The citizens were in heavy despair watching their capital city (and to some, their home) fall. They assumed the worst: the princesses were killed, all of their friends and family dead. It wasn’t until the Mayor received the letter from Spike and read it to the citizens.
“Dear Everypony in Ponyville,” she read. “This is your ruler, Princess Celestia. I hate to inform you that, as you very well know, Canterlot has been destroyed. However, the war has been won in our favor. Inverz has been defeated with the remaining Vegas agents killed in the explosion. While there were casualties in the battle, many of us have made it out alive and well.
“We are currently marching home to Ponyville, where my sister, Princess Luna, and I shall be making our new home until we can find a new city to call the Equestrian capital or we can build a new one. We will discuss what we do from there when we arrive. We with all of our surviving army, hope to arrive in Ponyville in 6 hours. Please have nurses ready. There are a few wounded. Your ruler, Princess Celestia.”
Everyone was elated to know that that Princesses were alright. Now they just had to wait.
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It was late afternoon when they finally arrived. Most of the town’s population, including the refugees from Canterlot, came to greet their Princess at the town’s borders with thunderous cheers. Family members came to greet their loved ones, such as Apple Bloom and Granny Smith for Applejack and Big Macintosh, the latter of whom was carried by a royal chariot. The four of them walked to the hospital together for further treatment. Sweetie Belle hugged Rarity and Braeburn after finding them. Shining Armor found his wife, Princess Cadence, a pink alicorn, in the crowd frantically searching for him. Upon seeing him, she leapt into his arms and kissed him. Shining Armor motioned Eli and Ryan over to them.
“Who are these?” she asked upon seeing them.
“These are a couple of the bravest men I’ll ever know, Eli and Ryan.”
Cadence hugged the two in one large grope. “Thank you for saving my husband,” she said.
“Like I told him,” said Ryan, it was the least I could do.”
She gave them both a peck on the cheek. She then noticed Ryan's broken ankle.
“Goodness,” she gasped. “We should take you to the doctor.”
Ryan hobbled to the hospital with Shining Armor serving as his crutch.
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Princess Celestia had many of the citizens from her city stay at the hotels until they could open more rooms, but she also set to have any pony open their doors to a homeless refugee if need be. Eli was amazed at the handling of this situation. He was in New York on 9/11, and he remembered the mass panic and bloodshed that followed, even years after the actual event.
And that was just three buildings, four planes, and over 3,000 lives. An entire city was lost here with just as many casualties, and every pony was just happy that mostly everyone was alright. He knew that his prolonged absence from his home world would certainly get him fired from his job, but he didn’t care. If he could spend the rest of his life in a peaceful world such as this, he wouldn’t be happier. Alex found Eli and motioned him to follow, which he did.
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Alex and Eli made it to the theater, where he found all of his friends waiting inside. Scott and Lucas popped two bottles of champagne and shook them, causing the sweet, bubbling liquid to spray all over them. They aimed the bottles at their other friends, drenching them too. Everyone could finally celebrate that the Numeric War was over, dancing and playing into the night.
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Ryan woke up in the hospital the next morning. He was softly surprised to find Princess Cadence, Shining Armor, Eli, Zelda, and Princess Celestia at his bedside.
“Are you feeling better?” asked Princess Celestia.
Ryan moved his ankle. He remembered how the ipecequine he was treated with the day before worked wonders on his gunshot wound. With the added time of sleeping to this new treatment, Ryan’s ankle was as good as new.
“Much,” he responded. “Ryan, you and your friends have triumphed in the face of death, throwing all caution to the wind to save us and our land. We are eternally grateful.”
She got close enough to lay her head down on Ryan’s chest, and nuzzled into it. Ryan stroked her neck and constantly flowing mane. To Ryan, it felt like velvet. He then remembered how he would play with his son’s hair, bringing back his memory. He then looked sad.
Princess Celestia noted this. “It’s about your son, isn’t it?”
“Yeah. I’ve lost track of the days, but he’s due for his plug to be pulled soon, if not, sooner.”
“I think I can help you with that.” Eli then pulled the golden Number card.
“What? You don’t mean-”
“The power of the Numbers is too great and too dangerous to be wielded anymore. While the Vegas agents lied about saving your son, they didn’t lie about the power these cards possess when gathered altogether. They can do so many things my magic or even the Elements of Harmony cannot, from healing the most ravaging of sicknesses to, in your case, waking a boy as comatose as your son. Don’t see this as a favor I’m giving to you, instead, see it as a gift you’re giving to me. Release the Numbers’ power. Save my ponies by saving your son.”
“How would I even get there?” asked Ryan. “He’s in a hospital bed in a completely different world.”
“Hi,” Zelda said, raising her hand.
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Ryan drove to the now abandoned Vegas Bureau Equestrian Headquarters in his car outside of Canterlot’s ruins. Zelda and Ryan walked in to find the place completely empty, having killed the remaining members in the battle. They walked down the eastern wing to the end room, where Ryan and Zelda used to travel between worlds. There they found the machine they would need to go to Ryan’s world. Zelda turned on the backup generator and activated the machine. Ryan saw the machine warming up.
“Do you by chance know the coordinates?” asked Zelda.
“Here, let me help,” he responded, walking to the machine.
He typed in the code to transfer them to the Vegas Bureau Seattle Headquarters and pushed the red button. Zelda and Ryan then stepped into the glass cage to await travel. They saw the portal forming underneath them on the glass surface.
“Ready?” asked Zelda.
“Always,” Ryan said.
The glass broke, sending them through the portal.
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Ryan saw they were in the same place they were in before, but it was different. The lights were turned off unlike the natural lighting they were getting in Equestria. They must have all abandoned the place when they went to Equestria. Ryan and Zelda then went to the parking garage to find Ryan’s old car parked where he left it about a week ago. When they were both in, he started the ignition and moved the car to the elevator. Once they got to the inside of the storage room, Zelda got out.
“Hold on,” said Zelda.
“What for?”
Zelda then shot the eye scanner camera and deactivates the storage room security systems.
“You’re not a Vegas agent anymore,” said Zelda. “If we closed the door, it wouldn’t have let us back in.”
“Good thinking.” They then drove to the hospital where they were keeping his son.
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Although Joel’s accident occurred in Los Angeles where they used to live, Mark had Joel transferred to a hospital in Seattle so Ryan could see his son and be close to work. Once Ryan and Zelda got to the parking garage of the hospital after a quick trip to Ryan’s apartment for a change of clothes for Joel, they discussed their plan. Minutes went by.
“Ready?”
“Always.”
Ryan went to the waiting room to get a visit with Joel, while Zelda snuck into the room to wear scrubs. Ryan was allowed to see him, and he was on his way. Zelda pretended to be a new girl on staff and requested the key to Joel’s room. A doctor opened it for her and let her in. Ryan met her inside just a couple of minutes later. Ryan looked at the sad state his son was in. His muscles were useless now, having atrophied. He looked starved. Ryan didn’t care, because soon, their long nightmare would be over.
“Come on,” said Ryan. “Let’s go home.”
Zelda wheeled Joel secretly on a gurney with a sheet over his body to prevent attention. Ryan left the hospital through the front entrance and went to his car. Zelda, having bypassed the other doctors quickly pushed Joel to their car before they would eventually find out. Zelda placed him in the back seat, and they both got out of the hospital and sped back to the Seattle Headquarters. Eventually, Eli and Zelda appeared back at the Equestria Headquarters with Joel in tow. It was a race now. Without his life support, it was only a matter of time before Joel would finally pass for good. They sped back to Ponyville.
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Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Cadence, Shining Armor, Twilight Sparkle with her friends, and Alex and his friends all waited at the town hall pavilion. Ryan and Zelda brought in Joel and laid him in the center of the room.
“Alright,” said Princess Celestia. “All you must do now is think about what you want to use the power for, put the card on Joel’s chest, and that should be it.”
Eli handed the card to Ryan.
Lunar Wolf Spirit was standing by Zelda. “Well, this looks like goodbye partner,” it said.
“Thank you for saving me,” said Zelda.
They both made a final hug before Lunar Wolf Spirit disappeared forever. Ryan held the card to his head, seemingly transferring what he wanted to do into the card. He then gently placed the card on Joel’s chest. Everyone watched as the gold card glowed brightly on Joel’s chest. Suddenly, Joel’s atrophied limbs and starved physique began to restore itself to that of a healthy thirteen year-old boy.
Also, multiple cards slid off of Joel’s chest. Orion cleared them off by organizing them into stacks with his wand. He realized that the Numbers were only transferring their magic into Joel, not themselves entirely. He continued to organize the stacks as the cards continued to fall from Joel’s chest. Everyone was amazed at the magic of the Numbers. When the last Number fell, from Joel, the light subsided, fully revealing the healthy and rejuvenated Joel. Joel’s eyes flickered awake, to the awe of everyone, including Ryan, whose tears were just starting to flow. Joel looked around at the colorful array of ponies. He then found his dad.
“Dad?” he asked. “Where am I? Am I dead?”
Ryan hadn’t heard his son’s voice in months, and now, he was getting the prize he really deserved.
“No son,” replied Ryan. “You’re anything but.”
Ryan then hugged his son as he sobbed. Everyone looked at the two with a sense of happiness and ease. Joel felt too tired to really have the fact sink in that he was in a different world. Eli then went to Joel and put his hand on his shoulder.
“Your father is the bravest man I know. You should be lucky to have him as a dad.”
“I know,” said Joel.
He succumbed to his lack of energy. The princesses were nervous that something was wrong, but Ryan held his hand up, signaling them to stay.
“He’s very tired,” Ryan said. “I think a nice long nap will do him some good.”
Ryan then carried him to the theater where Alex would make an open bed for him.
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The next few days went into getting Joel used to the ponies, explaining the Vegas Bureau to Joel, the lengths Ryan went through to save him, and what to do from there.
“Where are we supposed to live now?” asked Joel, concerned.
“I think he’ll like it in our world,” said Alex. “We have Duel Monsters there. Plus, I’m sure it will be a much safer place to raise a son.”
“You think so?” said Ryan.
“Have you ever heard of the phrase ‘kid in a candy store?’ Imagine our world as the candy store.”
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The next two days after that involved helping Lamss pack their plane for their return home. Eli would also be joining with them. As he speculated, he’d be fired from his job with how long he’d been gone. Plus, Alex offered him a lucrative job as stage planner for their shows. Also, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna had given the Number cards to Alex and his friends, being asked to do what they wished with them.
After using their power to revive Joel, their effect protecting them from being destroyed in battle by a non-Number was gone, plus some subtle changes to some of the cards’ effects. After splitting Numbers up between everyone of his friends (everyone was allowed 1 Number, most of them taking their old aces), Alex placed the rest in a case. He began to say goodbye to his friends before they went into the plane. Fluttershy was hugging Charley while Pinkie Pie and Lucas were hugging goodbye next to them.
“I’m going to miss you,” sobbed Fluttershy. “Please don’t be gone long.”
“Of course not,” responded Charley. “Where else are we going to hold our wedding?”
She then showed Fluttershy the ring on her finger. Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie were stunned. “Is…?”
“Yep.”
“You mean, Lucas-?”
“Yep.”
Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie simultaneously squealed with joy, hugging their friends.
“We’ll be back in a few months to make preparations, okay?” asked Charley.
“Oh most certainly,” said Fluttershy, excited. “Congratulations!”
She then pecked Charley on the cheek and flew off into the crowd to watch their friends fly off.
“I can’t wait for that wedding!” said Pinkie Pie. “I’m going to make a cake, plan the party, sing some songs, play some games-”
“Pinkie, thanks for the help.”
“No problemo, friendo,” said Pinkie Pie.
She then hopped back into the crowd. After hugs and “thank yous” from the other ponies, Lamss was ready to fly off. Orion steered the plane to one end of the runway. He picked up speed and flew into the sky. Once they were high enough in the sky, Orion opened the portal to their home world, and with that, they were gone.