Lives are like candles: they come short, tall, fat, and slim, and sometimes they come with two or more wicks, but there is only one body. Once lit they can burn slow and dim, or fast and bright. Some would say that Humanity's brightest flames in history burned the briefest: Alexander the Great, Joan of Arc, Amelia Airheart, Jesus, King Arthur, and so many others from various backgrounds and cultures that came, inspired people of all ages be someone that others could also look up to and say “This person did something that will be remembered forever.” These people are long gone now, but not forgotten.

Others are not so renown: friends, neighbors, relatives...though they are a guiding light to but a handful of people, they are often more treasured than those that make their way into history books, because they are more tangible- we've known them in person and knew them to be more than a chapter in a book. They had hopes, dreams, fears, loves, determination and of course, they gave us a sense of belonging that a biography in a book or movie can never provide. That is how I feel about six equine friends that stood by my side as we tried to bring peace to their world. We succeeded, but now my candle burns on by itself long after theirs went out.

My name is Jacob Pharaoh Lighthand the Ninth, and this the story of how I found that though a candle might go out, that does not mean that the flame is truly gone.

MLP: The Necro Walk

Chapter 1

That dream again. Always on the first day of the month, that dream comes again. I thought as I came awake and stared at the ceiling. I rubbed the sleepiness out of my eyes while I waited for the rest of my body to wake up, still staring at the ceiling. It was a dream of a future that I suspected that might have happened if the battle had gone differently against the Dragon race all those years ago, and always at the end of it I saw Twilight, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy stand in a line and grow from their young and strong selves into how they'd looked as time went by until they stood before me as skeletons with a ghostly image covering their bones, looking at me sadly and telling me that there was nothing that I could have done to stop the progression of time. That I should not blame myself for what happened naturally: my lifespan not ending along with theirs. Then their image would fade and the bones would turn to a fine dust that would be blown away in the wind. I would see myself run towards them with tears in my eyes and an anguished wail issuing from my mouth, trying to catch some remnant of my old (and now) deceased friends, but would be unable to catch even so much as a single mote of dust. I would then sink to the ground weeping, and an old woman that I did not recognize would appear and come to me, putting a hand on my shoulder. She would tell me that such was the fate of those longer-lived; to watch their friends of shorter life-span to march on throughout the ages and carry their memories with them. I would not respond and she would step around to my front and crouch down and dangle a pair of dog tags in front of me with an image of two dice engraved on it instead of a name and offer me a job to fill the hole that the loneliness ate into my heart, but again I would not answer and she'd sigh and stand up again and leave me.

This was the thirty-sixth time that I'd had the dream, meaning that I'd been having that same dream over and over for three years. I think next time I'll say yes and see what happens. Who knows? Maybe the dreams will stop reminding me of my pain. I thought as I pulled the covers off my body and turned to one side. I looked at my aged body. When I had first come to Mythica, I was twenty three, and most of those six friends had been a little over ten. I was nearly sixty now and the last one of them to leave me behind in life died when I was fifty two.

My face was blank as I got dressed and picked up my staff. Its color had faded as time and use wore it out, but according to Celestia, whom I'd asked to tell me how much 'life' it had left in it the staff should still serve me for another year or two for how often I used it provided that I did not get into a large confrontation. This was not a good thing because other than her uncle Thanatos' horn that was now in the royal crypt (which I would never ask her for), the only other Alicorn horn we had I had given to Trixie for her to use for a staff of her own should she ever choose to make one, which she eventually did. Trixie was a celebrity in the world of magic-users, and was now teaching both Humans and Unicorns in using magic.

Wait, let me back-track a bit. In my previous journal I wrote that I had tried my best to keep secret that it was Unicorn and Alicorn horns that allowed Humans to use magic, and for another two years that stayed a secret, but then during a hunting trip for Zombie enthusiasts in Everfree forest one of the Bloody Hooves that were killed was a Unicorn. The Human that killed it took the horn as a souvenir and upon touching the horn and jokingly trying to perform magic she discovered that this was how I was able to use magic. With this information Earth's studies on magic exploded in popularity and those studying it began asking Celestia for permission to plunder graves for the purpose of studying if the horn's effects could be replicated artificially. At first Ceelstia was against it, but Luna, being rather fond of my race (it helped that I was her student, and she did not want her subjects being harassed) convinced her to allow some to be taken to Earth if families would donate them. Several families agreed and within ten years Humanity had found a way to create a (often faulty) substitute for Unicorn horns and everyone that could afford them were buying them by the bundle. Once more, as in times of old sorcery was spreading across the Earth, and not long after most governments were making it their priority to find a method of replacing Nuclear power with magic as a source of energy. I never took much interest in it due to me living on Mythica rather than on Earth, which was much simpler.

I headed for the tray of breakfast that was waiting on my writing desk and ate it. An apple (Sweet Apple Acres. Applebloom's kids ran it now), some fresh grape juice, and scrambled eggs. When I was done I left a note by the tray complimenting the one that had prepared it and headed out of what had once been my guest room and was now my official bedroom. Celestia and Luna had both on several occasions offered me other rooms and even once my own house in Canterlot proper, but the house was too large and kept out noise so well it made me feel like I was the only being on the planet, and the other rooms were too plush for my liking. The Pony Nobles thought me odd for never wanting anything in the room changed, but eventually figured that it was 'a Human thing' and let it go and stopped giving me weird looks (for that, anyway).

I passed several servants and one short centaur before eventually reaching the stained glass 'Hall of Legends' where Spike already stood. Once a year he and myself would meet there and talk about the good times we'd had with the girls and share one another's company for an hour or two. We'd talk about how life was going, trivial matters like style of clothing and new neighbors, and then we'd have a short lunch and he'd go home and I'd go back to my daily life. This must be harder for Spike than it is for me. I thought as I pushed open the door that would allow me entrance. He knew Twilight since the day he hatched and was even raised by her, and being a Dragon, chances are he'll outlive me too. I couldn't help but feel sorry for the guy.

“Hey Spike!” I called to him from the other side of the room. He looked to his right away from the blue-background stained glass window at me and waved with one clawed hand. “Good to see you!” I meant it, too. Although we visited one another occasionally, I had not seen him since Winter Wrap-up, and it was nearing Autumn now. I crossed the room to him and we shook hands, my warm flesh on his cold scales. I turned to see the stained glass image of Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Twilight Sparkle using the Elements of Harmony against Nightmare Moon. A small smile touched my lips briefly, and I reached out a hand to the window and dragged my fingers from one to the next, starting with Rainbow Dash, the first of the six that I'd encountered in this world (even if I had not been awake for it).

“She probably saved my life, Rainbow did.” I said to no one. Spike already knew the story well. Twilight had told it to him, as had Rainbow Dash herself many times over the years. “If she had left me out there, Drahngov would have killed me when he arrived on-site, and then who knows what might have happened?” I sighed and neither of us said nothing for a few minutes. Finally, Spike broke the silence.

“Jacob, what's wrong? You seem more depressed about them than usual.” Spike held a long box under one arm, but for the moment I mostly ignored it and answered his question by telling him about the repeating dream I'd woken up from. “Ah. I see. Every month?” He asked.

“Every month.” I confirmed. “My people have a name for that that soldiers use. 'Survivor's Guilt'. Do you ever see them in your dreams?” He nodded.

“I've never had something so vivid, but I do dream of them. Usually it's watching Rainbow Dash perform a Sonic Rainboom or helping Twilight reorganize the old library, or maybe helping Rarity dig for gemstones, but yeah, I dream of them. Oh, that reminds me,” he said, reaching for the box under his arm. He extended it out to me and removed the lid. Inside shone two Unicorn horns, one purple and the other white. I knew whom they had been taken from instantly, having seen them many, many times. I stared first at the horns in disbelief, and then at Spike, feeling sick.

“They told me to give these to you after they were gone.” Spike said, sounding a bit upset as well. “You know, so that in a way, you'd still carry a part of them with you.” I stared at the colored, polished spiral-grooved horns again and felt my throat tighten. Not wanting to look at them any longer I turned away and faced the window, once more looking at the horns' former owners, Rarity and Twilight. I reached a hand up again and caressed what would have been the side of their faces. Fresh sorrow welled up within me and my knees felt weak. I knew that their gesture was meant to be comforting, but this was like being handed the ashes of your favorite grandparent: how could it be comforting? I sank to my knees and allowed myself to cry, which was something that I'd always done in private before.

“I don't want their horns, Spike! I want them! I want those two, no, all of them, to be standing here with me seeing what our two worlds uniting has brought!” I sucked in a fresh breath, sorrow changing to anger and resentment towards myself, and when my eyes fell on it, my staff. “Damnit! What is the point of having magic when you can't even preserve the lives of those you care about?!” I said between gritted teeth. I stood to my feet and with a yell threw my staff across the room back towards the door I'd come in through. It bounced across the tiling, clattering and clacking until it lost enough momentum to be reduced to a roll. I watched it eventually roll to a stop against the front hooves of my instructor, princess Luna, whom neither myself nor Spike had heard come in. She looked down at my staff, and then up again at us. Her face was understanding, with a touch of pity. Ignoring my thrown staff she walked over to where I watched her from my knees and extended one of her wings and placed it on my back.

“Everything has their time, Jacob Lighthand. One day, even I and my sister shall pass beyond this world. It will not be for many milenia, but our time will eventually come as well. We have to accept this as a part of life, otherwise we shall go mad. To try and fight it only goes against the laws of nature.” I snorted and smiled without humor.

“It would not be the first time my people have done such a thing.” After all, we split an Atom, a building block of all things of creation made from matter, and made a weapon out of it. If that's not going against the laws of nature, I don't know what is. And what about survival of the fittest as a law? Humanity isn't particularly strong, we have no fangs, no claws, no wings, very little body hair for protection against the harsher environments, and yet we survived for thousands of years against predators that could kill us with almost no effort. Our very existence is a defiance of the laws of nature! I looked at Luna and thanked her for her sympathy, though now in her eyes there was a new kind of concern. Apparently my statement about going against nature worried her. I turned to Spike and thanked him for bringing the horns but I repeated that I didn't want them. I told him to bury them. Spike gave me an angry look and said that if I did not take them that I'd be insulting their memory. Seeing no way out of it I accepted them and held the box close to my body so there'd be no risk of dropping it and then went to the door to retrieve my staff.

The three of us talked for awhile longer, but eventually I excused myself and headed back to my room. Maybe Spike's right. If they really wanted me to have these and they gave them to me out of a desire to help me even in death, then I would be insulting them by simply burying them somewhere. But... I did not want to make a wand from them. It just didn't feel right.

After getting back to my room I set the box on my writing desk and returned to editing the story that I'd written about my 'adventures' in Equestria. I had already written as much as I could recall into what had once been Zandar's journal, but as time went by some of it that I had forgotten before would occasionally come back to me and I'd add more in. I didn't trust historians to get it all right on their own, so I took care to record as much as I could while I was still able as well as to add into it today's date and the events that had transpired.

When lunchtime came I went to the mess hall and grabbed some potato salad (One of the things that Equestria got out of the reuniting of our worlds were many, many recipes.). While I ate my mind wandered and flitted through various titles of books that I'd read in Twilight's library- well, not hers anymore...- and of the stories I'd heard from guards, Pony-archeologists, and the Zebras, who were an endless river of oral history. I smiled recalling the detailed stories that some of the Zebra had told. Thunderhoof and the thirty-lion pack! No-Stripe the long grass field phantom! The Twisting of Everfree! A smile came to my face again as I recalled the smooth and entrancing voice of Zecora the medicine Zebra echoed in my mind, mental images of the happenings in the stories.

Thunderhoof's herd had been raided by a large pack of lions for generations until finally he, as the leader of his herd, went alone to fight them. His challenge to the lion's Alpha male, a few images of them clashing followed by his victory! I felt the familiar feeling of glee at his triumph run through me briefly as I always did when I reflected on Zecora's stories. Even after she's gone she's still with me. As are they all.

No-Stripe had been a Pony from Equestria that had been banished in the time that Discord had ruled. He had stood up against Discord long before the two princesses rose against him and won. Not only had Discord banished him, however, he'd also cursed him never to rest so long as his sense of justice lived on, and so-

“It is said that even today he roams the plains, watching over those whom travel alone on their way!” Zecora's voice whispered in the muted room. I still heard other voices around me, but they seemed to only be background noise. “He has been spotted many times since his banishment, always a white-hide earth Pony who's eyes cause terror in all of evil intent. He wanders here and there, never speaking, his hoofsteps silent, though he's never sneaking! So for those of dark desire, beware of No-Stripe, and his kick, called Justice Fire!”

“Tell me another, Zecora!” I said aloud, excited and smiling, and stood up, forgetting where I was. Ponies around me turned and stared, and I blinked. For a moment I could have sworn that I was in her hut listening to her speak. “Oh, sorry, I guess I fell asleep!” I chuckled, and the Ponies that had looked at me nodded or shrugged and turned away. I gave myself a shake and sat down and finished my lunch, and then gave my plate to the wash-Pony. I left the room, waving to the occasional fan as I passed through the halls. What was that? I could hear her voice, smell the herbs in her hut, hear the bubbling of some potion...did I really fall asleep and dream I was there? I didn't think that I was asleep. I stopped and moved to one side of the hall, wondering if perhaps I could make it happen again. Let's see...Zecora's stories... I reflected on them again, focusing on where I had left off.
The Twisting of Everfree. I ran over the story in my mind, recalling as best I could the details of her story, but nothing happened. I waited, and still nothing. Perhaps I really was dreaming after all. I sighed. But as I was about to start walking again I paused mid-step. Wait...Everfree...

There was another story that Zecora had once (and only once) told me on one of the rare occasions that I visited her on my own. It was on one of the nights that the Bloody Hooves were out hunting. After that night where Twilight, me and Fluttershy exited the Gateway and I had Thanatos' horn in my bag they would always watch me from the woods, but never challenged me (or them) directly again. There were a few occasions where they tried to drop trees on me, but (obviously, since I'm still here) it did not work.

As with our first visit to Zecora on this night, her eyes were changed, but her mind was not.

“What brings you here on this night? Have you come for Hunter's Delight?” She asked. I shook my head.

“I'm here to deliver the herbs that Fluttershy said you wanted from town. Everyone there knows that it's not safe to leave town on this night, even if they don't know the reason why, so I came instead.” I held up the wicker basket that had inside the various herbs she'd requested.

“Ah, I see. I am touched that you would brave these woods for me!” She smiled, but her black and red eyes made it scary rather than friendly. Crushing my unjustified fear of her I asked if I could come in and she opened the door. I stepped in and asked where she wanted them.

“Just set them on the table there. To make you put them away would not be fair.”

“Oh, it's no trouble, Zecora.” I said. “I can reach the higher hook easier than you anyway.”

“Oh, for the days of my youth once more...” she sighed. “getting around these days is such a chore!”

“Oh, you're not old, Zecora!” I told her fondly. She certainly did not look it. Few wrinkles, no lines under her eyes, and no stiff motions that would have been signs of arthritis in her joints. Zecora sighed.

“Oh alas, if that were true. But few more years do I have with you. Soon I shall go the way of which few like to talk. Soon I shall be traveling to the Necro Walk.”

“Necro Walk? Where's that?” I asked, my interest piqued.

“The Necro Walk is a place my people go, when our end be soon, and that we know. It is said that in there, we see those deceased with which our lives we've shared. In the heart of Everfree is where the road lies, it is reserved for those dying, and not living eyes.”

“So no one has come back from this place?”

“A few indeed, otherwise of it we'd not know, but oftentimes they stay, those that go.” When the herb cluster that I'd picked up was hung on the hook I turned back to her and knelt down and hugged her.

“I'll miss you when you go, Zecora.” She set her head on my shoulder.

“Do not be saddened, tall Human. I'll see you again too, should you journey within.”

The memory faded and I finished putting my foot down. The Necro Walk...I wonder if there's any information in the royal library about it. I stroked my at-the-moment fuzz-less chin and headed for the library.

When I arrived I asked the librarian if he'd ever heard of it. The librarian shook his head but asked where I had heard of it. I explained that a Zebra that had once lived in Everfree forest had told it to me.

“Ah! Zecora! I know of her!” He said, recognition entering his face. “We've got two books that have a large number of her people's legends and histories written in them. I believe they were written by one...” He stopped a moment and scratched the side of his head with a hoof. “Ah yes! Twilight Sparkle! Wait right here, I'll bring them to you!” He trotted off into the maze that was this huge library while I smiled at the mental image of Twilight holding a feather quill with her magic and writing on a partially-rolled scroll, filling it with line after line of text. The image vanished as the librarian came back and plopped the books on the desk in front of us. “Here we are! 'Mythica's Myths' and it's sequel, 'Facts Behind Mythica's Myths'! The first was read more often than the second, if I do recall correctly. Which would you prefer?”

“Both actually. Can I check out both of them?” The librarian hesitated and I raised an eyebrow.

“Normally we only let one be taken out at a time.” He explained.

“Well I'm in no hurry. Can I read both of them at a table?” He nodded. “Then that will do. Thank you.” He nodded as I picked them up and then watched as I carried them over and set them on one of the oak tables. I opened the myth book first and skimmed through the index. I stopped on several topics that I was mildly interested in and made a mental note to come back to them later, and then continued onward. Eventually I found something that was at least related to it: Zebrican Afterlife. I looked at the page number and then flipped eagerly through the pages to page three hundred and two.

To sum up several pages, the myth stated that there was another world that could be accessed from somewhere deep inside Everfree forest. In that world was a mirror-image of this one, but everything in it was a bit different. If you lived a good life, did your best to help others, and left with few regrets you would face some sort of test, and then your loved ones that had gone to this place before you would come to meet you and would usher you into your eternal resting place until someone that knew you would come, and you would help the others they'd known that had come before them test him or her, and then you would welcome them as well. Occasionally, one of the deceased could, for a limited time, return to this world and provide advise or comfort to the still-living in times of need or sorrow.

And that was it. Next, before my mind had time to dwell long on it and the probable coincidence that I could have sworn that Zecora had spoken to me in the mess hall I opened the 'Facts Behind' book and looked for the research on possible facts behind it. I found the page, but I didn't find that much research into it. There had not been much to find, apparently, what with no one in their right mind wanting to go any deeper into Everfree than they needed to. I read it aloud.

“Although it is true that in times of danger to the various tribes or towns of the Zebra people certain members show incredible foresight that had averted almost certain disaster, there is no hard evidence to show that such a place in Everfree actually does or does not exist due to the extreme lack of foolhardy Ponies or even Humans wanting to risk becoming lost in a forest full of various large monsters.” I paused a moment and re-read it. “'Or even Humans'?” I frowned, then thought about all the risky or outright stupid things that I had done around Ponykind. I guess I deserved that. I chuckled and shook my head.

I spent the next several hours reading through the old legends and the facts behind them, enjoying the read immensely. When at last I finished reading through the parts of the books that most interested me at the moment I closed the books and returned them to the librarian who left the desk again to put them away. This time while he did so I left and returned to the upper levels of the palace to begin packing. No one for the sake of Twilight's research had gone looking for this 'Necro Walk', so now I would, if only to finish what she started. I had to admit that I had my own selfish reasons for going; if it turned out to be real I'd see if I could speak to my friends again, and if it wasn't I'd find a huge pile of bones from Zebra that had come to it over the centuries and take pictures as proof of my discovery and finish Twilight's research on that legend.

Of course, I might not find bones. I might find the home of all those Bloody Hooves and they'll finally grow some backbone and attack me for the first time in years for intruding on their home turf...that would explain how dead relatives could come back from the grave and give advice. Especially since Zecora herself confessed that she shared the same blood as the Bloody Hooves. Zecora had once told me, Twilight, and Fluttershy that the because she and they shared blood they would not attack her. If that was a rule for all the Zebras and Bloody Hooves that shared the same ancestry, then it was possible that one of the Bloody Hooves (if it retained its memories from life before becoming a monster) might leave the forest to aid their still-normal kin. Of course, it was all just theory unless I could prove it, and I doubted that I could convince a random Zebra to just enter the forest on Hunter's Delight night just for the sake of researching one of their old legends.

Once my things were packed (my old backpack I had arranged an audience with Celestia to request permission to enter the Everfree forest for the sake of research. After several hours I received a response and headed to the throne room. It had not changed very much over the decades. Same replaced carpet (from the one I'd burned before), a few new paintings, one new window after a really bad storm blew it in, and the ever-unchanging princess Celestia. A part of me resented her for that, but I knew it was foolishness. She could no more control how she aged (or lack thereof) any more than I could. Unless I change myself into a Dragon for the increased lifespan, but then I'd have to give up being able to use magic. I don't think I'd like that very much. I was too used to having it. Giving it up after all these years would be like cutting off an arm.

I bowed before Celestia, whom laughed lightly.

“Jacob, you know you do not need to bow to me.” She chided. “You are not one of my subjects, and everypony owes you much.”

“Be that as it may be, highness, you are still this nation's ruler. It would not be proper for me to do otherwise.”

“As you wish. Now tell me, why do you wish to enter Everfree forest? I had thought that your people had made it nearly safe for travel now. Is there something they may have missed?”

“My reasons have little to do with public safety, you highness, but rather research.” Celestia raised an eyebrow. “I recently read from a book written by Twilight Sparkle” her face became a little sad but she hid it again a few seconds later. “that spoke about a Zebrican legend concerning their afterlife. Back when Zecora was still alive she told me a similar story. Given that your nation and the other creatures of this world were once myth of our world, I would like your permission to pursue this myth and see what's at the end of it.”

“Why would you be curious about Zebrican afterlife? I never took you to be a religious type.”

“Really, I'm not, but Twilight's research was inconclusive either for or against it. With your permission, you highness, I'd like to finish what she started.”

“Why not ask a Zebra for information on it?” She inquired.

“Because I am the only being that the Bloody Hoo-” I hesitated. “the Twisted Ones will not attack, and nearly everypony I ask says that they steer clear of the forest whenever possible, including the Zebras. Though there are not many of them left now that we know of, my people have not fully explored Everfree Forest. It could be that the deeper parts of it are where they dwell while waiting for Hunter's Delight night. I don't mean to boast when I say this, but I may be the only being that can safely explore it.”

“Then why ask for my permission?”

“Because of the laws that your sister put in place concerning the forest as of recent. When ghouls from Humans slain by the Blo- Twisted Ones started being sighted along the forest's edge she forbade anyone to enter the forest after nightfall here. I know this because she told me about it one evening. She posted several dozen volunteer guards to patrol the borders and make sure that no one tried to anyway. I'm fairly certain that they would not make an exception for me.”

“You are probably correct. But tell me, what would you do if you found this Zebrican Afterlife? Would you try to enter it, or would you simply mark it on the blank area of the map and then return?”

I said nothing for a few minutes, trying to come up with an answer that would be honest, and yet still convince her to let me go. “Luna told me about the conversation that you had earlier.” Celestia continued. “If you're thinking about crossing over to see them or perhaps to even stay there with them, consider this first: you have not lost everyone that you care about, nor everyone that cares about you. I know for a fact that I would miss you, as would mine sister and Trixie. All of Trixie's family are long gone, which makes you the closest thing she has to it. If you go in search of the afterlife and you find it, you may become trapped there, which would leave all of us wondering whether you really found it, or died in the woods. This curiosity would, inevitably, draw her into the woods as well, and she does not share the same fear that you inspire in the Twisted Ones.”

Celestia sure is good at guilt trips. But then, she's had countless centuries of practice. Still, she does make a decent argument.

Because I could come up with nothing to say in return Celestia wrote me up a letter of permissions to enter the forest and left it to me to decide what to do. Before I had entered the throne room my mind was made up. Now I was hesitating. She was right, of course. When Trixie had become a Human her age-rate became the same as that of the average Human and she reverted from an adolescent Pony to a Human child. When she reached Human-adulthood her parents were elderly, and shortly after they passed away. She had not been very close with them, but it had still saddened her. One by one, what few friends she had from her life as a Pony she outlived. Neighbors, competitors, her first teacher, all of them she outlived while she still stayed young. Not unlike myself, she began to understand how the princesses felt as new friends that she'd made grew old around her and some of them died. I myself was fifteen years older than she was, which meant that, provided she did not contract an incurable disease or something else such as a heart attack or some sort of accident happened, I too would die before she would.

Perhaps I could ask her to go with me? Really, I did not want to in case my theory about walking into the nest of the Bloody Hooves turned out to be correct because I thought of her as a younger sister, but Celestia made a valid point: Trixie probably would try to follow me, and if the B.H.'s were there, there was a chance they'd kill her. She was more skilled with magic than I was, having had a few years of practice that I had not, but she wasn't invincible, and all it would take would be for one of them to knock the staff out of her hand and she'd be as good as dead. Yes, I'll ask her the next time I see her before I leave.

Twenty nine days later Trixie returned to the palace carrying her fireworks book. She set it down on the old writing desk and asked how I'd been. We chatted for a short while on the daily happenings of our lives, but eventually I turned the conversation to Everfree forest and then told her what I intended to try.

At first she thought I was joking and chuckled, but after I told her about the repeating dream I'd been having for the last several years her assumption changed and she began to look nervous.

“So you aren't kidding.” She licked her lips. “Is there anything I can say to convince you not to go?” I shrugged. There might be, but there was little that came to mind at the moment.

“Would you like to go with me?” I asked her after a minute of silence while she wrung her hands, probably trying to find some argument against my going. Her hands froze and she blinked a few times. “One last adventure before retirement? Whadaya say, Trix?” I reached out a hand towards her. Trixie lifted a hand, but then hesitated. I raised an eyebrow and waited.

“I- I can't.” Now I raised my other eyebrow and she looked down at her hands. “You're one of the few old friends that I've got left, one of my best friends. I think that if it came to you against the worlds I'd take your side in a heartbeat, but I'm afraid that if we find this afterlife place that we'll be trapped there, maybe even die.” She looked up from her hands and at me. “The thought of dying scares me, Jacob. I'm forty four. Most Ponies don't live to be that age, and it makes me feel all the more vulnerable watching Ponies that I'd grown up with as a Pony reaching the end of their lifespan. I feel as if Death is crouching somewhere nearby waiting to take me too. I'm sorry, Jacob, but I can't do it.” She looked away again, ashamed.

I nodded, understanding that the thought of dying scared her, and relieved. If she had gone with me, there was no telling what we'd find, and to be honest, the idea of her dying scared me too. She wasn't done yet, though. “Promise me two things, Jacob.” I blinked, and listened. “First, that you'll be careful. I know that you're good at what we do, but even Celestia admits to not being invincible. I don't want to lose you, too.” I smiled and nodded. Of course I'd be careful. I wasn't afraid of death, but I was far from eager. “Second, if you should happen to find the world of the deceased, tell my parents that I wish we could have been closer.” I nodded again, and promised her that I would, then I stood up and hugged her. She wrapped her arms tightly around me.

It's this dream again. This time I'll answer her. I thought as the dream repeated once more. When it progressed to the girls this time, they looked at me with disapproval. Me. Not the figure that represented me, but me.

“You've done some foolish things in your life, most of them around us, but usually we were there to help you get fixed up afterward. You'll be on your own for this one. You should be happy with the time we shared together, and try to live your life as best you can.” Twilight scolded.

“We do miss ya, Jake, but as Luna told yeh, everythang has their time.” Applejack said.

“But it's not fair! I could have turned you Human and gave you so much longer! I was too selfish, too focused on my studies!” I self-loathed.

“Darling, we would not have accepted that even if you offered.” Rarity said gently. “I suspect even Trixie still doesn't feel completely comfortable in her new body. Her stitching was pulled and then resown, as it were. Subconsciously, she knows something is wrong, like an itch in the back of her mind. She'll live and walk as one of you, but she has the soul of a Pony.”

“Will you be angry with me if I try to see you anyway?” I asked. “I really do miss you girls.”

“Of course not, silly! We miss you too!” Old-Pinkie said, weakly jumping in place. “We just thought we'd warn you that it was going to be dangerous first!”

“And this would be different from any of our past adventures how?” This question brought a smile from all of them before they turned to dust and blew away. “See you on the other side...” I whispered, and waited for the old woman. And waited. And looked around in confusion. Then I heard a disembodied voice.

“Oh, you don't need to speak to me now, Lighthand!” The woman's voice came. “You're already planning to do what I was going to have you do anyway! Finish Twilight's book!”

“Do I still get a reward for it?” I asked. The voice laughed.

“If you survive it, certainly. It will not be easy, so good luck, and sweet dreams!” Then my lucid dream faded, and a new, regular dream took its place.