And cling onto me?
There was a place between heaven and earth. It was a place where time had no meaning. A place where anything was possible, and nothing was real. Colors came and went, ever changing with the flow. Shapes formed among the colors, only to be briefly glimpsed by the eye before vanishing.
Some mortal minds would call this place the 'landscape of dreams.' And that was somewhat true. Ponies's minds would escape to the very gates of the place, seeing what the landscape chose for them to see. All them were drawn to it for their true selves belonged there. But they couldn't remember that.
Not until it was time to come home. Until then, they were guided through life by the souls who had already passed on. Most often they were able to see the advice, and act upon it accordingly. But there were times that they blinded themselves, and trapped themselves. It was up to the demigoddess below in the reality that they created to save them.
The two demigoddess simply existed to give the tiny beings down there the ability to live out life in the way that the half real, half not real beings chose. They were too logical to make a mistake. They were too imaginative to make it boring. The beings had many, many names. Keepers of time, gods and goddess of the universe, immortal guardians, things like that.
All the beings that lived in that place could understand was that they had a purpose. Leading pony after pony throughout life, and into the afterlife where they rested for eternity. That was all. Many beings had a certain way of accomplishing that factor. Each way had a danger and a blessing unique to it alone. Both worked, for good and evil. But out of all of them, were a king and queen. They sat upon what passed for thrones, and were the final voices in the choices made. Each soul encountered them, for each soul was made by them. The queen had the form of a young mare.
Long mane and tail that shone like the sun, a coat that gleamed like the moon. Eyes that sparkled like the stars. Her gown was made from what seemed to be silk, yet the cloth moved all by itself. She was kind, beautiful, and a little naive. Her most common name that the ponies given her was Life.
Life was essence that filled pony souls with light and energy. She held a harp in one hoof, playing it now and again. When she did play it, a smile would slowly etch itself onto the cold lips of her companion. She was the hidden melody behind every heart. She was the most readily given essence, and the most easily taken away.
She was the most loved. The king had the form of a middle aged colt clothed in black. Long, white mane like the strings of time flowed down his back. His tail was white white as well, and flowed onto what passed for the floor. Eyes that saw the essence of life in everything, and the essence of shadow that hung over his companion called Life.
A staff with strips of black ribbons hung in his hoof. Now and again he would twirl it around in his hoof while clutching the hoof of Life. And she would sigh. He was everything and nothing at the same time. His most common name given to by ponies was Death.
He was the one thing that came for everything no matter how long that visit was due. He was the most feared. For he was the essence that took pony souls away into the place where time had no meaning…
A time came to be where Life turned to Death with a question on her fair lips. “Death, I was wondering about something.”
Death's seemingly unfocused eyes remained on whatever they were gazing at. Yet one pony ear flickered at Life's direction. “...Yes, what is it?” Life plucked at her dress, slightly afraid to ask a seemingly unimportant question. But she asked.
“I…was thinking about the ponies. That we look after. They act a little odd to me. Death…why do ponies fear you, but cling onto me?” Life had not been looking at Death as she had asked the question, but after she asked it and no reply was given, she glanced at her companion from under her mane.
Death was not looking at her. He was simply picking at the folds of his robe with his hoof. Life gave a very soft sigh and looked away. It had been a rather silly question. But it was one that she had been thinking about for a while now. Her companion that she had been with since the beginning of time itself, the one who answered her questions about the way of things, the one who shrouded ponies in eternal rest was the most feared.
He was never wanted or wished for. If ponies ever wished for him, it was after all other gates had been closed. Why was that? She couldn't figure it out, no matter how hard she tried. But maybe she should already know the answer?
A hoof gently grasped the bottom of her chin, and turned her head toward the owner. Life gazed at Death, who gazed at her back. Slowly, softly he stroked her chin with his hoof, enjoying the feel of her soft warm coat underneath his cold hoof. Life felt a slow blush come to her cheeks. “Why do they fear me?”
He asked, his voice a usual monotone. “Why do they love you? Who gives them light and hope? Who fills them with passion and dreams? Who is the one who grows with a pony?
Gets to know them, and much as they get to know you? My dear, you are kind, beautiful, loving, and a giver of hope.” Death's hoof turned to her cheek, where he smoothed her fur of her coat. “But you are short, and brief. You are cruel and careless.
It doesn't matter whether this pony has riches and fame, this one gets hardships and toil. You are the trial maker, you push and push hard. And what their reward? What is their final rest in the end?” Life didn't answer.
This question was easy. She touched a soft hoof to his pale, cold cheek. His eyes never wavered from her face as she leaned closer. “You.” She breathed.
His staff slid to his elbow as he lifted his hoof to touch hers on his cheek. They remained like that for several minutes. “Me. The one who they have only heard of. Seen of only when their loved ones disappeared in my embrace.
No matter how cruel you may seem, they still fear me. But no matter how much they fear me, when the times comes, I welcome them with open arms as if we where old friends…I welcome them all. Young foal and filly that has never left their mother's womb. Ancient god that has stood the test of time.
I come for all. All come with me. Even…” Here he stopped as if to pause for breath. But there was a very barely noticeable hitch in his voice as his hoof caressed her mane.
“Even you, my dear will one day become lost in my embrace.” Life's eyes grew wide. Her mouth went dry. She…would die as well one day? To leave her companion alone in the expanse of the place.
To not be there when he was angry and needed her to stroke his mane with her hooves? To not be there when he was sad, and needed her to sing and play her harp? To not be there when he was joyful, and rejoice with him? A tear that held all her sad emotions slid from her eye down her cheek. An embarrassed blush covered her cheeks as it slid.
She shouldn't really be sad, right? “I will go as, as well?” She asked, a trifle too anxiously. Death leaned closer, his presence soothing her. A hoof brushed her tear away with gentlest of touches.
“Be at peace, my lovely companion. For who ever said, that when the day comes that you leave this universe that I would not accompany you?” Life's breath came in slightly faster than it should have. “Oh, really?” Death stared into her eyes that held so much hope, and love.
She stared into the nearly emotionless pools of his eyes. Nearly. For deep within, was a spark that danced. Of what that spark contained, she did not know. “I guide all souls into the afterlife.
I shall go with you as well. And I shall stay with you, as I will not have the need to return. For who is to say.” Here he was so close that she could feel the warmth of his breath on her cheeks. “That the universe will not replace us with something for the ponies when we are gone?
They will be fine. You...shall…be…fine…”
As he spoke each word, he leaned closer, so that when the final word was spoken, he was only a hair's breath away from her lips. Life's eyes were tearing up, but she went ahead and leaned toward Death. Slowly, ever so slowly, she placed her lips onto his. For how long they held each other's lips in such a passionate embrace was not known to Life and Death. Only that when they broke apart, a feeling of love was stirring in each of their chests.
“Play for me, Life.” Death whispered, his voice husky with emotion as he placed a soft kiss onto her brow. “Play your harp for me...” And as the shapes and colors of the place moved and changed, so did the notes of Life's harp.