The girls, all except Fluttershy, were back at the library while the battle had suddenly ceased.
AppleJack was confused. "Why did th' fightin' stop? What happened?" She asked.
Twilight shook her head. "I don't know but we need to use the elements quickly."
Rainbow stepped forward. "But Fluttershy left. We need her to make this work."
Pinkie Pie jumped in now. "Yea! Without Fluttershy, this won't work."
Twilight frowned. "We have to find her. Rainbow, do you think you can search the skies around town for her?"
Rainbow Dash nodded taking both hers, and Flutteshy's element neckless'. "I'm on it!" She said flying out the window.
"The rest of you, lets get into town. I want to know exactly what's going on." Twilight said as she ran out the door.
It was easy to figure out where everypony was. They could hear the shouts and yells from the center of town. They headed for town at a steady gallop.
A loud bang startled them into a run. Something had happened because after the bang, everything went dead silent. The four ran as fast as they could. When they got there, they weren't expecting what had happened. Everypony and everyhuman was standing their, dead silent, staring at the human bleeding on the ground. Rainbow Dash held a hysterical Fluttershy, Teeny and Hair-line were at Woodwinds side, trying to resuscitate him, with no luck. Teeny was yelling in frustration and Hair-line was tearing up.
"Oh no!" Twilight yelled as she raced to her two friends.
"Rainbow Dash! What happened?" She yelled hoping somepony would give her an answer. She hated not knowing.
Rainbow Dash just shook her head, unwilling to answer.
Cole stood up laughing.
"So that was all you could muster, Woody?" He yelled mockingly, "I trained you better than that! Now our assault continues! Lets go men!"
No one moved.
"I SAID LETS GO, MEN!"
Everyone remained still.
Teeny yelled back at him.
"No one wants to follow a psychopath like you!" She stood and approached him.
He pointed the gun at her. she stopped and began to tear.
"You gonna shot me now? Why don't you just shot everyone here!"
Cole began to shake. "Is that how you all feel?" he shouted backing away. All eyes were now on him. He bolted past them all and headed for the forrest.
The soldiers threw down their guns and put their hands on their heads. The Ponies began to cheer. They had done it. They won.
Fluttershy bolted out of Rainbow Dash's embrace and raced to Woodwind.
"Please be ok." She sobbed. "Please get up."
But he didn't move.
She broke down.
"Please don't leave me like this! Please don't go!" She fell to the cobblestone and held her head. Her friends surrounded her and embraced her tightly.
"Do not fret, my good friends, for this is not to be his end."
They all looked up to see Zecora standing over Woodwind. Twilight let out a small smile.
"Zecora. What are you doing here?" She asked.
Zecora smiled at her, but continued to mix something at the same time.
"I heard the sounds of a big fight, and foresaw the fate of a noble knight. His death would prevent what he had to make right, To stop his enemy from continuing the fight."
Twilight looked more confused. "But, Zecora, they all surrendered. See?"
Zecora looked around at the humans. All on their knees and their hands on their head.
"Thats all I saw of his story, but i can bring him back to fight for glory."
Fluttershy flew to Zecora, "You can bring him back? You can save him?"
Zecora fowned.
"Alas, this potion can bring him back, but its effects do not last. Ten minutes he'll have to walk this earth for, but after that, he'll die once more."
Fluttershy shut her eyes and silent tears fell. Everypony looked at the ground as Zecora poured the pink fluid down his throat.
After ten seconds, he exploded off the ground and gasped for air.
"What in the world happened!?" he yelled getting to his feet.
Fluttershy tackled him with a hug. "Oh you're back! It worked!" She shouted still crying.
Twilight ran to him. "Our friend Zecora gave you a potion that will let you live for ten more minutes. Cole ran off into the woods. We don't know what he has planned but you have to stop him!"
Woodwind took this all in quickly. He ran to Coles second in command, knife in hand, and grabbed him by the throat. "What was his backup plan?! I know he had one!"
The man was silent.
Woodwind punched him in the head, "What will he do!?"
The soldier recoiled. "He brought a nuke! If all else failed, he was going to set it off!" Woodwind bolted into the woods. Everyone followed him, even the soldiers.
Cole typed furiously on the control panel next to the massive bomb. "They think they won, do they? Those arrogant shits! I'll show them what it means to mess with President Cole!" The nuke began to hum as it primed. Cole grabbed the remote and waited for it to give the green light.
Woodwind burst into the camp.
"Cole you coward! Show yourself!"
The camp was as quiet as a grave. He could here the distant thump of footsteps coming up behind him. He began to shout again, but gunshots from the hanger sent him scattering to cover.
But not for long.
Taking that potion was like being injected with adrenaline. He bolted from cover and sprinted to the hanger. Cole ran out the back and up the cliff behind them.
Woodwind was in hot pursuit. He ran up the hill like it was nothing Coming to a stop seeing Cole clenching the remote in his hand.
"You came back just to die again!" He yelled over the roar of the rapids below.
"Anything to say before you die?" Woody said taunting him. Coal yelled in frustration and was about to hit the button.
Woody let the knife fly from his hand and it hit its mark.
Cole screamed as the blade pierced through his wrist and out the other side, causing him to drop the detonator. Woody tackled him and the two went tumbling towards the edge of the cliff.
"Up there!" Twilight yelled, seeing the two humans on the top of the cliff. The other humans were heading back through the portal, not wanting to be around when a nuke went off. Twilight, her friends, and Hair-line and Teeny ran to the hill to see the two continuing their scuffle.
"You're the most obnoxious man I ever met, Woody! You never knew when to back down!"
Woody smiled as his fist connected with his jaw. "I've always been better than you! You never could handle that! The fact I was made president made you jealous!"
Cole smashed a rock into Woodwinds stomach. "I would never be jealous of a coward like you!" He shouted smashing the rock into the back of Woody's throat. Woodwind slammed to the ground.
Cole pulled the knife out of his wrist and lunged it towards Woodwind.
He rolled and the knife slammed into the ground where he was just a second earlier.
He swung his leg and connected with the back of Cole's knee, Sending him to the ground.
But ten minutes was up.
Woody could barely breath and his strength ebbed. the world was fading in and out as he felt his heart beat slower and slower. Cole punched him in the face and stood up quickly. Woodwind looked up as Cole picked up the detonator again. "It's over!" He shouted, "You lose!" He was about to hit the button. Woodwind dove at the man, knocking the remote from his hand, and the two tumbled.
Straight off the cliff.
Fluttershy was the first to run to the edge. She peaked over to see nothing but the rushing river below.
"Woodwind!" She yelled, hoping for an answer.
but nothing.
Fluttershy flew down to river to see if she could find him.
"Fluttershy!" Rainbow Dash yelled as she chased after her. "It's over..."
"No! I have to find him!"
He grabbed at the shore with the rest of his strength and pulled himself up.
He could no longer breath. The light began to fade from his eyes and he fell to the dirt. But just before it ended, a bright flash came down from the sky and landed in front of him. "You have proven yourself a true hero of Equestria. Now hold still. this might hurt a little bit."
A week had passed since the war had ended. The residents of Ponyville had returned home and began cleaning up the mess.
Fluttershy was tending to her animals slower than usual. She kept thinking what she could have done differently. If only she could have been braver. But what's done is done. She couldn't change it despite how hard she wanted to.
If only she told him.
Twilight came running up the road, calling Fluttershy's name.
"Oh, hello Twilight. Is there something I can do for you?" She asked.
"No, but the Princess did something for you. Follow me!"
Twilight began sprinting down the road. Fluttershy followed reluctantly.
"Oh, Twilight, The princess didn't have to do anything for me. I'm- ok." She said. but she was lying to herself. She wasn't ok. She was far from it. She cared for him so much. And he was gone forever.
They reached town to see a massive party being held. Obviously Pinkie Pies doing.
"What's going on?" Fluttershy asked. "Whats with the party?"
"The princess has declared today, Woodwind day. We're celebrating how one selfless person, er, pony," She corrected. "helped save all of Equestria from being plunged into the darkness of war."
Fluttershy smiled. "This is so kind of her to do. But she did this for me?"
"Nope!" Pinkie Pie yelled as she hopped to them. "She did something even better!"
Rarity, AJ, And Rainbow Dash came over as well.
"You believed in him when we all didn't" Rainbow Dash said.
"That's right, darling. Because of your belief in him, he ended up saving us all." Rarity continued.
"We all learned an important lesson on friendship today." Twilight continued.
"You showed us that no matter what someone was like before, doesn't mean they can't be forgiven. You stood by him till the end and he couldn't have asked for a better friend."
Fluttershy blushed. "Thank you all so much." She said. "But what did the princess do for me?" She asked again, hoping to get an answer.
"Follow us." Twilight said.
They reached the buffet where the princess was sitting with her sister, enjoying the sweets and delicate food. Even Teeny and Hair-line were still there, talking to the princess.
"Princess Celestia?" Twilight said as she approached the table. "Fluttershys here now."
Celestia smiled. "Ah, Fluttershy. It's so good to see you again. I just wanted to let you know how sorry I am for doubting you about Woodwind."
Fluttershy was shocked. The princess was apologizing to her?
"Oh, princess, you don't need to apologize."
"Oh, but i do. You believed in him when nopony else would. And you made me see that everypony deserves a chance. Which is why i did this."
She called out to the back of the curtain encircling the picnic tables.
"You can come out now."
Out from behind the curtain stepped the light green pegasus with the light brown mane. Fluttershy couldn't contain herself. She tackled the Pegasus to the ground.
"Woodwind! You're alive! You're ok!"
He laughed. "I told you I'd be ok." He told her.
She kissed him. it was something she wanted to do for so long, but never had the courage. "I love you." She finally said. "I wish i told you sooner. I thought i'd never have the chance."
"You mean the world to me." He told her. "I'm sorry i put you through so much hurt. but i sacrificed myself to keep you safe." He turned to the Princess.
"I can never thank you enough for what you've done."
"I did it because you proved yourself to be a better pony than all of us. Your friends too. Which is why I have agreed to let them stay.
Hair-line and Teeny stepped forward. "We're ready, Princess."
Woodwind stepped forward. "Are you sure about this, guys? Once you're changed, there's no going back."
Teeny stepped up. "We've made up our minds. We want to do this."
"Well then all right. Step forward." The princess said as she began the spell.
Teeny and Hair-line were lifted off the ground, encircled by a brilliant light. Woodwind and the others shielded their eyes .
When they turned back around, two new ponies stood before them.
Teeny was transformed into a light tan mare. she still had her short cropped, dark brown hair.
Hair-line became a dark blue unicorn. He was still balding, unfortunately.
Woodwind smiled as his friends struggled to keep their balance.
"How do you feel?" He asked. Hair-line was the first to answer.
"Like i just got kicked in the gut." He said as he tried to keep his balance.
"This isn't so bad. I can get used to it." Teeny said smiling.
Everyone began to cheer. Woodwind held Fluttershy close and felt, for the first time in his life, a sense of peace. His life finally had purpose. And now, he was going to start living a life he could only dream of. He was going to live a life of peace.