I had my injured legs and wing attended to and we all took some time to freshen up a little after coming from the battlefield. While there were several tasks to be accomplished urgently, one of the most important duties of the Triarchy was to maintain the morale of those under them. Turning up dirty and disheveled from deadly combat was not conducive to that. So, a few minutes spent applying a cleaning spell, changing into formal attire, and brushing our manes and tails were worth the delay, especially now that the enemy was defeated and we had the time to spare.
Due to choosing the battlefield, we had no reconstruction to do as we had after the Storm King’s invasion. While the countryside could heal naturally on its own, a little magical assistance from earth ponies would help speed the process. That is, after the diamond dog teams filled in the chasms and pit traps, especially those hidden just under the surface.
Ensuring that all the returning injured got immediate care was Trixie’s first task. After Twilight got back from securing the Alicorn Amulet and Grogar’s enchanted jewels, she set about re-establishing the portal links so that our interdimensional allies could go home. That made me the odd-Triarch-out with no immediate emergency to attend to. I went to the throne room but it was empty, which was definitely a first. Other than my two bodyguards, that left me alone with my thoughts.
Normally, Diadem would help me prioritize my next task. I winced at that thought just as Shining Armor came through the main doors.
I quickly straightened up and tried to lighten the mood. “Aha! So there is someone looking for me! Good to know!”
My attempt at humor fell flat. My friend trotted up to me and put a hoof on my withers. “I saw your face when I came in, Mark. Believe me, it’s a look I’ve seen before. Now would be a good time to go see Cadance and just… talk.”
I looked down and pursed my lips. Softly, I said, “I don’t know. It just feels selfish taking care of myself when there are—”
“Prince Mark Wells!”
I looked up to see a soldier glide in for a landing and fire off a quick salute.
The pegasus mare said, “I’m Corporal Wingover, sir. General Crushing Blow respectfully requests you return to the site of the engagement. There are matters of policy that require a Triarch to resolve.”
I smirked and looked at my friend. “Duty calls.” I nodded to the messenger and cantered after her.
Behind me I heard, “For now. Make this a priority for when you get free, Mark.”
# # #
I re-emerged from the portal and a dozen questions came at me at once. After Crimson and Penumbra forced everyone into a line, I could concentrate on one issue at a time.
Where should the Storm King’s armor be kept? Take it to Twilight’s castle.
Should the breathing but unresponsive yeti warlord be taken to a hospital or straight to the dungeon? Dungeon after a physician examined him in the field.
Which was the higher priority: returning allied troops to their capitals by daggerscale portal or ensuring every injury requiring specialist care got transported to the appropriate hospital? The latter.
What souvenirs, if any, could be collected by the warriors from Griffonstone? As many pieces of fallen timberwolves as they wanted. Individually or as a whole, they would not reanimate…. Probably.
By the time I answered the last question an hour or so later, the battlefield was almost unrecognizable. All the surviving beasts gathered peacefully in a field to the south. For some, their placidity was a result of the bindings on their bodies. The gigantic ants and spiders were a prime example of this. Fluttershy darted among the monsters, staying well out of reach but talking to each in turn. As I watched, a daggerscale portal opened to the Everfree Forest. As soon as their magical chains faded away, the three cragadiles wasted no time shuffling through back to their home. Shortly afterward, Steven Magnet slithered up to give Fluttershy a gentle hug. In return, she hoofed over something to him. Squinting, I recognized it as a small stick. The sea serpent gave me a friendly wave before using that hand to lead his wife, Lucky, through the portal.
The Element of Kindness looked my way and smiled. She swooped to the ground to pick up a cage then flew over.
Fluttershy alighted next to me. “Mark! I’ve never met so many new creatures in my life! This is just so wonderful!” She opened the small cage and gently scratched the chin of its occupant with one of her primaries. “All thanks to Mr. Dimples here. He slept through all the excitement but I’m sure he loved helping out all his new friends!”
The snake certainly appeared to be grinning at the attention the pegasus paid to him. Then he let out a fang-filled yawn and settled down again.
I said, “Umm. Yes. Indeed. Thank you for your help, Mr. Dimples.” It was no use. The snake seemed to be asleep again.
I looked into the pegasus mare’s eyes. “Fluttershy, why did you give a stick to Steven Magnet? Was that a piece of a timberwolf?”
“Of course! That was a piece of Fifi.”
“Fifi?”
“You know, ‘Fifi.’ The alpha timberwolf. He can’t regenerate himself back in the Everfree Forest without a seed… uh… stick. I needed to send a piece of him back.”
I scrunched my muzzle to the side in thought. “Whyyyyyyyyy?”
The butter-yellow mare sighed. “Fifi is just the nicest thing once you get to know him. Zecora and I have Fifi nearly convinced not to ever attack ponies again. Honestly, his only bad trait is that once he starts talking, he just doesn’t want to stop. Can’t find anyone to listen to him, the poor dear.”
I looked to Penumbra for support but my bodyguard seemed to find something high overhead to be far more interesting. Up to me, then.
“But wouldn’t the Everfree be a safer place without the alpha?”
Fluttershy shook her head. “No, not really. Then another timberwolf would become their leader, and... well... all but the youngest are mean. Besides, Zecora and I spoil Fifi with gifts. The puppy in him really comes out when you give him a treat.”
I almost hated to ask. “What kind of treat?”
She lowered her voice. “Well, I suppose I can tell you. It’s not like he asked me to keep it a secret. Fifi loves anything made of wood from other countries – the more exotic the better! I have a standing order for crate scraps from the customs offices in Fillydelphia, Manehatten, and Vanhoover. Zecora gets ingredients from all over Equus and saves the boxes. Fifi will have to leave behind his stick collection on the island he was exiled to, so now he’ll have to start over. I’m sure the two of us can get him to finally come around. ”
I blinked. “So… no more timberwolf attacks?”
Her ears drooped. “Well… not exactly. I trust Fifi to keep his promises, but the rest of them aren’t smart enough to do so.” Her ears pricked forward and her smile returned. “But isn’t it wonderful to have another friend, especially one in such a dangerous place?”
I sighed. “I’ll defer to your expertise on the matter. Thanks for explaining.”
“No problem!”
A changeling royal guard came up and saluted. “General Fluttershy!” Wait, since when did that happen? Oh, right. The one-day commission made it easier for her to order our troops around.
For her part, the Element of Kindness jumped a bit. After giving me an apologetic glance, she said, “Oh, umm… yes?”
“The cyclops is getting unruly again. Also, the lonely chimera keeps asking… inappropriate questions.”
“I’ll be right there.” The pegasus mare handed me the cage. “Duty calls!” She gave me a cheeky salute then took to the sky.
After looking over my charge (still sleeping), I hoofed him over to Crimson Boulder. Time to focus on other responsibilities.
A graveyard filled part of the field to the north. I had refused the requests of a zebra shaman and minotaur supervisor to transport their dead back to their home countries. For now, everybeing that perished would share this burial ground with no distinction for the race interned on either side. The wooden marker for a sphinx pierced the ground next to a hippogriff next to an earth pony followed by a changeling.
Rarity had volunteered to put together a team to design and build the cemetery. Her first order of business was to commission stonemasons to prepare four-foot-high obelisks to replace the wooden stakes. The first monument had already arrived and a team of ponies prepared the ground for its installation. They wouldn’t be the final grave markers, but as my herdmate had explained to me, “Honoring the ultimate sacrifice with a stick in the dirt shall absolutely not be tolerated one more second than necessary.” I heartily agreed.
I did concede that in one month, if the closest family member petitioned the Crown directly after visiting this hallowed site, the Triarchy would allow the remains to be disinterred. I hoped that by the time family came to visit, the respect Equestria held for their loved one would be evident by the grandeur of the memorial. Also, my military training sessions with Shining Armor taught me one thing every culture held in common: the concept of separating soldiers from their fallen comrades was complete anathema.
Four of our allies would be remembered for now with the same stone columns but would not be buried. Torch informed me that dragons considered underground to be their place of life. In death, they were immolated and returned to the sky, preferably surrounded by the corpses of their enemies slain in battle. For the dragons who died, they had a very impressive send-off, indeed.
After getting the pyre started with a minute-long exhale of his fire-breath, the ex-dragon lord settled back onto his haunches. He conversed freely with Timpani, who sat on his shoulder. That’s when I noticed a few things out of place. The dragon had not put the giant crustacean into the bonfire… and didn’t the oversized lobster used to be pink, not red? Also, that was the Canterlot Castle birdbath nestled comfortably in his right claws. At the direction of Timpani, the huge dragon set down the stone bowl where the Royal Chef Consommé directed members of his staff to levitate huge, waxy yellow blocks into the container. This was followed by several bags of garlic bulbs, a wheelbarrow of peppercorns, and a half-dozen salt licks. Torch then lifted the – for him – cup-sized container and blew a gentle stream of flame into it. The aroma wafted over to me, the most prominent smell being that of butter.
The dragon’s other hand broke a claw off of the crustacean with the sound of a tree snapping in half. Belatedly, I realized Torch had cooked it during the battle with his fiery breath. Conveniently, the shape of the claw was perfect for smashing and stirring the contents of the birdbath. After a couple of minutes, Timpani guided Torch through the delicate process of freeing the meat from the claw. After dipping, the huge dragon chewed his morsel for a long time. Eventually, he let out a sound halfway between a purr and an avalanche.
He smiled, showing every one of his fangs. “Little chef, you ponies are onto something. I will be asking for my body-weight payment in a different currency this time. You said there are more several more… dipping sauce recipes, did you call them?”
# # #
I was pretty much exhausted when I finally returned to Canterlot and I headed straight to my suite to have a long-overdue shower. My forehooves ached but that could wait until I could see a doctor later; I desperately wanted to wash the smell of the battlefield from me and clear my head. This was twice now that I had fought in a full-fledged battle – thrice if you count my first skirmish with Cozy Glow. It was something that I had to do, and something that I seemed fairly good at doing, judging by the results. It didn’t mean that I liked it. The death and destruction preyed on my mind despite knowing that Equestria was now safe. A long, hot soak under the shower wouldn’t cure that but it would do a lot to salve it for a while.
With effort, I pushed my dark thoughts away when entering my chambers. Steady Flight was there ready for me as expected, but it was the other person waiting with him who drew my attention. It took a moment to realize who I was staring at. Gallus stood there looking at me a little nervously but resolutely. He was clad in what appeared to be crystal armor which had stopped me from recognizing him right away. I had never seen the like but it nevertheless seemed familiar.
“Son?”
“Hi, Dad. I guess you’re wondering what all this is about.” He gestured at his armoring.
“You could say that. Want to talk about it?”
“Yeah. Got a moment?”
“For you? Always. Steady – would you get us some refreshments?”
“Sure, Mark. I’ll be back soon.”
When my valet had gone, I gestured toward some chairs. “Make yourself comfortable. Umm… are you going to keep that armor on?”
Gallus chuckled. “I guess not. I only left it on for you to see.”
To my surprise, it did not come off like regular armor. There was a bezel shaped like my cutie mark on his chest which he tapped. The crystalline structure began folding in on itself starting from the legs and working its way up his barrel. It also retreated from his head and down his neck until it all merged into a collar with only the bezel still conspicuously displayed. I blinked for a moment. “Well… that’s different. Where did you get your armor and why are you wearing it?”
Gallus settled into a chair that was facing me. “Dad – Ponyville was attacked.”
My ears shot up and my eyes widened as I gasped. “What?! Why wasn’t I told?”
“Trixie and Twilight know, but I asked them to let me tell you about it myself. Because the danger is past, they agreed.”
“Okay. So – what happened?”
“We don’t know for sure, but we think Cozy Glow wanted to get revenge on me and my friends for our part in upsetting her original plans. While you were engaged in your battle, she had Grogar send a pack of timberwolves to Ponyville to attack us. Those creatures were not very discriminate though and anyone who crossed their path while they were looking for us was a target.”
“Oh, no! And there was nobody there to protect you.” We had withdrawn every available resource for the big battle. Royal Guards who were normally stationed at Twilight’s castle were replaced with some of Thorax’s changelings to keep up appearances just as we had done everywhere else. These changelings were unsuited to combat but were excellent at maintaining the illusion that the situation was normal. However, when it came to the crunch, those bug-ponies were cooks or nurses or gardeners, not soldiers.
Gallus continued, “Fortunately, the townsponies only suffered a few brief attacks because the pack made a beeline for the School of Friendship. However, my friends and I weren’t at the school because several of the teachers were absent and we were given the day off.”
Considering how many of them were needed at the battle, that wasn’t surprising. “So – where were you?”
“We were at the Tree of Harmony’s cave. Me and my friends were trying to make some kind of memorial to it.”
I raised my eyebrows and gaped. “I thought that crystal in your armor looked familiar. It has the same magical living quality to it as the Tree. But how did you get it?”
Gallus asked, “Remember the Avatar of Harmony that you met in the tunnels under the school?” I nodded. “Those tunnels were made by the Tree and they connect from the cave to the school and castle. Most of the Tree exists below the ground now. The part in the cave where the Elements resided was all that was destroyed. The Tree is still very much alive and our efforts to honor it stimulated it to regrow. There’s a new Tree in the cave now – bigger and more impressive than the original. The Avatar of Harmony gave it to us because it told us we six were needed. It gave me this armor because it chose me to lead the defense of Ponyville.”
I stared at him, slightly shocked. “It chose six teenagers to defend a whole town?”
Gallus lifted his head proudly. “No, not just us. We were the inspiration for others to rally behind. I led the attacks but it was my friends and our schoolmates who used their abilities in cooperation that won the day. I drew the attention of the timberwolves and the armor protected me from their teeth and claws. It was scary but I knew it was the right thing to do. We stopped them, Dad. We smashed, broke, and burned every single one of them, and not one being got more than just a few scratches.”
My heart was thumping hard at the thought of what my adopted son and his friends had gone through. I took a moment to take a deep breath and slowly exhale to calm myself down. Then I got up from my chair and went over to Gallus. Before the surprised young griffon could react, I threw my forelegs around him and hugged him. “I’m proud of you, Son.”
He stiffened at first before relaxing and returning the hug. “Thanks, Dad.”
I drew back from him and smirked. “One thing you haven’t explained though is why you have my cutie mark emblazoned on your armor.”
He raised a foreleg and sheepishly scratched his head. “I guess it’s because I had decided to be your protector.”
I blinked. “What? Isn’t it my job to protect you?”
Gallus chuckled nervously. “I didn’t mean right now. I want to become a Royal Guard when I graduate. I’m going to be Captain of the Guard one day!”
I smiled. “And that would make you my official protector. Y’know, I believe that you will, Son. The Avatar of Harmony made a good choice.”
Gallus was the one who initiated the hug this time.
Neither of us noticed when Steady arrived pushing a trolley loaded with refreshments.
“Looks like I got here at the perfect time. Got you some muffins hot from the oven as well as your drinks.”
“Awesome!” Gallus said. “I’m starving!”
I chuckled. After the emotional rollercoaster of today, I think my appetite was finally coming back. “Thanks, Steady.”
We helped ourselves to drinks and food. The muffin was heavenly! I was three-quarters finished with it when a whine came from the corner of the room. I looked curiously in that direction and saw a box I had not noticed before. “What was that?”
Suddenly, Gallus looked guilty. “Umm… when I said we destroyed all of the timberwolves, that wasn’t quite 100% accurate.”
I raised an eyebrow, trotted over to the box, and looked inside. Two round glowing green eyes peered back at me, twig ears perked up, and a green leaf tongue lolled out of its mouth. The creature looked at me expectantly. I leaned back away from the animated conglomerate of sticks. “Gallus – why is there a timberwolf pup in my chambers?”
The griffon replied, “Cozy must have sent an entire family pack to Ponyville. After we finished burning the remains of the timberwolves, we found this one hiding in the bushes, waiting for its parents. I didn’t have the heart to kill it. So, I’m thinking of keeping it as a pet.”
I stared at him in disbelief. “Are you nuts?”
He shook his head. “When I told Twilight, she was surprised too. But after she thought about it for a bit, she reckoned that timberwolves were a threat due to the dark magic that sustained them. She thought it might be possible to raise a young one with pony magic instead.”
I face-hoofed. Of course, Twilight would see it as a research challenge. I knew a fait accompli when I saw one. I sighed. “Okay, but Twiggy here stays at Twilight’s castle, not Canterlot. I don’t need some idiot noble starting a panic over a dangerous monster being let loose in the city.”
My son grinned. “Now that you’ve named him, he’s part of the family.”
I groaned. Me and my big mouth! “Take your pet home, Gallus. You might want to check with Zecora and Fluttershy to see if they know anything about the care and upkeep of timberwolves.”
“Okay, Dad. Seeya tomorrow!”
I headed for the bathroom, grumbling that I shouldn’t have had to deal with this part of being a parent so soon.
# # #
The next two days were spent addressing the worst part of the aftermath: consoling the bereaved loved ones. That part never got any easier. Fortunately, Celestia and Luna stepped up to help the Triarchs. Between the five of us, we paid personal visits to the families of each of the victims to extend our condolences. If their loss would cause them great hardship, we arranged for the Crown to provide relief. That was the easy part. Trying to explain to foals why their mother or father wasn’t coming home was the part that tore me up. Therefore, when it finally came time to deal with the ringleaders of the attempted takeover of our world, none of us had much sympathy to spare.
# # #
Grogar was the first to be brought before all three Triarchs with the Royal Sisters standing by our thrones. With the loss of Diadem, Celestia had offered to be my fill-in advisor until I could find a good replacement. I’m no fool – I accepted immediately. That didn’t stop me from missing Diadem though. Trixie and Twilight wanted me to sit, but I found I couldn’t do so for more than a few seconds. I knew from experience that meant I needed to talk to my counselor, Cadance. Speaking of whom, she stood with her husband and the Elements of Harmony in the first row of gathered beings. The Alicorn of Love caught my eye and gave me a meaningful stare. Sighing, I turned to look back at our prisoner. Taking care of me would have to wait a little longer.
Aside from nullstone bands around his horns, Grogar had a new collar; this one was welded around his neck. Not only did it suppress his magic, but it would also disable any enchanted objects in his possession. This was one sorcerous ‘mechanic’ who would not be using magic gems or anything else against anyone. Nevertheless, he still projected an air of strength and defiance.
Trixie spoke up. “Grogar – you stand accused of causing death and destruction in your attempts to conquer this and other worlds. How do you plead?”
The old ram laughed. “Guilty!”
Celestia said, “Do you have any regrets? My sister and I have fought you twice now and all you bring is misery.”
Grogar’s lip curled in a sneer. “What do I care? Don’t think you have won today because each time I learn more about your weaknesses. I will conquer you one day and you will all be my personal slaves.”
I said, “Or we could enact a permanent solution right now.”
There were shocked looks from the ponies gathered in the Throne Room although I noticed that there were some agreeing nods from other species.
Twilight frowned. “We’re not going to execute a helpless foe, Mark. I don’t know how you can even consider that.”
I could consider it because I used to be a human and, despite the years spent as a pony, I still thought like one occasionally. Nevertheless, I did not seriously intend to kill him. I just wanted to shake Grogar up a bit after all he had done. I wasn’t about to tell the old goat that though. It didn’t hurt that it also sent a message to the nobles that I was prepared to play hardball. Unfortunately, Grogar’s expression told me he had not been intimidated. He displayed unwavering dedication to his crusade.
I turned to my co-ruler. “If you’re not willing to take tough measures, then you had better have an excellent plan to deal with him, Twilight.”
“I do, actually. With Discord’s help, I have located Grogar’s home dimension and talked with its ruler, Scorpan, who says he will take responsibility for him.”
Grogar looked alarmed. “No! I will not submit to being relegated to the company of that insipid fool!”
My wife frowned. “Trixie does not believe we are giving you a choice.” She turned to look at our co-ruler. “However, Trixie wonders if that is the best alternative. Scorpan might eventually let us down.”
Twilight responded, “Tartarus has proven to be problematic and ineffective. Grogar is too dangerous to remain in our world, so sending him back to his home dimension is the best solution. That’s why he’s wearing that collar. Even if Grogar manages to garner sympathy, he will always be a helpless creature. That collar cannot be removed without killing its wearer unless you know the magic key. Not only is the key ridiculously complex, it isn’t recorded anywhere, so he’s stuck with it.”
Grogar’s face turned red with fury. “YOU CANNOT DENY ME MY DESTINY! I WILL DESTROY ALL YOU FOOLS! YOU’RE ALL GOING TO—”
I’d had enough. He was cut off as I cast a silence spell on him that I had learned to use on Cozy. “Take Grogar back to the dungeon until such time as he will be returned to his dimension,” I ordered.
The ram struggled and inaudibly protested, but he was nevertheless taken swiftly away.
Trixie cleared her throat to pull everyone’s attention back to her. “At the recommendation of the physician attending to the Storm King, he will not face judgment at this time. The yeti’s eyes and optic nerves were irreparably damaged and he is now permanently blind. Magic scans indicate he suffered no brain damage. Regardless, he has remained unresponsive to any outside stimulus.” The three Triarchs waited until the conversations died down.
“Bring in the next prisoner!” Twilight commanded.
Tirek hobbled in, supported by a crutch due to his broken leg. While his cannon bone had been set, nothing had been done to enhance the speed at which it healed. Equestria did not owe him anything but the most basic duty of care. The magic-blocking manacles that he wore also hindered the speed at which he approached.
When he reached the dais, Trixie said, “Lord Tirek, on multiple occasions, you have acted to the detriment of Equestria, causing death and suffering. Tartarus has proven an ineffective form of restraint and punishment. It is also clear that you are hopelessly addicted to consuming magic. We, therefore, feel that you cannot be redeemed and remain a threat to the peoples of this world. You will be exiled along with Grogar to your home dimension.”
Tirek sneered at us. “You dragged me up here just to tell me that?”
I chuckled and the centaur frowned at me. “What’s so funny?”
I shook my head. “Oh, it’s not funny at all, really. Look around you. Do you know how many of those gathered here lost loved ones due to your actions both today and on your previous rampage? Do you know how many of them want revenge? If you ever return, you are officially fair game. Equestria declares you a vexatious Enemy of the State and formally withdraws all legal protections from you. Those Royal Guards currently surrounding you are now there to save you from any being who wants to slit your throat without any consequences. Not a few of the Guards themselves would happily do so if they were not bound by our command to keep you safe until we banish you.”
Tirek’s look of shock was gratifying, and he seemed lost for words.
“Take the prisoner away and bring the next in,” Trixie ordered.
Cozy Glow was brought in, manacled to a burly earth pony Royal Guard. The mare was formidable in the brains department but, without the enhancement of stolen power, rather pathetic in the brawn. Ground Quake didn’t even blink at Cozy’s attempts to clobber him with her manacled hooves. The midget pegasus’ inaudible tantrum had finally abated and she merely glared at us.
Twilight lifted the silence spell on her and said, “Of all our foes, you are the one who distressed me most, Cozy Glow. Unlike Tirek and Grogar, you are an Equestrian and one whom I thought would understand the joy of friendship and harmony. Yet you have twice now tried to conquer this land without any consideration for the lives of other ponies, let alone all the other species that live in peace with us.”
The look she gave the purple alicorn was anything but contrite. “And I would have succeeded this time if that idiot Grogar hadn’t ignored me when I suspected a trap.”
I said, “You have proven yourself to be an implacably ambitious and power-hungry enemy. Unlike the others, banishment is not a solution available to us. We suspect that you would be able to figure out a way back anyway.”
She smirked at me. “Glad to see that your dim mind can see that, Prince Wells. In fact, nothing you can do will prevent me from taking over Equestria someday. None of you are smart enough to stop me, and you won’t be so lucky next time.”
I nodded. “You’re right, so we’ve arranged something special for you. Cozy Glow, you are sentenced to indefinite special confinement.”
She frowned. “What the buck does that me—”
I cut her off with the silence spell. “Take Cozy back to her cell until the sentence is carried out,” I commanded.
Let her wonder what the punishment was. Telling her would have ruined it anyway. Dealing with the genius midget was always going to be problematic. It was Luna who came up with the solution with a little help from the changelings. When Cozy fell asleep, Luna would use her dream-walking power to enter the mare’s dreamscape. There, the Moon Princess would spin a tale of escape from confinement and resumption of her plans to conquer Equestria. Luna would lock Cozy in this dream state and her body placed into a changeling pod where she would be sustained for her natural life. She would realize her dream of ruling our world virtually, while the real Equestria would never have to deal with the sociopathic mare ever again.
After the doors closed behind Cozy Glow, we waited for the Sergeant-at-Arms to call for order. Then Trixie’s horn lit up and an illusion grew within the Throne Room. Dark thunderclouds lined the ceiling and the sunlight through the windows dimmed to match the gloomy atmosphere. Lightning appeared to flicker, adding to the sense of imminent danger. The audience stirred with confusion and a little trepidation. Trixie stood up, a scowl on her face. I knew what was coming although the special effects were a mild surprise. My wife was externalizing just how pissed off we were about the next order of business.
Trixie waited until she was certain that she had the rapt attention of everyone in the room before she spoke. “Equestria has suffered due to the ambitions of Grogar and his cohorts, and yet there remain some beings whose actions are even viler. I speak of those who would conspire with the enemy for their own ambitions – traitors for whom power was more important than the welfare of their fellow ponies. The Triarchy had been puzzled as to the source of some of the leaks of information to the enemy. Sadly, we found them. Guards! Arrest Lord Jet Set and Lady Opulent Affair!”
It was remarkable how quickly the nobles started distancing themselves from the two accused who immediately began protesting their innocence. The Royal Guards had been forewarned and had no difficulty taking them into custody and hauling them up to the dais.
Trixie glared at them for a moment before saying, “The Crown formally charges Lord Jet Set and Lady Opulent Affair with espionage and treason.”
“This is ridiculous!” Jet Set thundered. “You are using the conflict with Grogar as an excuse to get us out of the way because we dispute the positions of power that you usurped from Princess Celestia and Princess Luna!”
Duke Blueblood stepped forward from where he had been waiting by the dais and spoke in his cultured tone. “If only that was the case. Anypony is free to hold the opinion that my aunts should return to the throne. Yet that was clearly not enough for you two. You spoke to myself and several other nobles about establishing a government ‘of ponies and ruled by ponies’ – not alicorns, and excluding our other citizen species and allies. Doubtless, Grogar hinted that you two would lead Equestria into a glorious future of your own vision.”
My assessment of the duke had risen dramatically lately. Marriage had obviously been life-changing to the unicorn. I said, “Blueblood passed the information on to us and we sent diamond dogs to your houses. There, they found the telltale smell of blood quartz, cheddarshrooms, and feldspar. That was the exact same combination of scents that let Councilor Anticline positively identify the cavern we saw when Chrysalis opened a portal to Grogar’s hideout.”
I heard a huffing noise from nearby. I turned to see the old diamond dog glaring at me. “As if any diamond dog worth their weight in gems wouldn’t know exactly where to find all of those underground.” He walked up to the two nobles and sniffed. “You are still wearing the same clothing from your meeting with the ram. His stench almost overpowers that from the cave.”
Twilight said, “In response to your accusation, Lord Jet Set, you are wrong on all counts. Look around this room. What do you see? Changeling and griffon Royal Guards. Diamond dog and hippogriff allies. Zebra and minotaur citizens. The idea of ‘Equestria is only for ponies’ is dead. However, you and Lady Affair will have a chance to defend yourselves in a Court of Law. Princess Luna has volunteered to preside in judgment over the case. As you have just acknowledged that Luna holds her authority legitimately, I gather that you won’t object to her being the judge for your case?”
Jet Set opened his mouth again but Opulent Affair hissed, “Shut up!” to him. She was obviously the smarter of the two.
The noble stallion wasn’t listening. He sneered at Twilight and Trixie. “Alicorns? Triarchs? You are all hypocrites. You three squandered so many pony lives to prevent a dimension traveler like Grogar from leading Equestria…”
Uh-oh. I had a bad feeling about this.
Jet Set pointed a hoof at me. “… yet you allow another invader from the hee-yoo-mane realm to sit on the throne!”
Most every being in the chamber gasped and looked at me with wide eyes. Every being except for Discord whose flat visage occupied the nearest stained-glass window. He just frowned, rolled his eyes, and continued making his two-dimensional yo-yo do tricks.
I started thinking quickly. There was no point in denying it. What could I say to my subjects to convince them to accept me?
Trixie’s voice cut through the silence. “So?”
Jet Set gaped. “Mark Wells was not born a pony! He came here—” The stallion’s words cut off as Trixie’s light purple magic encased his head. Jet Set’s mouth moved, but no words came out.
Twilight came up to my side. “Mark Wells is a citizen of Equestria and is due all the rights and privileges that come with it. Where he was born makes no difference.”
Celestia walked to Twilight’s side, “Just as it makes no difference whether an Equestrian is a pony, griffon, changeling, zebra, minotaur, diamond dog, draconequus or other species.” Discord’s gaze left his yo-yo and he glanced at the dais. He smiled and disappeared from the stained glass window and I heard something land behind me. I felt a large paw placed on my withers.
Luna came up to Trixie’s other side. “Harken. Hast there been any being more vexed with the warding of fair Equestria against its foes? Chrysalis, Tirek, the Pony of Shadows, Grogar, twice Cozy Glow and the Storm King. Who brought these blackguards low, leaving our country safe? For each enemy thrown at Equestria, Mark Wells hath proven Harmony correct for bringing him here. Make no mistake, for I believe Harmony itself hath provided this stallion before you to protect Our Little Ponies when your former rulers could not.”
Trixie raised her wings which Celestia, Luna, and Twilight immediately followed. My wife said, “Equestria stands with Mark Wells with the same conviction, fortitude, and unending love that Mark Wells has for Equestria!”
Luna’s voice boomed out over the crowd. “WHAT SAY YE?”
As one, everybeing erupted in cheers, chitters, whoops, hoof-stomps, and various forms of applause.
I smiled, my eyes getting blurry with tears of joy. As the cacophony rolled on and on, I realized that I needed to respond in kind. With a sharp snap of my wings, I raised mine to mingle with those of the other alicorns.
The wave of sound hit me like a gale-force wind and nearly knocked me onto my back hooves. Discord’s paw tightened and I got my balance back. Trixie quickly scrambled back to my side.
Twilight excitedly yelled into my ear, “What you just felt was the Magic of Harmony! If you weren’t sure before, you most certainly now have been acknowledged as a leader of Equestria!”
Water leaked freely from my eyes. There was no denying it… I was home.
After a few minutes, the noise died down. We all lowered our wings and the Royal Sisters stepped back to a spot behind the Triarchs. An upside-down Discord walked down steps in thin air until he reached his fountain on the ceiling. He melted into the bottom basin then his body parts began cycling out of the sprayer on top. That was new.
That left us with the unfinished and unpleasant task of dealing with Lord Jet Set and Lady Opulent Affair. I anticipated that the case would be hard-fought with high-priced lawyers. At best, though, they might get a reduced sentence because the evidence against them was damning.
Trixie said, “Take the prisoners away!” She then seated herself once more and dispelled the illusion with a wave of her wing. I reckon that the display had etched itself firmly into the minds of the audience and emphasized that she took her role as Princess quite seriously. It certainly was a spectacular indication of her power.
While Twilight had considered Cozy to be her biggest failure, she had merely been a particularly nasty evil person to me. It was our final prisoner that caused me the most heartache. Chrysalis had sent a message with a guard demanding that the full list of charges be read to her in front of the Royal Court. While we had already intended to bring her here like the other three, something told me that there was more to this than met the eye, so I asked that she be made the final order of business. That would give us as much time to deal with her as would be required. At a nod from me, a guard left to bring Chrysalis in from the antechamber next to the throne room.
Lieutenant Penumbra entered first, then the deposed changeling queen, and lastly Crimson Boulder. Both of my bodyguards were in full Royal Guard armor for this occasion. Penny and Crimson moved to flank Chrysalis on either side… at least I thought it was Chrysalis. Almost nothing remained of her mane and tail hairs. She carried a loosely braided ring of sparkling blue yarn… no, that was her missing hair. I suddenly remembered an offer I made to the changeling queen.
Uh, oh.
The hairs on my neck stood up and I leaned to my right. Perhaps I could shuffle away unnoticed?
“Come,” ordered Trixie as she descended the dais to stand on the marble floor. Her tone of voice brooked no argument so I followed.
Before us, Chrysalis laid her offering on the floor while genuflecting in a pose of absolute supplication. “I, Chrysalis, Former Queen of the Crystal Hive, formally request acceptance into the herd of Princess Beatrix Lulamoon. I swear to follow the orders of my senior herdmares. Further, I pledge to uphold the laws of Equestria both in letter and in spirit. With the Triarchs as my witnesses, I dedicate my life to the service of the citizens of Equestria.”
I think nearly every pony in the audience gasped. Chrysalis had sworn these oaths without any preconditions. Her pride would hold her to these for the rest of her life.
Slowly, Trixie turned to head to face me. If her thunderous expression didn’t clue me into her mood, her next words did. “Pockmark Hells – explain!”
I tried to put on a reassuring smile. I doubt that I succeeded.
“Well… you see… dear.” Trixie’s eyes narrowed even further. Probably not a good idea to dawdle. “Some time ago, Chrysalis demanded that I provide my seed as partial payment for her attending the Council of Queens. I told her that only members of my… of our herd had that right.”
My wife appeared entirely unconvinced. “And…?”
“Well… I explained how new herd members would be oath-bound to follow the orders of their seniors.” Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Penumbra tilt her head slightly before recovering. “I followed this up by saying the first order would be to cut off her mane and tail hairs.”
“My ‘disgracefully messy mane and tail hairs,’ ” quoted Chrysalis from her position near the floor.
“Uh… yes.” Reading my wife’s mood, I doubted this correction did me any favors.
The silence stretched out for some time. I resisted the urge to tug at my collar.
Trixie said, “And you did not feel it necessary to inform the lead mare of your herd? Trixie thought she had you trained better than this.”
Maybe if I redoubled my efforts to smile?
My wife said, “And why did Trixie not learn about this in the daily prisoner reports that she so diligently reads every evening?”
Ahhh. Nope. Don’t think my smile will help here. “Well, there were… personal matters discussed that required discretion. I ordered the guards to keep everything confidential.”
“That’s true,” said Twilight. Regis’ ability to shadow-walk was common knowledge among those who worked in the castle, but no official announcement had been made yet.
My wife’s stare continued unabated. Eventually, she said, “Trixie sees,” with the clear implication that she was not sympathetic to my point of view.
She turned back to her supplicant. “Rise, Chrysalis.” The changeling queen did so, holding her chin high.
“While it is not proper for the lead stallion to set the conditions for a mare to enter a herd…” I flinched. “…Trixie finds your petition to be valid and made in good faith. You have my provisional acceptance, pending the fulfillment of your obligations to Equestria. However, Trixie could not help but notice that the second part of your pledge was nearly identical to the oaths sworn by the Triarchs.”
“Yes, that was my intention.”
Direct and to the point. Regardless of appearances, that aspect of Chrysalis had remained the same.
My wife turned to Penny. “Lieutenant Penumbra. Please inform the Crown how the petitioner ended up in this state.”
My herdmate stepped forward. “Yes, Your Highness. Lieutenant Crimson Boulder and I were guarding the prisoner just outside of the throne room while Grogar received his sentence…”
# # #
Something was up. Chrysalis was acting strangely, even for her. Did she seem… anxious?
The changeling queen looked at me. “Mutated pegasus, how sharp is your knife?”
I glared. “First of all, I’m a batpony. Second, stop trying to manipulate my emotions.”
She waved a hoof. “My apologies. Assuming your weapon is up to the task, I want you to cut off the hairs of my mane and tail.”
Crimson and I just stared. Chrysalis continued. “I give you my word I will not attempt to harm either of you or escape. I just need this to be done now and I have no means of doing so myself.” After a deep breath, she added, “Please. I would consider this a personal favor.”
I shared a look with Crimson. There were plenty of other guards watching us, so escape was never an issue. Besides, she had already promised not to resist or flee, which was the only reason she did not wear manacles or wing-binders right now. The nullstone rings around her horn stayed. Only so much trust would be given. I said, “I’m not a hairdresser or a barber. It would be a hatchet job of a mane and tail cut.”
The queen nodded. “As it should be.”
I smirked. “Well, since you asked nicely.”
Keeping my body out of reach of her rear hooves, I proceeded to slice the tail hairs off of her dock. Then I removed her mane, grabbing a clump at a time. I focused on efficiency, not eye-pleasing results, just as Her Majesty had requested. Not thirty seconds after I started, piles of hair rested on the floor all around her.
“Thank you,” said Chrysalis as she bent down. She gathered up the remains while I stepped back and sheathed my knife. Unfortunately, there was quite a bit of hair and one bit or another kept slipping off of her hoof.
“Really, youngster? I thought you would have planned this out better.” I turned to see a familiar elderly mare. Reef Knot shook her head. “So disappointing.”
I addressed the de-facto leader of the Canterlot Castle Knitting Club. “One moment! How exactly did you sneak up on me?” The earth pony brushed her way past like I didn’t exist.
Crimson stepped forward. “I’m sorry, ma’am. There’s no—”
Reef Knot jumped forward, getting into my partner’s face, shouting out a high-pitched “Eh! Eh! Eh!”
The hulking stallion backpedaled quickly, his eyes wide.
I chortled. “What’s wrong? Is dealing with your elders outside your pay grade?”
He shook his head. “No. She just sounded exactly like my mom when she was displeased with me.”
I gave that some thought. “Huh. Mine, too.”
Meanwhile, the elderly mare had picked up a small number of strands. With a quick twist of her hooves, she knotted one end. With practiced speed, Reef Knot rolled the hair in her hooves, a tightly braided string emerging underneath. “Chrysalis, dear – you can’t carry around free-hanging strands like that.” With another twist of her hooves, she held up a ten-hoof’s-length long piece of sparkling blue twine tied off on both ends.
“The trick is to use the friction of the strands to your benefit.” As she spoke, she set the string on the floor and laid out the remaining hair to trail away at a right angle. Once that was done, she tied off the top few inches of free hair with three loops and knots of the string.
Reef Knot pointed at Crimson. “Oaf! Get over here and make yourself useful. Stand on the knotted end to provide tension.” When he didn’t comply fast enough for her liking, she added, “Hup to it! I don’t have all day!”
The guardsman glanced at me before dutifully walking over and placing a forehoof at the appointed spot.
The elderly mare continued her explanation as her forehooves moved a bit slower this time. “Just layer in the strands gradually as you braid.”
Chrysalis craned her neck. “I see. That way you don’t have any clumps peeking out of the braid.”
“That’s right, dear.”
The main weave was much larger and looser than the one used for the string. Reef Knot looped the far end around until it lay next to the end Crimson stood on. A few impatient jabs of her hoof on his pastern convinced him to back away.
“Three more knotted loops… and… done!” She held out the coil of braided hair to the changeling queen. Chrysalis took it with a nod and opened her mouth to say something. Reef Knot wasn’t quite done. “Now you go out and convince that stallion of what he already knows.”
Chrysalis bowed her head then gave the elderly mare a brief nuzzle. “Thank you, Nana.”
Reef Knot smiled for the first time. “Go make me proud, youngling.” That turned to a scowl that moved Crimson out of her path. The elderly mare trotted down the corridor without another word.
# # #
As Penny finished her retelling, my wife tapped her hoof against the floor, her eyes distant.
“Chrysalis, you will inform us of your actions during the battle.”
The changeling queen nodded respectfully. “Yes, Your Highness. Soon after the fighting started, Grogar commanded me to procure one of your communication systems so he could listen in on your strategy. Of course, I had no intention of following his orders. I took flight and turned invisible, searching for a suitable place to wait. I found it thirty feet behind yourself. Your emotions proved intense enough to detect at a distance.”
“From that location on the invisible hill, I could easily survey the battlefield, redirecting any threats to your person as needed. After tying a couple of juvenile tatzlwurms into knots, I looked up to see Princess Diadem hurtling through the air and Prince Mark teleporting behind the Storm King.”
I winced before Chrysalis continued.
“By the time I found a clear spot to which I could teleport, Mark Wells had already defeated the yeti.”
Twilight said, “And then you tried to kill him.”
The changeling queen snapped her head to look at the lavender mare. “Don’t…”
Chrysalis stopped and closed her mouth. When she tried again, her tone of voice was respectful. “No, Hive Mother. Simply killing the Storm King would not be sufficient. It was no accident that I used red hot metal to cauterize his wounds. Yetis value strength above all else. Sickly children are left to die in the snow. The battle for succession of a clan is always strewn with death. Now the Storm King has been reduced to below the weakest of yetis. He will live in that state for the rest of his days.”
Hushed whispers broke out among the ponies and other beings present.
Trixie’s voice cut through the noise. “And now you wish to join the herd of the Great and Powerful Trixie.”
Chrysalis nodded. “My talks with Postgena and her world’s Cadance helped me realize how short-sighted my plans were. My original goal to elevate my future hive above all other creatures flew in the face of reality. The Triarchy gained new allies by the month. Harmony between races had become reality, leaving me behind. Cady encouraged me to abandon the last obligation of my old life, which I refused to do.” The changeling queen shifted her gaze to look at me. “Instead, my sister and Cady helped me craft goals for my next life. That including the one stallion that I saw as worthy of my… respect.”
I blinked, awash in conflicting emotions. As I tried to sort through them, I heard Discord’s voice in my ear. “Quite the emotional rollercoaster for you today, Marcus.” He wasn’t kidding.
My wife said, “That dimension’s Cadance should have informed the Triarchy of this.”
I said, “No she shouldn’t. Patient-counselor confidentiality.” That earned me a displeased glare.
Twilight stepped down from the dais to join us. “Trixie, did you see those two tatzlwurms that the prisoner referred to?”
“Yes, along with several other monsters being stopped or redirected before they reached the hill where Trixie was stationed. At the time, Trixie assumed her guard detail was responsible. In hindsight, the strength of the magic used makes that unlikely.”
Twilight said, “You provided aid and comfort to the enemy by stealing the Bewitching Bell for Grogar.”
The changeling queen waved a dismissive hoof. “That bauble made no difference in the battle. All it served to do was convince the foolish goat that he was powerful enough to guarantee victory. I strongly recommended he launch his attack immediately over Cozy Glow’s vague misgivings. I may have lied slightly when I described your emotions as entirely genuine, Your Highness.” Chrysalis bowed to Trixie before continuing.
“I thought you would have surmised my true allegiance from East Wind’s report. I refused to harm her so that the pegasus could provide you with a wealth of tactical information on our common foe. I even arranged for a demonstration of the more complicated aspects of Grogar’s magic: How he bypasses magic barriers.”
I said, “Even if the Triarchy rules that your actions protecting my wife offset your theft of the Bewitching Bell for Grogar, that still leaves you with outstanding debts to Equestria.”
Twilight motioned with a hoof. “Cadance and Shining Amor are right over there. If you truly are on the path of reform, you can start by apologizing to them.”
“No,” replied Chrysalis. She held out a hoof to Crimson Boulder. Without hesitation, the earth pony reached into his saddlebag and passed her a scroll. “There are thirty pony families I need to talk to first. Priority over prerogative.” The changeling queen held the scroll to her chest. “By your leave.”
Trixie replied, “Granted.”
Chrysalis bowed to all three Triarchs before turning around. Penumbra and Crimson Boulder escorted her out the same way she came in.
Twilight announced, “The Triarchs of Equestria declare this trial to be concluded. May you all go in Harmony.”
Cadance and Shining Armor came up to me, both smiling. The stallion punched me in the shoulder and laughed. “So, Mark. Anything interesting happen today?”
I let out a breath I didn’t know I had been holding. “And then some. Not at all sure how I feel about some of it.”
Cadance pulled me into a hug. I wanted to reciprocate but couldn’t make myself do so.
She pulled back. “Mark, you deserve a chance to relax and get everything off your chest.”
I shook my head. “I’ll let you know when I’m ready. I have to take out the trash first.”
# # #
The portal room was quite crowded due to the number of guards, but we were not taking any chances with our prisoners. A new portal had been activated to Grogar’s home dimension with the coordinates that Discord had supplied and, after confirming that Scorpan was ready to take him into custody, the old goat was unceremoniously shoved through. Then it was Tirek’s turn.
I levitated the key to his nullstone manacles to him, encased in a ball of ice so cold that it was as hard as steel. Only the insulated glove that I had given Tirek prevented him from getting freeze burns. The centaur’s other hand gripped his crutch tightly. I said, “You are being exiled to your home dimension and are not to return under penalty of death. Do you understand?”
The wizened centaur gave me a condescending smile. “Do you truly think that you can enforce that?”
I smirked. “Oh, I think so. Let me activate those for you.” I tapped the medallion that hung around my neck and two loud beeps came from within Tirek’s body.
He gave me an alarmed look. “What have you done?”
“Your last meal contained a couple of very special ingredients. Two pills have now attached themselves somewhere in your digestive system. They are designed to absorb Equestrian magic until they explode – the more magic, the bigger the explosion.” At Tirek’s horrified expression, I gave him my biggest fake smile. I raised my shield, saying, “The process has already started. I suggest you run. Don’t want to make a mess in here.”
Tirek didn’t hesitate to hobble through the portal as quickly as he could. I immediately shut it down and smashed it with a blast from my horn. There would be no returning through that particular way.
Penny looked at me curiously. “Is that really true?”
I dropped my shield and laughed. Facing Penumbra, I touched my medallion again. Two beeps came from Penny’s barrel. “I picked this up from a vendor during the last Winter Wrap-up festival. It’s a foal’s sound-throwing joke charm. I expect Tirek will go through many rounds of excruciating probes and examinations trying to find his pills, though.”
A smile slowly crept across my bodyguard’s face. Penny patted me on the head. “My young Padawan of Pranks has finally grown up.”
Thanks to Twilight’s Speak-and-See crystals, Penny and Crimson had watched the ‘Element of Harmony’ edition of the Star Wars saga. I smiled. “Oh, so I'm finally a Jedi Master now?”
“No. Don't presume yourself to be on my level. You have successfully reached the rank of Apprentice... Third Class.”
Eh. I’ll take it.
# # #
Two days later, Ponyville was the scene of celebration and Pinkie Pie was doing what she did best – throwing a party! She insisted that it had to be a doozy not only because of our victory over the villains, but also to congratulate Gallus and his friends for saving the town from the timberwolves. What made it a little uncomfortable for me was that the pink mare was making it very plain that she was also celebrating the latest mare to join my herd. It bothered the party pony not in the slightest that Chrysalis used to be an enemy. The only satisfaction that I got from it was that the changeling queen looked as uncomfortable with the situation as me.
Chrysalis had insisted on accompanying me to the celebration. All her co-mates would be there and she would not be ignored or overlooked. And while she made a few ponies nervous, the locals were nowhere near as concerned as the citizens of Canterlot had been. Ponyville had not experienced the original changeling invasion. Some found her sparkling wings and mane (what there was left of it) to be quite exotic. Those weren’t as garishly colorful as Thorax’s evolved changelings but fascinating in their own way.
Of course, I couldn’t leave it at just that. “Say, Chrysalis. Don’t you just looooove these cupcakes? And don’t you looooove the party today? Why don’t you just admit to everypony how much you looooove me and all of your herdmates?” Each time, I would glance back at her carapace and give a theatrical sigh of disappointment.
The changeling queen sniffed. “Do not try to be clever, my stallion. I will not transform into a rainbow-hued monstrosity despite your futile efforts. Nor will I entertain you by saying that word aloud. No. While I will need to retreat to a pod soon to rejuvenate myself, I have every intention of emerging in my original form, though I suspect my wings and hair will retain their dreadful sparkle.”
“But you can change your appearance at will! What’s so bad about looking the tiniest bit different cosmetically?” My gross understatement drew a sharp glare. “Think of all the benefits! No more reliance on love to survive, more power at your disposal, greater acceptance by ponies and other creatures—”
She interrupted. “I saw what Pharynx looked like after he evolved.”
That stopped me in my tracks. “Hmm. Yeah, he has an awful lot of colors in one place. OK, I see your point.”
Absolutely everyone had been invited to the shindig, even Torch. Fortunately, the gigantic dragon had declined, satisfied with taking his prized new delicacies back to the Dragonlands after Twilight had treated his burned retinas with the healing fluid. I’d had my legs fixed too, and Penny her wing, so we were all able to enjoy the party as much as possible. I think Chrysalis got a little bloated from all the positive emotions that she had sucked down. Sometime during the festivities, she passed out with her head on Crimson Boulder’s lap, drooling a little, much to my bodyguard’s discomfort. I made sure to get a lot of photographs!
Mayor Mare had to make her speeches, of course. She was especially effusive over the students from the School of Friendship who had been instrumental in saving the town once more. Gallus went up with Smolder by his side to accept their scrolls of commendation. He made a brief speech of thanks before turning and kissing the dragoness. Smolder blushed a little but returned the affection. Ponyville was left in no doubt how those two stood now and I mentally congratulated my son on firmly putting to bed any undue gossip. They were Special Someponies now. Okay, neither was a pony but they hadn’t come up with an alternative name that had stuck yet.
However, they weren’t the biggest surprise of the day.
Applejack unexpectedly took the stage, practically dragging Rainbow Dash along with her. The farm mare was grinning ear to ear as she stood at the podium, waiting for the crowd to quiet down.
“Mares and stallions, cocks and hens, bulls and cows, an’ everybeing else – Ah’m proud to announce that Rainbow Dash done proposed marriage to me today and Ah have accepted. Y’all are invited to the wedding!” She then threw her hooves around Rainbow and thoroughly snogged her.
There was a massive cheer from the crowd and I shook my head and grinned. Way to upstage everyone, Appledash. I turned to Trixie and gave her a kiss. Rarity and Penny wanted one next. I wouldn’t have been surprised if Chrysalis had insisted on one too if she hadn’t been unconscious. Anyway, Equestria was safe and secure once more. What better reason to celebrate?
# # # # # # # # #