"See you later Dashie!" I wave to her, my parents smiling at the two of us. The light envelopes me. No longer was the darkness plaguing me. No longer did I have to feel pain and suffering again. No longer was there sadness or grief. This was paradise.

'BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEPP'

-----------------------

The image of Dashie smiling up at me was slowly being engulfed in in a vast field of intense light as I moved up into a large....something. It seemed like a portal or something, but I couldn't exactly make it out as it was emitting an unimaginable amount of light and energy. I looked back to see Dashie but she had been completely blocked out. All of a sudden I felt an extremely powerful wave of disorientation, kind of like a massive weight being pressed down on my entire body.

"Mom..." "Shhhhh, its okay honey" She interrupted, "Everything will be just fine." The waves seemed to increase as I approached that portal thing. 'I am going to die, aren't I?' I thought. 'Oh my God,what about my little Dashie? How will she...'

My thought was cut off as the light from the portal touched me. It penetrated deep into my soul and suddenly I knew everything would be all right. But it was too soon, I needed to do something very important first.

I reached deep inside myself, concentrating harder than I ever have before. I really needed to do this. It took an immense amount of willpower. I was already really weak and disoriented but I somehow pulled it off.

Suddenly I blacked out from where I was and shifted to a new location, though not being so new. This was my hospital bed in Ponyville. I was lying in the hospital bed, and I could feel something warm against me. It was Dashie! She must have fell asleep next to me. That's why she was in my nightmare. I couldn't move, talk, or open my eyes, but so very faintly, I could hear my heart monitor start to deteriorate. Damn it, I was about to flat-line. I heard all of Dashie and I's friends start to notice the change in pace with the beeping. They started to react. "Oh no!" "We need to get help, NOW!" Even Princess Celestia was starting to worry, deeply by the sounds of things.

I reached inside myself once more as I gathered up every bit of strength and willpower I could for one final effort. At this point, I was extremely weak, finding it hard to focus. I was, after all, a few seconds from dying. But somehow the sulks and worries of the ponies near my bed reminded me of how much I was loved. I needed to do this. I felt a large rush of strength that ended up triumphant. I did it.

Cutting it close, I uttered a full-hearted and meaningful smile from my tombstoned face, as a final and affectionate goodbye to Equestria, to Ponyville, to all of my loving friends, but most of all, and primarily, to the pony I cherished and loved, the one who changed my life and patched up all of the bruises in my heart, the one who I raised as my own daughter and gave me happiness, my sweet little Dashie, forever and always. I felt a small tear run down the side of my face.

Suddenly, I herd a solid 'BEEP' from my heart monitor.

'Goodbye, my little Dashie' I thought quietly to myself.

The large beep quickly turned off as I snapped back to where I was before. 'Transcending' into this large portal. At the same time that weakness and disorientation lifted off me with pleasurable relief. I'm pretty sure I just died.

I finally entered the portal. It was beautiful. The energy emanating from the corridor inside the portal seemed to penetrate into into my soul and fill me with love and harmony. The feeling was indescribable. I began to see the end of the portal nearing.

I exited out the other side in the most breathtakingly incredible place I've ever seen.... or even imagined. I was in a paradise of of godly light and harmony with an ambient energy flowing threw it and penetrating my soul. My parents smiled at me and pointed towards a giant gate, about 15 meters high. My pleasure only increased as we closed in on this enchanting gate. They were irradiating with liveliness and energy. They were made out of clouds... or gold.... or something. But they amazed me. I stopped in front of the gate and allowed its energy to pierce into me for a bit. Shortly after my parents grabbed the two handles on the door. I could feel the energy on the other side trying to smash threw and engulf me.

My father spoke. "Well son, welcome to your new home." He looked at my mom, who looked back, and nodded. They pulled the doors open and what I was seeing and feeling was unlike anything. The energy exploded threw the door and pulsated threw every part of my mind, body, and soul at tenfold. I uncontrollably gasped and my body tightened up. what I was feeling at that moment was indescribable in every way. I looked out to see the most amazing thing ever.

"Mom..... This place....." I was mind boggled. "It is called Equilibria, my dear." She said back quickly.

I stepped out of the gate and noticed that we were on a rock platform sticking out the side of a very tall mountain. The view of 'Equilibria' was incredible. I saw fields, forests, lakes, springs, mountain ranges, I even saw small towns much like Ponyville in the distance. There were dragons flying in the orange plastered sky, flying from mountain to mountain. The sun was setting far in the west. It was.... the most beautiful setting I've ever seen.

A tear formed in my eye. My parents must have saw it and they gave me a hug, knowing what I was thinking. The hug broke with my mother still holding on to my shoulders. "You mustn't worry about her feelings too much, Brian. She will continue to live. The note that you left will tell her that." She was right. Dashie would take comfort in that note. But she was also wrong. I know my daughter. Dashie would be broken without knowing that I was still well and thinking about her.

Wait a second..... How did they know that I left a note for Dashie before I passed?

"How did you find out about the note?"

"Deep in the heart of Equilibria, near the capital city palace of Clairmont, there is an ancient shrine. A temple that allows, with the permission of the king or queen, to interact with Equestria. We can see what is going on in Equestria inside the shrine, we can even do things like change the weather, help ponies in need, or even make a physical appearance. Physical appearances are rarely granted by the king and queen though. It has something to do with the natural flow of Equilibrium in both our realms. Too much interference in Equestria could destroy the balance and cause a lot of trouble."

I simply let out a very dumbfounded "hmmmm...." And continued to admire the amazing view. "When is it coming?" My father said, breaking the silence.

My mother shrugged. "He should be here soon." Now I was confused. I just looked at them with the dumbest face ever. 'what?' I was thinking. Right than a large red dragon slammed onto the rock platform from above. It stood up on its hind legs and roared very loud. By this time I was on my ass. "Finally." My dad said. I just continued to glance back and fourth at my parents and the dragon, still knocked on my hind end. "Wha... Bu... I..." I couldn't even get any words out.

My parents mounted themselves on the back of the red dragon quickly. I just stared at them in complete awe and confusion. What the hell was going on? My father lifted his eyebrow at me.

"Well? You commin' lad?"

End of Chapter 1