//------------------------------// // The End // Story: The Man // by The Gunny //------------------------------// Ponyville was calm in the morning, the only thing that stood out was the tall two legged figure wearing a dark duster and a black leather cowboy hat. His dark pants and shirt seemed to blend with the figures coat and his boots were black as night. Humans were now a popular sight in Equestria but this was no ordinary human. In his hand was a list of names, six mares all marked with stars while the others were marked with ‘x’s The Dark figure moved towards the library seeming to leave a trail of shadow behind him. His knuckles rapping on the door would make the devil himself shriek in fear. “Yes?” a purple unicorn asked as she opened the door, the dark figure spoke in a monotone whisper. “Twilight Sparkle?” he asked, Twilight nodded nervously. The figure snapped his fingers and the purple unicorn was whisked away in a flash of light. The figure seemed to lighten in color as she disappeared. Slowly the figure walked away towards the carousel boutique. A massive earthquake shook the ground sending ponies running in fear, the sky darkened and the figure smiled “It has begun.” he said, he reached the boutique and wrapped on the door, A white unicorn stared at him and gasped. “Rarity I presume?” “Yes what are you wearing!?” she shrieked, the figure simply smiled and snapped his fingers and the same light whisked the Marshmallow Unicorn away. “that makes two.” the figure said with a smirk, he walked away from the building as another earthquake shook the ground. The figure was even lighter now, he was walking towards a pink pony who was planning a party. He didn’t even need to ask and with a flick of his fingers she was gone. His clothing became a light grey and a third earthquake revealed a volcano that rose quickly out of the ground. He walked towards a cloud where a cyan pegasus was desperatly trying to move the clouds. “Rainbow dash?” the man asked, the cyan pegasus looked at him for a moment and the face said it all. A flick of the fingers and she was gone, the mans clothing was now almost completely white. He walked calmly through a lava flow towards the orchard, there he saw two mares desperatly trying to stop a stampede of wild animals. The man whislted and the stampeded halted. The mares stepped close to the figure. “Thanks pardner, seems like the end of days today.” Applejack said “Applejack and fluttershy it is.” the man said before snapping his fingers. His clothing turned back to black as a red flaming horse appeared in front of the figure. “Come on war, we have one last stop.” The man said looking towards canterlot, he list had several guards there as well as Luna and celestia marked with stars..... (~*~*~*~*~*~) “Sister can it be true, is ‘he’ here?” Luna said nervously, Celestia nodded. The guards brought the darkly clad man into the room. “It is time Luna and Celestia.” The man said “Why does it have to end?” Luna asked the man, he removed his hat revealing his face. A young man with no scars, black hair and a five o’ clock shadow was smiling. “All things must end your highness, this cycle is no different than the last.” the man said happily wrapping his arms around Luna “Come Mother let us not dilly dally” (~*~*~*~*~) “Where are we?” Twilight asked looking at the green grass and wide open space, the six mares looked at each other knowingly. “That man. I swear I have seen that look before.” “He said it was the end of days!” Applejack said nervously the space went silent as the man and the two princesses entered the area with a bright flash of light. “WHAT DID YOU DO!” Applejack charged the man who simply stepped aside. “Allow me to explain, please?” The man said. “Welcome to Valhalla. Yes it is the end of days, every billoin years the cycle must be renewed. You will be mothers to a new race of ponies just as my mother bore me you too will soon be the givers of life to a new cycle.” The man said removing his hat, he looked at Luna and smiled “Right Mother?” The mane six just stood flabbergasted. “In the first cycle we would have been destroyed if not for my child, he used his magic to bring select ponies to his realm of valhalla to survive the end of days, in return for saving us we must renew the cycle every billion years or so.” Luna said somberly, the man removed his jacket revealing his white shirt. He had gathered every soul he needed and now his reward was to finish the events that would bring the world to balance. Twilight looked and saw a pale horse, and the name that sat on him was death and another named hell followed with him. The man mounted the horse and like a shot was gone. “Are we just going to let him do this?” Twilight asked, Celestia nodded. “We must, if not the world will be plunged into war that will do the same thing but will not leave survivors.” she said sadly looking at her sister. “I’m glad it was your son and not discord. He will show mercy and end it quickly.” Luna nodded, the six mares began to cry in front of the princesses. And so Lunas son descended upon Equestria and the rest of the world with his two horses Death and Hell. He ended the suffering as quickly as he could leaving a burning, uninhabited planet where a once thriving world once was. He sat on the on the moon for a while just looking at his finished work with an expression of sadness on his face, he hated this part of the job. And so it was done, the world ended and Ponykind saved. But so many deaths at the cost of a new cycle. After an hour he returned to his realm where he delivered the news. And it was over...