Until the end

‘Still shaking, she brought herself to walk over to the knife, and picked it up in her mouth, before walking back to Lyra’s still laying body. She dropped next to her and looked from her to the knife, several times, before she stopped, looking directly at the blade she held between her hooves.“Together till the end.” She said before bringing the knife to her throat.’

Lyra’s eyes snapped open within a split second before Bon Bon had pulled the blade across her neck.

“BON BON!” She yelled out to her marefriend as fast as she could to stop her, but she was too late. Bon Bon had drawn the blade across her neck and slashed right through it, but she didn’t see any hint of blood; nor change in Bon Bon’s expression. Instead, something else appeared to happen.

Lyra could see the scene around her fading away. Everything in her suddenly vividly clear line of sight began to smudge, and fade away as if it wasn’t there. She watched as everything in the room disappeared, staring up at her marefriend who suddenly came to start looking down at her, as she too began to visibly blur in front of Lyra. Lyra was still being cradled by Bon Bon, but in her confusion, on attempting to move, she found that she was stuck in her position, as if paralysed.

As soon as Lyra focused on her body though, rather than what was happening around her, she realised that although she couldn’t move, she felt no pain. She could remember hardly moments ago she was choking on blood pooling up in her horribly damaged neck, fighting with her body to let her tell her lover how she felt one last time. Now she felt nothing at all. Her pain was gone, her injuries were gone, and her vision was clear again; or so she made the assumption, but couldn’t be sure while everything around her was fading away.

She looked up again at Bon Bon, who was starting to fade from Lyra’s sight as well as the room. She couldn’t tell if she might have been dreaming, but after what she just saw happen, the last thing she wanted was to lose sight of Bon Bon. She called out again as everything continued to fade to blackness.

“Bon Bon! Where are you going? Don’t leave me alone!” She cried, feeling clean tears come to her eyes. Although her eyes no longer glowed with redness, or looked glazed with water, the tears still stung her. She wanted nothing more than to reach up and pull Bon Bon back into her arms, and back into form, but she was still restricted of movement.

As the room around her faded to blackness completely, she attempted one last time to reach out to Bon Bon, but failed yet again. Tears streamed down her face and she stopped straining her body, closing her eyes so she didn’t have to be subjected to the sight of her true love fading from her sight for the last time. Aching and alone and now believing her heart was being truly broken, she whimpered and spoke again in a faint stammered voice.

“I love you”

***

Bon Bon held the knife between her hooves, pressed against her neck, but couldn’t bring herself to go any further with what she was thinking. She felt in her mind she had nothing left to live for, but she knew in her heart Lyra would have wanted her to live on and have a happy life; but how could she be happy when the one mare she cared about and loved was gone?

She knew no one could bring back the dead, and she wasn’t certain of what happened to ponies when they passed away or where they might end up, but she didn’t care; she held hope in her heart that it was a happy place, and that if it was, Lyra would be there waiting for her. She tried again to make her final move, but she still lacked the strength to do it. She dropped the knife beside herself and cried. Her eyes were bloodshot and stinging more than ever before. She’d been upset when her previous special someponies had broken up with her, but Lyra wasn’t just another simple partner.

She hung her head down and rested it on Lyra’s. Her tears dribbled down her cheeks and onto Lyra’s face, before dripping to the floor and joining the blood on the floor.

“I’m sorry Lyra... I’m so sorry,” she whimpered, cradling her head and wishing that she could have returned earlier... or never left to start with.

She sniffled, and tried to think about what might have happened had she been faster, returned earlier, or just forgiven Lyra and stayed by her side. She could see so many happy outcomes, and saw them together again in each of them, but felt her heart grow colder and more shallow each time she looked back at her dead partner and felt reality clawing at her emotions. Lyra was gone, and no matter which way she looked at it, she would always be gone.

Bon Bon felt her muscles go weak, causing her to collapse and do nothing but lay on Lyra’s lifeless body. Thoughts flashed through her mind of her family, and Lyra’s family; both their parents were gone too.  She wondered if maybe Lyra had found them and was waiting for her with them, but the thought brought her no comfort. It just made her think about loss again, and how she felt when her mother died. She coughed as more tears poured out of her eyes, thinking about how Lyra had been there to comfort her. While no pony else had showed her any sense of decency or care, Lyra stayed with her the whole night, and just let her cuddle her and cry on her shoulder until she fell asleep. Every night for a week, she had done the same thing, even joining her in crying at some point when seeing her friend heartbroken had become too much for her to handle.

She’d never really felt the same way about her father. She’d always been upset that she couldn’t have been old enough to remember him before he died, but she didn’t have enough of an emotional attachment that it hurt to think about him. When she thought about all the times Lyra had been there for her in her life, she also remembered the times she had done the same thing. Lyra had never shown that she had been close with her parents, but when her mother was diagnosed with cancer she’d never remembered seeing her more upset. Lyra had spent almost every night crying in her arms, afraid to go home in case she found her mother had passed away, and when she wasn’t by her side when she did pass away, she had blamed herself for weeks; Bon Bon cried some more as she remembered having talked Lyra out of suicide at one of the worst points in her life.

***

It was beginning to get late as Bon Bon walked Lyra home from her own house. Her chest and shoulder were wet with Lyra’s tears and her own eyes were watering to see her friend in this condition. Today had marked the 22nd day since Lyra’s mother was diagnosed with cancer. She’d remained at home as it was untreatable, and was unwilling to die in a hospital bed if nothing could be done. Lyra continued to sob, finding it hard to walk when her legs felt so weak. Bon Bon wanted to say something comforting, but she was almost lost for words. She wanted to reassure Lyra everything would be okay, but they both knew the truth too well; her mother had only been growing worse, and she wouldn’t last much longer.

“Can I please just stay at your house? I... I don’t want to go home,” Lyra stammered as she saw her home in the distance.

“I would let you Lyra, I truly would, but you know your mum needs you... I’ll stay with you, but you really need to be there for her.” Bon Bon replied, disheartened that she couldn’t follow through her friend’s request without feeling a negative impact on her conscience.

“I know, but... but what if something does happen? I don’t know what I’ll do. I’d be too scared, and dad isn’t comforting either... He hasn’t even said a word to me since he was told about mum... he just sits by her side and doesn’t move...” Lyra said, feeling more tears trickling down her cheeks. Bon Bon sighed.

“I’ll be there for you Lyra, if anything happens I’ll always make sure I do everything I can to help you.” She told her, trying to at least show she would be there if she needed her.

“Thankyou Bon Bon” Lyra replied gratefully, hardly able to offer a weak smile though.

The pair approached her house, and Bon Bon held the door open for her as Lyra walked inside. She shut the door and started to make her way to the lounge room while Lyra made her way to her room first to drop off her saddlebag. Bon Bon thought about Lyra and the pain she must’ve been going through to see her mum in the condition she was in. Expecting to see Lyra’s father sitting next to her mother, she opened the door to the lounge room. Her eyes flashed over to the mare lying on her chair, but Lyra’s father was nowhere to be seen.

She surveyed the room quickly and looked back at Lyra’s mother, before a sudden look of horror descended upon her face; she was completely still.

“Oh no!” She said in a weak whisper. She ran over to the mare and held her ear next to her snout; no sign of breathing at all. She laid her head on her chest to check for a heartbeat, but there was nothing; all she could feel was the cold body of the dead mare.

“No... No, no, no, no, no! She can’t be gone!” Bon Bon said to herself, panicking and feeling tears welling up in her eyes.

“Why? Why now?” She asked, as if expecting someone to answer.

“Why now what?” She heard asked from across the room. She turned her head to see Lyra standing at the door. Lyra looked at Bon Bon’s expression and upon seeing the tears in her eyes, her expression further descended, before her eyes rested on her mother.

“Mum?” She asked from the room, tears filling her eyes, before she started to struggle forwards.

“Lyra... she... she...” Bon Bon tried to say something; anything, but nothing other than mumbling came out.

“M...m-m-mum?” Lyra stuttered again, struggling to move any closer as her legs became heavy, as if they were being held down by weights. She pushed through it and stopped by her mother’s side and looked down at her. She was peaceful and still, but the sight crushed Lyra’s heart.

“M...M...” Lyra couldn’t even finish the word any more. Her eyes flooding with tears and she was about to collapse under her emotions.

“Lyra... I’m... I’m so sorry...” Bon Bon said letting her tears crash to the floor. She wanted to hide the sight to stop Lyra’s pain, but there was nothing she could do now. Bon Bon felt her body going cold, her stomach felt as though it was rolling over inside her, and her heartbeats were growing heavy and slow. Lyra wanted to call out to her mother, but it was no use. She was gone, and so was her voice. Lyra didn’t want to do anything anymore; she just cried. Bon Bon managed a step closer, but as she reached forward, Lyra collapsed to the floor.

She lay there in her pooling tears, her heart in agony, and sickness stirring in her stomach. Every second she could see her mother the feeling became worse. Bon Bon knew she had to get Lyra out of the room. The sight of seeing someone important in your life die is hard enough, but seeing her own mother lifeless in front of her eyes was killing Lyra, and she knew it. Bon Bon nudged Lyra’s shoulder, and as bad as she felt, she was intent on getting her out of the room.

“Lyra, you shouldn’t have to see this... you should lay down...” She said, continuing to cry at the sight of her friend in her state.

“S... S-s-s-stay with me tonight... P-p-please?” Lyra stammered as if begging for company she would have had anyway.

“Of course I will.” Bon Bon replied, before leaning down, and sliding Lyra’s arm over her shoulder, and gently lifting her to her hooves. “You’ve seen too much tonight, if you stay any longer you’ll hurt yourself more.” Bon Bon told her, stuttering and struggling  to have to do this. Lyra just cried, barely able to walk a step even with Bon Bon’s support.

“Do... do you think... do you...” Lyra tried to ask Bon Bon something, but she was having far too much trouble. They passed the door to the room, and about halfway to Lyra’s room she tried again.

“Do you think... that she... died happy?” Lyra asked. Bon Bon had to be reassuring, and while there was no smile on her face, she knew that Lyra’s mother didn’t have any regrets.

“Knowing she had a daughter as amazing as you, she would have been happy even through her last breath.” Bon Bon said, bringing more tears to both their own eyes, but knowing she’d made a tiny positive impact in Lyra’s mind.

As she opened the door to Lyra’s room, she gently laid her down on the bed.

“I’ll be right back... I need to make sure someone else knows about this.” she said, standing at the door, but getting no reply. Bon Bon sighed and walked back down the hallway. She looked into the room again at the mare on her deathbed, and felt more tears pour out of her eyes. She reached up to close the door, but noticed something she hadn’t seen beforehand under the mare’s pillow.

Bon Bon entered the room and looked down at what appeared to be the edge of a letter. She pulled it out and sat beside the couch to read it.

“My dearest daughter Lyra,

I know my time is coming soon, and I won’t be around much longer, but if when I go you aren’t here, I want you to know I love you. I love you so much. Having been blessed with a beautiful daughter like you has given me a reason to treasure the life I have lived, and while I will not see much more of yours, I want you to know that I’m proud of you. You’ve grown into a beautiful and wonderful young mare, and I know that you will continue to improve, and that if I were there, I would only continue to grow more proud of you. Remember that my love for you will never die and that until I see you again, I will always be with you in your heart.

I love you Lyra, your mother, Symphony.

Bon Bon felt her heart beating heavy in her chest, and her tears were drowning the carpet below her in water. She’d never read anything so touching and heartfelt in her life. She picked it up in her mouth, being as careful as she could to make sure she didn’t get her tears on it. She made her way back to Lyra’s room intent on showing her the letter to cheer her up, but found Lyra crying and looking at a picture of her and her mother and father. She put the letter in her saddle bag next to Lyra’s and decided that after everything she’d been through tonight, it’d be best to wait till the morning.

Bon Bon walked over to Lyra’s bed and laid down next to her, while Lyra put the picture under her pillow.

“I wonder where he went...” Lyra contemplated, referring to her father. She let out a sigh, moving closer to Bon Bon and nuzzling herself into her chest. “Thank you for being here... for me... Bon Bon... You’re... you’re an amazing friend.” Lyra stuttered.

“I’ll always be here for you Lyra.” She replied, before lying in silence and letting Lyra cry herself to sleep on her chest.

***

Lyra kept her eyes closed. She didn’t want to open them anymore. She could tell there was nothing for her to look at. Although she felt control of her limbs return, she stayed curled up on the ground feeling weak and pathetic. She had come to terms that she was now dead, but she regretted the decision she had made, and wanted more than anything to take it back.

She had never been a strong hearted person, but she felt like an idiot for ever doubting Bon Bon would return. She’d always been there for her before; she only wished she could have had the strength to wait a bit longer for her before giving up hope. She could remember clear as day the first time she’d ever been as upset as she was beforehand, and how Bon had been there to comfort her, and how she’d been the one to talk her out of making one of the worst decisions she could have considered.

She couldn’t do anything about her actions now, but she hated herself for making them without thinking of anything but her own selfish desires. She was dead for real this time now, and she’d left Bon Bon cradling her in tears. She wanted to go back and make her pain end, but again, she was faced with the fact that she was dead. She had no idea what would happen from this point on, but upon opening her eyes for a moment and finding that there was nothing but darkness around her, she came to terms with the fact that for her actions she may be forced to remain alone for the rest of time.

She laid her head back down and cried some more. She didn’t care how much she cried now, she had eternity alone, and no one to comfort her, and she thought nothing other than she deserved it.

She thought back to the morning Bon Bon had proved how much she cared about her and wished a million times over in her mind that she could turn back time and be as strong before, as she was for Bon Bon back then.

***

The night felt longer than any other to Bon Bon. She hadn’t slept at all while Lyra was crying, she’d only been able to lie awake and cuddle her, but managed to sleep for a short amount of time after Lyra had managed to fall asleep. She rolled over in Lyra’s bed, but it wasn’t until something snapped in her mind, and she realised she was alone did she jump to life and look around for Lyra.

She panicked a little and ran down the hall, looking quickly into the lounge room, but finding that it was the same as she’d left it. Lyra’s mother remained peaceful under her blankets. She realised she hadn’t told anypony about her being there yet, and made sure she’d get a message to the hospital soon. She backed out of the room and explored the other rooms in the house to find Lyra.

“Lyra?” She called out. “Lyra?” she asked again turning her head around the corners of a few rooms.

Bon Bon walked over around another and called out Lyra’s name one more time before finding her in the kitchen, sitting facing the opposite direction.

“Lyra! There you are!” she said running over to her with a worried look on her face. She wasn’t getting a response, but as soon as she got to her side, she jumped back horrified. Lyra was staring at the ground, tears pouring out of her eyes, and had a knife suspending in the air in front of her by her magic, twirling it around as if considering doing something with it.

“Lyra what are you doing?” Bon Bon asked horrified, attempting to run over and grab away the knife, only smacking into a force field Lyra had put up with her magic. Power that Bon Bon didn’t think she possessed in her magic at her age.

“Lyra?” She yelled out waiting for a response.

“They’re both gone Bon Bon... they’re gone for good. They left me alone...” Lyra finally replied, her voice hoarse and raspy.

“You aren’t alone Lyra, you’ve still got me!” Bon Bon told her, tears already starting to fill her eyes.

“And I love you for being here for me Bon Bon, you’re the best friend I’ve ever had, but my parents are gone! What have I got to live for if I don’t have them or a home to go to where I can feel safe and loved?” Lyra asked, upset and apparently agitated.

“You can come live with me? My mother is always happy to have you around... please don’t make any decisions you’ll regret, your mum didn’t leave you...” Bon Bon tried to tell her.

“Then what about my dad?! He’s gone! He left her alone to die by herself, he left me here too, as if he wanted me to suffer! He clearly didn’t care about either of us! He couldn’t even talk to me for the last 3 weeks and now he’s gone without even a bucking goodbye!” Lyra screamed, her voice still raspy, and her tears flowing harder.

Bon Bon started to cry even more, now afraid that if she didn’t become convincing, her friend would kill herself. They’d both been through enough, and if she lost Lyra now, she would probably give up too.

“Lyra, what if he only went to the hospital to get help, or went looking for you?” she asked.

“Then why didn’t he come back. He had the whole night, he would have come back at some point...” she said, flicking the knife around in the air some more. Bon Bon was starting to freak out.

“Lyra your parents loved you, if your dad ran off because he couldn’t handle not being with your mum you shouldn’t blame yourself.” Bon Bon tried to convince her.

“My mother hardly ever showed me she loved me. She said it sure, but I could never see it...” Lyra said, sighing as the emotional distress she was causing herself was tearing deeper into her heart.

“That’s not true! She loved you with all her heart! Wait here, please stay strong Lyra.” Bon Bon begged, running off to fetch Symphony’s note.

Lyra sat in the kitchen, crying her eyes out. She hated what she was putting Bon Bon through, and hated herself for blocking her away. She knew her best friend was only trying to help her because she cared about her, and she didn’t want to put her through anything else, but she felt so weak she wasn’t sure if she’d be able to stop herself from doing stupid if she kept thinking about her parents and how much she thought they hated her.

Bon Bon was by no means fooling around as she sped to Lyra’s room and grabbed the note. Before long she was galloping back to the kitchen.

“Lyra! Read this! I found it under your mother’s pillow last night. I wanted to wait till you weren’t so distraught to show you, but you need to see it. Your mother loved you very much” Bon Bon cried holding the note against the force field.

Lyra looked up confused, and dropped the knife from her concentration letting it fall to the ground, turning her attention to the note. She grabbed it in her magic and dropped the force field. Bon Bon ran over to Lyra and wrapped her forelegs around her, reluctant to let her go. While Bon Bon continued to cry, Lyra’s eyes had reduced to watering momentarily as she read through the note; it didn’t last though.

As soon as Lyra had even passed the first few lines, she started to yet again break down into tears, and by the end of the note, she was reduced to a bawling mess. Tears were streaming out her eyes and she finally believed that her mother loved her. She felt some happiness warm her heart, believing her mother may actually be with her in spirit at that very moment. She let the note fall to the floor and wrapped her forelegs around Bon Bon, returning her embrace and crying onto her shoulder yet again.

“Tha...thank...thank you... Bon Bon... I... I... I...” Lyra didn’t know what to say. She felt like her troubles were retreating and that she now had a reason to keep living.

“Don’t worry about it,” Bon Bon replied sniffling. “It’s what BFF’s do” She said kissing Lyra’s forehead.

That afternoon, the pair walked together to the hospital, and informed Symphony’s doctor of her passing, before returning to Bon Bon’s home, and arranging a room for Lyra, after explaining the tragedy to Lyra’s own mother. With all the good now happening to Lyra after the heartbreak, she finally realised that people did care about her, and that she had a reason to make her mother proud, even if it was just to honour her memory.

***

Bon Bon’s eyes had basically run dry, as she could no longer cry, but sniffle while lying over Lyra’s lifeless form. She finally accepted that all she wanted was to be with Lyra, and while she wasn’t sure there was any chance they’d be together after death, she knew whatever was waiting had to be better than living without her.

Lyra too craved Bon Bon’s presence. As much as she thought she deserved to suffer without her, she longed for just one more cuddle, one more I love you. She sighed and too lay on the spot unable to cry anymore, from having exhausted too many tears already.

Unable to handle the thoughts on her mind anymore, Bon Bon made her final decision. If she had to die to attempt to be with Lyra, then she would do what needed to be done. She couldn’t tell if there was even a place ponies could end up after their death, but even if she didn’t end up in any sort of afterlife, she wouldn’t be with or without Lyra, and both their suffering will have finally ended.

Finally content with leaving this life, Bon Bon grabbed the knife between her hooves and brought it back to her throat. She pressed the blade firmly against her skin, already splitting the flesh of her neck and letting blood trickle down into her fur, and with one final tear and breath, she pulled it across. She felt the pain escalating all through her neck as the blood rushing to it seeped out of her open veins and caked the fur around it extremely fast, but as her last breath escaped her body in a hiss, she held hope in her heart she was going to a better place, and let herself weakly smile through the horrendous experience as she collapsed over Lyra’s body.

***

Lyra opened her eyes again, and surveyed the darkness around her. It was like it was just a black room. It felt dark, but she could see infinitely through it until her eye sight failed to see further.

She thought about the fact that she would be here alone forever, and wished that if she had to be alone that she could at least have some form of comfort.

“I... I don’t know if anyone can hear me... I don’t know if there’s anyone out there at all... but please, if there is, and you’ve put me here alone to punish me, please just make sure Bon Bon is happy... I’m... I’m sorry I ever wronged her. She didn’t deserve to go through anything that I put her through... I love her, I still feel that, but I know now that I don’t deserve her... she deserves to be with someone that won’t make mistakes and take her love for granted... someone better than me who can show her true happiness. Make sure if you ever give me one final request that she’s happy... I can be content and comforted just to know that she’ll be happy without me. So if there’s someone listening, take care of Bon Bon. Just forget me and let me suffer as I deserve to.” Lyra spoke allowed, her voice echoing through the darkness. The pain in her heart was increasing, and knowing she never got to say goodbye had given her something to regret. With nothing left to do, and nothing more that she wanted, she collapsed once more and let one more tear drop. “I love you Bon Bon.”

Lyra felt as though she was about to cry again, but shivered as a small breeze passed through her mane and rustled her tail. She looked around confused.

‘Where would a breeze be coming from?’ she thought to herself. She looked around for a bit wondering if she’d imagined it, but without warning was hit with not just a breeze, but a gust of more wind. The wind was strong and starting to sting her eyes, causing Lyra to cover them and turn around, but to her shock, she saw the wind seemed to be forming wisps of light, which were travelling into a ball not far ahead of her. She needed to shun her eyes from the ball too as it was too bright for her to stare directly at.

The ball started to increase in size, causing Lyra to back away. She crouched down wondering if something she’d said was causing this, and started to worry that she may have said something that upset whoever might have been listening, even though she was sure no one would hear her.

Finally, after growing to about Lyra’s own size the ball exploded, causing her to flinch and look away completely, but upon returning her eyes to the sight, her heart almost jumped up her throat. Standing in front of her, as if she had been there the whole time, was Bon Bon.

Bon Bon had barely felt anything after her heart had stopped beating, she’d seen nothing but blackness for what felt like hours, before seeing a bright light; a beautiful shining white light.

She hadn’t hesitated to walk into it, and it engulfed her in an instant and surrounded her body. She had no idea what would happen, but as if the strange ball of light had read her mind and found what her greatest desires were, the next thing she knew the light was fading around her, before disappearing completely, and revealing the love of her life standing before her.

The pair could do nothing but stare at each other for a few moments, trying to make sure that they weren’t imagining things, before calling out each other’s names in unison. For the first time in a long time, the pair felt true happiness returning to them. Smiles were already lighting up their faces and hearts, and warmth spread through them unbeknownst to them, absolving them.

They took a few steps towards each other, but within just a few moments they were galloping at each other. Tears streamed from their eyes yet again, but as they would have guessed, out of happiness. The pair finally together again, threw their forelegs around the other, and the feelings they’d been longing for so long, returned. The hug felt as perfect as the one they shared when they fell in love. The unspoken connection between them was enough to tell the other what to do next. They both withdrew their heads at the same time, and for the first time in too long, shared a romantic kiss. As soon as their lips touched they felt all the pain that would have been troubling them leave, and everything suddenly felt right. The darkness felt bright, the blackness began to illuminate, and wind was breezing around the pair in a spiral, signifying them as one in spirit. The pair withdrew from the kiss momentarily, and stared into each other’s eyes.

‘The eye’s that started it all’ Lyra thought to herself, staring deep into them and seeing all the same beauty and more since the day the pair met.

“I love you Lyra.” Bon Bon said, resting her forehead on Lyra’s and closing her eyes.

“I love you too Bon Bon.” Lyra said back, before too closing her eyes, and letting one last tear roll down her cheeks.

They stayed in this position for a few minutes, but it felt like an eternity to them after having been apart for so long.

They opened their eyes again, and kissed each other once more, before suddenly hearing voices across from them. The pair turned their heads, and as if out of nowhere, their parents both stood before them. There was no explenation as to how they got there, let alone when, but the pairs' already brightened expressions continued to shine even more. The pair looked at each other shocked and smiled again before running over to their loved ones who were standing their with open arms.

Bon Bon leapt into her mother and fathers’ embrace doing her best to wrap her forelegs around them both, as Lyra did the same for her parents. Lyra looked at her mum and felt a tear come to her eye. She was healthy and young again, with no hint of having ever been sick. Her father too looked young and healthy, but looked as though he had something to say to her.

“Dad... I... I haven’t seen you since mum... since mum died... where... where did you go?” She asked, parting from the pair momentarily. Her dad hesitated to answer, but he knew after having been left alone for so long, she deserved an answer.

“The night your mother died, I went to the hospital to get help... I wanted to get help for her, but I was under so much stress, and I was worried about you... I went into cardiac arrest at the hospital. I survived, but the next morning after I made them let me go home to try and find you, you weren’t there... I went to Bon Bon’s home to see if I could find you there, but her mother said neither of you had come home that night...” he explained.

Lyra looked over at the other trio, and saw Bon Bon’s mother look back at her and nod. She looked back at her dad as he continued.

“I went back home once more to see if you were there, but when I found your saddlebags in your room, I thought you’d seen your mother and run away... I searched all of Ponyville, every neighbouring town and then every far away town and city until I reached Equestria’s edge... I wanted to come back... but I was far too sick... I had no medication for my heart, and the doctors had told me that if I didn’t take it easy I’d have another heart attack... I failed to heed their warning, and now my body is resting in a field on the Equestrian border...” he finished explaining. Lyra was shocked. She didn’t expect to hear any of what her father had told her. She felt as though she was about to cry, both for having heard how he’d died, and for doubting that he ever didn’t love her. She wanted to take back what she'd done and mad sure her fathe would find her in Ponyville, but wishing to change that past was just a hopeless idea, and even Lyra knew there was no point.

Her father could see the tears building in her eyes and put his hoof on her shoulder, causing her to look up.

“There’s no need to be upset, we can be together again now; all of us.” He said, looking at Symphony and smiling.  Lyra let a tear roll out of her eye and smiled.

“I love you daddy, and you too mum!” She said, hugging them and crying.

“We love you too dear, we’re very proud of you.” Her mother said.

Bon Bon looked at her father too. She’d never remembered what he looked like since he’d died when she was little. He had the same colour coat as her and a blue mane, with green eyes.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you growing up sweetheart... I couldn’t help my sickness any more than Symphony could help hers... Saying goodbye to you when you were so little was heartbreaking, but I always knew that you’d grow into a beautiful mare and enjoy your life, and I was right” He explained, smiling and cuddling her before rubbing her mane. Bon Bon feeling tears come to her own eyes, before returning his embrace.

“It’s not your fault dad... I know you would have stayed if you could... Mum took care of me though; She bought me to Ponyville... that’s how I met Lyra.” She said looking at her marefriend and smiling. Looking back at her parents she finished what she wanted to say. “Mum always reminded me when I wanted you around that I’d see you again very soon... I’ve always just wanted to know what you looked like and tell you I loved you.” Bon Bon said smiling and hugging her dad.

After everyone had shared their long heartfelt moment, Bon Bon backed away to ask a question. One that she’d been wondering long before she was reunited with Lyra.

“What happens now?” She asked. Hoping her parents could tell her something reassuring. Both the girls’ parents grinned, and the girls both knew they had something positive to tell them. Lyra backed up to stand next to Bon Bon.

“Now you get to come with us and live with us again. Every family is given their own home with all they could ever want in it. When one person passes on, the light that appears before them will usually deliver them to their home, It’s basically your own private world to spend eternity with the ones you love.“ Her mother explained.

The pair smiled to each other and considered the idea, but Lyra had one more question.

“We can spend it together... right?” she asked, looking at Bon Bon lovingly. Both of them started to feel disheartened though as soon as they saw their parents’ expressions descending.

“We... we can can’t we?” Bon Bon asked, looking worriedly between Lyra and their parents, causing the pairs exchanged glances.

“Everyone lives their own life girls, each family gets their own eternity, but you can choose to have your own... you have to consider though that if you don’t come with us you won’t see us again... we’re only here because of the choice you’re being offered.” Bon Bon’s mother explained.

“You mean... If we choose to be together we can’t see you guys anymore?” Lyra asked.

“Unfortunately that is the decision you girls must make...” Her father said.

The girls wanted to be together more than anything, and eternity was better than they could have ever expected, but they’d finally seen their parents again for the first time in years. They didn’t want to think that they couldn’t spend more time with them, let alone not see them for the rest of time.

“Why can’t we all go to be in one place together?” Bon Bon asked.

“We already have our own eternal home... we are restricted to it... We cannot enter any other.” Bon Bon’s father explained.

“How do you guys know? Who told you this?” Lyra asked.

“No one... the knowledge is in your spirit after death. You are given eternity with the pony you love and any family you choose to spend it with.” Her mother replied.

Suddenly behind the pairs two glowing balls of energy popped, and expanded, turning brown and becoming rectangles, before they stopped morphing and formed two house doors, both of which swung open revealing rooms behind them.

“Girls, you have to make a decision now...” Bon Bon’s mother said, understanding the doors meant they wouldn’t be given much more time where they were.

Bon Bon and Lyra looked at each other and at their parents, they wanted to think the decision through, but their minds had been made up from the beginning.

“We... we love you guys very much... we have so much we owe to you guys, including each other... but it’s because we have each other that we don’t want to lose that.” Lyra explained.

“I know this might hurt you guys... but I want to spend the rest of my days with Lyra... I’ve never been privileged to love somepony so much and be loved back just as much in my life... and I don’t want to lose that again.” Bon Bon said. “I’m sorry if we’re upsetting you guys.” Bon Bon added, trying not to let her emotions get the better of her.

Contrary to the girls impressions though, their parents weren’t visibly upset... if anything they seemed happy.

“You guys... you guys aren’t upset?” The pair asked surprised by their parents’ expressions.

“We’d like to be able to have the time with you girls, but knowing you’ll be happy together is enough to make us happy.” Lyra’s mother said, with the others agreeing by nodding.

The pair smiled and walked forward hugging their parents. Both of the pairs telling their daughters that they loved them, before sharing a final goodbye.

“You girls are perfect for each other.” their parents told them before turning around to enter their eternal home for the last time. As they entered it they turned around and gave the girls one last wave, all of them calling out that they loved their daughters, before the doors shut, and faded from existence.

To the girls’ side, another light flashed into existence, before them.

“That must be ours” Lyra said to Bon Bon nuzzling her cheek.

“Well how about we go find out where we’ll be living eternity together?” Bon Bon asked smiling and giving Lyra a kiss and offering out her hoof.

“Let’s!” Lyra agreed, taking Bon Bon’s hoof.

“Together until the end?” Bon Bon asked, bringing up their promise to each other they made upon falling in love.

“Together until the end!” Lyra agreed.

With one more kiss, the pair ran hoof in hoof into the light to embrace their future together.

No longer did they think of what happened as the end, but instead they saw it as a second chance.

They could finally be together forever, and share the life they had always wanted, and share a new beginning.

The End