Epilogue - Revelations
5:00pm, 25th of Viglyd, 14 Days After the Reunion – Luna’s Bedroom
“You know putting it off isn’t going to make it go any better,” chastised Luna gently. “Just apologize and ask her to show up.”
“I don’t even know what we are doing,” groaned Artemis. “You and Celestia just popped up on me and told me I had to be at your press conference thing. You won’t even tell me what it is or what it is about.”
“It’s a surprise,” teased Luna as she planted a kiss on his cheek. “Basically Celestia is holding a meeting for everyone around the world to see. It will be fine, and you promised to explain what happened right?”
“Yeah yeah, and I never voluntarily break a promise. Let’s get this over with.”
“Vinyl, you awake?” thought Artemis partially hoping she was still sleep.
“Huh? What? Artemis?” responded Vinyl groggily.
“Yeah, hey I’m-,”
“In deep shit, yeah I know,” finished Vinyl quickly snapping out of her usual “morning” grog. “What the buck dude? You pop up out of nowhere, link us together, go through an emotional rollercoaster, and then you don’t even call?”
“I know, I’m trying t-,”
“It’s not like you can say you couldn’t or didn’t have the time, I’m literally a thought away. If I hadn’t felt a bizarre amount of happiness from you lately, I would’ve been freaking out. Like seriously how hard is t-.”
“VINYL, I’m sorry!I’m sorry, I’m not used to the link being two-way. Normally I keep my emotions to myself, and I only worry about the worst of yours. I shouldn’t have left you to worry, I’m sorry.”
Artemis panicked when she didn’t respond right away. He sincerely hoped that she wasn’t too angry with him, but eventually she responded.
“Don’t worry about it Artemis, just remember that there are ponies out there that worry just as much about you as you worry about them,” “So what’s goin on big guy?”
“I know I promised to explain everything to you after the dust had settled, and I would like to meet up with you and Octavia later since I owe you an explanation.”
“Uhhh I don’t have a set tonight, but I think Octy has to perform for Princess Celestia after that major press conference or something.”
“I’ve talked to the Princess about it, she won’t mind Octavia’s absence. Do you know anything about this press conference thing?”
“No, just rumors that it is some big announcement or reveal or something I think. Woah woah woah wait back that up what do you mean you already talked to the Princess? How did you do that?”
“All will be explained later. I have to be there for reasons I'm not even full aware of, but we can meet up and grab dinner afterwards.”
“Sounds good to me,” started Vinyl as she turned over to look at her clock. “Wait you mean the conference that starts in like 45 minutes?”
“Unfortunately yes,”
“Buck me, I’ll be there with Octy though, Later.”
“Huh, that went better than expected,” said Artemis aloud. “She will be there though.”
“See I told you it would be fine,” teased Luna as she nuzzled Artemis before returning to the bathroom. “I’ve always wanted to meet DJ-PON3, but my schedule tends to keep me too busy to go see one of her concerts.”
“I haven’t heard either of them play, but I’ve heard good things from Celestia and Pinkie.”
“Oh right, how have things been going with the elements of harmony?” asked Luna as she got into the shower.
“Could be better honestly,” called Artemis as he walked to the bathroom so she could hear him. “It’s a mixed bag with those six, but making friends was never something I had to actively do among the wolves. Rainbow Dash doesn’t trust or like me, but with her being the element of loyalty, I understand and respect that. She still holds a grudge against me since that night, but that's more her problem than it is mine. Twilight is easy to get along with, but she just started as our student. Who isn’t respectful and nice to their mentors? It could all be a farce and she could secretly despise me.”
Artemis then remembered how he and Celestia had acted when they had been teaching each other, and he chuckled lightly to himself.
“Pinkie forgave me instantly, though I never asked for forgiveness from any of them, and she has made it her goal to introduce me to everything the modern age has to offer. She also has a tendency to just suddenly defy logic or explanation, and it is impossible for me to read her. She has knowledge of things she shouldn’t, and I can feel a great evil lurking within her. She is friendly and infectiously happy, but still probably the most unsettling thing I have ever encountered,” he shuddered as he sat in front of the shower.
“Well, how about the others? I’m sure it isn’t all bad.”
“I’m ok with Applejack. She was a little wary initially, but after I helped her a few times around the farm, she treated me like I was family. If I didn’t know better I would swear in another life she was a wolf. She reminds me so much of them it hurts; she is strong, proud, competitive, and compassionate. Being around her reminds me of when I was with the pack too long ago,” sighed Artemis sadly as he heard the water stop suddenly, and he felt Luna wrapping him in a moist embrace.
“I’m sorry about what happened. I know it hurts, but I know you can’t/don't want to forget them. They wouldn’t want you to let your memories of them spoil your future happiness, keep their spirits alive in your memories and dreams.”
“I miss them so much, and I know focusing on it won’t change anything, I just wish I could’ve been there for them like I promised. They would still be here, and they would be prospering.”
Something about how he said that made Luna wary; he said it with such finality it was like he knew it was true. It was possible he could’ve searched for futures, but looking into alternate time lines was too imprecise for him to know for certain.
“Did you go see Fate about it?” asked Luna suspiciously.
“Yes,” sighed Artemis. “She showed me the alternate universe where I had been free during the time. The griffons didn’t dare to attack for fear of retaliation, we were able to prevent Nightmare Moon from ever gaining control of you, and I was able to save Little Orion. We were all so happy, it had been the perfect outcome. However that wasn’t the only thing she showed me. While I was there I saw many other alternate universes, and not all of them had such great outcomes for the elements of harmony.”
Artemis opted not to share everything else he had seen while with fate, for he knew the consequences of trying to fight Fate symbolically or physically.
“You know better than to go to her for things like that, it never turns out well.”
“You’re right, but I had to know.”
"You went knowing the answers you sought would only cause you more pain? Just be careful, she isn’t your friend or ally. She may not have shown you the full truth. I just worry that she may manipulate you, it wouldn’t be the first time she has done so to one of us.”
Fate was the immortal in charge of watching over essentially everything, the presence of her power often caused unpredictable shifts in the universes she interacted with and she rarely intervened in anything as a result. Luna squeezed him gently as she remembered other times when Fate had deemed it necessary to intervene in their world, and it never turned out well.
“Well how about the last two elements?” asked Luna in an attempt to distract both of them from their thoughts.
“Rarity is awkward at best and frustrating at worst. I’ve been meaning to reflect upon the cause, but I haven’t gotten around to it. It is just unexplainable tension; everything about her just rubs me the wrong way.”
Artemis could feel Luna’s gaze on his back, and he laughed at his choice of words.
“I didn’t mean it literally. I haven’t forgotten the drill when it comes to sexual encounters with others, I would let you know.”
“And!?”
“Of course I would invite you to join in.”
“Don’t you forget to either.”
“What about you? You had two years before I came back, is there anything I should know?”
“No, I spent that time mourning you, I couldn’t even think about other stallions. What about Fluttershy?”
“She is beautiful, but I would be too afraid of hurting her to do anything.”
“Huh what? No no not like that, perv. I meant how are things going with Fluttershy, but good to know how you feel.”
“Excuse me for having a type. I can’t resist beautiful, kind, intelligent, graceful creatures that appreciate and respect nature.” He responded while kissing her in between descriptions. “Unfortunately for her, I have already found the perfect mare. As for our relationship, she is endearingly sweet and she worked fairly hard to get over her fear of me. That’s progress I guess, slow progress, but eventually she will be comfortable around me. I do hope it is soon though, I do enjoy her company.”
“There is that gilded tongue you rarely use, well at least you can make sure everything is fine with Vinyl after the conference.”
“Yeah, and what you don’t think I use it enough? It has been a while, perhaps later I can change your mind on that.”
“There is a time and place for everything,” blushed Luna. “We’ve got to go out in public shortly, and I don’t need those thoughts on my mind. Speaking of appearances, are you going out like that?”
Artemis looked down to see his normal form and briefly debated whether it was worth the effort to disguise himself.
“I guess I shouldn’t,” relented Artemis as he shifted into his pony form. “Alright, I know you are planning something, but lets do it,” finished Artemis as he teleported them to the front of the castle.
5:55pm, 25th of Viglyd, 14 Days After the Reunion – Canterlot Castle Courtyard
Celestia had been worried that Artemis had backed out, but then she saw both him and Luna arrive in the courtyard. Celestia couldn’t help but chuckle at his clear discomfort, for she knew he hated not knowing what to expect. If Luna hadn’t been the one to ask him, she doubted he would’ve shown up at all. Though she was a little nervous with how he would handle the paparazzi, she was sure Luna could control the situation.
“You deal with this anytime you leave the castle?” questioned Artemis as did his best to restrain himself from driving the flock of ponies with cameras away.
“Not usually this many at once,” admitted Luna. “Normally they aren’t so bold as to just walk up and take pictures, usually they just follow us and take from them a distance. It’s just because of how last minute the conference is, they probably think something bad is coming.”
“They stalk you for pictures?” growled Artemis as he looked angrily at the mob around them.
“Well me, Celestia, and any other famous pony,” responded Luna quickly as she started to teleport them. “It’s ok though you get used to it.”
Celestia waited expectantly as they appeared on the stage right next to her. They had lasted longer than she had expected, hopefully that was a good sign. Celestia gave the newly arrived Luna a hug, and she accepted a simple nod from Artemis, it was better not to push that issue now. With Cadance, Luna, and Artemis to her right and the elements on left, she felt it was a good time to begin.
“Ahem,” started Celestia. The sound of her voice immediately caught the attention of everypony, and they immediately went silent as all cameras and eyes were on her. “Welcome and thank you all for gathering so quickly, I know I gave you very little notice. Though before I get to the main announcement I want to dispel any fears or rumors, this isn’t an emergency or urgent message about the impending doom of Equestria for once. I know we have been though a lot in recent times with the changeling invasion, Discord, and most recently Tirek, but now we have some good news. I have gathered you all here to celebrate and announce a momentous occasion. We have a very special guest, for in the past was once our best friend and one of the greatest allies Equestria has ever had. After being gone for a millennia he has finally returned, please give a warm Equestrian welcome to the spirit of nature, Artemis,” called Celestia as she gestured towards Artemis.
Artemis had planned to stay off to the side, but he was suddenly shoved out front by Luna, Cadance, and the elements. He was shocked at the volume of the crowd as suddenly the spotlights and cameras shifted from Celestia onto him. It seemed that many of them recognized him from his first day through the city or from that whole incident with Vinyl. He had partially expected Celestia to go into more detail about what happened between them, but after giving it some thought he was glad she didn’t. He didn’t need these vultures circling him and constantly pestering him about the past, and if she had included their rocky history it would only be worse than he predicted it was going to be. Surprisingly he was perfectly content with the turn of events.
“Considering he didn’t expect this, I won’t ask him to make a speech,” joked Celestia. “But there is one important detail I almost forgot.”
Artemis was worried that she was going to reveal more about their past, when he felt a powerful surge of magic wash over him. As it passed over him, he turned around to see a smirking Twilight Sparkle and Luna sticking her tongue out at him. It wasn’t until he noticed the silence from the audience that he realized that something was wrong, and only then did it occur to him that his disguise had been peeled away.
“Buck me,” sighed Artemis under his breath. Unfortunately for him though it was still caught by the microphone announcing it to the whole world.
“Of course there was more,” thought Artemis to himself. “I should’ve known better, Fate just loves to screw me as soon as I relax.”
“That’s better,” chuckled Celestia. “This swearing giant before you is Artemis, Nature Spirit and the former King of the Wolves. Despite his intimidating exterior, I can assure you he is one of the most compassionate wolves you will ever meet. Please treat him as you would any other guest to your homes,” finished Celestia eliciting cheers from the audience.
Artemis couldn’t help but think how she was technically right simply because Artemis was likely to be the only wolf they ever meet. He thought back to when he lead the tribe, and he acknowledged that he was a very polar leader. He was benevolent to his subjects and allies, but he was also unimaginably cruel to those who crossed him. He could be callous to the most extreme things, but empathic for the everyday problems most times on a whim. Compassionate wasn’t something that had been used to describe him often.
“Oh, curse my memory today,” smiled Celestia as the crowd’s cheering settled down.
Those few words struck fear into Artemis’s heart, he couldn’t imagine what else she had “forgotten” to mention.
“I know there was something else I’m forgetting,” said Celestia slyly as she looked behind her. “Luna do you remember what it was?”
“Of course I do, it is the most important part.”
The fact that Luna was involved calmed Artemis considerably, but still he couldn’t figure out what she had forgotten to mention that was so important to either of them. As he tried his best to figure it out, his train of thought was quickly interrupted as Luna pulled him into a deep kiss.
He was almost too stunned to respond, but it only took a moment for him to block out the cheers, gasps, curses, and flashes coming from the audience. For that moment it was just him and Luna, the crowds, the cameras, and judgment were inconsequential. Though when she pulled away everything else came crashing back, and he remembered that she had just revealed their relationship to all of Equestria and any other country that was watching.
“I love him with everything that I am,” finished Luna as she found herself pulled into another briefer kiss.
After the crowd had died down a bit, Celestia figured it was a good time to end.
“Alright I think that is a good place to end, I’m sure I haven’t forgotten anything else,” smiled Celestia as she mentally prepared for the torment she about to subject herself to. “For now Princess Cadance and I will be answering questions in the place of Artemis and Luna, and I hope everypony has a wonderful evening.”
Artemis was pleasantly surprised by the turn of events, but despite Celestia’s words, he and Luna were still surrounded as they left the stage. It seemed like every news pony in Canterlot was trying to get an answer from them, there were so many questions being asked at the same time he couldn’t respond to any of them. However it didn’t take long for him to spot Vinyl waving to him at the back of crowd.
“Hey Vinyl, do you or Octavia have any plans for the rest of the weekend?” thought Artemis.
“Uh neither of us has a job this weekend or plans, what’s up?” asked Vinyl curiously.
“That’s good, because these vultures won’t leave us alone. I figured I would take you and Octavia with us,” responded Artemis as he was already preparing to teleport.
“Wait where!” shouted Vinyl out loud as they disappeared in a flash of light.
6:30pm, 25th of Viglyd, 14 Days After the Reunion – Cereus Valley
As the light faded the four of them found themselves on the edge of a cliff overlooking a massive vine overgrown valley.
"You have a bad habit of taking me places against my will," joked Vinyl
“Where are we?” asked Octavia as she looked around at the mostly empty landscape surrounding the cliff.
“Cereus Valley, Lupinia,” answered Artemis as he nostalgically looked towards the sky.
“Lupinia? We are in Griffon territory?” paled Octavia as she started to panic. “You do know they will kill or enslave us if they find us here, right?”
“Octy, chill. We are going to be fine, we are with the Princess of the Night and the former king who kept them in check before.”
“Vinyl I don’t think you unde-,”
“No, we are in my territory. So long as I draw breath this is my land, this place in particular will NEVER be theirs.”
As he looked out at the familiar valley, he felt a reassuring hoof on his shoulder from Luna, who looked towards Vinyl and Octavia before speaking.
“This valley means a lot to him, and it is no light gesture that he brought you here.”
“Luna saved my life here long ago, and she did it by showing me the most beautiful display of life I had ever seen. You mentioned being interested in visiting Lupinia, but I wanted to make sure you saw the best it could offer. This is the place where my life nearly ended, but instead my new life began. It seemed like a fitting place to tell you my life’s story. Just come with me,” finished Artemis as he climbed down to the valley below.
After a relatively short hike down the cliff path, they reached a small pond being filled by a smaller waterfall. As they looked around the clearing, the vines started to give off different radiant colors. Light from every color imaginable shone from the vines, and the light reflected off the water and walls lighting up the entire valley. Shortly after, the light shifted from the vines into buds that blossomed into beautiful flowers that shone with every color possible.
“Woah,” gawked Vinyl as she raised her shades for a better view.
“Absolutely gorgeous,” awed Octavia as she poked one of the pearlescent flowers.
“It pleases me to no end that this place is still undisturbed after a thousand years. Unfortunately they only bloom once a year and only at night before they die, and before my imprisonment Luna and I came here every year.”
“Wait, imprisonment?” questioned Vinyl curiously.
“That’s later in the story, but I wasn’t born into the wolf tribe. I was found by a wolf named Lupa, and she returned me to the tribe to learn their ways,” started Artemis as he sat down in front of the pond.
Artemis blocked off his mind as he started to feel Twilight and Celestia trying to contact him, but considering he had spent 1000 years imprisoned and they didn’t seem to be panicking, he figured he had earned 10 hours to do whatever he wanted. Right now he wanted to reflect upon his life with his first modern friends and the love of his life, and he wasn’t going to let anything interrupt him. The night was young, and nothing else really mattered to him.
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Foursome!
Calling it now.
They are totally gonna have a gangbang.
Possibly, who knows? Not what I imagined but hey to each their own.
Hmmm can't figure out how to change the tag to complete for the story. Don't know if blind, stupid, or actually hard to find. Clicking the button doesnt seem to work
Edit: Found it
Wow. That is all I think I can say right now. This has to be one of the best stories that I have ever read. The entire story has been an emotional rollercoaster and I applaud you on your dedication to this story. It was a real tearjerker.
