Everything was dark.

I can't tell the exact moment when I passed out, but right after that, I felt I like floating in the complete dark. There was nothing, just me.... and my thoughts.

I saw my entire life showed through images, like some sort of movie. They weren't really there, but with everything black, it was like having them right in front of my face. All the places I visited, all the thing I've done, all the ponies i met, all the things I've taken.... Calamity, Velvet, Homage, Xenith, Steelhooves, Gawdina, Monterey Jack, Red Eye, The Goddess, Arbu, Spike, Celestia.... all their images were projected in front of me. At the end, my last moment appeared: me saying goodbye to all my friends and telling Celestia to activate the Single Pegasus Project.

Suddenly, another thought crossed my mind; was I dead? Was this what death is like? Floating in an eternal limbo while having your entire life splatted in front of your face? I hoped and prayed that the afterlife wasn't really an eternal torture like this one. Beside, I couldn't die already; I made a promise to Princess Celestia: that I will stay with her, watching Equestria and controlling the weather together with her. So that she will never be alone, ever again.

Desperation started to take on me - I promised to myself that nopony else would've suffered because of me: I could see Celestia's projection weeping because my body was now lifeless. Because I couldn't maintain my promise, because I died trying to keeping it.

I felt tears climbing down my cheeks. This couldn't be happening; it couldn't end like this! Please Princess Luna, please Ministry Mares, if you can hear me right now, please, make this stop. Please wake me up!

Please....

"Oh dear, she's crying now. Poor filly, she must be having sad dreams right now...."

That voice. It was distant, and still.... it sounded familiar.

"Here Fluttershy dear, I brought this tissues in my bag."

Fluttershy? That Fluttershy?! How did she recover from the metamorphosis trauma so fast?!" And.... that other voice. It sounded kind of familiar too, like.... something lost in the realm of memories that suddenly frees itself.

"So, this is the filly Flutteshy founded fainted in front of her house." spoke yet another voice; it too sounded familiar. Meanwhile, I felt something like a tissue gently rubbing my eyes and cheeks. "Are you sure you never saw this mare before?"

"Twilight, darling," the voice similar to Rarity’s spoke again; "you have to trust when I say that me and Fluttershy knows everypony here in Ponyville. If this little lady was a resident of this fine little town, you really think we wouldn't have recognized her already?"

Ok, now things started becoming really weird: Twilight Sparkle and Rarity died two centuries ago, so.... if I could hear them, this was definitely a proof that I was dead (and Fluttershy too, apparently).

So that was it then. If I was really dead, then there was nothing else I could do but accept it. At least I wasn't going to be alone.... wait, why did they mention Ponyville?

"Sorry Rarity, it's not that I don't to believe you." Twilight's voice said. "But.... it doesn't make any sense. There are no other towns near Ponyville, only from the other side of the Everfree forest. Which means she galloped all the way into that place all alone?! Not to mention, Fluttershy's animals not noticing her arrival over here."

Finally, I found the force to open my eyes. "Oh look," Fluttershy said; "she's waking up!"

A strong (and hurtful) light was appearing as I slowly opened my eyes. At the same time, three vague figures were slowly materializing into more clear ones; I instantly recognized three of the Ministry Mares, they were Twilight Sparkle, Rarity and Fluttershy. Well, I definitely wasn't going to be alone while dead. Sure, if I wanted too, I would've spent all eternity screaming my anger and disdain to all of them, for all the things they have done and for what they lead to, that is Equestria reduced to a contaminated wasteland. But then again, they were here giving me company, and perhaps they were all already regretful about everything. So I would've contained myself.

"Why hello there dear." Rarity welcomed my awakening by giving me the most sensual (well, for me at least) eyes I ever saw in a mare; "I'm so glad to see that you're okay; you slept for quite a while."

My head felt numb, but I still reorganized my thoughts to find the right words to answer back. With a little exertion, I said: "It's an honor to meet you, Ministry Mares."

Instead of the smile of content I was expecting, what I got was a look of confusion from all three of them.

"Who?" Rarity questioned back.

....And there's when I noticed something was wrong. Sure now that my sight was clear, they looked way younger than how they appeared in the posters or memory orbs (or in Fluttershy case, how I saw her after being cured by the killing joke), but it was definitely them. Besides, you can probably decide to look younger or older, in the afterworld.

I spoke again, this time more clearly; "You're the Ministry Mares, right?"

They looked to themselves even more confused than before, with Twilight Sparkle and Fluttershy raising their shoulders; " I-I'm sorry dear, I'm afraid your confusing us with somepony else." Rarity concluded.

Right, that was it; either they were mocking me with a very not funny joke, or something was definitely wrong. I tried to get up, but my bones were crackling painfully, and my muscles were as stiff as iron, like if I slept for at least a month.

"Whoa, careful there." Twilight Sparkle said while trotting to me; "Here, let me help you." She placed her head against head and pushed me up. My bones were crackling all over, but I still managed to stand up straight. "Thanks." I said.

Finally I could see where I was. I was sitting on a red couch in the center of a pretty big restroom. It was made by wood, which made me realize I was in a cottage of some sort of it. What really surprised me was that everything looked so.... clean. I never saw a place so clean since I left Stable 2.

Suddenly, a purple hoof appeared in front of my eyes. "My name is Twilight Sparkle. Pleased to meet you."