Epilogue: Sleepover!
Dear Apple Bloom,
It’s us: Bear Bone and Kamikazi (though mostly just Bear Bone. Kazi’s a little occupied as I write this).
This is just a small letter to let you know we heard about the incident with those class C ghouls, and we’re happy to hear that you, to quote Kazi: “Chugged that loser’s tears like cider.” I have no idea where she comes up with these expressions, but I fear she’d tear open the envelope and add it herself if I didn’t include it.
And while we’ve already said as much before, I believe it bears repeating: as fellow beings of dark magic, we’re willing to offer any advice, possible contacts, or any other form of support we can give you. I can’t say I know what your future holds, but we will both be more than happy to help.
I wish you the best of luck moving forward, Apple Bloom.
-Bear Bone & Kamikazi
P.S: You’re darn right I’d tear open the envelope, big guy. Also, next time I’m in the area, I’m giving you karate lessons, apple kid. Trust me, kicking out the bad ghoul’s teeth is almost as satisfying as outsmarting him, and I’d hate for you to miss out on such delight if you ever run into that loser again.
Apple Bloom giggled and shook her head as she put down the letter.
What a pony that Kamikazi was.
Scootaloo shivered as she arrived at the CMC clubhouse. There was a chill in the air that evening. With the Running of the Leaves only a few days off, there was no doubt about it: winter was coming.
Well, duh! These things are scheduled you know, commented Goose.
It was a reference, Goose. She was trying to be funny, replied Uno.
Trying, and failing. That phrase was old years ago, Scoots, added Lynx.
Scootaloo just rolled her eyes. How very typical of the Cloudsdale hive. You can’t even try to be funny without somepony calling you out on it.
Tell me about it, said Twitch.
We call you out because your idea of humor is far from what the rest of us consider reasonable, replied Beatle.
I fail to see how it’s my fault that...
Sensing a familiar argument brewing, Scootaloo tuned her family out and started up the stairs. Besides, it was kind of cold out. Winter was indeed coming, regardless of appropriate quotes from books she was technically too young to read. She once again silently blamed her uncle Martini for showing her that series, and entered the clubhouse.
Unsurprisingly, her friends were already inside. Apple Bloom was once again setting up the sleeping bags and Sweetie Belle was curled up on a bean bag reading her manual.
“Hey, Scoots. What took ya so long? It’s already gettin’ dark out,” chided Apple Bloom.
Sweetie Belle, meanwhile, glanced up from her bead bag to wave, then turned back towards her manual. Even after weeks of reading, there was still so much more to learn about her robotic body. It seemed that Sweetie Belle would continue to read that manual for quite some time.
“Sorry, Apple Bloom. Rumble stopped me on the way over. He wanted to practice some pick up lines,” replied Scootaloo.
Apple Bloom raised an eyebrow.
“Why the hay would a colt our age want to practice flirtin’? What, is he plannin’ on askin’ somepony out?” asked Apple Bloom in disbelief.
“He’s Thunderlane’s younger brother,” reminded Sweetie Belle without looking up.
“Oh yeah. Right,” replied Apple Bloom with a shake of her head.
Nothing else needed to be said.
“And for the record, I gave his performance a score of ‘you’re probably going to get dumped if you try that’ out of a possible ‘we’re too young for this.’ Seriously, he was trying way too hard,” said Scootaloo with a shake of her head.
“Sounds like a mighty useful ratin’ system there. Changeling approved?” asked Apple Bloom with a giggle.
“Changeling invented. You better believe we’ve got proper flirting down to an art form,” said Scootaloo as she flopped down on a bean bag herself.
There were some more giggles, then Apple Bloom joined her friends on the bean bags.
“So girls, we ready to get this sleepover started?” asked Apple Bloom.
“Well, yeah. It’s not like we have anywhere else to be,” said Sweetie Belle.
The cheery atmosphere was broken with some resigned sighs.
“I still can’t believe our sisters went to some fancy week-long festival at the Crystal Empire and didn’t bring us with them,” grumbled Scootaloo.
“Eh, they went with the other elements of harmony. It’ll probably end up bein’ crashed by some new ancient evil, and they’ll have to spend the rest of the week tryin’ to save the world again instead of havin’ fun,” said Apple Bloom with a shrug.
“That’s true, though I don’t know if it’ll be an ancient evil. My money’s on some kind of parallel dimension invading ours or something,” countered Sweetie Belle.
“Aliens for me. Babs guessed something like that would happen someday, and I see no reason to think she’s wrong,” added Scootaloo.
Upon realizing how serious her friends were, Apple Bloom couldn't say no to a chance for some extra pocket change.
“Alright then, it’s on. Two bits each sound fair?” suggested Apple Bloom.
“Hay yeah!” declared Scootaloo.
Sweetie Belle put a hoof to her mouth in though for a moment.
“Well… Rarity would probably kill me if she found out I bet actual money… but she’s at the Crystal Empire right now. So, yeah, I’m all for it,” she decided.
The three ponies clopped their hooves together, sealing the deal. They didn’t spit on them first, though. There were some things they just weren’t willing to risk Rarity finding out about.
A few hours into the evening, they decided to take a small break. Not because they were tired, but because Apple Bloom needed to head out and grab her foreleg after it was sent flying out the window. Nopony was really sure how that had happened while they were playing cards. Sweetie Belle had taken the opportunity to continue reading her manual, and Scootaloo had taken the opportunity to pester her about it by reading over her shoulder.
“‘Momentum charged levitation field?’ What the hay is that?” asked Scootaloo.
“Well, give me a second to read it so I can find out,” chided Sweetie Belle with an annoyed glare.
“Right, sorry,” said Scootaloo as she rubbed the back of her neck.
“The momentum based levitation field is a self-charging arcanic matrix that transfers excess kinetic energy into a stable barrier that can serve as a…” read Sweetie Belle.
“Short version please,” interrupted Scootaloo.
Sweetie Belle looked back at her friend with a huff.
“I’m not reading this for your understanding, you know,” she deadpanned.
“Yeah, but you don’t have to go full technobabble. I can break the whole thing down in one sentence: ‘It’s a spell that lets you run on water.’ Boom. Done,” replied Scootaloo with a roll of her eyes.
Sweetie Belle blinked in surprise.
“Wait, what? I can walk on water with this?!” she exclaimed.
“No, just run. The spell matrix only works if you keep moving, because it’s using your momentum to create a magic field underneath you. If you slow down, the spell gets weaker, and eventually you’ll just sink,” replied Scootaloo.
Still rather surprised, Sweetie Belle turned back to the manual, read a bit more, and realized that Scootaloo was right.
“And you know all this, how?” asked Sweetie Belle with a raised eyebrow.
Scootaloo gave Sweetie Belle a deadpan stare before dropping her disguise.
“This isn’t an ice cream cone coming out of my head, you know. I’ve had to sit though lessons on magic theory, too,” said Scootaloo while pointing at her horn.
Sweetie Belle blinked, but then sighed and shook her head.
“Yeah, that’s fair. Sorry, Scootaloo. Changeling or not, it’s still hard for me to imagine you having more than a vague understanding of magic,” admitted Sweetie Belle.
“You and the rest of my hive,” mumbled Scootaloo.
Sweetie Belle blushed, then silently turned back to her manual.
They’d tried telling scary stories, but after Sweetie Belle’s less than terrifying “The Missing Stitch,” Apple Bloom’s rather disgusting “Pumpernickel Massacre,” and whatever the hay was Scootaloo’s “Bug Juice Jamboree,” they’d decided to just share what they’d been up to lately instead.
At least that way nopony’s brain needed to be rebooted again, literally or otherwise.
“... but no, it turns out he was talking about Ogres and Oubliettes,” finished Sweetie Belle.
Her friends looked at each other in surprise.
“Really? O&O?” asked Apple Bloom.
“Yeah. I didn’t know Button Mash played O&O,” added Scootaloo.
“I didn’t either, but apparently he does. Oh! That reminds me: he also asked if we’d be interested in joining him for a game sometime,” said Sweetie Belle.
“Huh. Well, I’m down for it. I’ll have you two know I’m quite the experienced player. My entire clutch trembles in fear at the mere mention of my pegasus ranger,” boasted Scootaloo with a dramatic pose.
Only because you put all your points in evasion and cheesed your way to victory, complained Lynx.
Hey, that was one time! And I was playing a thief then! objected Scootaloo.
Yeah, sure. “One time,” my flank… grumbled Lynx.
Scootaloo tuned out her grudge-holding sister and turned her attention back to her friends.
“Ah don’t know. Ah’ve never played a game before, and Ah don’t know how Ah feel about bein’ the noob,” Apple Bloom said nervously.
Sweetie Belle put a comforting hoof on her friend’s shoulder.
“Don’t worry, Apple Bloom. I’ve never played either. We can be noobs together. And besides, I’m sure Button will go easy on us for our first game,” reassured Sweetie Belle.
Scootaloo giggled at that.
“Or maybe he’ll just go easy on you because you’re his fillyfriend,” she quipped.
Sweetie Belle let out a resigned sigh.
“For the last time, Scootaloo: Button Mash is not my coltfriend,” chided Sweetie Belle with an eye roll.
And yet, despite her blush, there wasn’t much anger in Sweetie Belle’s voice. Whether this was because she was lying through her teeth, or she was just getting used to Scootaloo's teasing was anyone’s guess.
Scootaloo was definitely guessing the former though, which made her giggle again.
Apple Bloom joined her in the giggling, and then had an idea.
“Still… now that Ah think about it, Ah probably should learn how to play. Ah mean, Ah’m already halfway to bein’ one of them dungeon masters. Might as well learn how to play the part,” said Apple Bloom.
Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo shared an uncertain look.
“What are you talking about, Apple Bloom?” asked Sweetie Belle.
Apple Bloom smirked before pulling out her bow, revealing her undead body.
“Fools! Y’all dare enter mah domain?! Ah’ll smite ya lowly worms with dark spells beyond your worst nightmares!” cried Apple Bloom in as harsh a tone as she could manage.
Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle could only stare at Apple Bloom in disbelief, through each of them were doing so for completely different reasons. Scootaloo was just confused, but Sweetie Belle was struggling to hold back giggles.
“Ha! Mah mere presence is causin’ y’all to quake with fear beyond words! Mah reign shall never be challenged! This world shall be mine forever!” continued Apple Bloom, lifting a hoof for dramatic flair.
It proved to be too much. While Apple Bloom’s tone and twisted ghoulified words certainly fit the bill, it was almost impossible to take her seriously with her thick country accent and young voice. Sweetie Belle fell to the ground, rolling in laughter.
Scootaloo, however, merely facehooved.
“Really, Apple Bloom? Really?” Scootaloo asked with a sigh.
Undeterred, Apple Bloom snapped her own neck and lifted her head into the air.
“Gaze upon me ya fools! Ah am invincible! No weapon can harm mah immortal flesh! Ah laugh at your feeble attempts at resistance! Ha ha ha!” declared Apple Bloom.
Sweetie Belle started laughing even harder, to the point she was starting to cry a little. Meanwhile, Scootaloo’s annoyed expression grew more annoyed, and also a little disturbed.
“Ew… did you have to do that, Apple Bloom? That looks really creepy,” said Scootaloo.
Apple Bloom looked at her friend in surprise, but then smirked. She just couldn’t let the opportunity pass her by.
“Oh really? Am Ah makin’ your head spin, Scootaloo?” asked Apple Bloom.
“A little bit, so can you not…” Scootaloo’s voice trailed off before she crossed her legs and let out a huff.
She was a little distracted by Apple Bloom literally spinning her head.
Walking right into that one, didn’t you? commented Uno.
Shut it, Uno, thought Scootaloo.
All too soon it was getting late, even for three fillies having a sleepover. So late, in fact, that it was actually early. Utterly exhausted, the three of them reluctantly put on their pajamas, turned off the lights, and crawled into their sleeping bags.
But before they settled in...
“Girls?” said Apple Bloom.
“Yeah?” replied Sweetie Belle.
There was a mumble from Scootaloo’s bag, but it sounded like she was still awake.
“Ah just wanted to say somethin’. Ah mean, it’s kind of obvious, and Ah know y’all feel the same, but after everything we’ve been through these past few months, Ah just want to say it again: Ah want y’all to know that you’re the best friends a filly could ask for, strange secrets and all. And Ah’m just… so happy to be here with ya,” said Apple Bloom.
There was a moment of silence, but it was the pleasant sort of silence.
“Same to you, Apple Bloom,” replied Sweetie Belle.
“Yeah, what the time traveling robot said,” grumbled Scootaloo.
Apple Bloom snorted at that.
“Well gee, thanks for your kind words, ya shape shiftin’ bug,” snarked Apple Bloom.
“Yeah, listen to the crispy zombie, Scootaloo,” added Sweetie Belle.
There was another moment of silence before the three of them started giggling once again.
As exhaustion set back in and the room fell silent once again, Apple Bloom rolled over and closed her eyes.
She really did have the best of friends.
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Nice, you made it to the finish line.
"Elements Of Harmony" is usually capitalized.
Yeah, Scoots knowing magic theory is surprising, but shouldn't be?
...
Any new spells to tell the rest of the world in that manual?
Applebloom getting some (dark) magic practice?
----
Dark Filthy Rich Fic seems interesting, as it's such a difference from this story's tone?
----
Oh, and Aliens, right, that plot's still unresolved?
What about a bit more into Babs? I want to know a bit more about her life after her change (if it can be called a change if it technically already happened).
MOOOOAAAAARRR!!!
I must applause you for creating this masterpiece. I do hope you would create more.
Will miss this
more new stories and a sequel please!
Congratulations. :)
Nice to see it finished, I do have one question what's that rating system about ghouls that was mentioned?
Oh no, it's over
*Reads*
Oh good, you had me going for a moment there
And now we wait for the printed version?
An excellent story that carried itself well to a satisfying conclusion. In a couple author's comments you fretted about parts being too wordy or too much of an info-dump, but it never was. A thoroughly enjoyable read.
(In all seriousness though, I'd shell out a few bucks for a printed copy.)
I lost it at the crispy zombie part.
I definitely want that origin story! You've got a way with description, I'm sure it would turn out fantastically!
(All of that is sincere, no matter how accidentally sarcastic it may read as.)
wonderful!
I'd say that it shouldn't be surprising that Scootaloo knows magic theory. But considering that the rest of her hive is surprised, I'm wondering if that's a legitimate surprise.
I'm certainly curious as to what you have in mind for the two AUs of this story. But I would like to see the sequel first.
You wrote a book. About an idea you had. The end. None of this, 'it's just fanfiction' stuff. You wrote a book.
Oh, and people like it. Bask in that.
Edit: Oh! We also finally got the scene in the cover pic! Nice touch.
First, congrats on finishing your story after three years! Second, I definitely enjoyed reading this story along with the other stories you have written for your fans. It was so great reading about the CMC, the friends they have made, the problems they encountered throughout the story and them overcoming all of them, and the places they have visited during their adventures.
And last but not least, good luck on the stories that you're planning to write in the future!
You are quite the character.
Eh?
Hm.
Poor guy.
You would say that.
Sounds about right.
Sweetie Jesus?
That's fair.
I'm sure.
Hey, it works.
Uh, huh.
Really?
Daaw.
I'm, honestly kinda glad it is. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed this, but everything needs a The End, and well, you told the story you wanted to tell, this particular story is over, no sense in dragging it out.
And so it comes to end. And how better to end it than in a mundane way for three not so mundane lives.
I'll be expecting the sequel, but I'm more than interest on what you bring out the origin story of the seven tribes.
Also, next time I’m in the area
Yay, a sequel is coming!
awww, its over.
really nice way to end it though. 
I'm kinda sad. This was one of those long running stories that you could rely on to appear in your updates sooner or later. For years you could count on it to be just there. Sequel sounds good though.
All in all, story has been entertaining for sure, and I'm glad I got to read it. And add others have stated, boom! Cover pic drop.
*chanting*
Sequel sequel sequel!
Holly shit, has it really been 3 years since this story started... it feels like it's been around for less than a year the thing sucked me in to the story so much.
So there's a whole series to look forward to.
Hmm... Well, assuming this is the Princess Summit, then the evil is both young and native to Equestria, so Sweetie wins.
Also, I wonder if changelings have a scale of evil monologues similar to the flirting one. Probably not. Chrysalis's theatricality was as much of an otlier as the rest of her.
In any case, congratulations on seeing this through to the end. I look forward to whatever other stories you may tell of this worldline. Thank you for this.
This is the cover art!
IT WAS FORESHADOWING!! It's all come full circle!
Nice to see this niche filled, and very well written. Triple CMC monster mash. Hope to hear more from you soon. Hope I can make my own version's origin story as interesting as yours
This is a really good fanfic and i will look forward to another storys from you.
Savage
Ya know...Sometimes, here on FimFiction, you run into a fic þat isn't a clopfic, þat isn't a crackfic, and þat isn't generally unwholesome somehow. Þis, I am happy to say is one of þose gems. Well written, everybody felt appropriately in-character (except for Twilight), and despite þe darker elements of it, it somehow managed to do þe one þing only þe best of þe best fanfics do....manage to feel like an episode of þe show. (Or several episodes, in þis case.) I give great praise to you, Banjo64, for making someþing as morbid and grotesque as an undead little girl feel like someþing I could show my kids.
Þis is a great fic.
Congrats! Now if only I could hit the thumbs up button twice, that number is so close to 2,000.
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I did it for you!
And back to normal!
It's been a fun ride. Let's get ready for the next!
Keep going! ;)
good please the sequel
Wow I can't believe it's
not butteractually over. I've been reading along almost since I started reading fanfiction. One of my favorites, this story.Short answers:
Yes you did improve.
Yes we enjoyed it.
Long answers:
I will have to think on it a bit. Nothing really bad per se just working on some succint cliff notes after a rereading. Everything is easier in hindsight afterall.
I felt that this world has much more to offer than this short (compared to others) story, and knew I would feel bad if saw so much potential wasted.
Good thing to see that you agreed to that and are willing to write more.
And yes we (people here) count those truly great fanfics as worlds of their own often as good or greater than mainstream stories (Harry Potter's narration seems slightly childish and unreasonable for me now that I've tried to reread the 1st book.)
I gotta say one more time that this story feels quite real (how I describe stories that are good). Let the story tell itself to you so you can write it for us readers.
Huzzah! I hear any chimp with a typewriter can start a story but it's a right pain in the arse to finish one properly. Good job wrangling this one to a satisfying ending.
Ended up reading this entire story in about 2 days time and enjoyed every moment of it.
You did a great job of taking a fun/interesting premise and building it into its own thing.
The perfect ending!
Good story!
I loved reading it!
It may took a while, but more than worth it.,
Edit:
At the moment of wrinting this this story is ranked 210!
9084179
*spit take*
I didn't even notice that with the pic!
Did you (Banjo64) plan this out the entire time?
I took away my thumbs up just so I could give you another.
This deserves two.
A good twist to the story, funny, interesting and changing the story base. Not to say the backstory of the races and the different things.
Waiting for a sequel.
I've only read the first chapter, but I was a bit surprised that Scoots was the changeling and AB was the ghoul (on account of the black appearance). Looking closer at the picture I can see Scoots' horn at least. I figured Scoots was undead because in my mind, that could be an explanation for why she never flies. She was a late bloomer who died before she developed the ability to do so, and now she's eternally a filly, see?
You spin my head right round right round
When you go down, when you go down down
9083803
9083829
9084031
Most of those questions will be answered in the sequel. Except for the aliens... maybe.
9084076
*Spits out drink* Printed version?! Man, I don't even have a TvTropes page! And even then, I don't know if I'd be up for something like that...
9089639
The cover art was made years ago. I just felt adding a scene that could fit it would be appropriate for the ending.
And thank you, everyone, for your kind words of approval. Here's hoping I can keep it up in the sequel.
9092979
As far as rating goes, if you just count stories about the CMC, and don't count one-shots, you're at #1. No joke.
You've just finished writing the top-rated long-form CMC fic of all time.
Congrats!
Why do I see so many Deus Ex refrences in this chapter?
I'd say all of those ideas are fairly intresting but I just hope that you will time skip to where the show is right now. Events that changed would be good at introducing alongside ongoing adventures as it gets more content in one chapter. Just a thought.
I'm so glad this ended when it did, I was afraid that it was going to go on and on like a bad sit com, but you did very well and wrapped everything up excellently.