Epilogue: Full Circle

Almost one hundred years later

Over the city of Canterlot, a light wind blew. It meandered above the sleeping ponies, past bars and nightclubs teeming with life, up around the highest spires of Canterlot Castle. It even blew into the chamber of Princess Luna, causing her to shiver and move to shut the window.

Luna was halfway across the room when the faintest of noises pricked her ear. “Hello, Rose Petal,” she said, finishing her task and turning around. Sure enough, standing next to the alicorn’s desk, partially obscured by a pile of books was a black cloak-covered pony, completely hidden but for a face framed by pink hair and four white hooves.

Rose smiled, tossing the hood back on her cloak. “Good evening, Luna.”

The princess returned to her desk and took a seat. “I suppose hoping this visit is merely a social call is too much to hope for.”

“I’m done, princess. I just took my last soul. I need the name of my successor.” Rose took a seat on the floor, eyes glancing over the book open on Luna’s desk.

“May I ask why?” asked a voice from the corner of the room. A brief flash of light and rustle of paper later, Divine Sight walked over. “Why give up immortality after a century? All your friends, your aunts, and your mother are dead. You’re good at your job, Rose, we make a good team and--”

“I still don’t like you,” Rose interrupted. “You of all ponies can’t convince me to stay.”

Divine Sight blew out her cheeks. “After all this time? After all of the Office Hearth’s Warming parties?”

Rose simply glared.

“I must agree, I am somewhat curious as well. I thought after all the trouble you went through to secure your position, you would not give it up after a mere century,” Luna said, breaking up the inevitable fight.

“Do you remember the stallion I told you about, princess?” Rose asked.

The other two mares in the room nodded.

“Well, he... he proposed to me last night, and... I still haven’t told him what my job actually is.” Luna winced. “I just... I’m ready to be done. It’ll be too hard to keep the job and him, and he is worth more to me than this scythe,” Rose finished.

“I am not about to deny somepony happiness.” Luna walked over to Divine Sight, gently poking her in the head. “I need her successor.”

“But--” Fate started, but the alicorn held up a hoof. “Fine...” There was another flash of light, and then Fate was a book.

The princess levitated the tome from the floor, opening to a seemingly random page somewhere in the middle. “Your successor is to be a mare by the name of Bluejay. She lives in... Cloudsdale. If I were you, I would spend some time sightseeing before you are grounded once again,” Luna added with a wink.

“Just like I told Cloud, may his soul rest in peace, you are a friend to me, Rose Petal. If things don’t work out with your stallion friend, just send word and I can have you accommodations and a job in the castle,” the alicorn continued. “Of course, you can always just write. It is nice when not all of my letters are impending diplomatic disasters.”

Rose flipped the hood on the Death cloak back up. “I will, princess. Have a good night.” Before Luna could respond, or Divine Sight could poke her head back out, Death poked the wall with a hoof and vanished.

Exploring Cloudsdale was something that Rose made a personal mission early in her tenure in office. As such, she was able to appear closer to her target than normal, saving her the walk and curious glances from resident pegasi. It was a short jaunt from the park where Rose appeared to the resident of her successor, and she was able to catch the powder-blue pegasus as she left for work.

“Hey, your name is Bluejay, right?” Rose called out.

The pegasus froze mid-step and slowly turned around. “Um, yes. How... how do you know my name?”

“My name is Rose Petal. We need to talk...”

Author's Note

So, here we are. The end of story, extended Author's Notes.

Almost a year ago, while working on The Last Hope of a Fallen Nation, I was in a rut. No matter which way I twisted, I couldn't seem to get the story to go in the direction that I wanted it to. Finally too frustrated to continue, I decided to rewrite and ponify a scene I had just read in the actual book I was reading at the time, On A Pale Horse by Piers Anthony. Being lazy as I was, I just did it in the same doc as Last Hope. This simplified, ponified scene would turn into the first scene of this story.

A lot of things have changed since then: the fandom, the show, my writing style, my editors, even where I live (sort of). Looking back on the first chapter, I can see so many different ways I could have taken this. Better ways? Maybe. But this is how the story ends, and I am proud of it. I am proud of Rose Petal, Divine Sight, and even Mortis in a way. Being an evil bastard takes some talent.

I would like to thank every one of you who came with me on this journey, the people who favorited, upvoted, edited, commented, liked, disliked, all of you, but a few I think deserve special mention.

Cloudy, you already know. My first couple editors sort of left, I don't begrudge them, they're some of my best friends, but you jumped in to cover the slack. Thank you.

IC, your insistence that I couldn't use Nightmare Moon as a villain led to the creation of Mortis. I think we all know this story would have been very different without him.

quick, you jumped in here in the middle, like most of my projects, and once you got used to how things were done around here you did amazingly, even if you suck at titles.

ChangelingLumin, if you're reading this, you took up my call of editors, and edited like, a chapter. So, thanks for that, I guess.

SonicMario3, I know how much you love this story. I don't know if you actually edited anything, but knowing I had at least one guy out there who was waiting on the next installment helped write them more than you know.

So, yes, the story of Rose Petal as Death is over, but the tale is not necessarily. What will I do here next, you ask? Well, you'll just have to stick around and find out, because I don't plan on spoiling anything. Just know I plan on delving back in time, and back into the realm of shipping. So, until the next one.

--thehalfelf