//------------------------------//
// 17: The End [Sad Dark] 
// Story: The Day of Endless Writing 
// by Bootsy Slickmane 
//------------------------------//

	"It's been a long journey, Spike."

"It sure has, Twilight." Spike turned his tall form to the purple alicorn standing next to him. "Any regrets?"

Twilight nodded slowly. "A few. Nothing I can't live with, though. You?"

Spike sighed, turning back around. "A couple, yeah. I never really had the time to do a lot of the things I wanted to, for one. And... well, you know. Rarity."

Twilight nodded again. "I'm sorry, Spike."

He waved his long claws dismissively. "I got over it a while ago; don't worry."

Twilight turned, looking over her shoulder. "What about you? Any things you wished you'd done differently?"

Sunset Shimmer stepped up next to Twilight, her wings rustling against her ribs. "Yeah, I do." She huffed briefly. "Got a stack big enough to fill a file cabinet. Doesn't matter much now, though, does it?"

"I suppose not," Twilight said, facing forward again. Silence gripped the trio for a time, until Twilight commented, "I'd ask what we should do from here, but I don't think there are a lot of options left."

"No kidding," Sunset agreed. "Not much left to do but sit back and watch, I guess."

Spike settled into a sitting position on the grass, though he still towered over both the alicorns. "You know, I gotta say that I never thought it would end like this. I was betting on something else entirely."

Sunset shrugged. "Makes sense, though, right? That old metaphor about fire cleansing stuff, right?"

Twilight scoffed. "I'm not sure they meant that literally most of the time."

"Like I said, it doesn't matter much now." Sunset took in a deep breath, holding back a cough from the ash entering her lungs. "I suppose now would be a good time to apologize...."

Despite the situation, Twilight giggled a little. "I think you know that I forgave you for that whole Element of Magic fiasco a while ago. I barely even remember the whole thing, honestly."

"I do, so just let me say it, okay? I'm sorry."

Twilight reached a hoof up, wrapping it around Sunset's withers. "I forgive you."

For the first time in years, a genuine smile came to Sunset's face. "Thanks. Goodbye, Spike. Goodbye, Twilight Sparkle."

"Goodbye, Sunset," the other two said in unison.

The three turned their eyes back to the inferno before them, and watched the last of the world that they knew burn away until only they remained, and then there was nothing.