//------------------------------//
// Finding Happiness End 
// Story: The Hag, the heroes, and a few other things 
// by Amaranthine Thought 
//------------------------------//

            It had finally stopped snowing and the air was chill, but not freezing.  I had read the letters left behind by the griffon (Pinkie was calling him Feathers) and we now had a faint idea as to where we were. 

            Rose and Honest were closer than ever, joy apparent in their every step and affection in every gesture.  Pinkie was helping me plan the greatest wedding for them, but first we had to find civilization. 

            So I had taken the toadstools that I had obtained in Manehatten and arranged them in a circle, my companions watching me as we stood in the snow outside the den. 

            “How will this help Hag?” Rose asked me as Pinkie watched me intently. 

            “You’ll see.” I responded. 

            Having finished I cleared my throat.  I made several noises, trying to sound like a clear set of bells, drawing confused looks from Rose and a very good mimicry from Pinkie.  The mare had a good voice to her. 

            The toadstools had remained plain for a moment, but then the red and white caps glittered.  A mist sprang up in the middle and when it faded a fairy remained. 

            Fairies are tiny humanoids, standing less than six inches in height.  They resemble humans, but usually have otherworldly hair colors and two transparent wings on their back, their clothes made from leaves or petals. 

            I looked to it and talked in its language, the fey language, trying to sound like a glass bell.  Mortals were unable to produce most of the sounds, mangling the ‘words’ but they understood anyway.  Most of the time. 

            It flew up to look into my eyes and produced the most enchanting noises as it commented on my form. 

            “You shouldn’t look like that.” she said. 

            “Kno hat.  Need hilp, kennot fin homs of man.” I said. 

            It looked about and shrugged, pointing in one direction.  “That way is a town, and past it is another.” 

            I smiled, “Ink ya, now go bck ta ya places.” 

            She frowned, crossing her tiny arms, “Don’t want to, we haven’t been here before.” 

            I frowned.  It had just told me that they fey were not in Equestria and never had been (a great relief) and I was not going to let it stay here. 

            With Pinkie continuing to echo our words I said, “nae.  Back, fore I trap ya.”  I shifted a hoof right next to a toadstool, the fairy growing fearful.  “I well.” 

            With a sudden movement she was gone back in the mist and I knocked a toadstool out of place, the magical effects cutting off.  I turned back to my dumbstruck companions.

            “Told you fey were real Rose.” I said, smirking a little at her.

            “What… I have never seen anything like that, or heard,” she looked to Pinkie who was still producing bell noises, “anypony talking like that.” 

            “That’s fey for you.  Speak like tiny bells, enchanting sounds, but the nice noises hide nasty meanings.  I got directions at least and she told me that there are no fey here.  You can now jump into flower circles to your silly heart’s content.” 

            Rose pouted at me and I chuckled.  “Come on then, we got places to go and we will need to gather all that we can carry from the timberwolves before we leave.  I’m not sure how far we have to go.” 

            So we collected all the edible material we could from the wolves, gathering our moss beds into Honest’s pouch (he complained, but I wasn’t going to jam that much moss into my bag, even if it was endless) and we set off. 

            Three days of walking the woods before we found where the fairy had spoken of. 

            Run down houses which sometimes perched in trees in a slipshod manner greeted us.  Griffons walked and flew about the place, talking and acting just like ponies.  Ponies are not that grumpy or angry, but it was still similar. 

            “Guess you were telling the truth Pinkie, they really are like ponies.” 

            “You didn’t believe me?” she asked, her eyes, if it was possible, growing even larger than Rose’s as she pouted at me. 

            “I did!  I did!” I sighed in relief and then grunted as she hugged me.  I decided that I really needed to grow used to that before I was taken advantage of. 

            The griffons themselves were less than welcoming.  Pinkie seemed to expect them to be grumpy, but Rose got a nasty one who yelled at her for asking where we were. 

            I set him right, which set the entire town right; they all hid in their houses while the one pinned under me begged me to stop pulling his feathers out. 

            He deserved it, but he did give us some directions.  The land was called Eaglemount, home to griffons and a number of ponies.  The ponies lived nearby, just a few days walking down a trail left by the ponies (griffons flew everywhere and didn’t need roads).  If we wanted to go there, High Peak was the capital, the mountain visible even from there, the top poking just over the trees.  The griffon claimed it was accessible by hoof and I believed him.  He really wanted me to stop plucking him. 

            So we left, Pinkie giving the beast a cupcake in apology, even if she told me that I had done the right thing later on.  As we went I put the finishing touches on the scale armor, taking the time to enchant and color it; it was an ugly mishmash of reds and browns before, but soon, it was a shimmering white. 

            I did not show it to Rose or Honest.  It was to be their wedding gift from me, the armor fitted to Honest’s proportions.  It was the greatest gift I could give them, at least physically. 

            Rose would also be quite happy when she tried to have a foal.  It was the work of a moment to boost her fertility (she wasn’t infertile, but would have trouble conceiving without my efforts) and I was willing to wait until she figured it out to tell her. 

            We arrived at Mountainside, the pony town, after a few days travel, the sight of familiar forms giving my companions a good boost to their spirits.  I told the couple that we were going to stay for a few days to recuperate from our time in the woods.   

            The town was wonderful, even in the layer of snow that coated it.  It lay upon a cliff face, the view from the edge breathtaking and Rose had fallen in love with it.  We could see all the way to the ocean, snow topped trees far below us leading all the way to the edge of the land. 

            Rose finally told me about her engagement, and asked me to be her ‘best mare’.  She explained what that meant and I agreed, and she mentioned that she would love to be married here, looking out over the cliff.  I nodded and told her that I could help with that. 

            I was far from experienced in pony weddings.  My people decided to get married and that was that, no ceremony unless the couple really wanted it.  A ceremony was normal for ponies, and it was helping me to plan this out; it would have been awkward if I had have had to convince her to have one. 

            I half expected that it was going to take some time, setting up a wedding for Rose and Honest, particularly with my and Pinkie’s additions.  Pinkie proved me wrong, not only becoming friends with the entire town after a day, but enlisting their help to prepare. 

            By the end of the week, as a warm few days came to us, we finished.  The snow had melted somewhat in the warmer air and sunlight, and I had put forth my best.  I called out and the land below had rushed to answer my call.  Flowers covered the cliff and the land beyond it.  Unseasonal and strange to see flowers in the snow, but it was beautiful. 

            Pinkie had gone completely overboard with balloons and streamers, all set up last night so we could surprise Rose and Honest, who were still asleep during our preparations.  I nodded in approval and she beamed at me, continuing to decorate the town in the half-light from the moon, and after a bit, the sun. 

            I went to Rose’s room first.  One of the first things she had needed was a dress and nopony in town was able to create one.  So I did, with Rose helping out.  It hung on her door as I entered the room and woke her, telling her to get prepared and that I would fetch her when the time came. 

            I left her to that and went to Honest, finding him awake and fidgeting in his room. 

            “Nervous Honest?” I asked, entering his room and gently shutting the door behind me.

            He jumped.  “Hag!  I just… I want this to go perfect but I’m just not sure…” 

            “Every male gets worried Honest, don’t go fretting now.  Now.  You got your suit?” 

            “Yes.” 

            “You got your words all memorized? 

            “Yes.” 

            “You got your heart ready?” 

            “Yes.” 

            “You going to stop lying to just about everypony now?” 

            “Ye… what?” 

            “Rose might not see it, but I can, 'Honest Cloud'.  You lie a lot, and you're good at it.  I know what you are."

            He was terrified.  At the time, I thought it little more than fear of me and what I might possibly do.  Perhaps a bit much though, which convinced me to have some mercy, and try a softer approach.  “Don’t worry, I can keep secrets.  But Rose isn’t blind and she will eventually figure you out.  I don’t want you to hurt her, but do you want to hurt her?” 

            “No, I don’t!  Really!” 

            “I believe you, but can you change the nature of a pony?  I went and took a good look at your cutie mark when you were sleeping.  Looks like a four leafed clover doesn’t it?” 

            “That because it is!  I’ve always been a bit lucky.  But why does that matter now?” 

            “Possibly because it’s not a four leafed clover is it?  It’s just a clover that looks like something it’s not.  Little like you, I think." I added, Honest staring at me in near horror as I spoke.  I wondered as I finished, "So can a pony change?  Are you able to put aside your lying and cheating for her?"

            He hung his head in defeat.  “Are you going to tell Rose?” he asked me, his dejected tone telling me that he anticipated my doing just that. 

            “No.” 

            He looked up in surprise.  “You won’t… but… you said it.  I’m a charlatan.  A con pony, a big fraud.  I’ve led that life ever since I was a colt.” 

            “Why don’t you tell me about it?  We got some time.” 

            So he did.  It had been during his first attempt at gambling that he discovered his talent.  Deception.  Everypony thought that he was lucky, and he had never told anypony otherwise, soon leaving the town because he couldn’t look his old friends in the eye anymore. 

            So he told his best friend, Rose Bush, that he was going to find his fortune and left, traveling from place to place, living off of whatever money that he could earn or trick from ponies.  Nopony every spotted him, and he never had the courage to tell them, or the ability to earn bits the normal way.  He lost every job he ever had apparently.  He had lived off of the bits that he cheated from others, having no real talent in anything else and no drive to push past that. 

            He was very insistent that he was going to change, and he had not lied to either me or Rose; he really did try to sell ponies ‘magical balls’. 

            “I think I understand.  Hard life if you can’t do anything, even in Equestria.” I said after he finished. 

            “And now you want something.” he said with a sigh. 

            “I do, but it’s not anything that you’re thinking of.” 

            “Then what?” 

            “I want you to make her happy.” 

            “What?” 

            “Rose.  She’s lost a lot, I am sure that she has told you.  She really loves you Honest, I can see it in her eyes, her heart, and her soul.  And you can do it, because your own soul shines under the layer of grime that you dipped it in.” 

            He watched me with a stunned expression.  “You… you really don’t care about my past?” 

            “Rose won’t care about your past, so long as it doesn’t become your present.  You will need to change for her, for yourself.  Or do you like living your lies?” 

            “I… I will change!  I hate what I’ve had to do!” 

            “Then get ready, your bride awaits.  And Honest?” 

            “Yeah Hag?” 

            “If you do break her heart, then I’m going to make you suffer like nothing should.” 

            He gave me a grin, fortifying my hopes.  If he wasn’t determined to change my threat would have been received with fear.  But he was happy now, if he was still nervous. 

            “Then you can get into your suit now.” 

            I held it up and grinned at his dumbfounded face.  I held the dragon scale armor, the white scales glittering in the light. 

            “What is…” 

            “Put it on, it will fit you.  And Rose will adore it.  Trust me.” 

            The wedding went perfectly, Rose perfect in her gown, Honest filled with nervous energy, but also bursting with happiness.  I gave Rose away, taking the place of mother of the bride and best mare according to Pinkie who was serving as Honest’s best stallion… she wore a suit and was not male, but she preformed admirably. 

            My heart melted as they exchanged vows.  I cried in joy as Rose turned to Honest, feeling as though she was my own daughter.  When they kissed the feeling grew, and grew, and intensified, an almost painful happiness. 

            Rose came to me soon after, the happiest that I’ve ever seen her.  I was still trying to gain control of myself. 

            “Hag!” she said as she embraced me, “You are the best thing to ever happen to me.” 

            “I was… I.” I swallowed the lump in my throat, my eyes teary, “I was only doing what’s right Rose.” I said, voice cracking as I spoke. 

            “You did more than that Hag.” She said, smiling at me.  “You saved me from myself back in Leaffall.  You let me take care of you in our travels.” 

            I hesitated.  “You noticed that?  I thought…” 

            “Otherwise?  I do have eyes.” she said with a sarcastic tone, still smiling.   

            “You relied on me in Manehatten, trusting me, me!  To guide you through it, putting yourself into my hooves without a moment’s hesitation.  We met those girls, and they showed me what a caring pony you were, saving them from timberwolves.” 

            “Even though you lied, those girls were right; you were hurting and alone after your village was destroyed.  And you apologized for lying too.  You even stopped teasing me about Honest when I asked you to.  You never did that for anypony else did you?  I could tell.” 

            “You always tell me about your past, when I suspect that very few ponies will ever get to hear about it.  You warmed my heart with those tales, the love that you had for everypony near you.” 

            “The time we were lost in the woods, and all those efforts you made to make sure that we could be as comfortable as possible, taking on an equal share of the pain despite your age.  You even tamed the timberwolves, keeping us warm and happy despite everything.” 

            “You put up with Pinkie cheering me up.  You kept me safe and happy to the best you were able.  You went far beyond ‘doing what’s right’.  You did everything that you could, for me, and for everypony.” 

            “And now this.  This wonderful, perfect wedding.  I love the dress that you made for me, and the time that you must have put into making everything perfect behind my back.  You even gave Honest the scales!  The same scales that you prized so much!” 

            I was speechless at her words.  She had remembered everything.  She had known and heard so much more than I thought she did.  My throat constricted and a few tears fell from my eyes. 

            “And now there is something I want to call you.” She said. 

            I nodded, not trusting my own voice. 

            “I never met my own, and nopony deserves the title more.  I am happier than I had ever been and it’s all because of you…” 

            “Grandmother.” 

            I sobbed.  I completely broke down in happiness, Rose patting at me as I cried.  It hurt, I was so happy. 

            In fact, it actually hurt.  My eyes burned with tears and neither Rose nor I noticed that they were collecting on the ground in a small heap. 

            “I… I… Rose…” I managed, choking slightly. 

            “I know grandmother, I know.” 

            I tried to lift my head, only then noticing my heap of tears, glowing pink on the ground.  I looked at it, my gaze drawing Rose’s own. 

            She gave it a confused look.  “Grandmother?  What is that?” 

            I had shudders every time she uttered ‘grandmother’, but I held myself together.  I cautiously scooped it up, noticing that it had a rigid feel to an unnaturally smooth surface, as though molten glass had dripped into a small pile and hardened, creating rings, the largest on the bottom and the top a tiny orb. 

            I was sensing something and I focused trying to remember where I had felt that before.  It took a moment before it came to me. 

            It was the same power that the tree of harmony had.  A power that reminded me of it, but also seemed to be filled with joy and with one moment of clarity I whipped my head up, reddened eyes looking to Rose. 

            “I found it…” I whispered. 

            “Found… is… is that?” Rose said, grin beginning to grow on her own face. 

            “Happiness!” we both yelled, the pair of us grabbing each other. 

            I let go of her and wiped my eyes with a hoof, putting happiness within my pouch. 

            “I am more fulfilled than I ever have been… granddaughter.” Rose smiled at me, “You have found happiness and I have found happiness.  To think this would happen when you found me in your rose bush…” 

            “It is unbelievable isn’t it?”  She laughed, and I joined her, the pair of us continuing to laugh for some time before I followed her to the buffet. 

            It had been a long and hard road.  At the start I had been certain that I would never find the elements.  But now one was close to me and emanated happiness, even though the pouch was bottomless.  I didn’t need its boost though. 

            I had a family.  I had ponies to care about.  I had ponies that cared about me.