//------------------------------// // Epilogue: To Rule In Heaven // Story: To Serve In Hell // by CoffeeMinion //------------------------------// Rainbow Dash strode out into the cool darkness of her bedroom’s balcony. She lit her horn—still such an alien sensation, even a month after she’d gained it—and reached. Though distant, if she closed her eyes and concentrated she could feel the echoes of a source of power that seemed to rival even the unthinkable energies of the Sonic Rainboom, or the Elements of Harmony. Indeed, as she let her eyes close and her breathing slow, she reached farther, settling her magic over it like the gentle hooves of a parent around their newborn babe. Then she lifted. The hints of brightness on her eyelids told her that she was doing it correctly this time. From below, there were sounds of “ooh”ing and “aah”ing from the ponies gathered in the streets. She smiled as they started clapping. She had to shield her eyes with a hoof before she could open them, though, because there, rising from the depths of the horizon, was the morning sun. Dash startled as a pair of hooves encircled her barrel from behind, but then she calmed, smiling deeper, feeling a pony’s warmth press against her side. “I’ll never get tired of watching you do that,” Scootaloo mumbled into her feathers. Dash looked down at her, not quite managing a cocky grin. “I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of doing it, either. Not even if… well, Twilight finally figures out how we can get Celestia back.” Scootaloo looked up at her with both determination and a smile. “You’ll get her back. I don’t know how, but you will.” She chuckled. “And then you and her can hoof-wrestle over who gets to raise what every day. Just remember when it gets that far, she wasn’t the pony who saved the world from Nightmare Moon.” “Technically, that was more of a group thing, but whatever. Hey, you hungry? The gardener said she had some wheat start sprouting, and she thinks there might be flour for things like pancakes pretty soon.” She licked her lips and felt how much her tongue was watering. “You and your stomach,” Redheart said from the doorway, rolling her eyes as she entered the sunlit bedroom. “C’mon Scoots, we gotta get you over to your school group early today.” “Oh, that’s today?” Dash gaped. “Ohmigosh, I totally forgot!” Redheart shook her head, but grinned. “Don’t worry. You’ve got Princess stuff, right? Go save the world like you do every day; I’ll get the kid where she needs to go.” “And she needs us to pick up some—” “Picked it up.” “Okay, but they wanted her to—” “Rainbow.” Redheart pursed her lips. Dash blushed and looked down at her hooves. “Okay! I’m sorry. I guess… I’ll catch you guys at dinner?” “Of course. Oh, and Kibitz was looking for you, but I told him if he spoiled your day before you even got the sun up I’d buck him and his stupid moustache into next Tuesday.” “Oh yeah? What’d he want?” “He wouldn’t tell me, if you can believe it. Just told me to tell you that Sassy came back on the overnight coach.” Dash frowned. If Sassy had returned from Hollow Shades already, that probably meant things were either going really well or really badly… But then Redheart gave her a flirtatious wink, and Dash decided there was plenty of time to worry about serious stuff later. “Hey, so that reminds me, what would you think if I started calling myself, ‘Rainbow Dash, Princess of Awesomeness?’” Redheart facehoofed. “Radicalness?” Redheart shook her head from side to side, suppressing a smirk. “Red-hot smoochin’?” “Bye,” Redheart said, laughing as she shooed Scootaloo out into the hallway. Rainbow Dash tried her best to absorb the bombardment of information from Kibitz, her chief advisor, as they walked the long corridors of what had recently been styled as Blueblood’s mansion. However, she found herself distracted at almost every turn by the countless ponies who seemed united in their determination to restore the building to its former glory as Canterlot Castle. Most of Kibitz’s words bounced off of her as she watched ponies bustle to and fro, cleaning and maintaining things. And it still gave Dash a feeling of shock when some would stop and bow to her. “Princess Dash!” Kibitz stepped in front of her suddenly, forcing her to stop. “Have you heard a word that I’ve been saying?” She nodded. “Sure I have. Lots of thestrals in Hollow Shades. Wind Rider wants my head on a pike. Did I miss anything?” He blew his great, bushy moustache out with a huff. “Yes, Princess! We certainly have our work cut out for us here. Wind Rider still holds considerable influence over many who served under the Nightmare, and his outright declaration of Hollow Shades’ independence will have wide-ranging implications for the kingdom’s security. His callous disregard for diplomatic protocol is particularly shocking—Ambassador Saddles said that she felt fortunate to escape with her life!” “Right… so maybe we shouldn’t risk sending anypony else to negotiate with him until he agrees not to threaten our… ah, what’s the word?” “Envoys.” Kibitz shook his head. “Princess, with all due respect, I do not think we can sit idle and hope for the best. The consequences of mismanaging this crisis could be dire, and Hollow Shades’ independence isn’t even the worst possibility—what if they should ally themselves with any remnants of Starlight’s forces that might be lurking? Or, more realistically, what if our allies to the north begin to see us as weak, and Wind Rider manages to turn the Coalition against us? That is why we must reach out and negotiate a lasting peace with him, and soon.” “Well…” Dash wracked her brains, trying to think of who all was at her disposal now that she was a Princess. “Is Sweetie Drops still laid up?” “Princess, the situation calls for negotiation, not infiltration. I agree that we should choose somepony whom Wind Rider would have strong reasons to respect, though. Ambassador Saddles and I were discussing possibilities earlier, and…” He cleared his throat. “You know who we could really use for this.” “No, absolutely not,” Dash said, stepping around Kibitz and continuing down the corridor. “Redheart said she needed time to heal, and I am going to respect that!” “Don’t you think she’d do it if you asked?” Kibitz called after her. “That’s exactly why I’m not going to ask!” Rainbow Dash opened the doors to her office, only to find Blueblood lounging in her—formerly his—chair, with his hooves up on her—formerly his—desk. He startled, then turned his head from regarding several sheaves of paper held in his magic to give her a toothy grin. “You’ve got mail!” he chirped. She narrowed her eyes at him, then lit her horn, gripped his barrel in her magic, lifted him up over the desk, and deposited him unceremoniously on the other side. “This must be what it feels like to get spam-filtered,” he said quietly, lowering the papers from his magic onto the great stack on her desk. Dash stepped around the desk and sat down in her chair. “What do you want, Blueblood? I’m not exactly in a good mood, what with all the crap I’m hearing out of Hollow Shades this morning.” “I heard a bit about that pile of guano, too. Sounds like a sticky situation… but ‘heavy is the head that wears the crown,’ or that gets crapped on… something like that?” Dash stared at him, unfazed. “If you’re back again to try to talk me out of sending you to Tartarus, forget it. You’re going down there, and that’s final.” He fixed the smile back onto his muzzle. “Don’t get me wrong, it’s an honor to be called to serve in… whatever we’re calling Tartarus these days. It’s a good cause, lots of needy ponies, think of the children, et cetera. I just think…” He bit his lip. “Well, to be honest, I’ve always thought of myself as more the sort of guy who gets on well at things like fancy dinner parties, or a higher class of brothel… or a lower class of brothel, if it’s all that I can find—” Dash groaned and rolled her eyes. “We’ve been over this already! If Discord’s essence had come back to Fluttershy after we blasted Tirek, we wouldn’t have to count on you for anything. But Shy and Twilight can only do so much down there without somepony who can kinda control what Discord did to the place. You’ve got the last piece of him that anypony can find right now, and Twilight thinks it might be enough to help save a lot of lives.” Blueblood shook his head. “If I’d had any idea that letting Discord come inside me in the first place would lead to this, I would’ve insisted that we find me some kind of protection. I mean, this assignment is literally the worst! Don’t get me wrong… the purple one’s pretty darn cute when she gets mad, and the yellow one’s got that whole maternal-and-nurturing thing going on, even if she’s not much of a looker—” “Ugh, is it even possible for you to think with the head on the top-side of your barrel?” He stamped his hoof and turned toward the door. “Well I, for one, hope we never find out!” He paused and glanced back before he reached it. “You really do have mail, though. Take a look; you’re being sued.” “I’m… what?!” “Well, not you technically; more like ‘the crown.’ Sounds like the matron of the Manehattan Orange family has some kind of claim to the land where you’re building New Ponyville.” Dash grabbed at the top few sheets of paper on the tall stack. She scanned them quickly, trying to absorb what she could. Eventually her eyes settled on the signature line. “What the heck kind of name is ‘Applejack Orange?’” “I dunno, sounds anomalous to me,” Bluebloood said, shrugging. “I’ll tell you what, though: this is something I can help with. Wining, dining, and reclining the rich-and-or-famous is—” “GO!” Blueblood tromped out, grumbling. At last alone, Dash stared at the notice for a few more moments, then tossed it back onto the pile. She felt an urge to vent her frustration, and satisfied it by lowering her head to the desk and bonking her horn against it gently. The pile shifted, then tumbled over, birthing a new ocean of paper that lapped across the desk’s whole surface before spilling over its edges. Dash groaned loudly, then rose from her seat and walked over to the window, using it as something to keep her eyes busy while she thought about Kibitz’s report. Relations with their Yak allies to the North truly had been strained since she’d stepped-in as Equestria’s de facto ruler, although the Changelings seemed eager to be dealing with somepony who was more approachable than Nightmare Moon had been. But keeping Sombra’s Empire in check was still a key strategic necessity, and the last thing any member of the Coalition needed was to have half or more of Equestria’s army secede and gather against the rest of them at Hollow Shades. The feelings of Scootaloo’s warmth, and Redheart’s wink, came to mind again. Dash let herself glance aimlessly at the various activities of ponies rebuilding their lives in the Upper City as she reflected on those feelings. Becoming a Princess had never been part of her plan. The responsibilities it brought her were sometimes overwhelming, and rarely what she expected. Yet they truly represented a second chance; ponies now trusted her for their protection, including some who were closer to her heart than she’d ever thought possible. And Dash was determined not to betray that trust, nor to fail the ponies who looked up to her again. She sighed as she realized that keeping one trust might mean breaking another. The blue-green-coated pony who met Rainbow Dash at the gates of what had once been Lord Filthy Rich’s compound walked with a noticeable limp.  He greeted her with a deep bow, a cordial grin, and a charming manner, though Dash thought she detected a hint of nervousness behind it, as though his shining silver sunglasses were not merely chosen to accentuate his style, but also to hide whatever pain he’d suffered during the Longest Night. “She’s just up there, Princess,” he said, pointing toward one of the compound’s walls. “Thank you,” Dash said, letting her gaze follow his hoof. A white-coated mare stood at the top of the wall, looking out over the city. Dash unfurled her wings and leapt, flapping, effortlessly propelling herself over the building and onto the wall. She approached the mare slowly, watching for movement, or recognition—but there was none. Dash stopped just behind her and waited for a few moments before clearing her throat. Seeing no reply, she cleared it again—louder this time. At last she followed it with: “Rarity?” The mare startled and turned to face her. Dash’s heart sank as she saw the distant look in, and dark heavy circles around, Rarity’s otherwise bright blue eyes. Her mane was clean and still flowing, but it simply hung around her, rather than being styled in any particular way. “Rarity…” “Princess Dash,” Rarity said, inclining her head. “To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?” “Uh… Rarity, it’s me. You don’t have to call me ‘Princess.’ Not now, not ever. Got it?” “Of course, darling.” Rarity affected a small smile. “Where are my manners. Would you care to join me for tea?” “Eh, tea’s okay, I guess. But listen… I know you’ve kinda… got a lot going on, with everything that happened, and taking care of Diamond Tiara, and everything else that Filthy… left behind.” “Rich,” Rarity said automatically. “He preferred to be called ‘Rich.’” “R… right. Sorry.” Dash nodded, but then turned away. “Look, I’m sorry. I promised you I wouldn't—” “It’s about the situation with Hollow Shades and Wind Rider, isn’t it?” Dash turned back, furrowing her brow. “How… have you been keeping up with what’s been going on?” “I hear things, sometimes,” Rarity said, turning her gaze back out over the Lower City. “Lord Rich was rather well-connected.” Hearing pangs of regret in Rarity’s voice, Dash frowned, and reached a hoof out toward her. “Rarity, I’m so sorry.” “But we’re not here to discuss the past, are we?” Rarity asked, turning back toward Dash. “Am I to understand the kingdom needs my services?” “Well… yeah. I mean, Kibitz thinks that you could—” “I accept, of course. I can be packed directly, though I shall need a day or two to put things in order for Diamond Tiara, if you can spare them. Less, if you’d be willing to lend me Kibitz to help look after her. I regret not trying to establish more of a rapport with her when I… I could’ve had the opportunity to share that with both her and Rich together.” “Rarity, stop,” Dash said. “I don’t want to push you into some big crazy diplomatic mission if you’re not ready. What you did… I mean, you saved us. I don’t know if I could’ve made the deal you did if I was in your place, or if I could’ve followed through with it. But you saved us, and I just want you to know… I respect you, and what you did. I may be the Princess, but it’s you who really earned it.” “Nonsense, dear,” Rarity said in hushed tones. “I simply won a higher price for my soul than most ponies who would look to sell theirs. But I think… at least… with Diamond Tiara, I’ve found my penance, or a form of it. The poor thing might never be able to live independently, with all that’s happened to her.” They met eyes again. “It’s really good of you to take care of her,” Dash said. “I think… he would’ve been happy knowing you were still… with him, in a way. Happy and honored.” Rarity inclined her head again. “What use is life, if not to heed the call of service in the darkest places? Which brings us back to your request.” “Uhh… sure, I can probably have Kibitz down here as soon as somepony can hitch up a cart and get him in it. Him and Sassy are probably just sitting up at the mansion as it is, grousing about what they’re gonna do if Wind Rider starts getting frisky.” “Very well, then.” Rarity gave Dash a smile that didn’t seem to touch her eyes. Dash studied the lines and wear on Rarity’s face, most of which she swore hadn’t been there a month ago. Eventually Dash swallowed. “Rarity… you know… we won, right? We saved the world, banished the darkness, and all that good stuff. I mean, yeah, things to the north still aren’t great, but it doesn’t have to be everypony’s job to deal with that… we just have this one loose end to tie up with Hollow Shades, and then that situation oughtta get back on track. There’s no reason why most ponies can’t just enjoy the sun and live their lives they way they used to, under Celestia—who you know we’re gonna get back someday soon, right?” Rarity’s smile turned genuinely sad. “Yes, darling… of course you’re right.” THE END