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// Chapter 1 
// Story: Life is Short 
// by Owlfeather1212 
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Rarity watched the sun sink as Celestia used her powerful magic to bring it down as Luna brought the moon out. Rarity sighed. If only her friends could see this glorious sunset. Twilight… she would have loved it… The old mare wished she were still here. Even after all these years, her death still haunted her. “Oh Twilight Sparkle, you went out in such an unfair way.” Rarity whispered. 
Six years ago, what she saw at Twilight’s house scarred her for life. She found Spike laying on Twilight, his body convulsing and heaving while he sobbed. His breath came in short spurts. Rarity dropped to her knees, and wept with him. She finally questioned, “What happened?” “S-she was d-doing a p-powerful spell o-on me and i-it went wrong!” The funeral revealed that the spell was to heal spike of his stab wound. The death drove the friends closer together… all except Spike. Spike was put to sleep due to the way he was starving and hurting himself. All the friends didn’t want to do it, and Spike went out kicking, but they made the right choice. Every other pony gathered one evening at her headstone, and had their own discussion. They all left in the morning, saying their goodbyes to Twilight in tears.
“Oh, and Rainbow too would have loved this sunset!” Rarity exclaimed.  As she remembered Rainbow Dash, her mind seemed to get carried away in the flow of the memory…
Only three years ago they had buried her. Scootaloo went to see her mentor that faithful day, and found her dead.  Scootaloo respectfully brought her body down from Cloudsdale, very gently holding her.  They had found out that the cause of death was a heart problem. It was later called heart failure. The funeral was grand, and the way Applejack spoke brought tears to Rarity’s eyes.  “Rainbow Dash was a real true friend. She loved unconditionally, fought any wrong-doer, and remained loyal to her friends. She was one of my closest friends, and her memory will live on forever. May Celestia and Luna light her path on the way to the stars.” Applejack started crying, and the casket was covered from sight with dirt. Rarity was the last one there, and she talked with Rainbow like she was still alive. Rarity finally got up at nightfall and left to go home. The unfortunate loss of yet another dear friend, Rarity thought to herself as she loped off. Who will be next?
“And Pinkie would have suggested a get together on the occasion!” Rarity spoke to nopony, but she knew it felt like Pinkie was there.
Three years ago, same as Dash, Fluttershy found Pinkie in her room, lying in bed, a look of agonizing pain on her face. Pinkie was not smiling, like usual, but her jaws were parted as if she was trying to call for help. Everyone fell apart when they knew she suffered. How could Pinkie Pie, a beautiful pony who never put any pony down, die in such agony? When they took Pinkie to a medical examiner pony, he
said that she died of a type of cancer. Her funeral was not full of laughter, but full of regret, sadness, and tears. Every pony was wearing black. No music. No games. This was not a signature Pinkie Pie party. All of Pinkies family came. When it came time for Rarity to speak, she simply couldn’t. Instead of speaking, she choked up and didn’t say a word. Rarity didn’t talk to any one for months on end. She finally broke down and apologized to all of her friends. They all took the lesson of losing a friend to heart, and used it to their advantage.
“And of course Applejack would have liked this too! She appreciated the very simple joy-filled things in life.” Rarity began to weep. She soon broke into a steady sob and remembered the honest Applejack…
Applejack had a cruel, sick, twisted fate. She was in an argument with a strange pony eating her apples… then all of a sudden the strange pony bucked her in the head. She was found by Big Mac and he rushed her to the hospital. She was in a concussion for months, but she never healed. All her friends and family from the farm were there when she took her last breath. Rarity would never forget the day of A.J.’s funeral. So many ponies were there. The entire Apple family showed up. They honored her memory and never forgot her. Rarity went up to speak, and talked about how they learned to become friends, even though they didn’t quite have the same personality. Another one down, only Fluttershy and I are left.
“Fluttershy only would have stared and stared. Sunsets are so soft and delicate, like her.” Rarity choked out. If only she were here…
That beautiful Summer morning, she was found dead. She went to feed her rabbit, and knew it was her time. She lie down and gracefully lowered her head to the ground. It was sad to think of how she died, all alone like that. But everyone knew she wouldn’t have been comfortable with being with friends.  Everyone had the same opinion on how she died, and her funeral was not only full of ponies who cared, but all the woodland creatures she took care of. The funeral was so much like her, and so delicate. Soft music was played, and Rarity, her last remaining friend, sung. The sun shone brightly, and Princess Celestia even spoke of how caring she was. When Rarity stepped up, she gave a long speech full of Fluttershy’s great qualities, no flaws were spoken of. The casket was covered with dirt and the small woodland creatures came up and each put their own flowers on her grave. I am the last one. She said sadly. 
Rarity immediately decided to join her friends in the stars. She closed her eyes and awoke beside Twilight, Fluttershy, Applejack, Pinkie, and Rainbow Dash. They all smiled and she knew she was home. She was finally home.