//------------------------------// // Epilogue // Story: Kindling // by Lab Matt //------------------------------// As the sun disappeared in the horizon, Princess Sunset Shimmer flew in through the balcony of the castle, where Princess Starlight Glimmer was already waiting for her. “So?” The magenta alicorn asked. “How was it?” “Tiring.” The amber alicorn answered and she fell onto an alicorn princess-sized red beanbag. “Negotiating trade deals with a race that wants to take all and give nothing is more stressful than the time when our platoon had to infiltrate enemy territory during the war against the Umbrum. At least back then I could solve all my problems with a fireball spell to the face!” She flipped over so she was belly up with all four legs up in the air, a very unprincesslike pose that would definitely be the talk of the town for years if a photographer were to take a picture of it. “You made the right decision in staying back, that summit was laaaaame.” “Hey, someone has to hold the fort now that Equestria only has five Princesses.” Princess Starlight sat on a purple beanbag next to the one Princess Sunset was lying on. “And it’s not my fault you’re too weak to beat me in hoof wrestling.” Sunset groaned. “Who came up with that stupid idea of settling all our disputes in a match of hoof wrestling, anyways?” “You did. 80 years ago, give or take a few.” “Yeah, well, 80 years ago you had just ascended into alicornhood and I was ten times stronger than you were.” “So you finally admit it! You were taking advantage of me!” “I never denied it.” The two Princesses of Equestria chuckled, which was followed by a moment of silence as they relaxed on their royal beanbags. “So, any news from Luna and Celestia while I was away?” Starlight used a levitation spell to carry a piece of paper from a nearby coffee table to Sunset, who picked it up with her own magic. “They sent a postcard.” The picture on the postcard showed both former princesses wearing sunglasses and relaxing on a beach. Sunset simply tossed it back on the coffee table. “Where’s Twilight?” “Still with Cadance and Flurry Heart in the Crystal Empire. She was supposed to come back yesterday, but you know how Flurry loves her auntie.” “Let me guess, she did the sad puppy eyes thing, and because Twilight can’t say ‘no’ to that she decided to extend her stay for another day or two.” “Basically. And speaking of ‘day’, aren’t you forgetting something?” “Right, right, right…” Princess Sunset stood up and stretched all four legs and two wings before they walked side by side to the balcony. Her horn lit up with golden magic aura as the sun disappeared behind the mountains. After that, Princess Starlight’s horn lit up with icy blue energy as the moon emerged from the horizon. “Princess Luna was right, it does get easier over time.” Sunset chuckled. “Remember the first time you tried to raise the moon on your own?” Starlight rolled her eyes. “Yes, I remember. Mainly because you are constantly reminding me of that day, otherwise I would have banished the memory to the back of my head decades ago.” “You put so much strength into it that you slingshot the moon through the sun causing it to--” “…causing it to explode, Celestia had a panic attack and Twilight wouldn’t stop hyperventilating until we cast the time rewind spell. You already repeated those same words over a trillion times, I already know the whole thing by heart.” “Now that it’s nighttime, you’re in charge and I’m going to bed.” Leaving the magenta unicorn behind, Sunset Shimmer trotted down the hallway while royal guards bowed as she passed by them. “Just a few decades as a princess and I already want to retire as well. I have no idea how Luna and Celestia managed to stay in charge for so long. Especially Celestia, being the sole ruler for over a thousand years must have been a nightmare!” She yawned as she trotted past a door that was slightly ajar. She peeked in and saw the ancient mirror portal in the middle of the mostly empty room, gathering dust and covered in cobwebs. She pushed the door open with her long horn and sat in front of it. The last time she had seen her scaly friend, she had just ascended into alicornhood. Adagio decided that three days was not enough time to look for Aria and Sonata outside of Canterlot, so she decided that she would be staying in the human world and not come back until she had located both of them. Thirty moons became sixty, then ninety and one hundred and twenty. Over 900 moons had already passed, but the portal remained unused. Sunset offered to make a journal for her just like the one she used to communicate with Twilight all those years ago, but Adagio refused; she had no idea where her travels would take her, and carrying around an artifact from Equestria that could easily fall in the wrong hands was not a risk she was willing to take. With a quick burst of magic, the princess summoned a feather duster and proceeded to remove the layer of dust and the webs covering the frame of the magic portal. Once she was done, she took a quick look around the room; upon realizing that the room itself wasn’t in a better state, she summoned a mop and a bucket of soapy water – despite being a princess, Sunset Shimmer didn’t shy away from tasks like that. She was proud of her humble beginnings. She wiped her brow with her hoof after she was done, smiling at her job well done; when she turned around to leave the room, a glow coming from behind caught her attention. She turned around just in time to see three large figures covered in scales flying towards her. Adagio was the first to recover and leave the body pile after they had crashed. “CLOSE IT!” She yelled as she flew back towards the portal. “CLOSE IT CLOSE IT CLOSE IT!” The siren positioned herself behind the mirror and pushed it with all her might until it tipped over and fell to the ground; the frame remained intact, but the glass shattered into thousands little pieces. She landed and sighed in relief. “Oh come on!” Sunset Shimmer’s head peaked from the pile. “I just finished cleaning the room so it would look presentable when you came back, then you go and make a mess! Also hi, welcome back. And why did you destroy a thousand years old magical artifact?” “Sorry about that, but I had to. The army was right behind us, and it was only a matter of time until they sent someone after us.” “‘Us’?” It was only then that the new princess of the sun realized that the two figures on top of her were two sirens not much different from her friend, one blue and the other purple. They got up with some effort, Adagio helping the princess up afterwards. “Hey!” The blue one named Sonata Dusk said, frantically waving her hoof. “Long time no see. I’m surprised you’re still alive, it’s been a while. And young too, for that matter.” Her eyes widened. “Holy taco, you’re an alicorn!” “Of course she is, Sonata, how do you think she had the power to beat all three of us at once all those years ago?” The purple one, Aria Blaze, commented with her forelegs crossed. “That was more of a group effort, my wings are a recent development. Well, recent-ish! But anyway, it’s good to see Adagio managed to find both of you.” “It wasn’t easy.” The leader of the three said. “Sonata had joined a traveling circus, so I had to chase rumors and flimsy leads all over the country.” “I was the best clown-slash-animal tamer-slash-acrobat-slash-magician in the whooooole world!” The blue one said. “Well, the only clown-slash-animal tamer-slash-acrobat-slash-magician in history, but people loved my ‘juggling squirrels on a tightrope while throwing pies that exploded into playing cards with my feet’ act.” “And then there was Aria.” Adagio continued. “What about Aria?” “She got herself caught by government agents who wanted to study her apparent immortality. We were on the run because I had to break her out of a military base. I had to drive away on a beat up van while a convoy of army trucks AND a chopper chased us down. We only lost them when we ditched the van and ran into a forest on foot. You’d think we’d be safe after that, but turns out Aria had a tracking chip implanted on her neck.” “The sons of yaks treated me like some kind of beast!” Aria commented. “I carved the chip out myself with a hot knife.” “But by then they already knew where we were, so we had to rush back to the portal. I can’t believe how incredibly lucky we were to arrive when the portal was already open, because if we got caught, oh man…” “Well, you’re all in Equestria now.” Princess Sunset Shimmer said with a smile. “You’re safe. Welcome home!”