//------------------------------// // Epilogue // Story: Of Thistles and Honey // by D4ftP0ny //------------------------------// ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Ten months later ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ The nurse at the front desk of the Whinnyapolis Hospital nodded to Wild Wings as he walked past out the door and onto the front lawn; the gray Pegasus nodded back, smiling broadly as he exited the building and stepped into the bright late spring sunshine. He stretched his wings and considered taking a few laps around the hospital, but just as he was about to leap into the air a deep voice called to him from the street. “Hey there, I know you’re not planning on taking a flight right when we show up, are you?” Wild Wings rolled his eyes dramatically and stamped a hoof. “Shooter, you know just how to ruin my fun.” The dark blue Pegasus laughed as he made his way through the gate and into the yard, spreading his large blue wings in a shrug. “What can I say? While Thistle’s in the hospital, somepony has to keep your head out of the clouds.” “I’ve always hated that expression.” “I know.” Wild glared at him playfully before rolling his eyes again and laughing; he stepped forward and embraced his best friend, clapping a hoof across his back. “I’m glad you could make it, buddy,” he said. “You know I wouldn’t miss this for the world,” Shooter replied quietly. The gray Pegasus stepped back and frowned. “But… why are you walking? I expected to be able to meet you in the air.” The answer to his question bounced through the gate next, and Wild smiled broadly as Pinkie Pie frolicked over and leaned against Shooting Star affectionately. “Well, I TRIED to get him to fly us both here, but he just muttered something I didn’t quite catch that sounded a LOT like ‘Didn’t want to make Wild feel bad’ but that I think was PROBABLY something more like, ‘Should have kicked the piled seal bed’, which really didn’t make ANY sense, Shootie!” The pink pony giggled and nuzzled the blue Pegasus, who blushed fiercely. Wild laughed loudly at his friend. “Oh ho HO, Shooter! Looks like you’ve found a pony of your own to keep you grounded!” Pinkie Pie grinned mischievously. “Oh don’t worry… He’ll take me flying one day! I have plaaaaaaaaaaans…” “And I’m sure that Shooting Star will do each and every one of them,” a voice said behind the couple. Wild looked behind Pinkie Pie to see a white unicorn enter the gate, her sunrise-colored mane falling in gentle waves around her shoulders and her silver crescent moon earrings shining in the bright sunlight. “Morninglight,” Wild said with a smile, hurrying over and giving his friend a hug across the neck. “I’m glad you could make it. I wasn’t sure if you could come all the way from Canterlot. That’s quite a teleport, even for you.” Morning hugged him for a moment longer before stepping back, her eyes bright. “Well, that’s the thing… I didn’t teleport.” Wild frowned. “Oh? But… it would have taken you a lot longer to get here by train, and even by flying chariot it’s almost half a day.” “Oh no, don’t misunderstand. I was teleported, but I didn’t cast the spell.” She stepped to the side and bowed slightly… and Princess Luna entered the gate, her mane flowing around her shoulders as she smiled at the Pegasus. Wild grinned so broadly he thought his face would split. “Princess..?! How… why…!” The Princess of the Moon giggled lightly. “Wild Wings, I am surprised at you.” She stepped forward and embraced him, hugging him tightly for a long moment before stepping back, her teal eyes sparkling. “Did you really think that I would miss the birth of my friend’s first foal?” “Speaking of,” Shooting Star said, “Isn’t Thistle waiting on us?” “Oh! Oh yeah!” Wild rustled his wings excitedly, his eyes darting from one pony to the next. “Sorry… I just can’t believe you’re all here…” He laughed lightly to himself and turned back to the door. “Well… wait until you see this.” He led the way through the hospital, taking several flights of stairs upwards until they reached the appropriate floor. Princess Luna drew many eyes, but if the Lunar Monarch had any idea the sensation she was causing, she didn’t show it; she looked as giddy and excited as the rest of them, almost rivaling Pinkie Pie as far as bubbling excitement went. Finally Wild came to a door and knocked gently. “Thistle? They’re here.” “Come in,” came the mare’s reply. Wild grinned at his friends and opened the door. The room was bright and clean, with sunlight streaming in through the windows and making it feel as if the whole room was glowing. At the far side of the room, next to the bank of windows, was a single, long bed holding an amethyst mare with an emerald-green mane holding a bundle in her front legs. The small group of ponies hurried to the bedside, and Thistledown smiled up at them. “Good to see you all,” she said quietly, taking a moment to nod respectfully to the Princess. “And as always, a pleasure to see you, Your Highness.” Princess Luna smiled fondly at Thistledown. “As I told Wild Wings… this is not a day I would miss for the entire world.” Next to the bed on the other side, a small orange filly popped her head up, her bright green eyes taking in the newcomers; she smiled broadly at Shooting Star and Pinkie Pie, then locked curious eyes on Princess Luna. Luna smiled at her. “And good day to you, Honeysuckle,” she said kindly. Wild grinned at her. “Say hello, Honey; Princess Luna won’t bite.” Honeysuckle blinked at the alicorn for a moment before smiling again. “Hello, Your Highness,” she said quietly. “Did you come to see her?” “Her?” Luna looked at Wild, her eyes widening. Wild Wings laughed lightly and nodded to Thistledown, who shifted in the bed and held out the small bundle in her hooves for the room to see. There, her tiny face peering out through the opening in the blankets that wrapped her was a tiny baby filly; her coat was a deep magenta, and the small tuft of mane adorning her head was smoky gray streaked with brilliant white. The group gasped, and the filly opened her eyes- eyes that were like two brilliant rubies shining out at them. Next to the bed, Pinkie Pie made a noise that sounded like every adorable thing in the world wrapped into one. “Awwwwwww!!! I want one!” she whispered, and Shooting Star suddenly turned a very brilliant shade of red. Princess Luna stared in adoration at the foal, and after a moment turned her eyes to Wild Wings. “And… what is her name?” she whispered. Wild sat down on the chair next to the bed and reached out his hooves; Thistledown handed the foal off to her husband, who held the filly up and smiled at her, the pure joy of her overwhelming him. “This, my dear friends… is Blossom Blaze. Our daughter.”