//------------------------------// // Epilogue, Part 3 of 8 // Story: The Last Cutie Mark Crusader // by Jatheus //------------------------------// Consciousness, though confused, came instantly with the ringing of the alarm bell. Fumbling through his blankets, the stallion managed to swat the top of his clock with a hoof and successfully silence the racket on his second attempt. The unicorn took a deep breath and stretched, desiring to linger on his mattress a bit longer. Lighthoof threw off the covers and rolled to the edge of his bed, planting his hooves on the floor. He grunted to himself and then stood on three legs. Following his normal morning routine, he quickly did a few sets of push ups and sit ups before ambling through his dark apartment and into the bathroom. The light was blinding in the darkness of morning, but his eyes adjusted and he soon saw his reflection in the mirror. He grunted at his appearance, but the unicorn worked his magic to make himself presentable. He looked at the scarred stump where his right font leg had been and gave a sigh at the ever-present pain in the phantom limb. The talisman around his neck drew his attention next. On a sturdy silver chain hung a plain brass locket. Its luster had somewhat faded, but it was the contents that soon took his attention. Using telekinetic magic, he lifted the ornament and opened it. Pressed between sheets of glass inside was a little purple flower. It still made him smile every time he looked at it and remembered the beautiful mare that had picked it for him. Marching into his small but efficient kitchen, he prepared a cup of coffee to banish the sleepiness. He noticed the newspaper from the previous day which he still hadn’t read. His eyes scanned the periodical, and he couldn’t help but smile at the headline on the front page. ‘Royalty United:Celestia & Chrysalis to Make Anniversary Speech’ Lighthoof didn’t take time to read the article, but instead found a scrap of bread upon which to scrape some butter. It wasn’t much of a breakfast, but he expected to have a larger meal later. As soon as his sustenance was taken in, he put on his prepared saddle bags and made his way down the narrow staircase into the bottom floor of his dwelling, which was a shop. The scents of the fresh flowers filled his being for a moment. It reminded him of the mare. Pushing thoughts of her aside for a moment, Lighthoof counted off and gathered an appropriate number of carnations, packing them carefully and placing them in a saddle bag he had left empty for that purpose before exiting and locking his shop. A smile worked across his face as he took a moment to look at the light pink shingle that hung over the door with the name inscribed in deep purple, finely scripted lettering. ‘Pibs: Floral Arrangements’ In the darkness of the early morning, the streets of Hollow Shades were quiet. They wouldn’t be coming alive until the sun was long up. He left at a canter, not because he was in a hurry, but because the exercise was good for his body. It had been a difficult adjustment to learn to walk and run on only three legs, but he had become so accustomed to it that he rarely stumbled. It wasn’t long before he had made his way to the train station. As befitting a smaller town, the waiting area was outdoors, but it was illuminated for the convenience of travelers. The mechanical behemoth for which he waited arrived on time, and he was able to board after showing his ticket. The unicorn found a car in the middle of the train and chose a seat. Waiting for departure, he looked around at the other ponies, many of them bleary-eyed or yawning. It never ceased to amaze him how many others would be traveling about even in the dark watches of the night. Did they normally all travel at this time? He didn’t think so, certainly not in such an out-of-the-way place as Hollow Shades. That would mean that many of them were simply there by happenstance, that the circumstances of their lives had brought them together. It made Lighthoof think that there shouldn’t be that many ponies out and about. But then, they might have wondered why he was traveling in the middle of the night as well. He felt a smile form on his face as he mused on the thought. Steam was released, causing the train car to shudder slightly. Within moments, it was gradually picking up speed as they headed out of the station. Lighthoof watched through the window at the darkness of night. The stars were burning brightly overhead, and the moon was nowhere in sight initially. It must have been hours, but it seemed a short time before the crescent moon rose up. It came just ahead of dawn’s light when the sun breached the horizon. As the day grew, the countryside went by in a blur. The lone unicorn must have nodded off for a bit, as they were coming up on his destination before long. A small town to which he’d been only twice before came into view, and before he knew it, the train had stopped, and the stallion was disembarking. The fresh scent of the countryside filled the air, and Lighthoof began walking through the mid-morning. As usual, his missing leg drew glances of the other ponies who were out and about. He had become accustomed to this, and paid it little mind, though he could feel a twinge of annoyance. It didn’t take him long, as the town was small, to find the specific small house-like building with a thatched roof for which he had been looking. He smiled when he saw the sign on the door. ‘Java’s’ He worked the latch with his magic and entered the coffee house.