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// The End 
// Story: In The End 
// by Slendermare 
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	Three young fillies stood at the edge of Ghastly Gourge. The weather wasn't kind towards them, and was delivering the downpour of the century, with the occasional rumble of thunder in the distance. They each wore parachutes, strapped firmly to their backs. Just by looking at them, you could tell that they weren't sure about this, but the one to the far right, a small orange Pegasus, was trying to look brave. A yellow earth pony, with a fiery red mane and a large, pink bow, looked to her pegasus friend worriedly. And a unicorn, who had fur the color of freshly fallen snow, was trying to shy away from the edge, so that she wouldn't fall in, unlike the pegasus, with little wings and a face of determination, who stood her ground. Their eager friend, despite the fact she was soaked through and through, and her short, purple mane flopping in the wind, looked ready to explode from her excitement. Her earth pony friend on the other hand, had an unsure, scared demeanor, while the unicorn looked downright terrified. The yellow one glanced about nervously, thinking of how this most likely wouldn't work.
"Are y'all sure 'bout this?" 
"Come on, AB. Don't wimp out." After the pegasus said this, her unicorn friend took a step back, saying,
"Sorry Scootaloo, but I'm with Applebloom on this, I'm not sure it's safe..."
"No, Sweetie Belle, not you too. How are we supposed to be the Cutie Mark Crusaders if you guys don't wanna crusade?"
A flash of lightning rippled across the sky, making it day for a single moment. In that moment, they saw what lay ahead of them. Miles down, uneven, coarse rock lining the canyon walls. It all led down to a barren ground, a small river trickling along. They made sure to get past the eels, as to try avoiding death as much as possible. A small rumble shook the ground, making them jump in surprise. The orange Pegasus, Scootaloo, peered over the edge, contemplating the vast distance on her position all the way to the ground. She looked into the sky, using her forehoof as a visor to try and keep the rain from her eyes. She had a feeling, she knew that they would get their cutie marks. She looked first to her earth pony friend, Applebloom, trying to get a reading on her, but the rain fogged her vision. She cast a look at her unicorn friend, and knew they were both terrified. For a moment her mind tried to convince her that they should leave, but Scootaloo really had a feeling something would happen tonight.
Something huge.
She peered once more over the edge, as it was illuminated by the bright lightning for a small, short second, giving her a quick view of the deep, deadly canyon. She then turned to her friends, who were shaking from fear. Or was it the cold? She couldn't tell.
"You guys ready?"
"Ah'm havin' second thoughts Scoots..."
She turned to her shaking, wet unicorn friend, hoping for some support. She simply shook her head, the universal signal of no. Scootaloo was confused. These were her friends, why wont they? She soon got her answer, shaking her out of her thoughts. 
"This didn't work last time, what makes you think it will this time?" 
She stared at her unicorn friend, trying to figure out a reason why it will work. 
"Well, last time, it was only about one foot. This time though, its gotta be at least a couple miles!" 
Another bolt of lightning lit up the sky, this time closer.
"Ah'm sure that if we think, we can come up with somethin' better ta do."
Scootaloo scowled. Parachuting was bound to work now. She even paid a majority- no, scratch that, all of her allowance money to get them! She walked to the edge, cord in hoof. She snuck a glance back at her friends, seeing if they would follow suit. They didn't, but there was something in their eyes. Fear, yes, but not for themselves. They were scared for her. These were her true friends if they were scared for her, not themselves. She turned around, removed the parachute, looked into their eyes, and said,
"You guys are right, this is insane! What was I thinking? Its cold out, and we're wet. We should he-"
She was cut off as she lost her hoofing. She tried to regain her balance, using her hooves, flapping her wings in an effort to save herself from falling. But her efforts were in vain, it was too late. The Fates had begun snipping at her lifeline, toying with it, cutting it thread by thread. Scootaloo screamed as she fell. Her two friend's look of terror multiplied by a million, as they watched their friend collapse from the rim, falling from sight. Scootaloo was screaming continuously, barely taking time for breath. She was crying now. She had so many things she hadn't done. Gotten her cutie mark, a job, flown... This is falling, not flying. It was any pegasi's worst nightmare. Scootaloo looked around at the rain, how at times it hurt, and othertimes were calm. She blinked, realizing something she wished she realized earlier. Life is short, but she had spent it with her friends and family. That's all that mattered. Scootaloo smiled, accepting the fact that she wouldn't survive this. She quit screaming, but it didn't matter, her friends screams soon chorused, entering her ears. Not risking a glance downwards, she guessed how far away the ground was. 
100 yards, 70 yards. 
She was happy to have friends. She looked upwards, seeing them looking for a way down. The tears streaming down their faces. Or was it rain? 
50 yards.
She thought of Rainbow Dash, how nice it was that she took the time to help her fly. 
30 yards.
If she closed her eyes and flapped her wings, it almost felt like flying.
20 yards.
Scootaloo found herself smiling, looking at her friends, and how nice they were.
10 yards.
Scootaloo  looked to her friends, then closed her eyes and wings, tears silently streaming down her face, not of terror, but pure bliss and happiness.
"Goodbye." 

---~---
Sweetie Belle found herself and Applebloom enveloped in a green haze, and next thing she knew, she was a few yards away from Scootaloo. As she caught sight of her friend, lying there motionless, eyes closed, she couldn't help but bring a hoof to her mouth. She glanced at Applebloom, who just sat their, eyes glazed over, crying silently. Sweetie took a few tentative steps toward her friends body, looking at it. It was horrible. There was blood on the ground and her head, and two of her legs her bent at unnatural angles, and bone sticking out of one of her hind legs. Sweetie had to resist the urge to throw up. She noticed that her dead friends chest was slowly moving up and down. 
Dead ponies didn't do that. 
Sweetie's eyes widened, and she galloped towards Scootaloo, closing the distance in seconds.
"Applebloom! She's still breathing!" 
Her frozen friend slowly turned her head to Sweetie, saying nothing, but shock plastered her face.
"She's alive! Come here, I think she could make it if we get help. You run around screaming for help, and I'll try teleporting for he-"
"No...come here..." 
Applebloom and Sweetie turned their heads towards the source of the noise. Her voice was quiet and hoarse, but undeniably Scootaloo's.
"Scoots?" Sweetie said. Applebloom remained silent.
"Help... won't make it in time... Stay...please..."
Sweetie could only stare in shock at her mangled friend. Finally able to use her words, she asks,
"How are you still able to talk, let alone be alive?"
"Will...will you and AB stay?"
Sweetie only nodded her head softly, taking her only uninjured hoof. Applebloom walked closer and sat on Sootaloo's other side. Finding an uninjured part of her head, she begins to softly stroke her mane.
"Scoots, I may be able to teleport to help, if you'll let me..." Her friend shook her head no, and looked to Applebloom.
"I always thought of you as group leader..." She switched her gaze to Sweetie Belle, smiling and saying,
"You we're one of my first friends..." Scootaloo closed her eyes, and smiled.
"Thank you for being my friends..."
Her chest stopped rising and lowering. The two remaining crusaders bowed their heads, and Sweetie teleported off for help, tears filling her eyes. Applebloom walked off, never to be seen again.
When the help arrived, they only found Scootaloo, and a muddy, wet, but undeniably pink ribbon.