Epilogue/Notes - The Final Word
Sleep now
But remember to wake up
Up
Wake up
Wake up and remember
Live clean
And breathe free
The day is just a time
To sleep with the lights on
- Look Mexico
***
Sunrises have a purpose. Nopony seems to recall what it is anymore, but that doesn’t make it any less true. Some will rationalize it simply as the herald to the new day. Others will take pessimistic views, and they speak of it as a reminder of mortality. For every sun that rises, that same sun will eventually set.
Whatever reason it was that Twilight believed in sunrises was lost to her now. She only knew the sunrise was here, and the light creeping in through the shattered windows of the library glistened harshly against her retinas to prove so. For the first time since her return to Ponyville, she had been granted the sleep she so craved, and now she only wanted more.
Being awake only reminded her of the chaos and destruction that had brought an abrupt end to the previous evening. The ringing still echoing in her ears saw to that, as well as the ruins of Ponyville outside what used to be the window…
***
“Hey, everypony! Listen up! Your leader has an announcement to make!”
The rest of Twilight’s reunited group of friends groaned in unison, “Uh-oh.”
“What?” Twilight inquired.
“Pinkie’s ‘announcements’,” Rainbow responded, waving her hooves sarcastically, “have always ended in… casualties.”
“Oh dear. Oh dear. Oh dear. Ohdearohdearohdearohdear.” Fluttershy whizzed around the air frantically as she searched the area.
“What are you looking for, Fluttershy?” Twilight asked.
“She’s prob’ly lookin’ for cover, and y’all should do the same ‘bout now.” Applejack motioned towards the library. “That ‘ought tah’ make a safe vantage point.”
The group made a mad dash to the shelter of the massive tree as Pinkie began her speech.
“Fillies and gentlecolts!” Pinkie looked about her audience, or lack thereof. The rest of the town had followed the lead of the rest of her friends and were using anything they could for shelter, making Ponyville appear as a ghost town. “Oh darn,” she muttered to herself. “I’ll fix this. I wanted to save the big reveal for the end, but now will do.”
With a few quick hops, she moved across the empty square towards the covered contraption she had assembled outside the library. Twilight peered over the edge of the windowsill to catch a glimpse of the events outside, only to be pulled back down by Rainbow Dash. “Stay down if you value your safety,” she warned, but Twilight was overcome by curiosity, and peeked over the edge again.
With one last solid hop, Pinkie bounced to the top of the giant contraption. It was a height that no normal earth pony could have leapt, but this was not, by any means, a normal earth pony. Once atop the structure, she pulled a microphone from the infinite storage space within her mane, and cleared her throat.
And with that simple gesture, a rumble shook the entire town. The wires holding the cover over the structure Pinkie stood upon snapped. Pinkie’s first words sent the canvas flying. “Hellooooooo Ponyville!”
From her viewpoint of relative safety, Twilight could make out the structure to clearly be a speaker. It was so large that, even from a distance, it was difficult to mistake it for anything else. As she ducked back down for safety, Pinkie continued her introduction. “It’s time to…” she inhaled deeply, the sound causing a harsh feedback through the gigantic amplifier.
There was a sudden knock at the door, which quickly swung open as Spike entered the library. “Hey Twilight, this letter just came from Celestia, and I rushed over to—”
“Get down!” cried out the four mares.
But it was too late.
“PARRRRRRR-TAYYYYYYYYY!!!!”
***
Twilight adjusted to the light in the room as she recalled the details of the evening. She pulled herself from the bed, carefully treading across the floor, as her sight was too hazy to see if there were any shards of glass she missed the night before. She peered towards the entrance, where a deep silhouette had been imprinted next to the door in the shape of her number one assistant.
She strained her eyes as she searched the room, eventually finding the letter Spike had come to deliver scattered among the mess. As she took it back to her bed to read, the ringing in her ears finally softened to a dull buzz, and the sound of somepony outside caught her attention. She took a look outside what was left of the window, and saw a familiar trio talking to each other.
“Where do we go from here?” asked Scootaloo.
Apple Bloom smiled as she wrapped both her friends up in a close embrace. “We pick up where we left off. Easy as that.”
Sweetie Belle was overcome with emotion, and it was hard to find the words to say. “Thanks, girls. I’m… I’m sorry.”
“Ain’t nothin’,” quipped the baker pony.
“Yeah, we’ve all been through some rough times,” responded Scootaloo.
“Now I reckon we need a new name.” Apple Bloom smirked.
“Indeed. The old one is hardly fitting,” responded Sweetie Belle.
The girls all pondered briefly, with Scootaloo responding first, “The League of Extraordinary Crusaders!”
Apple Bloom quickly followed up with her response, “The Mane Three!”
The two looked Sweetie Belle for her entry or approval. She could only reply with a shrug. “I’m drawing a blank flank… The Group Formerly Known as the Cutie Mark Crusaders?”
As the trio burst into laughter, Twilight turned to her bed, which seemed to be calling her name. She was happy to see the girls reunited, but for the moment, she had some reading to do. Between the destructive end of the evening, and the fear of Celestia’s response, she had held off the letter as long as possible, but being the curious mare she is, that time was short.
She broke the wax seal of the royal crest holding the letter in place as she got comfortable in her bed. She was as prepared as she could be to hear Celestia’s response.
Only, this letter was not from Celestia. It was to Celestia.
“What is this?” Twilight wondered aloud. “It’s from…”
“Her…”
***
Dear Princess,
My life is in shambles. I am lost. Misguided. I don’t know where to turn right now, so I turn to you.
I ask not for aid or assistance, only a sympathetic ear. I have found that hard to come by as of late, which is by my own doing. I have either driven away those closest to me, or been separated by distance or betrayal.
I take responsibility for all of this, and I write now because I need someone to know I plan on making up for it. Somehow…
I thought I had it all figured out. I knew what I wanted, and I wanted the impossible. I wanted royalty. Fame. Attention. Adoration. From everypony in Equestria.
But what I found was better. Once I had all the eyes in Equestria on me, I realized that the only eyes I needed were hers. The fame. The attention. It all paled in comparison to her love. Her honest love.
I realized then that I had no idea what I was working for. Every action I ever took, every piece of work I ever completed, it was only for the sake of recognition. But she… she worked simply because work needed to be done. What reward was there in that? What life does that lead to?
As it turns out, it’s an honest life. Something few ponies in Equestria know about, and something I needed to learn. She had so much to teach me, but now she is just as lost as I, and while I still feel the sting of her betrayal, I want to forgive her. Someday…
But until that time, I have to share what I’ve learned about myself. Not from being with her, but from being without her. Without anypony.
How can I be Generosity again? I haven’t thought of that in a long, long time. I haven’t had anypony to be generous towards.
But that needs to change, and this is a start. This is why I need you, and nopony else will do.
This town, these ponies, these friends, they are broken, shattered frames of what they once were. They lack beauty. They lack friendship. They lack harmony.
They lack Magic.
And I will bring it back to them. If I am, or ever was Generosity, then I will return Magic to this town. To my friends. It will take time, but I will make something fabulous enough to call her back.
When I do, make sure she sees it. Make sure they all do.
Give, and Give Generously,
Rarity
***
Casting the letter aside, Twilight made a mad dash to the door. She pulled her saddlebag to her with her magic, and came to a sudden halt in the doorway. She knew she had to say something to Rarity. She had to tell her that she saw. She had to let her know. But as she thought about what to say, it all came back to her at once.
She had already said it.
She pondered if there was more she could say, but it all came down to the same few words, and she quickly abandoned the idea. Her bag fell amongst the rest of the mess scattered around the library, and Twilight dragged her tired body back to her bed. She glanced over the note one last time, reassuring herself that she had no more to say.
The sun still held high in the sky, but Twilight watched as it became obscured by the storm clouds that pegasi were gathering to wash away the mess in the town square. As the light disappeared, she set the letter aside, and decided now was the time to let Rarity rest. She had other friends to worry about now.
But they’d have to wait until she got some proper sleep.
***
One by one, massive fruit fell to the ground and quickly withered. The wind blew quickly, and rain was falling hard on the massive tree. Branches fell to the ground with a heavy crash, and turned to dust. The spell holding the tree together was complete.
And the tree had nothing left to show the world.
The roots came alive as they pulled back to the base of the tree. It continued to shrink in size until it was but a sapling. The memories that once fed the tree to its massive size faded, and it returned to how it once was. A monument to friendship. To love. Not just for two ponies, but for all ponies.
And atop the stone monument next to the sapling, a small parchment was falling apart in the rain, and the ink washed into the soil. The words fed into the last of the magic as the tree finished returning to its original form.
***
Rarity,
Thanks.
Twilight Sparkle
***
Legacies of Friendship
-PonIver-
***
I’d like to thank all who read, favorited, commented, liked, disliked, and even those that still have this sitting in a ‘read later’ list.
Special thanks to the following members of the brony writing community for their support/praise/critique (Go read their work, and sorry if I forgot anybody!): Path_of_cloud (Quit the clop and do more Eternal), Lucefudu, Glassed, Twilightclopple (Again, less clop, more stuff like SaFR), Fillyfooler, Zervziel, PinkieBeam, DreZoma, Hyperion, Bronysins (Good luck with the audiobook), TypewriterError, Kitzsune, and HenryAnthonyCourtler (With a bonus thanks for prereading my next one-shot)
Very special thanks to my friends and allies in the Midwest Brony Division. Picardy Third, statoose, Michelle, Rachel, Margaret, Eboni, Avi, Corey, Steve, Roberto, Jake, Steel, Robert, Jacob, Hannah, and many more I’m forgetting. You guys are 20% cooler than me.
All the thanks I have left for three important individuals:
Avlo-Jack. My closest friend, for despite not being a brony, still making me some awesome cover art (even if it’s totally misleading, I still love it).
CircaCloud9. My beautiful, brilliant and brutal editor. Don’t blame her for the mistakes I made. I was lucky enough to find her about two-thirds of the way through this, but she’s been great moral support, and her guidance on my new works has definitely helped me do the final chapters with polish.
Thanqol. The reason I started writing fanfic in the first place. Yours Truly was the major inspiration behind this story, and this story wouldn’t have happened without it.
I don’t wish to bog down the meaning of the story with notes, but a short message anyway. This has been a wonderful experience. I never realized the joy of reading fanfiction, much less writing it until a few short months ago.
Never did I think this would become what it has… Seriously. As of the time I’m writing this, it’s about to cross 2000 views. I’m shocked. This was just something on a whim, but it became so much more.
I never wrote on a scale like this before. I don’t simply mean fanfiction, but narrative entirely. Outside of schoolwork, my only creative writing experience has been in poetry, but in a few short months I find my hard drive with this 100 page document that simply appeared, and this is after an almost three year hiatus from writing anything.
So thanks again. The support has not only made me fall back in love with writing, but helped me want to better my writing as well.
As for notes on the story itself, I feel inclined to avoid that, as I wish for it to speak for itself. I think that different readers are taking away different lessons from it, and that’s truly what I want more than anything else.
I do, however, want to explain a bit of the thought process behind the climactic points of the story. I have received a lot of ‘why’ e-mails and comments, and while I can’t exactly find the reason, I think that changes in my life before I sat down to write were a major influence on why I wanted to take something like death and loss, and give it a positive lesson.
Almost immediately before I sat down to write the first chapter, I made a career change. Since completing college a couple years back, I had yet to find something that utilized my area of study, and did everything from retail to management to sales to get by. But I finally have a career I’m proud of, and somewhat within my field of study, despite certain drawbacks.
By which, I mean, I face death on a daily basis. Not particularly my own, per se (although the day after I posted the finale, I did fall off a house on the job), but the deaths of others. I spend much of my day rescuing various critters that have invaded residential areas. Skunks, raccoons, squirrels, foxes, etc. But each morning, a good portion of these creatures are deemed unfit for rehabilitation, and it becomes my duty to euthanize them.
I’m not saying that it’s wrong. In fact, I honestly believe it’s the most humane thing we can do for most of these creatures, and you’d agree if you saw it yourself.
But still, a part of your soul dies each time you do it. And this got me thinking about the purpose behind death and loss. Nothing simply ‘dies’. There are consequences to every action in life, and in death as well.
I’m not looking to provide any sort of philosophical lecture, nor am I asking for pity about this. I simply figured it might help to see where my mindset was during much of this story. Take what you will from it, and grow.
Thanks again for reading, and I hope to keep sharing more lessons on friendship with you all in the near future.
Love, Tolerate, and Live in Harmony,
PonIver
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Manly tears have been shed.
Oh, who am I kidding, they weren't manly at all.
I've been waiting until the last chapter was out to review this story. In all honesty, I find myself speechless after reading this story. I suppose I'll have to settle with a few words:
Excellent job, good sir. Excellent job.
scranton.mylittlefacewhen.com/media/f/img/mlfw6227-Medal.jpg
Wow, tha- that was beautiful man.
A great bittersweet ending.
just spike...
1057472>>1057492>>1057501
You're all too kind
1057476
But you left one anyway
1057512
Yeah, I for some reason left Spike as a tragic/comic foil in the story. I wanted to return to the cartoon roots in the end, and a bit of Pinkie abuse seemed appropriate.
1057528
sorry wut? i'm deaf after what pinkie did XD
1057528 Yes.
So what I got from this was, write more clop. Got it!
I think it's time for the movie ending montage, song, and credits.
I feel really sad now, not that I regret reading this. It was a great ride, but everything has to end sometime.
Author... just... thank you.
1057552
actually I don't mind your clop, but you do so much better when you're not relying on sex to make a story 
and 
IIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEIIIIIIIIIEEEEEIIIIII WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU!!!!!
And I'm still blind from when the magic apple covered the town in glitter. My eyes! They burn like hellfire!
1057567
*sigh*
1057587
I can see it now....
1057723
Reader, you are welcome
1057775 R.I.P.
There are a few stories on this sight that have actually changed my view of the world, of myself, etc. This is one out of four stories that have done that. Thank you.
Also a good song for the ending would be; rokutousei no yoru, though the original is Japanese so you wouldn't be able to understand it. Here are the lyrics in Jap. and Eng. Link I think it fits rather well.
1057775
THE FRIENDSHIP! IT BURNS!
I don't know what to say about this story.
Fantastic.
Wonderful.
Thank you for writing it.
Update on my interpretation: the original form that the tree returns to is the sapling accompanied by Rarity. She gave herself to Ponyville, and to her friends- and now that they've accepted her, she can join them again. Mass doesn't just disappear, after all- and dead ponies can't do magic.
Exceptional I can say no more than that.
*applauds* A good ending... except I still don't know if Twilight is allowed to stay or not dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/misc_Fluttershy.png
A wonderful ending to a wonderful story, thank you very much for sharing this with us
Nice story I enjoyed it alot
1058260
I get that. I long ago planned the finale and the epilogue to be solely a letter from Twilight and a response from Celestia, but that got scraped. I preferred to let Tia speak through actions instead of words, that's why she was happy to hear Twi made the decision she had hoped for and why she sent Rarity's letter to her.
1058864 Ah! I get it now
Thanks for explaining!
P.s. Doesn't it feel great to have it finished?
1058874
You have no idea. I can finally give full attention to my other series, and now I don't have to worry about this while I'm on vacation next week
1058902 Well, have fun! dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/misc_Rainbow_dealwithit.png
Was that a TAFKAL80ETC refrence?
Great epilogue, PonIver! You know I enjoy your work, and you keep praising and thanking me when I seriously had like nothing to do with this story.
Thanks though man. This story is how I first ended up talking with you, and I've enjoyed every minute. Bravo. 
1059165
I honestly had to look up what that is. I have never played WoW. In fact, I positively hate all MMORPGs. Although I am curious what I could have possibly said to make you think I referenced something I've never heard of.
1059341
I'll keep shoving you down people's throats until they give you the attention you deserve
And I kinda had to do it here. Way more people are reading this than anything else I write, and Celestia forbid that people check my blog
I wrote out like two paragraphs on what I thought on this amazing story... Then I decided that words couldn't really do this fan-fiction justice. So have some emotes...
Manly Tears. I shed them. Fine job, Mate. I look forward to whatever wonderous bit of writing you can conjure up next.
Well I gotta say coming to this site has impressed me greatly.So far I've come across very well written works, but this just tops them all. I did not cry but I honestly did get something in my eyes. I could blame my contacts for acting up again, but I knew what it really was. Rarity's death and legacy was truly heart touching. She was perhaps my least favorite character up until this point, and now that I've seen her in such a serious and well written light I think I've started to warm up to her. Its truly amazing how well in character everyone was. This story showed tragedy, laughter, and most importantly friendship. I think you caught the element of friendship in here quite nicely, and wrote it in such a beautiful way to. Congratulations on such a masterpiece. I hope someday in the future, hopefully the near, you'll be able to come up with something just as heart touching and well written.
Quavera_Tava
1061719
That's high praise. Thank you. I don't know how much touching and heartstring pulling I'll be doing in the future, but for the moment I won't be doing anything quite on the same level as this. There's a one-shot I have just waiting on a cover where AJ dies, but it's not nearly as happy as this (and no that's not a spoiler, since it happens at the beginning)
Rarity was definitely my least favorite character too, but the fandom has changed my perspective on her. The fandom depicts her so different from the show, and brings out her positive qualities that aren't showcased much. She didn't really do much within this story, but generosity was definitely present
1059383
"The Group Formerly Known as the Cutie Mark Crusaders"
1062988
Oh, that was supposed to be a reference to Prince, when he changed his name to an unpronounceable symbol and was referred to as 'The Artist Formerly Known as Prince'
1063251
Ah. Makes sense.
what pretty much everyone who read this reaction
1068807 also i forgot to add:
That was good.
1068807
Allons-y!!!
I mean.... Thanks!
i have been holding off of reading these last few chapters for a while now because the feels are just so powerful in this piece but in the end i finished it and it was perfect one of the greatest stories i have read. now that i am done i have to go and lay down for a bit and think
1079411
Don't think too hard. You'll hurt yourself
But yeah, if it makes people think, then I'm happy with how it turned out.
When I find writer's like you I feel deep enlightenment and wish to become like you. My dream is to be a writer (which will takes years and some luck), but my writing isn't the greatest, for I have to read more but also I fear I may never become adequate and bring forth emotions or fantasy that you did.
I envy and admire... I love and hate and ultimately I gain a once-in-a-while experience that most other's people don't tend to give you (whether story, movie or games). If there was anything that got my heartstrings it would be Terry Brooks or Ryukishi07 work.
To make people feel is to make a universe... a fanfic you are given such a universe and character already made... if you can do that with those resources, how can you not make a whole 'original' universe of your own? To make a character means to make a village... for people aren't as black and white. To write good, to make a world, to make characters...
:) I hope to reach your height... To give an emotional connection to writers. To actaully be good at it. Even fantasy must have a realistic state of mind...
But for now I'mma an old noob (in writting ff... haven't wrote any Ponyfics yet).
1102917
Thank you kindly. The tears of bronies sustains my suspended animation state.
1105607>>1105668>>1105774>>1105865
Oh, wow. Um, thanks? That's a lot of praise, and I try to not let it get to my head, but it's hard not to acknowledge.
Yeah, music is a major influence to most things I do, as plugging into my headphones is pretty much the extent of my method lol. No specific songs other than the two mentioned, but definitely some influence from the overall feeling of several albums.
This is going to be put at the top of my Favourite FimFic list that i keep in my brain
.............and done.
I loved evrything about this story and i may indeed read it again if i ever feel the urge to.
Is it weird that before you posted that one blog entry, I thought you were a pegasister?
1164185
Didn't I send you a sample of my voice for your project? I don't know many pegasisters who sound like Barry White...
1164215
Wasn't that after the blog post?
Idunno, I thought I remembered knowing you were a guy before that...
eh
Okay finished. i cried! Why Rarity? Why?!
So well structured, I just....the feelings......why do you revel in the creation of tears? Do you consume them? YOU MONSTER!!!
This one's been sitting on my backlog for a while, and I finally got around to reading it.
Thanks for writing this!
manly tears were shed, this is probably the best story ever and i will take a lesson from it. magic is in all of us, never forget who you are , and that every thing happens to either help you or help you understand. thank you good sir this master piece has made my day and made me think never take any thing for granted.
Ahhhh buck.
I tried too hard to hold back tears as I was reading this, especially in the later chapters.
If I had a good night's sleep before I read this, I might've cried after all. But, sleeplessness dried my eyes.
Your story... Yes. It was sad. Why not? But, even so, at least it taught its readers something... And being the dense being that I am, I still can't see it. I was too busy holding back tears. Haha...
I loved this story. Masterful. Beautiful. A masterpiece. I applaud you.
And now, I think I'll cry.
Oh, dear sweet Celestia, that epilogue...
T'was beautiful.