another. Age, sex, type or even species, where they to endure other’s company.

To the factories, the ponies went to build material to expand and grow the walls that surrounded them. To the farmers, they would try and harvest or grow what food they could from the last rich, mineral fields. To the guards that worked ontop or near the walls, staying vigilante at the world around them, expecting anything that may come. And lastly, to the researchers, who spend countless hours non-stop to finding cures of diseases, potions to prolong energy, radiation protection, and other needed experiments.

As it is now, she watched it all happen before her and she hated to see it. No happiness, no ponies greeting each other with merit or love. Friends being far and few with so much distrust raging amongst her kind, that it was a miracle there was still some form of a functional society left, but maybe that was because of her. After all, she is the reason they live like this, she is the reason that they continue to live and breathe about. She had all but prepared for this and tried to keep ponies from becoming extinct.

But she is also the reason that the world was gone. She was the reason that she couldn’t allow her ponies outside the walls that inhabit them. She is the reason for enforcing jobs as they are, as strict as needed and as demanding as possible.

The walls that surrounded them were hundreds of feet high, made of concrete and steel with magical gems at each solid point creating magical barriers. The gems protected the populace from harmful radiation, high heated and freezing winds. They also protected them from creatures that… are desperate enough to get a last meal at the surviving race of ponies.

The walls surrounded a vague resemblance of what once was Ponyville. The walls surrounded the town roughly three and a half miles. Going around her former ‘castle’ to up to the base of what was formally ‘Canterlot Mountain.’ The mountain having barely survived the initial blast, was but a stump of a mountain now, where a new castle was at the top.

Inside the walls, greens and living creatures resided and survived. Outside the walls, scorching deserts and radiated wastelands surrounded them.

When the sun had launched a ‘rogue flare’ towards the planet of Equiss, Princess Celestia, former bearer of the Sun, tried to prevent the event, but ultimately couldn’t stop it. However, she did try to lessen the damage and prevent a total annihilation of the planet. She had only partially succeeded and managed to slow it down from completely destroying the planet. The action however cost her, her life. The energy she had to put out to prevent it was more than she could distribute on her own. Discord, her sister Princess Luna, and Princess Cadence, gave her their energy to help but it was not enough.

She alerted the ponies and creatures around the world to be prepared. But no creature was. Luna, who reigned the night time of the planet, also didn’t survive the flare, having only enough energy to spare the dark side of the planet, to hopefully give it a chance. Cadence tried to use the love of the Crystal Empire to shield but was ultimately useless, whipping out the Empire… and Twilight’s last remaining family.

Across the world, billions perished and so many species were wiped out. In favour for trying to preserve as many species as possible Discord took strands and bases of D.N.A from roughly every creature on the planet and taking it to hide in his chaotic dimension. When they time would come and his powers to be restored, he would bring the creatures back from extinction. However, it was unknown when that would be.

The species that did manage to survive, where mostly those that stuck to underground or lived in the oceans. Most of the world’s ocean’s vanished, with only pockets surviving near the poles and underground rivers and lakes. The changelings, whom were desert dwellers managed to survive deep underground, along with Diamond Dogs, ponies whom build bunkers and mines and other lesser creatures.

The ones that survived and thrived, where the dragons. While direct radiation would affect them, the heat itself didn’t bother them overall. The dried up oceans and cracked mountains revealed more gems and even created mountains of diamonds and other various goods in vast quantities, though their real struggle was digging for water underground.

Forests, plains, mountains and cities were gone. After saving the many she could, she immediately sought across the planet to search for survivors. Very small groups survived and even then, supplies and food were limited to them only.

She brought them back safely to a newly christened ‘Equestria’ and hopefully begin building a new civilization. After that, she took charge of the remaining ponies in Equestria. She expanded the borders where possible, helped use magic as much as possible to start over and rebuild. Within time, she would help them from the throws of the old world and tried to bring some of it back.

It was hard, however, for she had to watch as her friends lose their lives before her. They worked non-stop to help the surviving ponies, try to rebuild from the ashes in this ‘new world’. Little if any time was spent with each other, including herself. The joy was gone, the kindness was absent, the generosity was vacant, the loyalty died and truth was missed.

No matter how hard she tried to keep them in line, in check, to try and give her friends a better outlook, there was no denying that it was all gone. They never could or would, return back to their lives before the Cataclysm. They would never bear the smiles or Elements that brought them together at one point.
They became shadows of their former selves, merely trying to survive with their fellow ponies in this dark age.

And then when they all began to pass, it was a blessing for them to leave this world. First Pinkie, for all the warmth and laughter she had brought to the world, had left her cold, emotionless and broken. With no joy, she simply gave up and ended her life. After her was Rarity and Rainbow Dash. Despite trying their best, they pushed themselves on to make sure that their little sisters, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo tried to continue on the pony race. They lived but ultimately, Rainbow Dash succumbed to radiation poison from often flying outside of the protective walls and Rarity died due to undernourishment, giving most of her food to others. Fluttershy was next, but she didn’t die. She was the strong one, always trying to heal the wounded, help the sick or care for the last remaining animal survivors.

But in a desperate and almost saddening event, Discord spent a lot of his energy to steal Fluttershy away and hide her into his dimension. She fought him, stating that she would die by her friends and not abandon ponies. Fearing insanity and losing the one he loved, he broke her heart and took her away. The energy he was saving to restore part of the world was spent bringing her with him and it would be centuries before he would return. Lastly was Applejack. Despite having radiation sickness herself, she lasted the longest up to 80 years.

She helped any earth pony learn how to properly farm and mend the soil to grow food for future generations. She taught three generations, non-stop before she died.

The last of her friends had died and she half wondered why she didn’t die with them. She wished she could have, to leave this world behind and hopefully experience paradise. She wished she could have just… ascended and go into the afterlife and be with everyone she ever loved for eternity.

But she couldn’t, no matter how much she wanted to. No matter how many times she tried to end her life. No matter how hard she begged for some miracle to happen. She was stuck in this world, hoping to find some value, to find some small glimmer of hope that resided out there that would bring ponies back from the verge of extinction.

It was so surreal to think that less than 10,000 ponies lived right now. The birth rate was a staggering three to five of a year without any birth defects. Deaths were more limited thanks to her intervention of shields and proper health but the resources were exhausted quickly on the few that needed it.

As it is now, she only had one clear goal in mind. Save and continue her species from total extinction. After her last friends had past, she spend the next two centuries trying to do that. Building the walls, creating shield generators, using magic to create rich and fertile soil and developing a proper system to keep her ponies alive.

When she lead them though, they saw her as the next Princess of Equestria, with her being the last leadership. After that, she had them building tunnels deep underground to expand and maintain a safe network underground to move about. With the help of Diamond Dogs and Changelings, they were slowly but surely building an underground city. But, they still needed resources from the top. The ponies on top used the sun to still try and grow food, use special framing to absorb sun radiation and turn it into energy.

The guards kept their post on a strict level, to be alert of any powerful storms, monsters and if possible… survivors. THe walls were fortified and expanded upon to give more room. The school helped the foals teach the dangers of the outside world and how to be part of the help.

Everything here, was still around because of her. The ponies survived because of her and she would be damned if she allowed it to fall any further. She created a temporary haven for her ponies but now it was up to her to create a new Equestria and hopefully, bring back that hope that have existed long ago.

The sun finished rising and the magic flowed easily before her.

“You still reminiscing the past?” asked a large voice. Towards her side, the giant head of a purple and green scaled dragon was there. His head easily alone scored greatly in her own body. His jaws alone would swallow her whole without an effort. His slit iris focused on her, watching her movements.

“Have I become that predictable?” she asked blandly, for she knew that this was a repeated topic.

“No,” he answered truthfully, “But by now, I figured that you would have changed your routine.”

“I haven’t done so in hundreds of years and I don’t plan to do so now, Spike.” Her purple eyes met his emerald green ones. “You and I know that everything has to stay the same.”

From the balcony at her new ‘castle’, Twilight Sparkle watched alongside her 30 foot tall dragon, Spike, gaze upon the inhabitants of ‘New Equestria’. A hundred or so feet below her, she watched the bundling of life as they moved on with purpose but never with passion.

“I wish I could do more for them,” she said. “I wish I could provide for more.”

“You have done enough,” he said sharply. “You have saved them from extinction. You have started a new life and now, you are trying to move to a new future.”

“And yet, none of them smile,” she said simply. “None have curved their lips upwards once, none of them celebrate anything and none of them save kind words to another.” She looked down at them with a steady expression. “What kind of future is that?”

“One that they should be thankful for.” he half growled. “If you taught me anything, is that I live, I breathe and I am here alive now because of you.”

She turned and gave him a look.

“Dragons survived the ‘Flare’ with little impact on them. I’m sure they would do fine without me.”

The large dragon snorted. “I am alive because I happened to have magic and protection from you. I got blasted with a ton of ‘Flare’ and radiation, that gave me protection from it any of that harmful stuff. Most dragons that got hit died from one or the other. The only reason dragons survived is because radiation doesn’t affect us as much or quickly like ponies. But we lost some history with those that died, so I rely on you to help me remind them of the past.”

Twilight rolled her eyes.

“You have your mate for that. Thank her.”

He shook his head. “I’m thanking you for being the giant ‘egghead’ magical, super genius that you are. Your magic infused with mine when you hatched me. Then you use magic on me that has helped me in life grow stronger and better. I survived the flare because of your magic and the magic that Celestia also gave me. Now, my mate absorbed some of it and now she is immune to radiation. Now my hatchlings inherited what we both have and are now thriving and spreading the protection you gave me.” He then leaned his giant head towards her. “Before all this, you recorded everything about dragons. History, Language, Culture and other things. Despite you not having every book available, you have all that wonderful information locked inside that giant thick head of yours and that is why the dragon race will survive.”

Twilight blinked and regarded him a bit longer before focusing on the bordered area before her.

“And… you truely think they are ‘thankful’ for that?”

“I would like to think so.” spoke a voice from behind. Twilight watched from the corner of her eyes as a unicorn mare walked to her side. “From my understanding, a lot of us would not be here without you.”

Twilight turned her head towards the mare.

“Does that include you, being alive all this time, Tempest Shadow?”

The dark maroon unicorn made gave her a look. “Not a good day to start?” she asked. Twilight regarded her for a moment, looking at the crystal horn that replaced her broken horn, before focusing back towards ‘her’ ponies.

“Its never a ‘good day’,” she said evenly. Tempest regarded her for a moment before looking up at the giant dragon, who just gave her a shrug.

Moving towards the edge of the balcony, Tempest gazed down at the activity of the ponies. She watched them move about, no real excitement to their work. “Have they been doing well with the tunnel work?” she asked without removing her focus on them.

Twilight sighed and nodded. “Yes, and thankfully, the new generation of ‘Diamond Dogs’ are a lot kinder than their predecessors. We are a full mile deep and five miles across. The Changelings have also managed to build their tunnels near ours, so hopefully soon, we can have an interconnecting line of tunnels that meet between the three races. By the year end, we can begin working on an underground city. The Diamond Dogs have also been sharing underground rivers and springs untouched by radiation so we at least have clean water.”

Surprise and a small smile formed on Tempest. “That's good news. Now we can grow food and resources underground.” She then regarded Twilight, expecting a smile or even a hint of merit but, her face remained stoic and unchanged. “That… is good news right?”

Twilight stayed silent for a moment until she turned to Tempest.

“Is this what we are being reduced to? To spend the remaining days and years underground? To hide in tunnels for thousands of years until the planet recovers?” She then used her hoof and pointed down at the ponies. “Will they appreciate it knowing that their foals, and their foals’ foals, would grow underground, to never see or enjoy the surface again? To breathe fresh air and see green fields?”

Tempest gazed at her, seeing how she had trained Twilight to stay as stoic as herself for centuries, somewhat crack under the reality that is the new world.

Tempest was given a new horn to replace the one she had broke when she was a foal. She was given one when they met after her invasion from the Storm King, way back when. When Tempest was alerted of the flare, she used her resources and powers to reach Equestria and Twilight in time. After the flare, Twilight used an infused horn that prolonged her life and gave her some magic to aid Twilight. After the last of her friends died, Tempest helped Twilight become strong, cold but also hide in a strong mask and power that she never experienced. And for centuries she remained like that.

Yet because she taught Twilight how to be the way, she could see the cracks of the mask fall and break away. Like now, she could see that Twilight was regressing back to the way she was before the flare. And it would do no one good if she broke down now.

“Is that why I am still alive?” she once asked her. She rubbed the crystal horn on top of her head. “To have a pony teach you how to be strong, how to survive in a cold and dark world? To share my… horrible past that might benefit the ponies in the future?”

In truth, Tempest and Twilight started off as simple friends that would help each other in the future. Tempest helped Twilight every time her friends died, every time the past was brought up. She helped the mare, shaped her into something strong willed and a leader that was needed to lead to this new world. At one point, they even helped each other with feelings, both mental and physical. After that, they stayed somewhat platonic but passionate to a point. But the only thing with Twilight is that despite centuries of being ruled by a cold and strict exterior, she was still that Princess of Friendship with an OCD complex and love for knowledge and friends. She was still that shy little nerd that would stumble and fall but immediately bounce back with the help of her friends.

Tempest and Spike were the last she could truly call friends and family. They were the remaining forces that kept her sanity in check and they were the ones that helped her now when she fell. They would be there for her as long as they lived and as long as a hope still glimmered in her heart.

The silence that followed was brief for Spike turned his head to them. “Incoming,” he spoke as the wind around them shifted and a small hollowing was heard. Twilight and Tempest felt the magic before they saw it and quickly readied themselves.

A magical whirlwind vortex opened a few feet above them where they saw the arrival of a pony through the vortex. The pony, in question slowly lowered herself to the ground and nearly collapsed in exhaustion.

Twilight and Tempest quickly moved to her, helping her up. The mare, in question, was Starlight Glimmer. However, she has somewhat aged a lot slower, much like Tempest but signs of grey mane were shown and wrinkles on her face. Her body was wracked in scars, open wounds dripping with blood, bruises and such.

“Starlight?” Twilight asked, a bit of hope entering her vocals. “Have you found it yet?”

The unicorn mare looked up and sighed sadly, a tear falling down her features. “No, still the same.”

Both Twilight and Tempest brought Starlight into the small medical room where she was checked over for any vital or life threatening injuries. Wounds were covered with bandages to prevent more bleeding, what little medicine they had, were used in the barest amounts and treated the wounds to prevent infection.

They allowed her some moments to rest, letting the medication do its job. Starlight stirred and finally felt herself eased by her surroundings.

Not waiting any longer, Twilight immediately asked. “How many is it now?”

Starlight regarded her for a moment before looking past her. Towards the outside, towards the terrible outlet of the current future. “14,000,605 now.” She stopped herself from breaking down and shook her head. “None… none of them have changed.” She then looked up at Twilight, tears slowly forming at her eyes. “Please Twilight! I-I-I can’t do it anymore! I can’t!”

Twilight immediately embraced Starlight, just as the mare broke down crying. Tempest also held her, letting the mare cry loudly unto them, holding them tightly and begging not to let go.

Twilight was upset, devastated and even angry, but not at Starlight. She was upset at herself, for subjugating Starlight to fourteen million different timelines and scenarios were she had to watch ponies die all around her over and over again in different ways.

The plan was to send Starlight back in time to warn the future of the ‘flare’, prevent it from happening and then jumping into the future to see if it worked. But… it has yielded no results according to Starlight, with her being to countless times, countless options and endless trials.

But with her already trying so many, Twilight hated to think that this future, this… bleak and apocalyptic wasteland was the end and final result. That everything that had been made to avoid this horrible end, was that there was no change, no hope to avoiding the future.

“So this is the outcome,” muttered Tempest. “This is the end result of our future? To wait and survive… for thousands of years until the earth has a chance to recover?”

Starlight finished crying and looked even more worse for wear. “I’ve been to the future…” she stated, hiccuping a bit. “There is no future. The atmosphere is burned and all life is gone.” She sniffed and shook her head. “Not even hiding underground protects us.”

Twilight and Tempest looked at each other, somewhat knowing that this was also a possible future. Yet, to hear straight from the horse's mouth was… saddening.

“So what do we do?” asked Tempest to Twilight. “Do we tell every pony and creature out there that there is no future? That just to give up and die?” She then looked at Starlight. “How long until…”

“About a hundred years,” Starlight answered quickly. “Maybe less.” She sighed, having finally given up tears and settled to a depressive state. “First goes any mammals, ponies and such, then the changelings and other desert dwelling species. Dragons are the last though from my understanding… they don’t die. They just leave…”

“Leave?” asked Tempest.

Twilight quickly jumped in. “Long story short, but dragons are not originally from here, so its said that on the final day of the dying planet, they would return back to their home in a different world.” She shook her head. “Spike told me this and dragons are apparently ‘dimension hoppers’ that truly never die out. They leave at the end of every planet’s life then move to another one. No matter the world, no matter the universe, dragons exist in one way or form.” She then regarded the two staring unicorns before responding. “Don’t ask Spike. He didn’t like the idea of living for thousands of years knowing that he might have to leave his home planet one day.”

After that, they fell silent with a somber and depressing outlook at their future. Twilight made her way back outside to look down at the leftover remnants of her kind. She hated the idea that despite their ideal to live underground until the planet recovers, was moot, made her feel like a foal again, all those years ago. She felt the blazing sun bearing down at her, cooking and burning away most of the world around her.

She knew better than to show emotion but it was difficult not to when the future is bleak and gone. She just wished she could grab each and every creature and sent them off to somewhere…

She blinked. Hard. The thought made her pause and rethink that. ‘Sent them off to somewhere else. Somewhere better.’ Just like the dragons would at the end. They jumped from dimension to a new world somewhere else and lived there until their time. Yet, if she could sent ponies somewhere, where the flare never hit… then they could live their full lives without the fear of surviving the next day.

“That’s it.” she muttered. “That will work.”

“Twilight?” called out Tempest. “Did you say something?”

Turning towards them, for the first time in centuries, Twilight gave a smile. One filled where hope might slowly rise.
“I think I might have an answer!”

Filling on the two mares her plan, the trio retreated deep into the new castle where Twilight stored valuable archives and items from her travels.

“I don’t know why we didn’t do this before?”

“We have,” retorted Starlight. “We said it couldn’t be done because of the interference of having the same individual existing at the same time. Its why we couldn’t go to the humans because you and I already exist there. Not to mention that we couldn’t get into the dimension of Sunset Shimmer anymore.”

“Right, because the magic from our world and that one was completely cut off. Whether it was on her end or ours, it doesn't matter. We never needed to go across a dimension where we would find ourselves. What we need to do is find one where ‘we’ do not exist!”

They reached the heart of castle, deep in the lower levels where all ancient and powerful magical items were held. It also contained history, or what was recovered, of Equestria.

Towards the back, the trio of mares made their way towards the large imposing mirror, that once allowed Twilight and Starlight to travel across dimensions.

“What I’m thinking is that we find a world where none of us exist and start there!” She stopped right in front of the mirror. Dust covered it, yet it remained untouched in centuries. Looking towards them, she pointed with her hoof at the mirror.

“What if we found a dimension, a world where ponies didn’t get wiped out? What if we found one were ponies are just starting out?” A smile formed on her, one that hasn’t appeared on her face in centuries. “What if we could get the last remaining ponies from here and find a home where their counterparts don’t exist but we can live there?”

The plan was grand and both of her unicorn friends seemed at awe at the idea. To live in a world without repercussions of their counterparts interacting or meeting with one another.

Tempest was in awe at the plan and slowly approached the mirror.

“That is a great plan Twilight but… how can we find a world where we don’t exist? How can we find a world where ponies don’t or wont exist but we can?”

Twilight paused at that. “I think the best way we can do it is by shifting the frequency on the mirror. Like changing the station on a radio. If we can look, briefly look and try to find a world that would suit our needs, then we can see if ponies like us do or do not exist!” She then pointed her hoof towards the entrance of the room. “Outside, there are only 10,000 ponies that live right now because of the flare. The flare… caused the ponies that are out there right now to exist and become who they are because of it. If we find a world where the flare never happened… does that mean that the ponies outside wouldn’t exist at all?”

Starlight and Tempest stared at her with awe and for the first time in a long time… hope. But that hope seemed to be stagnant. “What if… we create a different timeline though a horrible future with our presence?”

Twilight paused, looking at the mirror before turning to them. “It can’t be worse then this…” she said evenly. Both mares nodded. As they began to work on reorganizing the mirror, Spike’s booming voice came through the castle. “Twilight!”

Fear gripped the trio, for they heard the panic in his voice. Immediately, all three of them ran out of the castle towards outside.

Once there, they were greeted with a terrified and… scared looking dragon before them. Giant tears began to leave his eyes. “T-Twilight....” A whimper, a soft whimper left him, reminding her of the times when he was just a baby dragon. Her eyes saw that little baby dragon come through and something turned in her heart.

“Spike?” She prayed, she dared, and she hoped… that it was not the time.

He shook his head. “I-It’s happening, I-I can feel it. The gate to wherever we are supposed to be going… its opening.”

All three mares stared up in horror and sadness, especially in Starlight. Fear gripped her spine and she began to hake her head in denial.

“No-No! Its too soon! It wasn’t supposed to happen this soon!” Tempest and Twilight turned to the distraught mare, whom had tears in her own eyes, looking back at them with fear. “Another flare is supposed to come! This one… this is the one that ends all of us!”

A crack of thunder echoed loudly, almost deafening, with three mares and a large dragon looking towards the distance as a golden portal formed in the skies. Spike watched in the distance as from far away, dragons were already taking flight towards the portal. He could feel his body slowly dragging towards it. He then turned to Twilight, fear gripping his heart.

“Twilight…. I-I don’t want to leave you!”

Twilight held back a sob, running towards her brother’s giant maw. She hugged, as much as she could from him. “I know Spike! But… you have to go! For your children’s sake!”

He loved Twilight, the only one close was his mate and hatchlings. But… his heart was breaking as the wind around him began to pull towards the portal. He had maybe half an hour before he would be dragged and pulled in forcefully. He didn’t want that.

Starlight regained her mind and turned to Twilight. “Twilight, we need to get everypony into the portal! We have little time and we need to find a place to go!”

Twilight heard this but didn’t want to believe it. Already the sun’s rays were growing brighter and her magic was alerting her that this was it, this was truly the end. Swallowing she nodded and turned to Spike. “Spike, if you can, start by grabbing as many ponies, dogs, changelings as possible in here, we need to get them out of here before you go! I’ll start preparing the mirror. Tempest, Starlight! Set up the short way teleportation runes I have set up! It can bring in groups of ponies at a time up here! Go!”

Without hesitation, Twilight ran back into the castle while Tempest and Starlight began to work on the runes. Spike fought against the pulling nature of the vortex and flew down towards the last standing city of Equestria.

Twilight grabbed the book and shoved into the mirror key hole, turning it on. However, she began to scan frequencies on when or where she could send the survivors in the multiverse. A quick answer came that she could use the mirror to cancel out if a pony existed in that universe or not. Chances are, only she would be the one to get rejected. The others including the other species would not exist there. She scanned and scanned, quickly as possible.

Already, screams could be heard as Starlight and Tempest had activated the portal and ponies began to pour in by the dozes. Changelings and Dogs along with other species that came with them were being dropped off by Spike’s large mass.

Her horn flared, a moan of pain gripping on her, feeling that magic was leaving her world at a rapid rate. Nothing is going to survive this wave! However she focused on the portal, finding the right location and… there! A different location! Same time, but no apocalypse! Plus, ponies were still around!

Tempest and Starlight teleported in front of the crowd, appearing before Twilight. She looked at them. “Okay! I found one where you and everyone can live. I am not sure how safe it truly is, but once you get there, you can begin setting up the remaining survivors and hopefully get help from the ponies there!”

Starlight and Tempest gave her a look of worry. “You said ‘us’!” Stated Tempest, walking towards her. “You mean all of ‘us’, right?”

Twilight shook her head and touched the portal, earning a shock on her hoof, quickly pulling it back. “It’s going to be harder for me to find one where I don’t exist. Because I am immortal, there are millions of timelines and universes where I live. I have to find one where I don’t! Two Twilight’s cannot co-exist in the same time and place for very long! It could bring catastrophe there too!”

Tempest and Starlight looked at her, sadness consuming their hearts. Neither knew what to say. Fate was separating them. Twilight shook her head and any tears that formed. “Look, you two need to get everyone out of here. If I already exist in another timeline there, then you guys still have me,” she paused and a sad, smile formed on her. “Perhaps a better version of me. One who got to live happily alongside her friends and not in this hellish world.”

It was true and both mares she called friends and maybe even lovers at one point, knew it to be true. Both wanted to argue but a shake of the mountain alerted them they were short on time.

“Twilight! It’s happening!” Spike’s frantic voice came through.

Twilight swallowed and looked towards them and all the surviving species around her. With a clear throat, she spoke loudly. “To all of you! I am sending you to a different world, a different life! I hope that this world, is paradise! I hope that you will leave this horrible life, this horrid time and find one where you will live, where you will grow! Where you experience nothing but happiness and purpose!” Tears fell from her eyes, staining her fur. “I hope, with all of my heart and the gods that watch over us, that the world you travel in, has the Friendship of Magic that you need to start the world anew! Please… take care of each other!”

The purple alicorn then turned to Starlight and Tempest, whom were shedding tears of their own. She brought them in for a tight hug, sobbing onto their necks and coats. Twilight then kissed them both on their cheeks and mouths, saying goodbye.

As she pulled away, she gave them a smile. “I hope she is good to you… no, I hope she is better to you then I ever was!”

Before either mare that she loved could say anything, she teleported outside, not allowing another moment to be wasted. Both mare stood there, to saddened to move, to heartbroken to breathe, only for a pony to scream out, “We need to go!”

Starlight and Tempest shook from their stupor and turned to the survivors before looking at the portal. Starlight looked at the Tempest and she nodded. “Let’s save them all!”

Starlight nodded and approached the portal. She pushed her hoof forward and felt the coolness of the otherside. “A better life here,” she said with sadness in her voice. “A better life to live, a better life where…” She swallowed smiling sadly and she looked towards Tempest. “Where I can be happy… a happy life. A better life… No more pain, no more sadness, just happiness.” She pushed through and a smile graced her lips. “A new beginning for me and everyone else.”

Twilight arrived right outside, as the last of the survivors were dropped off my Spike. They ran inside the castle to join the others. From the cliff, she saw that, all of them, every last creature was gone from the city. It was desolate out there once more, only this time it would stay that way.

Twilight saw Spike come in for a landing, his giant form leaning on the mountain. She saw him struggling against the pull, the vortex that would take him to a new world for just dragons. She approached his muzzle, smiling sadly towards him.

“Y-You gotta go Spike!”

He shook his giant head, tears falling from his eyes. “I don’t want to go Twilight! I love you! I can’t leave you!”

She pushed her whole body against his large snout, letting her tears touch his scales. “I promise Spike, that this isn’t the end!” She looked up at him with tearing eyes. “I know that one day, we will see each other again! Whether its this lifetime or the next but I promise you, we will meet again.”

His emerald eyes met her violet ones. “How?” he dared asked. “How can you be sure?”

She leaned in, gave his mouth a kiss before pulling back. “Because Friendship is Eternal Spike. No matter the time or place or world we live in separately, we will always have each other. In spirit and in heart, we have each other. If you remember the lessons we learned, we will never forget each other.”

Spike was losing his grip. The portal was starting to close and he already knew that his mate and hatchlings were already through the other side by now. They were safe, he could feel that. He had only moments and the flare was fast approaching. With a lick of his tongue, he bathed Twilight in his kiss. She giggled with tears, feeling his warmth wrap around her and she hugged his snout once more.

“I love you too, Spike!”

“I love you too, sis!” He gave her saddening smile. “I hope we do see each other someday!”

She nodded. “I promise, we will!”

He stayed, waiting for something else, but the last bit of his strength left. With a growl, he turned away and with a mighty flap of his giant wings, he shot towards the portal in the skies. He gave a final roar of sadness towards his sister, as he said ‘goodbye’ to her. She watched as his form grew smaller and smaller until he was right below the portal. With his strength, he shot up and disappeared into the vortex.

“Good bye, Spike!” Tears fell from her face. The vortex then closed, sealing this world and the dragon world, forever. She sighed and turned to look inside. Most of the creatures had already gone through, with few remaining. They quickly began to disappear and leave, hopefully to a better life.

She then looked out to the city, where once creatures and ponies lived, trying to survive a harsh and desolate wasteland. Happiness and hope, long thought gone for centuries. She had wondered what it would take for this world to return, but now she realized it was never to return, but to safe as many as she could. The memories that she had here, would be with her forever.

The flare began to redden the skies, red and orange auroras formed in the skies and the heat began to bake the lands. With a somber sigh, she looked at the once beautiful landscape that was Equestria. “Good Bye, Equestria. I will miss you.”

She teleported inside, arriving just as the final creature went through. Tempest was last, making sure everyone had gone through. Twilight gave her a smile, a genuine one. No words needed to be said. Tempest stood in front of the portal, hoping Twilight would come with her.

“Please… I know there can be something we do-”

Twilight used her magic to quickly shove her through the portal, earning a final fearful look and a short cry of dismay. She then quickly changed the frequency of the portal to prevent her return.

Now, she had to find a timeline where she could exist. Maybe one in the past, where she could be one of the few alicorns that roamed the lands before and fit with them. Or perhaps a timeline where she was never born.

The mountain shook lightly, the coming flare was here. She quickly tuned in the frequency and found one where her magic was not present. In fact, this reality had it where her friends exist but she had not been born. This could work.

The flare broke through the atmosphere and the planet was dying. Twilight stepped through the portal and into the other side. Immediately, her body took her through the portal.

“Well I have to admit that having this could prove beneficial,” A benevolent voice spoke. “In truth, the viewing of other worlds sounds wonderful.”

“Yeah, but it could also make ponies into alicorns, right?” said a somewhat edged but young voice.

“Now Sunset, I told you that the time would come when you will gain your wings and-”

She was interrupted as the mirror portal came to life. Both Princess Celestia and Sunset Shimmer watched, as purple furred alicorn, almost the size of Celestia herself stepped through the portal Both watched in awe and confusion, as she stood before them, less regal then Celestia but imposing.

Celestia blinked, having seen this alicorn before nor ever encountering another one outside of Cadence.

Twilight opened her eyes to see a white mare that she longed to see with her heart, and her adopted daughter that she may one day develop a friendship with.

“Who are you,” asked Celestia unsteadily.

Twilight looked up at her former mentor, young and vibrant as ever. For the first time in centuries, Twilight gave a smile that made her heart return with life, love and happiness.

“Hello Princess Celestia. My name is Twilight Sparkle and… I came here to help teach the world.”

Sunset blinked, taking a few cautionary steps towards the purple mare, scanning the wings on her back.

“Teach the world, what?”

Twilight kept her smile and slowly spread her wings.

“That Friendship is Eternal, forever long lasting until the end.”

Author's Note

One of four final chapters I will write based on pony characters. The next three will be one for each new week, with the final one on the last day of December or the fist of the new year.
I thank for what MLP brought me and I will never forget it but I need to work on my books and stories I have neglected for years now. I will still write dragon based MLP stories here. That will be a long while, maybe up until season 5 but not guaranteed. Each story is different and will be unique to what they represent. This one sat on my files since I want to say season 6 untouched with no edits but didn't want to complete it do to how I felt about it. Now, Im happy that I released it.

The reason for these final stories will be explained on the last chapter of pony. Fear not, I will finish Four villianesses vs Dusk before this year ends. Any other pony story will be shortened and ended quickly. I wish to finish them quickly rather then cancel them. Chances are, they will be done completely by the first week of January. So, enjoy these while they last and I hope that my final works are appreciated.