Alone.
Adrift.
Attached.
Stars blinked and flickered across the endless expanse, each one precious yet fleeting. When asked what comes after the end, few would ever truly understand the scale of the problem. It is not a matter of going from one place to another, or being reborn as something new. Some would like to believe they return to the world, that their soul is preserved to live on, yet that was in the vast minority of cases. For most, they join the rest of their fallen kin as memories. For one, however, it is for those memories why she is here.
Long ago, when she was young and full of energy, she believed that the world had to make sense. Even cruel acts must have some explanation, and that death was the end. Her friends and family fell to the sands of time, leaving to join the rest while she stayed. Only a few near to her understood how long forever must feel until they, too, chose to reach an ending. But she stayed. There had to be one who stayed.
As time marched on, not even she could resist the curse of forever. Every student of her teachings seemed expendable, every friend temporary. When every crisis, every disharmonious act, every pony was a blink in her life, did she begin to understand. Somepony once told her she would understand after the first million years, yet she lasted longer. Ten million, a hundred million, a billion, a trillion... When her body began to suffer from its own weight, she still held on to hope and harmony. To see those that made it all worth it...
There once was a pink earth pony, with a poofy mane and energy unrivaled. When she met the super-duper party pony, she didn’t know what to think of her. She was an enigma, able to predict things with a twitch of the tail or flick of her mane. The first party thrown for her she didn’t appreciate, but she came to love that pink mare. That mare had found love, made a life for herself and her family, but even she couldn’t predict the coming end. In some ways, it’s how she would have wanted to go, surrounded by friends and family.
Then there was a farmer. Orange and yellow, the farm-mare always tried to keep a level head even in the worst situations. Despite the trials of her life, she never lost herself to vice or her worst instincts. A tree can outlive a pony, but that mare witnessed much more than one piece of her orchard ever could. Possessing an integrity to stand firm even at the end, she promised her friend to never forget her no matter what happens after the end. On a day when a special tree bloomed, what her family always looked forward to, she took her last breath peacefully in her sleep.
Flying high in the sky, the fastest flyer her home had and ever would see left her mark on the world. The legend of that one blue and rainbow mare would go on to inspire generations, letting her spirit live on through them. It was what she would have wanted, even if her name was forgotten in the annals of history. Her passion and devotion to friends would never be forgotten, and her legacy carried on. By the time she could no longer fly, she had come to terms with what her life’s purpose was. And in her final moments, left the world with a smile.
Another pony might say clothing can’t make the mare, but there was one who would disagree. The white and purple fashionista always left her mark on the world through her work, giving more to the world than she got in return. Her influence would shape the nation for the better, leaving lasting markers that there once was a pony who had it all yet gave her all. Cities were built in honor of her, yet she would have been happy to have known others carried on her work. Despite never making a family for herself, all those around her loved her as much as any sister. Even after she was gone, she gave her best for those less fortunate than her, leaving everything to them.
At the edge of the forest near a small town, a yellow and pink pegasus mare lived a peaceful yet eventful life. For so long, her life surrounded caring for woodland critters, irrespective of if they were dangerous or not. When her life took an unexpected turn, she would find with it came a quiet confidence, love, and acceptance. She never wanted to be famous, never desiring the spotlight, only desiring to help others with a gentle hoof. As she came to terms with mortality, she came to understand there was no way she could go without at least some pain. In the end, she and her lover became as one, turned to stone and left to have one another forever.
Lastly, there was a creature who she could never forget. A scaly brother of purple and green, her closest friend never left her side. While his life would always have more to give, certain things never changed. His laughter, his optimism, and his love. She could remember the day he came into his life, how such a memory would ferment into one to always keep her grounded. Tears stopped flowing at old memories after enough times, but that one would always stick with her. When he stopped moving, when his heat faded, she remembered the tears.
After so long, she came back here to see them once again. They were and will never be forgotten. So long as she draws breath, so long as she remembers, they will live on. But with time comes opportunity, and with opportunity comes action. After so long, she saw them returning to her. And finally, hopefully...
To be reunited with her friends is why she is here.