Chapter Nine
In the aftermath of the rainbow wave that had defeated their enemy, the six Bearers landed on the ground outside of Ponyville, and stared at where the Pony of Shadows had been.
"Did we just... kill him?" Fluttershy asked in a frightened squeak.
"No, dear Fluttershy, you didn't," another voice said as Discord popped up out of nowhere, causing her to gasp in surprise and then in delight at his arrival. "The magicks you girls unleashed were antithetical to the dark magic that made up the Umbrum's bodies and merely swept that away, releasing their souls so that Death himself could finally collect them and send them on to their long-overdue final judgment, just like he did their mother long ago."
Fluttershy eeped, then looked up at the draconequus and smiled, floating up briefly to hug him before she noticed him shivering at her approach and, realizing the likely cause, thought better of it. "So, now what?" she asked.
Just then, the six all glowed, and another rainbow burst forth from the direction of the Everfree. Turning, they saw the Chest of Harmony flying towards them on a rainbow beam before it vanished into the ground nearby. A moment later, there was a loud rumbling as a massive crystal spire burst from the spot where it had gone, and with it, an entire crystalline tree and castle.
The castle glowed, before a wave spread across the ground and enveloped Twilight's school, the buildings also transforming into or being covered in a layer of crystal, and new spires appearing.
Twilight and her friends barely noticed as their new forms winked out, restoring them to their original selves. They were too busy staring, except for Fluttershy, who went to give Discord the hug she'd intended on. This time, he happily spread his arms and welcomed it, hugging her back. At the same time, he snapped his fingers, teleporting Celestia and the others who'd been in the Tree of Harmony's cavern out to join them. Another fingersnap teleported several others from Canterlot and the Crystal Empire to join them as well, all of whom looked surprised to find themselves suddenly transported. (Except Flurry Heart, who just burbled happily in her mother's arms.)
Blinking sleepily, Luna raised her head. "What... where am I?"
Pharynx, leaving his son on Thorax's back, went over to help her to her hooves. "Um... well, dear, it looks like you slept through another big adventure," he said sheepishly.
Luna gave him an unamused look, before turning and seeing the castle, her eyes widening at the sight. "Great googly moogly, where did that come from‽"
"It would seem that this was the ultimate purpose of the chest from the Tree of Harmony," Celestia told her sister as she came over. "Twilight and her friends figured out how to unlock it and then defeat a dangerous threat to us all, and when they were done, the chest planted itself and grew into this." She gestured to the castle.
“I wonder what it is like inside,” Rarity said thoughtfully.
The entire group headed towards the door, and into the massive foyer and the halls beyond, marveling at the sights.
"Looks like ya got enough space for everyone in town to move in here," Applejack noted as she peered into one side corridor.
"Heh." Rainbow Dash chuckled. "You're probably going to need a whole directory to find your way around for a while."
At Twilight's cringe, Luna gave her a reassuring look. "Don't worry," she told her. "I felt the same way when I moved into Canterlot Castle for the first time. And, honestly? I still get lost sometimes."
"One unfortunate consequence of ruling," Celestia admitted as she strode beside them. "I'd have preferred someplace smaller and cozier when we were first crowned. But at least we both had some say in the layout of our first castle. I wonder if we could get a bill passed to let us reorganize the castle and replicate some of the features from the old one..."
Finally, they made their way into one room where several thrones stood in a circle around a mark on the floor in the shape of a nine-pointed star. Each was aimed at a throne, and each throne had a Cutie Mark on the back, including a smaller one next to Twilight's with a ridge of green, rounded spikes on it, which Spike eagerly headed for.
"My own throne!" he said happily.
Twilight smiled proudly at her son. "Congratulations," she said.
As they approached the thrones, there was a sudden rumbling, and then a crystalline table sprouted out of the center mark. Simultaneously, the air began to glow, and then one by one, the Mantles of the Elements began to appear next to their Bearers.
Magic, standing next to Twilight, still resembled the taller, glittery Twilight she'd been before. Laughter looked a lot like Pinkie, with her poofy mane and tail, but her mane and tail were a dark brown, and her coat was an orangish shade. Like all the Mantles, she had the same glitteryness as Magic.
Generosity, another mare, bore a striking resemblance to Mistmane's original self, albeit taller and with a violet mane to match Rarity's. Honesty, meanwhile, appeared as a larger stallion, with a dark mane and a hat not too dissimilar from her own, prompting a look of surprise from Celestia.
"Mr. Sherwood Apple?" she said.
"No, but his appearance was imprinted on me when I bonded to Applejack," the Mantle said. "Not surprised, seeing as how he was her great-grandfather and one of the most honest stallions she's ever known of."
Celestia nodded understandingly, and Applejack blushed. "Awe, shucks," she said.
The group's eyes next turned to Kindness, who had taken the form of a butter-yellow pegasus stallion with a white curly moustache and a white swirly mane. As Rainbow Dash would note later, except for his coat color and the sparkles, he looked just like Fluttershy's father.
Then he opened his mouth and said, in a familiar (to anyone who'd been around during the Poison Joke incident when they'd first met Zecora) deep voice, "Well. This was unexpected."
"You said it," Loyalty agreed. He was a darker shade of blue than Rainbow Dash, but his mane was the same rainbow color, and cropped short in a military style.
The table, meanwhile, continued to glow. Finally, the ghostly white form of an alicorn mare rose from it, and spread her wings.
Reactions to this appearance varied. Sonata shrank away, remembering the similar form that had been the one to destroy the sirens' pendants, while Aria wrapped an arm around her sister, and Celestia stared in astonishment. The six Mantles and the Pillars, meanwhile, all bowed.
"My Lady Harmony," Magic breathed.
The ghostly mare smiled. "Rise, my friends," she said. "You have done well, and I am very proud of all of you."
Then the Lady of Harmony looked to Twilight. "Congratulations, young Twilight Sparkle," she said. "When I chose the Bearers of my Elements, I knew great things lay ahead for all of you. But each of you has gone far and beyond the call of Duty with your Roles. You, Twilight, and all your friends as well, have already taught the world much when it comes to my ways."
Twilight bowed. "Thank you," she said. "It's what I saw as the right thing to do, to try and make the world a better place."
"And you were absolutely right," Harmony replied. "This is the ultimate Purpose of all my Elements' Bearers, to be living examples for everyone. To show the world what true friendship and harmony can achieve when people work together... be it in war or in peace, in life or in death, civilian life or government."
Then she glanced at Discord, who seemed to be edging back towards the door, clearly uncomfortable in the presence of his direct Opposite and the potency of their magic. "Don't fear, Discord," she said with a smile. "You and I may be Opposites, but in your own way, you've taught them much as well. We can work together too, just as you have with the Bearers of my Elements, and I am grateful for all you have done for them."
"I... er... well." Discord coughed into his hand, and brushed his hair back with a blush on his face. "It has been an adventure, to say the least," he said.
Harmony gave him a smile. "Existing is an adventure for all," she said. "So are love, and raising a family, like a former Bearer of my Elements is doing." She turned to Luna. "Congratulations on your young one, old friend. To you, and your niece as well."
Luna smiled, as did Cadance.
“And Celestia, my dear,” Harmony leaned in close to her and said not too quietly. “You should listen to others and open your heart.”
Celestia blushed.
"Pardon me," Starswirl said, eying Harmony curiously. "But... weren't you male before?"
"I have been both in separate lifetimes, before I achieved my current status and discovered my memories of my past selves," Harmony replied with a shrug. "It matters not in the end; just a form. I can take either as I choose."
"Ah."
“Now if you will excuse us; I believe Discord and I have things to talk about,” Harmony said with Discord's serpentine body suddenly forming a circle around her before the two vanished. It was oddly fitting in a way Twilight couldn’t properly articulate beyond it feeling as this was it should have always been.
One by one, the six Mantles also faded into their partner's body, until only Magic remained. As Twilight's parents and Celestia walked up to them, she smiled fondly at all three, then gave each of them a hug. Moondancer and Trixie got the same, and then Magic, at last, vanished back into Twilight's form.
"Well," Rainbow Dash finally said, looking around. "That was... something."
"I'll say," Tempest agreed. "But what do we do now?"
"Party!" Pinkie suddenly called, confetti and streamers bursting out of nowhere, and everyone laughing at the beaming smile she gave.
Outside, several citizens of Ponyville (and the small group of wolves, changeling queens and a few others who'd been teleported in at the last minute, courtesy of Discord and Harmony) began walking towards the tall structure that had abruptly appeared at the edge of their town, looking up at it in astonishment.
Then the front door opened, and Twilight stood before them, a brilliant smile on her face, before she began to sing, and beckoned everyone to join her inside.
"Each one of us has something special, that makes us different, that makes us rare," she sang.
"We have a light that shines within us, that we were always meant to share," Fluttershy chimed in.
Then all six Bearers, standing together, sang as one, holding their hooves out.
"And when we come together, combine the light that shines within, there is nothing we can't do. There is no battle we can't win. When we come together, there'll be a star to guide the way. It's inside us every day. See it now! See it now!"
Light flared from the table, and a burst of rainbow light shot upward and outward. Around Equestria, it would swing around six others, ending with Starswirl, all while the Bearers sang.
"Let the rainbow remind you that together we will always shine! Let the rainbow remind you that forever this will be our time."
"Each one of us will sometimes falter. We may stumble, we may fall," Twilight continued.
"But we still have a kind of magic, one that will see us through it all!" Rarity added.
As one, they continued again.
"And when we come together, combine the light that shines within, there is nothing we can't do. There is no battle we can't win. When we come together, there'll be a star to guide the way. It's inside us every day. See it now! See it now! Let the rainbow remind you that together we will always shine! Let the rainbow remind you that forever this will be our time."
A final tune filled the room before Twilight finished the song.
"Let the rainbow remind you, that together we will always shine!" she concluded, before all of them gathered together, smiling happily.
Celestia smiled proudly as they finished. "Well done, Twilight."
Moondancer gave a smile of her own. "That's our girl," she said, wrapping an arm around Trixie, who smiled too.
"Well, I for one am... not quite sure what to say." Mayor Mare, who had come inside with the other townsfolk, adjusted her glasses. "Princess Twilight, did you... know this was going to happen today?"
"Absolutely not, Madame Mayor," Twilight told her. "I was just focused on defeating the Pony of Shadows before he could hurt anyone, I had no idea I was going to get a sudden castle out of it."
"Indeed," another voice rumbled behind them, as the Alpha approached, causing Twilight to blink. "But well met, Princess Twilight. It would seem you have once again achieved something unexpected and saved the world in doing so."
Twilight blushed. "Um, no offense intended, but when did you get here?" she asked.
The Alpha smiled. "Discord apparently felt that I, and a few others, should be here to join in the celebrations, so he popped in and asked if we'd mind coming," he said. "How could I say no?"
"The same goes for us," Swift-Pad added as he, Maxilla and three little wolf cubs came over. "Hello, Twilight."
Twilight smiled happily at the group as she went to greet them, and saw everyone else who'd come from Ponyville or been transported in. "It's so good to see you again," she said. "But..." She looked down at her three little godpups. "Are they okay?" she asked quietly.
"They're a little young for normal long travel, but Discord's companion assured us they'd be fine for this," Maxilla told her.
Just then, one of the pups yipped up at Twilight, and she smiled. "Hi," she told the little one, who wagged their tail in response before going over to rub against her.
The other two looked at her curiously, but at their parents' kind nudging, they went over to rub themselves against her too. Twilight smiled and nuzzled each of them while waving a wing at her mom to stay back for a moment. She had a feeling that grandma Velvet might be too much for them right now.
Celestia also watched them from a distance. "She's so good with them," she whispered.
"Quite," the Alpha agreed. "So, Celestia. What, exactly, has been happening these last few days?"
"Well," Celestia began. "It all started when one of Twilight's newer friends discovered a journal of Starswirl the Bearded in an antique store, and brought it to our attention..."
As she explained how the Pillars had been brought back and with them, their worst enemy (and assuring him that Twilight had planned for this, though she hadn't counted on his being as strong as he turned out to be), said Pillars and pretty much everyone else were each wandering around and meeting new ponies.
Including one that was as formidable in her own way as Twilight.
"So," Velvet said as she approached Starswirl, eyes narrowing, and her voice low, so as to avoid being overheard. "You're the one who made that mirror that turned my grandson from a dragon into a dog."
Starswirl coughed nervously, and in an instant had whipped up a soundproof and view-obscuring barrier around them. "Er, yes," he said. "Madame, I assure you, that was not my intent. The Crystal Mirror automatically matches the species of an individual on one side to the species of their Other when they cross over. It is a rule of that type of Gateway, as I found when I was creating the Mirror, not something I purposely put in."
"Good." Velvet's face turned to a smile. "Then as long as it wasn't deliberate, there isn't a problem."
Starswirl nodded back, then dispelled his barriers, letting her go off.
"Stars above, that mare is intimidating," he said to himself.
“She can be but she is a good editor,” a pegasus mare said, standing next to an ahuizotl as the pair came over. "Say, mind if we ask you some questions?”
"I... well, certainly," Starswirl told her. "Who are you?"
The mare smiled. "My name's Daring Do," she said. "This is my partner Teomitl. We're archaeologists."
“Among other things,” Teomitl chuckled with a rumbling voice, giving a light grunt as the mare smacked him in the gut with a wing.
"Heard something about you and your friends working at Ponhenge?" Daring asked. "I've been trying to figure out that place's purpose for ages. Oh, and we'll probably want to talk to your friend Somnambula too, since her village is a major historical site that we've done some digging at."
Starswirl nodded. "Well, it is a tale indeed," he said. "We do not know of its origin, only that it all started when we were seeking a way to amplify our powers and send the Pony of Shadows, and ourselves with it, into the prison dimension known as Limbo..."
Elsewhere in the room, Tempest and Flash Magnus were talking quietly, after she'd pointed out her best friend, who was currently chatting with Spike, to him.
"So, it's just been you and the little guy for a while, huh?" Flash asked.
"Yeah," Tempest replied. "Sure, Grubber and I live in Canterlot Castle, but aside from the royal family, Twilight's folks and other extended members included, I haven't really connected with anyone else who lives up there full-time."
"Well, if you need someone to talk to, I'm always here," the stallion told her. "I'd be interested in hearing about your military experiences, see how they differed from mine."
"You sure you want to hear about me and a bunch of yeti?" Tempest asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Why not?"
Tempest smiled. "All right then."
In another part of the room, two Opposites were talking, one having finished his talk with Celestia and moved on.
“So you are the current Lady of Winter,” the Alpha said, giving the windigo a cursory look. "I have been looking forward to meeting you since I was informed of your return."
“Likewise,” Aputsiaq said, tipping her head. “I must admit, being the Lady of Winter was a surprise to me. While it was once my grandmother who was both Winter and Hatred, I had three other uncles who could have received either mantle.” She then blinked and sighed. “Though I felt Snöflinga was not meant for the life of a windigo; too sensitive and with his stutter, I doubt he would have managed to do well as a Lord of Winter, let alone Hatred.”
"You don't say." The Alpha regarded her with compassion. “It is hard to live a long life with your family passing you by. Do you feel the years creep harshly by as I do?”
She nodded her head and the two went to talk off in a corner with two other figures joining them.
Well-Hidden watched the Alpha and his companions with interest, before turning back to Fluttershy. "It's good to see you again, my friend," he told her.
Fluttershy smiled. "You know you'll always be welcome here," she replied. "My cottage is open to you whenever you need it."
Well-Hidden nuzzled her, prompting a giggle. "So, how are things going there?" he asked.
"Well, it's been more than a little busy," she replied. "Harry's been helping out as much as he can, but I think we may need to start working on another project I've had in mind soon."
"Oh?"
Fluttershy smiled, and told him.
"That is a wonderful idea, Fluttershy," Well-Hidden said. "I look forward to seeing how it goes."
Scolopidia was in the middle of drinking some of the punch Pinkie had whipped up out of nowhere when her ears flicked and she saw that Remigium was approaching her.
She steeled herself, as the other Queen was always quite a stickler for the rules and tradition, and very much of what her wives would call a hardass, though Octavia wouldn’t say it beyond the walls of their house.
“Ye-”
“You did well, Scolopidia,” she said with a nod of her head and a rare smile on her face. “With your choice of partners. Your mother would be very proud of you.”
Scolopidia blinked in surprise. "Thank you," she said, struggling not to cry. “It means a lot to hear that from you."
Remigium was still smiling. "Scolopidia, all we have wanted for you was for you to be happy, and to reach the potential we all saw in you. If it meant a little tough love from time to time, well, it was necessary. Now you have grown and matured, you have found life partners who mean the world to you, and you have found a place where you feel you belong. You have made us all very proud."
Scolopidia ducked her head a bit. "I..."
"There's just one thing missing," Remigium continued, before she leaned in closer, a very serious look on her face, as she whispered, "The next generation."
Scolopidia blushed. "I... um..." Then she leaned in and whispered, just as Remigium had. "They're on their way."
The beaming look from the other queen that followed made her want to look outside and see if a flock of pigasi were on approach to the castle, because this was a sight she'd never expected in her life.
In all the excitement, a certain young trio of still Markless fillies wandered about, looking at things in awe.
"This place is amazing," Scootaloo said as she looked around. "Just look at all this space! Rainbow Dash could do one of her routines flying around in here with no problem!"
Sweetie Belle nodded. "And I bet Rarity's already got a ton of ideas for decorating it, mix things up so the walls aren't so... well, bare."
Apple Bloom was about to say something when her eyes lit up, and she waved. "Hey!"
The changeling foal she'd seen looked up and saw them. "Hey! You're... uh... related to one of Dad's friends, aren't you?"
"Um, if your dad's Thorax, yup!" Apple Bloom smiled. "Come on over!"
The changeling foal smiled and did so. "My name's Tagma," she said. "And you are?"
Introductions followed, and soon all four of them were wandering together.
"When Dad told me something big was happening, I never expected it to be this big," Tagma remarked. "Seems like major stuff's been happening all over lately. First my new little cousin being born, then that big monster, and now this..."
"Feels like big stuff's happened every other week or so ever since Twilight and our sisters and their other friends stopped Nightmare Moon and then moved down to Ponyville," Scootaloo told her.
"Really?" Tagma looked interested. "Can you tell me about some of it?"
"Sure thing," Sweetie Belle told her.
Talk continued as the four wandered about, each of the Crusaders telling their new friend about the adventures they'd seen their sisters have, and the events they'd had themselves.
"So," Scootaloo concluded as she came to the end of one story. "That's how we met Mr. Swift-Pad."
Tagma smiled. "He's nice," she said. "Dad told me about how he helped Princess Twilight come to the Packlands and meet him and Uncle Pharynx. And Mom's talked about having me meet his pups when they're old enough."
"You mean those pups?" Sweetie Belle asked, gesturing towards the three wolflings who were curled up around a giggling Flurry Heart and Prince Regulus while their mothers watched them.
"Hey, yeah!" Tagma looked at her. "Want to come meet them and my cousins?"
All three fillies nodded eagerly, and trotted in the five's direction. Soon, they were giggling happily as the wolf pups sniffed at them, while Flurry Heart giggled just as much, and Regulus eyed them curiously.
Watching the group, the three mothers smiled.
"There's nothing quite like watching children playing together," Cadance said wistfully.
"I absolutely agree," Maxilla told her.
"So do I," Luna added, watching her son with a smile. "We must find a way to arrange for them to get together more often."
The other two ladies nodded in agreement.
It was late into the night before everyone had finally gotten tired enough from a long day, and decided to go to their respective homes (or in some cases, back up to Canterlot before making the trip back home). Twilight had also returned home to her library, taking Spike, Moondancer and Trixie with her, and had just finished tucking her son into bed before returning to the kitchen.
"Some day, huh?" Moondancer asked as the trio settled down around the table, the two unicorns having gotten the cheesecake out while Twilight was upstairs.
"You said it," Twilight agreed as she accepted her plate with a smile. Oh, how she'd missed this. "Defeating the Pony of Shadows, getting a new castle, meeting Harmony herself..." She sighed. "It's late, and I'm tired, but I'm also still so wired."
"Trixie knows the feeling," Trixie said. "Trixie is glad everything turned out well in the end though, and that everyone is safe and sound again." She reached over and patted Twilight's hoof. "Tri - er, I, haven't had the chance to say it since we all got together, but I have missed spending quiet time with all three of us like this."
"I've missed spending time with the both of you too," Twilight told her. "These last several months... in some ways, even with Magic to talk to, I've been lonely. It just wasn't the same without the both of you."
Trixie smiled. "Well, we aren't going anywhere ever again," she said. "We may have our Duties in the Dreamguard, and you have your Duties as a Princess. But we're together now. For good."
Moondancer nodded. "You read my mind, Trixie," she said with a smile.
Twilight smiled back at her marefriends, then looked around. "So, what are we going to do now? About the castle, I mean. It's big, it's meant for all of us... and that includes the two of you."
"It was nice of Harmony to include thrones for Moondancer and I, wasn't it?" Trixie mused. "Trixie thinks Harmony may be something of a romantic at heart."
"If the advice she was giving Celestia was anything to go by? Yes. Yes, she is," Moondancer stated. "As for the castle... well, honestly, I'm happy here in the library. But library or castle, I'll be there with you."
Twilight nodded. "It... might take some time," she said. "But I think we should move in there. Eventually. Once we've thoroughly mapped it and made sure there aren't any surprises like Cadance had to deal with when she first moved to the Crystal Empire."
Trixie nodded understandingly. "And if you ever feel like visiting here afterward, we can always come back for a while," she said in a reassuring tone. "It's just across town, after all."
"Yeah," Twilight said with a smile. "It is."
"What surprises are you talking about?" Moondancer suddenly asked. "I mean, Harmony made that castle brand new today. You don't think there's something like that Shadow Prison in it, do you?"
Twilight shook her head. "Not remotely what I'm talking about," she said. "Let's just say... after her first day in the Crystal Palace, Cadance enchanted certain parts of certain rooms in there to be self-warming at all times for the comfort of anyone who had to use those rooms, and I will absolutely be doing the same in mine."
"What parts?" Trixie asked.
Twilight leaned over and whispered into her ear.
"Ah." Trixie nodded. "That makes sense. Crystal seats there would be rather cold, wouldn't they?"
"Exactly," Twilight told her.
Then, at Moondancer's raised eyebrow, she leaned over and whispered it in her ear too, and Moondancer's ears flattened.
"Priority number one before moving in, got it," she said.
The conversation continued from there for a while, but ultimately, all three of them headed up to bed, and Moondancer and Trixie prepared for their nightly duties.
First though, they leaned in and kissed Twilight.
"Sweet dreams," Moondancer told her with a smile.
Twilight smiled. "Oh, they will be," she told her marefriends. "They will be."