Twilight, Cadence and Shining Armor and Spike stepped out into their own world without a scratch on them. It took a moment for Twilight to adjust to being on all fours, but other than that, no problems were present.
"Hello Twilight." Said one of the guards who just happened to be walking by. "How's Sunset Shimmer doing?"
"She is doing great." She replied. "I actually haven't seen somepony with so much improvement before in my life."
"Speaking of which," Spike added "I think there's somepony else we could be a little more proud of."
It was at that moment Cory and his friends fumbled out of the portal as well. Twilight picked him up and gave him a big hug.
"Is our hero ready for his big night?" Asked Rarity who just happened to be trotting by.
Cory looked at his friends, who smiled back.
"More than ever." He replied.
After a cleaning of their wounds and a bit of wardrobe magic, Cory and family entered the crystal ballroom, where the exhibition was taking place. It was an enormous space painted in the hue of deep magenta and pale blue, as was the look of all buildings in the kingdom. Above them was a glass ceiling, presenting guests to a night sky filled with stars and centerpieced by a full moon. Surrounding the walls and decorating the floor was an endless menagerie of paintings, statues, pottery, jewelry and other visual arts, all crafted by Capricore himself. The room was packed with spectators and visitors all across Equestria, each one traveling to stare and admire at Cory's creations. There was even a griffon or two, critiquing on the complexity of a makeshift sculpture. This feeling of success and promise was only complimented by the recents events that unfolded early that day.
Cory walked further into the busy crowd, but not before Twilight magically fixed his bowtie a little bit more. It was then all his pony friends ran up to him, with a wide smile on all their faces. Some of them said "There's our man of the hour." Others said "Thank goodness you're all right." There was even the occasional "That was totally out of this world!!" But all patted him on the back, gave him a hug and surrounded him with eager looks.
However, it was Cory's big sister Applejack that hugged him the most, caressing him with her warm forelegs and letting tears of liquid pride fall down onto his coat. She had never been more proud of her little brother than this very moment.
"I could never have asked for a better little brother." She said with soaked eyes. "I love you so much Cory."
"Right back at ya big sister." Cory replied.
"To offer my own personal critique." Rarity added. "That was the most spectacular sight I had ever laid eyes on!!"
"I hope you didn't mind some of my critter friends helping." Fluttershy said as Angel and a squirrel sat atop of her. "They were very eager to help."
"Nothing to it Fluttershy." Cory responded.
"You are one awesome kid Cory." Said Rainbow Dash as she flew in and gave him a noogie. "I mean, did you see those moves out there? What an athlete"
"Yeah!! We saw the whole thing!!" Pinkie Pie added. "First he was all Pfffff Ksss Kakakakaka. And then you were all bwaaa brrrr tchhhhh. But then you went all Kabloom!! Drrrrr!!! Pssssssshhhhhh!!" She made a few action moves as she executed these sounds, while everypony else looked in bewilderment.
"I think what Pinkie here's trying to say is.." Applejack explained. "You're the bravest little guy we've ever met."
"I just hope those former educators that weren't purified will someday see the error of their ways." Cory responded.
"Don't worry son." Twilight chuckled. "We won't have to wait that long."
Meanwhile, back in Ponyville, in an insane ward of the local hospital, there laid several new stingy patients, knocked out from a deserved paddling. All those humans had been stripped of their once proud positions and reduced to the rank of an asylum resident.
The sedative was beginning to wear off as the former educators, coach included, opened their eyes to find themselves facing their belongings, which were being tended to by several pony nurses. In the center was a unicorn doctor, inspecting the teacher's nametags with the help of magic. The patients tried to move around their beds, but were paralyzed by the numbness of the drug.
"What the hell are you doing with our things?" Asked one of the teachers in a snooty voice.
"Your accounts have been terminated." Doctor Horse assured them. "Let's just put these name tags in the office for safekeeping. Shall We?"
"GET OUT OF HERE YOU BIOLOGICAL FREAKS!!" Shouted the former coach.
"Because you're all new," The doctor continued. "I shall not give you a timeout this time. Be warned. There's a line you've crossed one too many times in your profession, as is according to our witnessed accounts. But here, you do not wish to do such. Committing that action, so help us Celestia will result in serious repercussions. And us Medical ponies we do not make idol promises here."
"I can do whatever I see fit you mutant quadruped!!" Another one of the ex-teachers snapped back. "Do you even know who we are? I have been earned prestigious doctorates, earned awards in disciplinary teaching, I even have been given the..."
Before she could finish, she was magically turned over and given a good spanking by one of the nurses, after which she was left with a frozen stiff look on her face.
"tsk, tsk, tsk. This is a disappointing start." Commented the pony nurse.
"Is this some sort of kinky furry fetish hotel?" Asked the coach.
"This is the Ponyville hospital ward for the criminally insane." Doctor Horse answered. "You're lessons on the value of friendship begin tomorrow. Don't be late."
And with that, the staff left the room, leaving the criminals with a twinge of fear for the first time in their wasted existence.
Meanwhile, Capricore "Agees" Sparkle was having the time of his life, as his work was being presented for all of Equestria to see. Delegates throughout the land were surrounding him, asking questions, intrigued by his answers.
"I must say." Commented Fancy Pants while admiring an abstract sculpture . "Your art is most appropriate for this time of year. Tell us, how exactly do you conjure such ingenious creations."
"Well.." Cory answered. "I suppose it all comes from what you feel like expressing. I get an emotion inside me and I place it on the canvas or in this case, block of clay."
"Most fascinating." Said Fleur Dis Lee who was resting her forelegs on Fancy Pants back. "I for one wouldn't mind purchasing one of them as a centerpiece. How many bits would that be?'
"Whatever you feel I guess. I'm just happy when someone brings it into their lives."
"We'll take it." Fleur Dis Lee and Fancy Pants said together, to which Cory nodded in approval.
"Cory." Said Twilight as she approached him. "There's somepony I'd like you to meet."
She gestured her hoof at the most gorgeous Alicorn Cory laid eyes on. A glistening white majestic figure with a flowing mane reminiscent of the northern lights. She could easily be spotted since she was the tallest among the pony crowd. Her wings spread out in a dazzling display of neatly brushed feathers. On her thigh was cutie mark symbolizing the sun, welcoming land with it's open rays. Her luminescent presence was only complimented by gold plated hooves, a jewel encrusted pendent, and a crown adorning her head. She was everything Twilight told him about, and and everything he hoped for. At last, Princess Celestia, the ruler of all Equestria, was meeting Cory face to face.
"Hello, Cory." Her voice was just as angelic as her physicality. "I've heard many things about you."
"It is an honor to meet you your majesty." Cory shuddered as he crouched into a bowing position, after which his mother gave him a signal to stand back up. He brushed his suit and made a more subtle bow, to which his mother nodded back in approval.
"You have no need to be that formal." Celestia chuckled. "Would you mind if we chat over at the balcony?"
"Me?" Asked a shocked Cory.
He turned to his human friends, who were watching him from a few feet away. They all made "yes" gestures as they egged him to do as such.
"It would be my pleasure, your highness."
Merely a year ago, none of this was ever possible. One day, Cory was the loneliest boy in the world, without a purpose for his existence. Next thing he knew, he had become the most distinguished artist in the land, with friends and family by his side. So there the two of them were, a renowned artist and a crowned leader, sharing a conversation and overlooking the crystal empire.
Cory was staring blindly at the vast expanse of Cadence's territory, while his pony and human family looked on with pride.
"From I have learned from Twilight, you have proven to be a very courageous boy Cory." Celestia commented. " More than most of my subjects would ever even dream to accomplish."
"To be honest," Cory responded. "I never really expected any of this happen. For a good part of my life, I searched within and beyond myself, just to see if I was worth something. But I usually ended up making a fool of myself."
"Sometimes we must do foolish and crazy things to understand our place in the world." Celestia replied. "You have an incredible gift of creating things that will last for ages to come."
"I suppose, considering how I ended up in Equestria, it wasn't really what you expected."
"Actually that is why I decided to talk with you here."
This caught Cory's attention as he turned to face her.
"What do you mean?" He asked.
"What I mean is, your presence here in Equestria is of no surprise to us. In fact, we sent for you."
Cory's eyes widened as she said this, as his companions all dropped their jaws in shock and disbelief.
"Hold on a second!!" Said Pinkie Pie.
She grabbed a glass of water and dunked it down her throat as if about to execute a spitting gag, to which one of the nearby servers covered her mouth before she could do so. He shook his head and left, leaving Pinkie disappointed.
"You...Sent for me?" Cory asked.
"Perhaps we may help to explain."
Princess Luna appeared out of nowhere as she walked into the scene, followed by Cadence who overheard the conversation. The three of them looked into the sky as a slight breeze blew at their manes.
"Every thirty moons," Luna continued. "My sister, Cadence and I choose a soul from the other world to see if they can accomplish what their pony counterpart could not."
"But not just any soul." Cadence added. "A soul who was so lonely and so desperate, he or she would do anything to escape from what they used to be."
"You were the first to achieve such a feat Cory." Said Celestia. "In fact, you have done more than most beings would ever dream of accomplishing. Through perseverance, love, friendship, and above all, courage, you have achieved the impossible and defied all expectations. In addition, by discussing your fears and doing what you knew was right, you conquered your greatest adversary, and came out a hero. But none of this could've been possible without your extended family."
She pointed her wing at Cory's human friends, who walked towards him, patting him on the back with "congrats" and "well done."
"The love and friendship of Cory that you inside through and through helped all of you search for your companion. Even when things seemed bleakest, none of you ever gave up on finding the missing piece in your existence. To devote a great deal of your lives to finding your one friend, is something only a being of true courage can achieve."
"This goes for you as well Cory. Despite the darkest of times, you persisted and climbed the tallest of obstacles, even when you had nothing to lose. This unbelievable bravery earned you a home, friends, and even a family. And as you grew, your courage blossomed into leadership. Thus, the student became the teacher, for we all learned something from you Cory. Friendship not only unites us all, but gives one a reason to live."
"And for that, I am honored to have you as one of my subjects."
The three princesses turned to each other and nodded.
"It is time." They said together. "Come forward."
Cory nervously walked towards them and held his head up. They gently tapped their horns on his forehead as a strange glow channeled through them. This magic energy surged through his veins and into his cerebral cortex. It was a sensation he never felt possible, something he never felt before, as if the power of the universe was right at his fingertips.
Then, he started to levitate off the ground, his hair spiking up and flowing against the cosmic infinity of the Princesse's magic. It almost seemed as though he was in a cosmic pool, wading at the deep end. For a while, he felt like a spiritual song was humming around his ears. It was pleasant, reassuring, yet mighty at the same time.
Soon, he opened his eyes, as they they were now shining beams of light. From out of their sockets surged 5 more rays of energy, each landing right into the hearts of his human friends. As expected, they too lifted off the ground, joining him in a circle of luminescent friendship. A worried Twilight and her companion ran towards them, to which Celestia halted them with her wing, reassuring everything was alright.
The energy inside these 6 colleagues spewed out of their bodies. All that could be seen of them were balls of light, each a different color based on their personality. It was a spectacular display seen all across the crystal empire.
Then, Cory started to feel a physical change among his body. His fingers and toes started to fuse together into hooves. His hair was taking the form of a mane. His ears were sprouting into a pony shape and his face was growing longer and narrower. There was even the beginnings of a tail growing behind him. Strangely, this transformation was not painful at all. It was more of a slight tingle, as if somepony was gently stretching out his body. He looked around his friends and saw they were changing too, except two of them were growing horns and two more were sprouting wings. Before they could comprehend what was happening to them, a large, magical explosion engulfed around them, lighting up the sky in a rainbow of color and hue, just like the one he had seen many years ago. It was so intense, anypony near it covered their eyes from it's immense power.
As all things, the light started to fade away, and the energy balls containing Cory and friends glided back down to the ballroom floor. Except, the bodies of these 6 brave friends were not there. In place of that were 6 semi-conscious pony bodies with a coat similar to their skin, only slightly darker. The pony in place of Cory adorned a newly fashioned horn and a set of gorgeous wings for flying. The rest were of two earth ponies for Joanna and Tony, two Pegusi for Rachel and Katie, and a Unicorn for Camden.
"C..Cory?" Asked a stunned Twilight as she trotted towards the Alicorn. "Is that you?"
The Alicorn woke up and clumsily stood on all four of his hooves. He took a few moments to examine his legs, wings and mane, then turned his head towards the curious princess. Then, he opened his eyes and stared into hers, as they were the same ones as her son. Twilight could not deny any longer.
"How do we look?" Asked a transformed Cory.
"you.." His mother responded. "You look just like...a Pony!!"
"A what?!!" He reacted.
Soon his other transformed friends got up and examined their new selves. They were all just as shocked as he was. It felt like they had been fit into a suit made just for them, except their bones and muscles were shifted as well. Yet, none of them seemed too displeased. Though of course confused, they seemed pretty excited about what had just been given to them.
"Don't worry." Said Celestia as she approached Cory. "You can change back anytime you wish....Prince Capricore."
Everyone gasped with gaping mouths as she said this.
"I'm...a prince?" He asked.
"You tell me." Cadence responded. "You are and Alicorn now. And your mother is a princess."
"AWESOME!!" Rainbow Dash cried as he zoomed in. "I got a few more flying buddies."
"No need to worry." Rarity said as she approached Camden. "I will show you all the tricks and trades of being a Unicorn."
"And you'll certainly get used to walking on all fours son." Twilight said. "Plus you can do magic now. Who knows what you can conjure."
Cory blushed as Celestia approached them.
"For your immense heroism, unlimited creativity and unbeatable bravery," She proclaimed. "I hereby dub thee, Capricore, the prince of courage."
She tapped her horn on both sides of his neck as everypony in the ballroom cheered.
"But what is a Prince without his loyal knights." She continued. "Sir Camden, Lady Rachel, Lady Joanna, Sir Tony, and Lady Katie."
All galloped and clumsily clicked their heels in the air, as they were still getting used to their new bodies.
"But, isn't there some instructions on how to be some knights of the round courage or something?" Cory asked.
"That will all come in due time son." Twilight chuckled.
"Yeah and like they said before." Spike added. "You can change back anytime you want."
Cory smiled and hugged his mom and Applejack tightly as he shakily trotted with his friends into the crowd of art spectators. His quest had finally come to an end. He now had found his home and discovered who he truly was. All was well in the world, everything was going to be just fine. At that moment, his phone rang in the front of his coat pocket. He grabbed it with his foreleg and carefully read the message. He triumphantly jumped in the air with the biggest smile he ever had.
The text read: "You Passed."