The end was near.
It was the last day for the people in Equestria. Some people were in panic, some were pretty calm. It wasn’t such a big surprise anymore, since Solaris and Artemis announced it many weeks ago. First, the people thought it was just a joke. But after a while they noticed it wasn’t. The two princes wouldn’t joke about something like that anyway, would they?
The world was going to end.
The last few days a lot of Equestrians took their lives or suddenly disappeared. Normally that would be something very tragic, but in that case, nobody really cared.
But… what about the living ones?
What are the ones doing, who are still there?
“So, it’s goin’ to end, hm?” Applejack said, as he looked outside. The weather was really nice, just a bit too bright. “I wish we had some cider left.”
Elusive chuckled and drank tea, looking at his friend from the sofa.
“What a pity that we still didn’t figure out how we could combine apples and clothes. We could have earned a lot of money.” He said. “But… that doesn’t matter now anymore anyway.”
AJ turned around and sat down next to him.
“Imagine what we could have done with all the money…” He laughed. “I could have married you!”
“That would’ve been nice, haha.”
Applejack put his arm around Elusive and leaned his head against the designer’s. After a half day spending with the others, everyone split up in little groups. Everyone had the person he liked the most to spend the last hours with. Elusive and Applejack wanted to be together and went to the boutique to spend their last moments.
Elusive drank his whole cup of tea and sighed.
“Could you draw the curtains, please? The light is rather disturbing…” He sighed. The cowboy nodded and did as he was told. He looked at his friend then and stroked his head. Elusive looked at him a bit confused.
“Don’t look like that. So sad, I mean.” AJ explained. “It makes me sad too and I don’t want my last thoughts to be so.”
Elusive sighed and looked at the empty cup on the table.
“I’m sorry… I just… I still can’t believe it. I still don’t want to believe it! All my life… the life of the others… it will just end any second now.” He murmured. “I don’t want it to end. I still want to do so many things before I die. I want to go to Manehatten with you, I want to see Sweepy Belle getting his Cutie Mark and… so many other things…”
He sobbed quietly.
“Elusive… Please stop cryin’…” Applejack said and hugged him tight. He wanted to comfort him but what could he say? There wasn’t any time neither to find Sweepy’s speciality nor to go to Manehatten. He didn’t want it all to end either but there wasn’t anything he could do.
“Elusive… You look horrible if you’re cryin’…” he simply said and made him chuckle a bit.
“That’s rude.” Elusive said and wiped away his tears. The blonde man laughed and patted his shoulders.
“Elusive, I know it’s pretty late to say somethin’ like that but…” he started and sighed. “Well… I really really like you. I know the others are our friends too but I just think that we’re closer. Even if we’re so different and argue so much, I always enjoyed the time with you.”
Elusive smiled and leaned his head against the chest of the other man.
“I really like you too. No…” he said. “I… love you. I honestly love you.”
Applejack grinned. “You finally said it!” he triumphed. “You finally said it too…”
Elusive stood up and walked to the window to look outside. “It’s even brighter than before.” He sighed. “I guess this is it…”
His friend sighed and hugged him from behind.
“Ouch, you’re right.” He said and narrowed his eyes to slits. “Come, let’s lay down a bit. I’m tired.”
Elusive closed the curtains and nodded. He walked over to his bed and laid down on it with Applejack. He smiled at him tiredly and held his hand.
“If we were reborn again or something like that… What would you do?” he asked.
“Hm? What’s with that question?” AJ laughed and thought about it. “Well… I guess I’d look for you. Then I would make you fall in love with me again and… Well, I don’t know.”
Elusive chuckled. “You’re so sweet.” He said and closed his teary eyes. “I’m tired now too.”
The light outside was getting brighter and brighter and even if the curtains were closed, it was getting a shade lighter.
Elusive and Applejack closed their eyes.
“I love you.” Applejack whispered a bit weakly, as the temperatures went up.
“I love you too-” Elusive replied.
In that moment, the whole room seemed to be glowing and some things already melted away. Those were the last moments for the young cowboy and the designer.
Then they were gone.
~*~
“Man, that sucks! The world’s going to end and I’m still not a wonderbolt!” Rainbow Blitz sighed annoyed. Butterscotch was feeding the little animals in his house and chuckles quietly.
“Maybe in heaven, then.” He said and smiled at his friend.
Rainbow bowed down to be as high as Butterscotch and watched him petting Lilitha. It sometimes made him a bit envy to see how much the animals liked him, no matter what he would do.
“Butterscotch? Why did you want to spend your last moments with me? Not that I don’t like it or anything, I’m just asking.”
Butterscotch thought for a while, then smiled at him and blushed a bit.
“Because you’re important to me.” He explained. ”The others are important too, of course, but I have so much more memories with you… so many precious memories… And I couldn’t imagine standing here if you wouldn’t have helped me with my shyness or the bullies…”
Rainbow Blitz blinked a bit surprised at the answer, then grinned and rumpled his pink soft hair.
“This is so cheesy.” He laughed. “But thanks. I’m glad we met. It would be pretty boring without you too.”
Butterscotch looked up to the sky, then to his pets and then to his best friend.
“Maybe we should go inside?” He asked a bit unsure. “If that’s okay…”
“Yeah, sure. The light it pretty annoying.”
Both went inside and sat down. It seemed like a pretty normal afternoon for the both of them. Normally, Rainbow Blitz would tell Butterscotch about all his new cool moves and what he did all day long. But this time he was quiet and just drank some juice.
“Promise me we meet again.” He suddenly said and looked at his friend seriously.
“Uhm…What?”
“Promise me that we meet again! You know, in heaven or whatever!”
Butterscotch looked a bit confused, then nodded.
“I-I promise.” He said and felt a strange warmth inside. He couldn’t help it but smile.
“Okay.” Rainbow said satisfied and yawned. “Dammit. I’m tired. Gimme your lap.”
The flyer laid his head on his friend’s lap and closed his eyes.
“Well, see ya then.” He muttered. “And don’t forget: You promised.”
Butterscotch nodded. “Don’t worry. I won’t break my promise.”
They never were the type of friends who talked about serious things, but they still would notice if the other one would be sad and they would still comfort each other.
There was no need for words anymore.
Butterscotch closed his tired eyes too and thought back at all the times, when Rainbow Blitz helped him through. And the times, when he needed help.
A little tear dropped on Rainbow’s cheek that slowly evaporated again.
That was their last moment.
And then they were gone.