"What is life?" Twilight said as she slowly climbed the stairs of her long owned library.
She half expected a young Spike to run through the doorway, starting up a conversation on his life or his history, but she remembered that those days were long gone. Spike had long since gown too big and too much like a dragon to even speak. She thought of him now and again, being one of the biggest, and most handsome dragons in the world, to her at least.
The top stair creaked as she reached the landing, she edged to her room. Memories of her first night in Ponyville flooded her senses; The sound of her friends, the smell of popcorn, the sight of all the ponies in the library, and of course...the taste of hot sauce.
All of which had been put together by P.....
Pink...
Pinkie Pie.
The old mare leaned against the wall, the memories of her craziest and most lovable friend made her sob, she was always the most lively one: It took everypony by surprise that she was the first to go.
Summer, it had been, the night perfect. Pinkie was celebrating her 60th birthday with all of her friends, and even Gummy, the ten foot gator by then. Cookies and candies and pie oh my, the party was grand, they did everything Pinkie's way and were happy to have shared the night with her.
That night though, was the last they would see of the lively pony, she passed peacefully in her sleep at 12:01 a.m. the next day. It was a shame that the Cake Twins were the ones to find her.
"C'mon Twilight, let go of the past." she pushed herself off of the wall. That was almost 30 years ago, she knew she couldn't hang on forever.
As she reached her study/bedroom, she almost felt relieved to see her old quill and parchment.
"Dear Princess Celestia..." The mare giggled a bit, she hadn't written to Celestia in years, but she figured one last leter wouldn't hurt.
One last letter
"I have yet to see the point of extended age, only Applejack and Rarity remain as old as I, the others...the others have had their time in Equestria and have moved on to their next life." a tear escaped her eye.
She continued narrating what she was writing, "I remember the report I filed on grief and remorse when Pinkie passed, but I'm not positive on the others, as one of their closest friends, I feel I should file a final report on not just the bliss of friendship, but of the consequences."
As Twilight began scribbling, she recalled the story of her "softest", as it be, friend.
********************
The winter was never kind to Fluttershy, but she never batted and eye when it came to animals, the only reason she loved the season was because of her duties at Winter-Wrap-Up, through the years she preformed her duties less and less efficiently, especially after Angel passed.
At Angel's funeral, Fluttershy was surprisingly strong, as strong as she appeared though, she was being torn to pieces on the inside. She knew that it had to happen sometime, so she tried to pass on her gift.Fluttershy taught the importance of taking care of animals to many foals, but none had Fluttershy's touch. The animals were always cared by somepony, whether it had been Twilight or somepony else she could not remember.
One winter day, not too many years after Pinkie had passed, the temperature just dropped too quickly, and Fluttershy couldn't make it to her cottage in time. She was less than 100 feet away when the temperature dropped, the rapid decrease did not let her joints flow easily, she made it to the chicken coop, and then collapsed.
They'd told her foals "Mommy just got too cold, Mommy just got too cold." but they never had been able to recover, which surprised nopony.
Foals.
Twilight had wanted foals, but her "clock" as it was called had not ticked long enough, sure she had found love, but no offspring. Although she knew that having foals would have been difficult, both physically and on her studies, but she wanted her family to continue, she regretted it.
Her first regret.
********************
She scribbled down the story, she noticed a few more tears on the page, but alas, she had to continue.
*******************
Rainbow Dash's death was not surprising to any of them, after Pinkie and Fluttershy had passed, the remnants of the Mane 6.had watched her, but to no avail. Rainbow dash had been lost to a suicide. She had no offspring as well, a common bond they had shared.
Although they had saved Equestria, Rainbow Dash's death did not strike Twilight as much as the others. She felt some eomtion at the funeral, but none at the time, and only a small amount now.
"What happens at the end of the Rainbow? Depression for most, neutrality for others.
Not grieving over her friends death was her second regret. Especially since Rainbow would have likely cried for days, being the element of loyalty was more literal than most ponies thought. Rainbow gave up her life dreams for them, ad Twilight did not remorse.
Her Second Regret.
********************
"One more thing Princess, I know that my time will come soon, and if I am not able to reach my brother in time, please tell him that I love him, and Cadence." Twilight rolled up the parchment, there were words unsaid, words that only should be said after her death, she had those hidden away where almost nopony could find them.
The old mare used what little magic she had left to send the letter the distance from Ponyville to Canterlot. Princess Celestia had not aged, nor had any of the other royalty, including her brother.
Twilight Sparkle, the nearly ninety year old mare laid down upon her soft bed and large pillow, alone. For her husband had long ago left her for another mare, which still bothered her. She could barely remember his name as it was so long ago.
The elder mare closed her eyes, feeling lighter than she was, and slowly drifted off into a land of sleep. She not only drifted from consciousness though, but from life as well. She did not "Awake" as she was used to, but stayed in a paralysis state for a moment, only hearing a loving, unmistakable voice.
Her Mother's.
"Now Twilight, do not be scared, for you have entered the kingdom of heaven, all of your wildest dreams are true here, before we continue, is there one thing in particular you would like to see?"
Images of friends, family, love, amazement, and pure happiness streamed through her mind, but only a single word escaped her lips.
"Friendship."
The world lit up with her five other friends, all of them in their prime, including the ones she'd lost, Pinkie, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash. There was a slight tugging at her tail and she turned to see none other than her faithful dragoon, Spike.
"Is this really all of you?" Twilight was near to crying.
They nodded, and Pinkie spoke up,
"Party Time!"
And for once, Twilight was ready for anything, mainly because she had been reunited with everyone she loved for the first time in almost thirty years. Over the next hill was the place of happiness, Ponyville.
*****
Celestia eyed the document sadly, she knew Twilight was no longer with them, but her sister had one thing to ask,
"What would you call this letter?"
Thinking of one thing, she responded...
"A Final Grade."
"And what would you give it?"
"A higher grade than you could imagine."
"Agreed."
