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// Dear, Dear Friends of Mine 
// Story: A Thousand Years Later 
// by DIO Brando 
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Dear, dear friends of mine.

I'm writing this to you, not because I think you will receive it. Somewhere, in my heart, I want to believe that you will. I know, however, that what is done, is done. In this long time that I have taught so many the value of friendship, there is still one lesson I have yet to learn for myself, and that is how to deal with its loss.

Yet, I shan't focus on that which is inevitable, I shan't focus on that which cannot be changed. It is a process of life, ironically. A cycle must come to an end, to start anew. However, my beloved friends, I never thought—not then, and not now—that I would truly have to endure, for so many years, the pain of losing all of you.

In order to settle this in my broken heart, once more, I shall write to you. To all of you. This letter, which you shall perhaps never read, is all of my love towards you. To bring together the memories we shared, our best moments, and to bring forth the good in all that you ever were, and are to me today. 

Rainbow Dash, you were as loyal a friend as any, and even more. I remember hearing the crackling across the sky, seeing that burst of color rushing over the horizon from when you performed what ponies thought to be impossible. Your daring attitude and your competitive nature would have seemed by some to be bothersome, but I saw the spirit of a friend who would do anything to keep her loved ones at the top. Someone who wouldn't turn down a challenge, no matter how difficult, because their friends relied on them to complete it. I saw in you, not arrogance, but a true heart. Pride, not in yourself, but in the ponies you surrounded yourself with. It was that pride that made you so important to us all, that showed us it was okay to brag on those you loved. You taught us loyalty to one another, and you brought to us those traits that no one else could have more perfectly exemplified but you. I wish not to have known you for a single day less, yet even now I would give everything for even a day more with any of you. Rainbow Dash, you taught me loyalty, and I will never forget the promise I made to you on that day: to never let my friends down, even though things might be tough.

Rarity, you were the most generous of us all. I will never forget the many times you sacrificed your look, your time, your money, and your efforts to help me and all of us out in any scenario we faced. You never batted an eye to it, not once did you ever think twice to give to those you held so dearly. You showed us what generosity was, and of all the things you gave, your heart was the most valuable. Every time you helped another out with what you had, you showed us how to use what we have earned not just for ourselves, but for others. To give to those less fortunate than us, that they might give to others as well. You could have pursued a path that would have given you everything, that would have kept everything to you, but you sacrificed everything for what you and all of us believed was more important: your friends. You realized that, truly, the love of your friends was everything, and that, perhaps, it wasn't even a sacrifice to you. You put your friends above yourself, and you gave to them what you would have wanted. Thus, we gave back, and so did everypony you had ever helped. The tears from your eyes as you laid on that bed, seeing all the ponies that you selflessly gave to coming to you to give back, was perhaps the most heartbreaking moment of your passing. It was sad to see a pony like you leave, but your impact has outlasted this long time. Your legacy has continued, as all of our friends' have. Rarity, you taught me generosity, and I will never forget the promise I made to you on that day: to give generously to those in need, even if I feel like I need it more.

Applejack, you were the most honest of us all. I will never forget the times you told me the truth, regardless of whether it made me feel bad or not—but I could see, feel, and understand your loving tone. That you wanted better for me, even if it meant pointing out my flaws. You were honest, with all of us, never letting the worst of us go free. You always stopped it in it's tracks. You were never condescending, you never saw us as lower than yourself. Honesty was your gift, not just because you could tell a brutal truth, but because you could do so in such a way that we knew you wanted and expected the best out of us, and thus we did the same for you. You always worked hard, and never cheated out of any situations when helping others out. Your honesty was more than words, it was in your heart, and I never doubted you. Because of you, I have taught ponies for so many years the way to speak honest words, while still loving. To deal with those difficult scenarios, while also lifting ponies up. Applejack, you taught me honesty, and I will never forget the promise I made to you on that day: to speak truth, and to speak love, so that everypony could reach their highest potential.

Fluttershy, you were the kindest of us all. I will never forget how you put everypony before yourself, how your soft voice comforted so many souls who were in such need of it. For me, you were my hope of dealing with daily stresses, when I was down you lifted me up. You did that for all of us, and everyone you met. You left nopony out, making sure that everypony within your reach had even a touch of kindness to keep going that day. You always knew when someone was feeling left out, when they were sad, or angry, or stressed. You always knew how to fix it. You were not blindly nice, but you had the empathy for everypony that seems so hard to have in a time like this. Yet, no matter how terrible you felt, you always found it in your heart to derive your joy from giving it to another. Your warmth spread like fire, showing all ponies how to be kind in a way that did more than bring a fake smile. Fluttershy, you taught me kindness, and I will never forget the promise I made to you on that day: to be the warmth that ponies seek, to be the love that ponies need, because they all deserve it.

Pinkamena Diane Pie, you spread the most laughter of us all. I will never forget the times you brought smiles to our faces, regardless of how terrible we felt. You gave us, and especially myself, the strength to carry on in the most difficult of circumstances. You always saw the bright side, and you never let even yourself stay sad, because you knew your friends counted on you to bring them the light of a bright smile. Because of you, we all knew how to bring joy in the darkest of times. When days were black as night, when they were as cold as a harsh winter wind, your smile was sometimes all that I knew I could look forward to. Even now, I would beg the goddesses to see your smile again, even once, if only I could. Your joy outlasted your life, with all ponies who look up to you as an example to bring laughter to the darkness, to see the good in everything. Pinkamena Diane Pie, you taught me laughter, and I will never forget the promise I made to you on that day: to find joy in everything, to bring laughter in any scenario, because it truly was the best medicine.

I reflect on so many memories of all of you, more than I can write, but the most burdensome memories to my thoughts are those promises I made to you. That which you have taught me, have I truly retained? Rainbow Dash, I promised I would be loyal, but I have none to be loyal to. Rarity, I promised to be generous, but I have not found it in my heart that I could give anything, as I have so little to give. Applejack, I promised to be honest, but can I truly be honest, if all I have to say is grim? Fluttershy, I promised to be kind, but I cannot find it in my heart to even lift up my head to those I serve as Princess. Pinkie Pie, I promised to have joy, but yet I have nothing but sadness. Do I even have the friends I used to? Since losing all of you, have I ever made more? Would that be replacing you? Would it be wrong? 

Or is it more wrong that I have made these promises to my friends, who are dead, and have broken them? Have I truly let all five of you, my dearest friends, whom I mourn for day after day, down after all this time? 

I have written this same letter 365,000 times. . .every night I cannot bare but to write this letter. Yet, what does it do but reflect my mourning? I do not know if I can take it, I miss all of you so much. Why can't you come back? Why can't-~--~~

Twilight threw the paper towards the wall, burying her face in the pillow beside her throne, sobbing. It had been a thousand years, and she had not felt any different, nor had she once kept the promises she made. She did not know how much longer she could take it, or if she should just put an end to—

Knock Knock

Her sobbing stopped. She looked up at the door, why were her guards waking her up this early?

She used her magic to open the door, seeing a small filly from one of her friendship classes holding a letter. Twilight could see that she was shivering.

"Dear child, please come in," Twilight said quietly, "why are you up so late, and how did you get past the. . .oh nevermind that. . .what has brought you here?"

The child walked towards Twilight's bed quietly, looking to the floor nervously before placing the small paper onto it. It was a poorly-folded envelope with some crayon-writing on it.

"M-Miss Twilight, you taught us today about helping our friends out when they were sad. . ." she said quietly, ". . .and you looked sad, so I wanted to help you."

Twilight blinked, looking down at the card, and reading it.

Dear Princess Twilight,

We want you to know that we all love you very very much, and we are all your friends.

Love. . .

Beneath the closing of the small letter was the written name of every classmate of that class, all children who perhaps didn't have a clue what the stress of death was like.

A drop of water stained the paper, as it had brought Twilight to tears once more, but this time she was smiling. She gave the filly a warm, tight hug, closing her eyes tightly as she swore, for just a moment, she could feel her friends smiling at her from above.





Dear, Dear friends of mine,

I see now, that it is not wrong to let go of death, because in the process of holding onto your deaths, I have let go of your lives. This filly, who perhaps does not know of these complications, has come to me to teach me the most valuable lesson of all. Friendship does not end with death, friendship continues on for the living. Not one more day will I break these promises I have made to you, I swear. Thank you for everything, my beloved friends.

Love,
Twilight Sparkle