Despite all that Blanche told her, the wounds of losing both her life and her friends were still too fresh to allow it all to sink in at once. Fluttershy wanted nothing more than to be able to refute everything he’d told her, as much sense as it all made. ‘Living without being alive’ was a concept that was just too foreign for her.

And so she continued to drift around Equestria with neither purpose nor room in her heart for anything but sadness. She saw the weak, the outcast, the broken and destitute; she saw ponies of every stripe off to the Ever. Some were awful to her, others accepting, and there were even a few more cases of older ponies that’d been waiting for her a long time.

In her eyes, they essentially all bled together into an uncomfortable mass. But a year passed, then another, and another, and Fluttershy began to slowly believe that Blanche was right. She wasn’t near ready enough to simply accept what he’d told her, but for every death she caused, she saw two foals being born. She saw flowers sprouting, parties and celebrations passing by. She began to wonder if maybe it wasn’t so bad after all.

But it seemed things weren’t going to get easy for Fluttershy just yet.

It was three years after Blanche’s talk with Fluttershy, and the day was nondescript. Quiet, warm—most ponies were inside to try and escape the thick summer heat. The sounds of Pinkie’s laughter wafted from inside Sugarcube Corner, but it was otherwise almost completely silent.

Fluttershy was out on a call to a neighboring town, one only a few hours away from Ponyville. The pony to be reaped was named Cold Shoulder, known more for being aloof and brusque than anything. And indeed, when Fluttershy showed up to escort the old pony to the Ever, Cold Shoulder barely gave her the time of day.

But all the same, he went relatively quietly. In fact, to Fluttershy, he’d seemed remarkably impatient—not relieved to see her, like other older ponies, but rather upset that she hadn’t arrived sooner.

After Cold was sent off to the Ever, Fluttershy decided to take a walk back through the forest separating the town from Ponyville—she often liked to walk back from her destinations as a way of catching her breath and compartmentalizing the experience with all the others she’d had in her seven years as Death.

The birds around her chirped, and the animals chittered softly in the background—the sound calmed Fluttershy, made her feel more at home. Once or twice, she even stopped on the forest road to stare up at the canopy of trees above, watching the leaves slide along in the breeze as they left the branches.

It was during one of these pauses that Blanche surprised her.

“Fluttershy,” he said, “I see you’re taking your time, hmm? That’s good.” He smiled. “It’s nice to take a break from it all every now and again, isn’t it?”

The pegasus nodded. “Yes it is. Sometimes it’s so hard, seeing these poor ponies get hurt, try to tell me to leave when I arrive…” Her voice grew quiet. “Especially the little ones…”

Blanche sighed. “I know how you feel,” he said, “and I know that you’re still not exactly buddy-buddy with me, so I’ll try to keep this brief. I’m not here with good news, Fluttershy.”

Fluttershy’s eyes widened. “W-what?” she responded, “Bad news? But…what could have happened?”

Blanche paused. “Fluttershy…It’s Rainbow Dash.”

The entire world fell away around Fluttershy.

“Rainbow Dash?” she stammered, “But…she’s not even very old! What could’ve…oh no, no please…please Blanche, don’t tell me she…”

“She was flying around in her practice field, trying to get a certain move down, when her left wing locked up. I guess she just…” Blanche closed his eyes. “I think she worked it too hard. She spun into the ground and the crash…” He stopped, seeing tears welling up in Fluttershy’s eyes.

“Blanche…” Fluttershy squeaked, “Please…please tell me you’re joking. Please. Dash would never let that happen to herself.”

Blanche shook his head. “Fluttershy, she hurt her wing a long time ago. I know you remember. She’s worked herself too hard before. This time she just wasn’t as—”

“Stop.” Fluttershy voice was pleading. “Just stop. Please. I know. I don’t want to hear any more.” She took a shuddering sigh, her hair covering her eyes. “Do I have to take her?” she asked, “I don’t…I can’t…I can’t do that, Blanche.”

“Fluttershy, you have to,” he said. “There’s no other option. I can’t just put the cloak back on and take her for you. Besides, maybe it’ll take some of the sting out of it if you do it.”

Fluttershy shook her head. “What happens if I won’t do it?” she asked. “What if I can’t…?”

Blanche looked at a loss. “I…She…” He sighed, spitting it all out at once. “Fluttershy, she’ll sit there and continue to be in pain forever. If she gets found, then she’ll be taken to the hospital, where she’ll stay in pain because the doctors won’t be able to fix her. At this point...by this point the most merciful thing you can do for her is send her to the Ever. But you’re Death,” he concluded, starting to rise back towards the Ever, “it’s your decision, not mine.”

Fluttershy just sat there, unable to know what she should do. Finally, as though thinking by themselves, her wings carried her off the ground and towards Dash’s practice field.

The sight there was worse than she expected.

As she touched down near the still form of Rainbow Dash, the only sound in the air was pained grunting—Dash’s hoof was broken and resting across the remains of her wings. The feathers were ripped apart, all the way down to the pinfeathers, and the brittle bones were wrecked. Fluttershy tried to be strong, but tears were already pouring down her face.

Hearing the noise, Dash’s head turned around weakly—her hair was in tatters and her eye was bruised. “Who is that?” she croaked, “I’m hurt…”

Fluttershy walked forward despite the leaden feeling in her legs, but couldn’t bring herself to say anything.

Dash’s good eye went wide once Fluttershy got closer. “Fluttershy…?” she said breathlessly. “Is that you?” Her face flooded with relief, but soon changed to something more venomous. “You made it back…thought you weren’t ever gonna.” Her eyes were full of hurt.

“Dash…” Fluttershy managed, “I…”

Rainbow Dash choked down a sob. “You what?” she spat. “You’re sorry? You left for seven years, Fluttershy! You can’t just come back and say that you’re sorry and make it all better!” Her teeth were gritted, and a few tears leaked from her eyes. “What’re you even doing back here?”

When Fluttershy told Dash, everything seemed to stop. “That’s where you were?” she gasped. “That’s where you went?! Fluttershy, we were all…” She used her good hoof to slam the ground, forcing up a cloud of dust. “We were all worried sick over you, and you were Death!?”

“Dash, please…”

“Fluttershy, we thought you left us because something horrible happened! We thought you were in danger! You can’t…” She let out a strangled sob. “You can’t just come back…not now…not like this…”

“Dash…”

“No,” Dash said, “No, just don’t…just…ah…” She was starting to lose her voice. “Fluttershy, just…” She put her hooves over her eyes, trying to conceal her sobbing. “Not yet, okay!?” The air around them felt thick and heavy. “Not yet, not yet, not yet! Not now! I…” She slammed the ground again with her hoof, sobbing openly. “I’m not even a Wonderbolt yet!”

Fluttershy didn’t know what to say—she just put her hooves around Dash and held her, and Dash didn’t fight. They stayed like that for a long time, Dash quietly sobbing into Fluttershy’s hair.

Finally, Dash whispered, “I’m scared, Fluttershy. I can’t go yet. I’m not ready.”

Fluttershy could barely stop herself from starting to cry all over again. “I know, Rainbow,” she said, “I know.” She started to move her hoof forward, placing it against Dash’s belly. The blue pegasus tried to move a hoof in resistance, but couldn’t summon the energy.

“Fluttershy, no...” she whispered—the life was leaving her more quickly by the second.

But Fluttershy couldn’t stop now. “Dash…I have to…” she whimpered.

Dash opened her mouth to speak, but the words died on her lips. Instead, after a long pause, she closed her eyes, took a deep sigh and nodded. “I know,” she said. “I’m sorry. For yelling and at you and whatever.” She shook with effort as she forced her good hoof up, her spirit nearly halfway out of her by now, and hugged Fluttershy tightly. “I’m glad you came back. Don’t forget about me—I’ve got too much to say to you. So…goodbye.” As Dash ascended to the Ever, free of the broken form below, she spread her wings wide, pulling a final loop before she left Equestria.

Rainbow Dash never completely got over Fluttershy’s leaving. In such a short space of time, the wound couldn’t have been expected to heal. But she carried on, putting on a brave face around her friends, and put more and more time into her training, wanting to become a Wonderbolt—part of her hoped that, in achieving her childhood dream, she could draw Fluttershy back, or find her while traveling around. In truth, she never stopped saying goodbye to Fluttershy, always wishing she could’ve had the chance to say it more properly.

And in that moment, she finally got to.

The funeral was short, but depressing. A smattering of ponies, all dressed in black, gathered around a form they barely recognized to pay their respects. Her friends made tearful speeches, Fluttershy cried all over again, and when it was all over, everypony went home worse for the wear. They’d lost two friends, only seven years apart, and that was two too many.

But as time passed without any other tragedy, the other Elements, Fluttershy included, began to move on. The hole Rainbow Dash left could never be filled, but Twilight and the others carried on.

Much to Fluttershy’s surprise, ten years after Rainbow Dash passed on, thinking back on the incident didn’t make her feel the deep pain she’d felt then. Fluttershy felt that perhaps, as she grew and experienced, it became impossible to stay grounded in the past.

In that moment, she wondered if that was what it meant to move on. Not pulling oneself forward, but being pulled forward by time.

She began to see things a little differently. In her final moments, Dash was happy, that much she knew. Blanche’s story, his words, began to come more into focus as time passed and, with it, ponies.

From a distance, Fluttershy saw her friends at their strongest and at their weakest. She saw the things that happened on the periphery, like Big Mac and Cheerilee’s wedding, the smiles on their faces as they watched their colorful children play, their looks of bemusement as Applejack stepped into the role of “auntie” with gusto, making their farm-work fun, always helping keep them on the straight and narrow.

It wasn’t until thirty-four years later that “auntie” Applejack passed on.

Fluttershy was sitting alone, in her old backyard, with the familiar sound of birdsong in her ears when she decided to take a look at her list. Blanche had been by earlier that day to warn her that Applejack was beginning to fade out, so it didn’t come as a surprise when the earth pony’s name showed up on the list.

It had been a long time since Rainbow Dash’s death, more than enough time for Fluttershy to adjust to the inevitabilities of her position—enough time to reconsider what it meant to be Death. If nothing else, she could be sure that Applejack would be happy to see her.

Big Mac was outside with the children when Fluttershy arrived at the farmhouse. He was taking them around the farthest reaches of Sweet Apple Acres—two young mares and a colt carried on behind him, excited chattering about how much responsibility they were being given while Cheerilee shushed them, trying to let Big Mac get a word in edgewise. They were living quite a long time themselves, probably owing to the fact that, as they’d aged, they’d started to take it easy, whereas Applejack carried on as though she wasn’t any older.

Fluttershy smiled at the spectacle, but unfortunately, that wasn’t what she was there for. With a heavy heart, she slipped in through the front door of the farmhouse, trying to ignore what her purpose was.

Her steps on the stairs were silent, and she thought back to the past as she ascended—she’d been here only a few dozen years ago, when Granny Smith passed on. To think Applejack was going so early…but then, she was an earth pony, and Granny Smith’s longevity was an exception, not the rule.

With a sad look, Fluttershy pushed open the door to where Applejack lay in her bed.

“Who’s that?” Applejack asked, her voice still brazen and strong, despite her age and fragility. “Big Macintosh? Cheers? Need me to do something? I’ll get it done lickety-split, don’t you worry!” She started to rise, then grunted in pain and fell back onto her pillow. “Well, maybe not lickety-split…dang hip.”

Fluttershy took a deep breath and corrected the earth pony. “Applejack,” she called softly, “it’s me, Fluttershy. I’m here for—”

“Fluttershy?!” Applejack shouted. “Why didn’t ya say so, Fluttershy!” She turned to Fluttershy with a broad grin. “Heh, didja find the fountain of youth or something? You don’t look older at all! Come on in, come on in! I can’t around that well these days, what with my hip and all, but I can show you around! Did Big Mac introduce you to his kids? Good bunch of kids, they are.”

Fluttershy sighed and shook her head. “Applejack, I’m not here to visit…”

She explained what had happened all those years ago, starting with when she first left, to how she’d had to take Dash, and everything in between. It felt good to finally have the entire story out there.

“Land sakes…” Applejack whispered, stunned. “So all this time, that idea Twilight had about you bein’ Death was true? By Celestia, that’s the wildest thing I’ve ever heard…” She chuckled. “So…I guess that means you’re here to take me to the Ever, huh?”

Fluttershy felt like her heart was made of lead. “Yes,” she said, “I’m sorry.”

Applejack shook her head, picking up her hat from the ground beside her bed. “Ain’t nothing to be sorry about, sugarcube,” she said. “You gotta do what you gotta do, right?” The fading sun caught her hair through the window—wisps of blonde in a sea of grey.

Fluttershy sighed and took Applejack’s hoof. “You don’t really mean that, Applejack,” she said, shaking her head. “Well, you do, but…”

Applejack looked down and away. “I mean it, Fluttershy, but you’re right. I don’t think it’s my time, yet. Too much left to do here… Without me around, who’s gonna keep the farm running smoothly? Who’s gonna be there when ponies need somepony with an honest heart? Who’s gonna keep Rarity in line?” She chuckled. “No, Fluttershy, I ain’t ready. Ain’t there anything you can do?”

Fluttershy closed her eyes sadly, shaking her head. “No, Applejack. I’m sorry…if I could, I would.”

Applejack sighed. “I told you not to be sorry,” she said, “and besides, everypony’s gotta go sometime, right? I suppose if the Ever decides that it’s my time, well…” She looked out the window, her green eyes full of hurt. “I wish I could’ve stayed longer and helped out more, but I guess it’s just my time.”

Fluttershy had her eyes shut tight as she placed a hoof on Applejack’s belly, slowly drawing out her soul.

As she floated up to the ceiling, trademark hat in place, Applejack gave Fluttershy a parting nod.

Applejack lived her life on her own terms. She was hurt after Fluttershy left, more than she was willing to let on, but over time, those wounds faded until they didn’t hurt so badly anymore. Sure, there were nights she wondered whether she could’ve done more to keep Fluttershy around, and Rainbow’s far-too-soon death weighed heavily on her soul, but with her work to keep her busy and the passage of time, her strong will helped her shoulder those burdens and keep living.

After Big Mac and Cheerilee had their children, she dedicated a lot of time to being a doting aunt, making sure the children were focused on what they liked, making sure that Big Mac and Cheerilee got help and babysitting when they needed it, and seeing that the kids helped around the farm when they had the spare time. Alongside that, she continued helping the ponyfolk of Ponyville, with her foremost goal being her hard work and dedication. She always hoped that she’d leave her mark on the world, an example of what a pony should be.

And as the three offspring outside proved, she’d done just that.

After Applejack’s passing, Fluttershy’s view began to change further. Applejack’s death was regarded as her going out how she wanted, and leaving a legacy of hard work and passion. There was sadness, sure, but the event felt happier, somehow.

The pain faded more quickly for Fluttershy, this time. Remembering the good times with Applejack didn’t make her feel like her heart was dropping into her stomach—instead, all the sadness was replaced with fondness for those times. Rather than making her hollow, they made Fluttershy feel fuller than ever, almost alive.

She began to realize that she was wrong before. Moving on wasn’t about being pulled along by the currents of time. It was about the change to one’s memories, changing them from bitter memories of times she could never get back to wonderful things that were in the past now, with more wonderful things to come.

The mortality of her friends didn’t seem quite so daunting to Fluttershy anymore. She was starting to realize that a pony’s life story couldn’t be a story without an ending—the purpose of the story, she came to realize, was to make the ending worth it. And if any pony knew how to write a story without using words, it was Pinkie Pie.

Six years later, however, that story came to an end.

Pinkie passed on in the dead of winter, amid record-breaking snowfall. Fluttershy got the word while visiting the graves of her friends, a yearly tradition since Rainbow Dash’s death.

Pinkie had inherited Sugarcube Corner from the Cakes—neither of their children had become adept bakers, and so Pinkie was given the store after volunteering to take it over. The store, under her guidance and bright personality, flourished. She didn’t spend quite as much time with her friends, but she made whatever time she could for them.

Needless to say, she was ecstatic to see Fluttershy.

“Fluttershy!” she cried, sitting straight up in her bed, “Fluttershy, you’re back!” Despite her age, she zipped out of bed and embraced Fluttershy tightly, prompting the latter to smile and hug her old friend.

“Hello, Pinkie,” she said happily. “It’s nice to see you again, after all this time.”

Pinkie’s eyes lit up. “Remember, Fluttershy?” she cried. “Remember when you were gonna leave and I said ‘Nopony leaves forever, right?’ Remember?” She giggled—apparently age had barely slowed Pinkie down. “I totally knew you’d come back! That’s why I said that!” She tapped her head. “Pinkie Sense never lies!”

Fluttershy’s smile widened. “Yes, Pinkie, I’m back, but—”

Pinkie stopped her. “Wait, wait…” She giggled. “This is a guessing game, right? Um…well you don’t look older… You came to tell us all how to get young again, right? Or maybe you’re an alien Fluttershy or something!” She reached out and stretched Fluttershy’s face. “Hmm…aliens are stretchy, and you’re not stretchy, so that can’t be it…”

Fluttershy let out a giggle of her own, shaking her head. “No, Pinkie,” she said, her smile dropping a little. “I, um…”

After the explanation, Pinkie didn’t seem fazed. “Like Twilight said, right?” She clapped her hooves. “Oooh, she’s gonna be really happy to find out she was right! You know how Twilight loves being right! But…if you’re here…” She deflated a little. “Does that mean…?”

Fluttershy nodded sadly. “I’m sorry, Pinkie but it does mean that. I have to take you to the Ever.”

Pinkie nodded. “Gotcha, gotcha,” she said, as though she hadn’t even been listening, “Oh, hey, before you ‘take me’ and whatever, I have a big surprise for you!” She dashed down the stairs before Fluttershy could protest, and she was forced to follow.

In the main area of Sugarcube Corner, Pinkie sprung her surprise.

“Okay Fluttershy, are you ready?”

One quick nod and Pinkie tapped the counter, sending a pull-rope down from the ceiling. “I was saving this for when you got back, but…I guess you’re back enough!” She giggled. “Okay, here we go!” She yanked on the rope.

Fluttershy couldn’t believe it. So many years they’d been apart…and she’d had this ready that entire time? Her heart felt like it was going to explode.

A big banner dropped down from the ceiling with “WELCOME HOME, FLUTTERSHY!” written on it in huge, cartoony letters.

Fluttershy vaguely felt Pinkie’s embrace around her, rubbing at her wings. Her mouth was wide open in shock.

“Pinkie…you…” She gaped.

“Yep! I had this ready for you because I knew you’d come home! So…” She nuzzled Fluttershy’s head. “Welcome home, Fluttershy!”

With that, she let go and smiled. “Okay, okay, you can take me now!” She spread her hooves out wide around her with a wide grin, her pose reminiscent of a cheerleader.

Fluttershy took a moment, wanting to cry but knowing that if she did, she’d ruin Pinkie’s happiness. So she put on a gentle smile and placed her hoof squarely on the pink pony’s belly, starting to draw out her soul.

“Oooh, ha, hahahahaha!” Pinkie squirmed and laughed, “That tickles! Heheh—Oh, Fluttershy—heeheehee—make sure you come and find me in the Ever! I gotta give you a proper—hehe—party!”

As Pinkie’s soul rose to the ceiling, she did a spin in the air, experimenting with her newfound freedom.

Pinkie Pie, though she never married nor bore foals, lived a life most ponies would have been jealous of. She ate candy every day, partied constantly, had tons of friends, and never let anything get her down for long. Her parties made her a minor celebrity throughout Equestria, and she was even called on to plan a few of the Grand Galloping Galas. Throughout it all, she maintained her sense of “Pinkieness,” as she called it. Smiling, cheerful and an ever-present source of joy to those around her, Pinkie Pie remained a beacon of happiness even after she passed.

After Fluttershy left and Rainbow Dash died, Pinkie hit a rather nasty skid of depression, but like anything else, with a little support from her friends, she was able to bounce back and regain her status as Ponyville’s number-one party animal. Despite the Sugarcube’s success, in spite of her notoriety and in spite of her age, Pinkie kept only two goals in mind throughout her life: spread happiness through Equestria and make lots of friends.

And with all of Ponyville at her funeral, it was safe to say she'd accomplished both.