Scootaloo woke up, and realized what day it was. She was nine years old on August the 3rd. She didn’t do much that morning. For the first in a few weeks she joined the Apples for breakfast. Everyone sent their birthday wishes to her. Scootaloo was very appreciative that they remembered, but she felt shallow. Because of the way things were, she didn’t expect anything else to happen on her birthday. And Scootaloo didn’t mind.
Later that morning she ventured out; she made the journey through town, entering the park, passed the playground, and going further until Rainbow Dash’s memorial was in her sight. She stood still for a moment, sighing, wishing the day would pass already. Scootaloo slowly advanced forward until the memorial was no longer a speck. One more step and she stood face to face with the marble sculpture in the shape of Rainbow Dash’s cutie mark. She gazed deeply into it, not entirely sure if the memorial was gazing back at her. Then she lay her hindquarters on top of the grass, and silently stared at it some more.
“Hi, Rainbow Dash,” Scootaloo said. “It’s been awhile, hasn’t it? Isn’t it a nice day? I remember how you always enjoy days like this. Sometimes, whenever I’m outside, I always look up, thinking you’re probably taking your naps on a cloud… then I realize you’re not here anymore. I guess it’s something I need to get used to. This summer has been crazy. It really changed everyone. Pinkie and Fluttershy took it really hard. I think everyone has more or less moved on, but I still think there’s sadness that’s not quite gone. I’m still feeling it, too.
“I went camping with the Apples. Well, most of them. Applejack stayed behind to look after Fluttershy. All this time, I never thought much Applejack. I know she was one of your best friends, but I didn’t think she was anyone special. But then all this happened… and she took me in her home. She took care of me. Apple Bloom, Big Mac, Granny Smith; all of them looked after me. They told me I was an Apple. I was family. It doesn’t seem like they want to let me go. And I don’t think there is a way for me to pay them back for all the compassion they showed me.
“Did you know I talked to Princess Cadence? Well, not really. She talked to us. I was mostly silent the whole time. It happened after the funeral. Me, Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle were all flower girls at her wedding. I didn’t think she’d remember us. Before she left Ponyville, she spoke to me. She told me that I should never feel like I’m alone. But sometimes I do. No, not sometimes. All the time. You were the only pony I had any real connection to. We were sisters. None of us had family. We were the only ones we had. Now it’s over.
“But I don’t want it to be over. There were so many things we hadn’t done together. This was supposed have been our summer. Do you know what’s strange about all of this? There were times where you said that if there was ever a time you were going to die, you were going to go out in style. You wanted to die doing something awesome; in a blaze of glory. We didn’t think it was going to happen so soon. And sometimes I wonder if you knew you were going to die that day. Did you?
“I just came out here to tell you it’s my birthday, that’s all. I’m nine years old. I’m not sure if I want to celebrate it. I should be happy, but I’m not. What’s there to celebrate when you’re not around? Every night, whenever I try to go to sleep, I think about where you are. Are you in Elysium? Is it beautiful up there? Is it better than Equestria? Are you happy? Do you miss us? Do you miss me?”
She fell silent. There was nothing left to say. Scootaloo lay on her stomach on the grass and curled herself. She turned her eyes away from the memorial and closed them. While she lay on the grass, she thought about what it was like to die, to close your eyes for the final time. She kept her eyelids shut. All that was around her was blackness. Is this is what death is like? she thought. To be nothing? To feel nothing? No promise of a new world to come? A tear rolled down her cheek.
Her eyes picked up the sound of hooves approaching her. The hooves stopped. “I thought you’d be here,” Apple Bloom said. Scootaloo didn’t respond. The earth pony joined her on the grass. “Talking to Rainbow Dash?”
“... Yes,” Scootaloo muttered. She raised her head slightly. “Apple Bloom… do you ever think about death?”
“I try not to.”
“Do you get scared?”
“Honestly, yes I do. I worry that someday will be the last time I see or speak to the ones I love. I may have no chance to say goodbye.”
“Are you not scared for what’s on the other side?” Scootaloo asked.
Apple Bloom sighed. “I know I told you about Elysium, but I don’t know what’s there once this life is over. I want to believe it, though. I want to believe that my parents, Rainbow Dash, everyone who ever lived is there, resting.”
“I wish there was a way to know,” Scootaloo said.
“Well, I wanted to find you to know if you wanted to stop by Sugarcube Corner with me and Sweetie Belle,” Apple Bloom said, wanting to change the subject. “If you want we can have a little birthday snack with just the three of us. Our treat to you.”
“Sure,” Scootaloo sighed. “That’ll be nice.”