Twilight stared at the darkened Manehatten apartment. It had been a week since John left. He said he would only be gone a few days, to talk to the pony who brought him here. They accepted this easily, he had been looking into the strange circumstances of his arrival since he had calmed enough to arrive. But this, this was not what they had expected.
They had heard the explosion from the street and ran up to it as soon as they could. They could tell from their tracking spell that John was there, where whatever exploded was. And they found him. They stared at him as blood seemed to slowly pool from a knife lodged firmly in his chest. In his hands rested a strange device they had never seen, smoke wafting from the hole at its end. And the unicorn in the corner, his face seeming to be a mass of blood and bone. They stared as John let out a cough, and began to sing.
Rainbow Dash was speechless, as she began to stumble forward, stopping beside John's bleeding chest. She blinked back the tears in her eyes, as she rested her head by the knife, placing her head on her dying friend. The others couldn't hear her as she murmured into their dying friend, but they heard the first sob.
***
It was a normal day for Rainbow Dash. She had been flying circles over Sweet Apple Acres, and only occasionally grabbing an apple from AJ mid-buck. She was forced to stop as an odd creature ran out of the bordering forest, bending over as it attempted to catch its breath. She flew down slowly, unsure of the creature as it leaned back and drew in a gasp of air. It spotted her as she lowered herself and froze, seemingly ready to sprint away in a moments notice. Rainbow remembered the apple in her hoof and gestured it towards the creature. He took a slow step forward as Rainbow floated towards him. When they met it grabbed the apple, taking a large bite. It smiled towards her and nodded. "Thanks, names John."
Rainbow didn't move her head as Pinkie Pie trotted up. Her stumbling steps and deflated mane making her a ghost of her former self. She could barely make it beside Johns' head, collapsing in a heap as soon as her muzzle reached his softly singing mouth. She began singing along, committing each word to memory. She would never forget this song, not the one that accompanied her friend's death.
***
John had been welcomed into Ponyville with open hooves. He had quickly gotten a job as record keeper for the small town, and squirreled himself away in Twilight's library at all off hours. Pinkie had devised a masterful plan to trap him in a party. The castle's library had been set up with half the town hiding behind bookshelves. As soon as he walked through the front door the ponies sprung into action. They thought from his tears he was scared. But after Pinkies introduction, he wrapped her up in a massive hug, before falling to his knee's. The whole party could hear his sobbed thank you's as he tried to control himself. Pinkie smiled extra-wide, content that she had helped her new friend.
Rarity stared in place, before she walked numbly, nary a hoof out of place to the metal machine in John's trembling grip. She couldn't utter a noise as she saw the engraving. 'Michael'. While she didn't know the name, the song hinted at the fate of its owner. Now she knew what John had been hiding, and that her friends would know the same pain now. The lowered her head and cried freely.
***
John had needed new clothes, and Rarity was happy to oblige. She happily chatted as she sewed a garment around the only human on Equess. She happily mentioned that working on a one of a kind creature was a golden opportunity. She paused as John muttered one of a kind under his breath, and realized her misstep. As soon as she finished his shirt she moved to the back of the store. Calling down Sweetie Belle to get the Crusaders there in no short order. She passed Sweetie a bag and a list. By the time she finished the outfit, John was assaulted by three fillies. Each one telling him a story from their day, all three at the same time. He happily chuckled as Rarity smiled on. She couldn't give him back his life, but she could give him help here and now.
Coughs racked the human's form as he stumbled in his song. Fluttershy came up, barely flinching at the blood as she began tearing at his clothes trying to dress the wounds to the best of her abilities. The scarlet shirt was already wet, but it was the best she could do for bandaging. As she began applying pressure the song began again, as if John refused to die unfinished. Fluttershy knew it was hopeless, but she wasn't going to give up while he still drew a single breath.
***
Fluttershy had been terrified of the towns newest inhabitant and was avoiding him. She was walking back into town when that changed. He had found one of her animal friends, and was laying down playing with it. She watched as he scratched it's belly, causing the puppy to roll happily on its back. He waved a hand at her as she walked past, and instantly returned to smothering the lucky pup with love and affection. He was still there thirty minutes later when she came back. She sat beside him as he played, a collar and set of bowls in her pack. Happy to have found another animal lover.
Applejack simply plopped down in place, unable to come to terms with what was happening. The unicorn in the corner was unfamiliar, and John was laying down, dying before her own eyes. She didn't want to hear him sing, she didn't want to see her friend leaking all over a trashy apartment floor. She stared at the wall, without the ability to see at all. The only thing in her mind was that damn song.
***
Applejack had been watching the human as he walked through town. She knew he was lying about something, but she couldn't find out what. She was following him as the sun went down watching as he waved goodbye to a few of his friends. He turned away from town and began towards Everfree. She watched as he followed the trail, humming a tune she couldn't recognize. Finally, he stopped at the outskirts of the forest and dug a small collection of items out from his jacket. He set up the photo and candle in front of him as he kneeled down. He lit the candle with a stick that sparked into a small fire and knelt before it. Applejack could see this for what it was and knew what the right thing to do was. She took off her own hat and pulled out a photo of her parents. She trotted up and placed it beside his picture, a human that looked almost nothing like him. He sat beside him and knelt her head with his. They didn't know how long they stayed like that, but when they finished they nodded to each other and left without a word.
Twilight stared as her friends moved, unsure of what to do. She could recite twenty spells in her sleep that could cure a pony with his wounds, and at least three for each other species on Equess. But none for him. She had the power of an alicorn and was still unable to stop the scythe of the reaper as it cut down her friend. Her horn glowed softly, as if she was just waiting for a flash of insight to save him, but none came.
***
Twilight stared at the creature in her library as it sipped on its teacup. She had been alone when she fell asleep on her couch, and now she wasn't. He smiled and gave her a short wave, before gesturing to a still steaming cup beside her. She took a sip of the soft Earl Gray and smiled back. As they both resumed their silent writing she heard him muttering softly, marking his hand with numbers as he saw passages he needed to remember. She levitated him a small blank notebook which he accepted without a glance and began taking notes in a foreign script. Twilight stared as he nodded. When he closed the book he gave Twilight the biggest smile she'd ever seen on him before he spoke. "You know, you're pretty cute when you sleep." She didn't manage to stop blushing until after he left.
All six girls continued their actions as the song faded, and their friend coughed, spraying blood across Pinkies face. He smiled with teeth stained red. The girls all looked to him, and he spoke in wavering tones. "Hey, girls... I'm sorry." They were unable to speak as he began another coughing fit, which made Fluttershy hasten her work. John shook his head, raising his hand to Fluttershy's face. "Don't worry Shy, I'll be fine." The girls could tell he was lying, but the smile sat firmly on his face. He coughed again, and his voice became little more than a whisper. "Don't worry girls. I'll see you later."
He went limp under Rainbows head, and spells flew from Twilights horn. She didn't know if any would work, but she couldn't do nothing. Flashes of purple lit the room, causing the body to jerk violently. It took a tackle from Applejack before Twilight stopped. The six were left staring at the limp body of their friend. It felt like a lifetime before Rainbow lifted her head, her normally vibrant mane now a single streak of red. She stared at a small bag on the side of Johns' body. Inside was a small book, and a picture. A picture of John, and a different human. Both resting their arms on the other's shoulders while smiling. In writing on the bottom was a simple message. 'Michael and John, Friends to the End'