It was a beautiful night for a celebration. It was also more packed than normal. There haven't had this many guests since the storm king was beaten.
It seemed that a good chunk of the world realized that, like always, Equestria was the one to resolve the disaster. This was good for Twilight as the other leaders further trusted her abilities to keep the peace.
Megan would be sitting at a table with her parents and new friends. "for real, there's an entire dimension with people like me?"
Sunset nodded. "Yeah, I'll show you around whenever you like. Assuming you don't turn into a pony once you cross the portal." She said with a laugh.
Twilight laughed along but then turned to Harmony. "Uh, would she?" she questioned.
Harmony thought for a minute, and then sent a small amount of magic her way. "She won't now. Speaking of that dimension. Discord."
He would poke his head up nervously, as he was most of a statue placed in a chair. Harmony reverted Discord back to his former self. "Make sure no one in that dimension remembers the whole shadow apocalypse."
"Yes, Ma'am." He quickly said as he hopped through a portal, it closing behind him.
Starlight would be rubbing her hooves nervously, she looked over at Sunset. Sunset would smile and give her a nod, motioning to Twilight.
Starlight coughed into her hoof some. "Twilight, before I tell you this, I am ready to accept any punishment you decide."
Twilight curiously looked over at her. "Punishment for what?"
Starlight carefully thought through how she would explain herself. But ultimately decided to just tell her the truth first. "I... used the Alicorn Amulet all this time since you've known me."
Twilight seemed more surprised than anything else. Starlight went on. "I would have told you before this all happened but, you know when like you want to do something, but too much time has passed and like it's at the point where you are too nervous to do the thing because you should have done it a lot sooner." She gave a small whimper. "I'm so sorry."
Twilight responded. "I always wondered how you were so good with magic." Twilight rubbed her chin as she looked at Starlight, she looked like she was about to break out in tears.
"Apology accepted," Twilight stated. "On one condition. You organize a school lesson informing the students about your mistake, and how to avoid it."
Starlight scooted over and hugged Twilight. "I'll make sure of it." Starlight said. Twilight hugged her back with a forgiving smile.
Discord would now reappear, sitting back down. He was twiddling his thumbs as he looked at Harmony. "Do I still have to be stone?" She glared her eyes at him, turning to face the group.
"What do you all say, How much trouble has he been?" Harmony asked. Discord was seen making a pleading motion from behind her. The group communicated through whispers, facial expressions, and hoof gestures. They seemed to reach a conclusion amongst themselves. "I guess he can go free," Twilight said.
Discord was relieved. Leaning back in his chair wiping some sweat off his forehead. Fluttershy would walk up to him. "Discord, I thought about what you said before... Now that Megan is back, are we still friends...?"
Discord smirked and hugged her with one arm. "Of course we are. I couldn't think of a better pony to have a chat over tea with." He looked across the table. "And that reminds me..."
He teleported himself and Fluttershy to the other side, hugging the group again. "... I am so blessed to have friends like all of you. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart."
They smiled and returned the hug. They were cut off by Twilight pressing her hoof against his head. "Less wacky antics though."
Discord rolled out a scroll and put on some glasses. "Hmmm, I guess I could cut down on the Chaos Quota. Are you more tolerant of mud puddles or missing books?"
His list would suddenly ignite and burn into ash, Harmony could be seen watching him with a stern look from the other side. Discord gulped. "We erm, can sort that out later." He walked off on four legs like a scolded dog, the group chuckling as he did.
On the balcony of the castle, away from the other guests, the former shadow council was sitting at separate tables. Among the groups was Scorpan and Tirek, Sombra and Radiant Hope, Eris and Cosmos, and Cozy Glow was going from table to table. The reunions were going smoothly.
Eris was resting her head on her elbow. "I always thought I would have more to do once I was rid of corruption. Right now, I'm more empty than I have ever felt in my entire existence."
Cosmos slid her drink off the table and scooted close to her. "Same here, so I had an idea! It's crazy, I know, but hear me out!"
Eris unexcitedly looked at her. "I'm open to ideas, shoot."
Cosmos set down a laptop on the table, the others looking over at the out-of-place technology. Cosmos then frantically pressed keyboard buttons and then slid the screen over to Eris could see it better. "Let's become streamers."
Eris looked at the screen, and then casually looked back to Cosmos. "What in Oblivion is a streamer?"
Cosmos went on. "This world doesn't have it yet but basically we review stuff, vlog, play games, perform, pretty much whatever you want." She said as she was pulling objects from nowhere and setting them on the table, finishing with putting a VR headset on Eris.
Eris just looked off not reacting to the headset being put on her. "... Well, I have nothing better to do."
Cosmos claw swiped to open a portal to the human world, snapped her claws to turn them both into people, and then dragged Eris and everything else through the portal, it closing behind him.
The others just looked on a little surprised. "Well, that was weird," Cozy said. She stood there awkwardly for a few seconds. "wait, COSMOS! can I come too!?" She said out towards the open. The portal opened back as she appeared, watching her.
"Eh, sure, come on." She snapped her claws turning Cozy into a person, scooting aside keeping the portal open. Cozy happily jumped through. "Anyone else?" Cosmos asked. No one else seemed eager. "Pass," ChrysAmore said.
Cosmos shrugged and went back inside, closing the portal. ChrysAmore continued to sit alone, holding a drink in her hoofs. She seemed ready for the celebration to end so she could just fly off and go back to being alone.
Cadance would walk outside to meet with her. "I remember your hair being more curly in the artwork." She spoke.
CrysAmore didn't turn to face her. "Why don't you go back inside. No one would want to come talk with the old bug lady."
Cadance sat down near her. "You know, I have always dreamed about meeting with you. I know it's pretty strange how it actually turned out but, here we are."
CrysAmore didn't reply, she just continued to look off.
Cadance went on, trying to lighten the mood. "You know, now that I see you in person, the two of us look pretty similar. With the pink and purple."
CrysAmore rolled her eyes. "I looked better in black and green."
Cadance smirked. "Perhaps. But do you have any reasoning on why we look similar, both represent love, both ruled the crystal empire?"
CrysAmore inhaled. "I don't know, I don't WANT to know."
Cadance kept at it. "Maybe I have a piece of you in me?" She said with a smile.
CrysAmore glared at her and stood up from her chair, walking a small distance. She shapeshifted back into her old Crysalis self. "Well congratulations, you are better at being me than I am at being me. Why don't you just rename yourself to Amore and go back to replacing my entire existence."
Chrysalis seemed to finally break down, she stood there hanging her head. Green tears forming in her eyes. Sombra and Hope got up from their table to try and aid Cadance.
Hope stood next to Chrysalis. "You know, it doesn't have to be like this. It's never too late to change, especially for a changeling."
Chrysalis spread her wings. "I've been a horrible witch for many years. It's too late..."
Cadance galloped up to her. "Wait!"
Chrysalis turned her head to the side to look at her. Cadance spoke with her honestly. "I admit that I have been treated very well ever since Celestia took me in when I was young. It is difficult to imagine how you feel. I just want you to promise me this..."
"... When you are ready, I would like you to meet me in the Crystal Empire. We will figure out something, I just want to make this right."
Chrysalis thought hard about this. Part of her wanted to refuse just leave a stain on Equestria's reputation to be the one villain they couldn't reform. But as she thought, she came to the conclusion that it was time to leave revenge behind. Chrysalis nodded, not being able to speak because of the emotions inside of her. After that, she flew off into the night.
Sombra and Hope stood by Cadance, giving her comfort to help her know she did all that could do tonight.
Princess Flurry Heart would join them on the balcony. "Hello everyone, did I miss anything?"
Cadance turned to Flurry and approached her. "Do not worry about it, why did you come out here?"
"I just came to say my goodbyes, Harmony and Discord are ready to send me back to my now fixed timeline."
Cadance understood and hugged her tightly. "We're all proud of you. And now I know that you will grow up to be a fine young princess."
Flurry returned the hug. "Well, you and dad are to thank for that."
Cadance kissed her on the forehead. "Alright, you need to head home. I'm sure that there is a future Cadance that wants to see you very badly."
Flurry nodded and galloped off, Twilight Sparkle would pass by her, walking up another flight of stairs to find a nice quiet place to reflect.
She looked down at the happy creatures enjoying the party down below and gazed at the beautiful sky above.
"Well, this will probably be my last adventure for a while. Hopefully, the next one isn't as serious." She said to herself, resting on the railing.
Down below, Twilight spotted a particular grey pony. September could be seen looking up at her. September had the same expression as always. The stallion gave her a simple nod as thanks, and walked off, vanishing to the unknown.
Twilight seemed satisfied with herself, she then heard a voice come from behind her. "I'm sorry to interrupt your moment alone." Discord said.
Twilight turned around, and before she could say anything, Discord waved his hand to cause a white door to appear. He motioned Twilight to come inside. Twilight was curious and carefully stepped through the door.
Through the door, was Caelum. A place that Twilight had been before, but as she ventured onwards, things became unfamiliar. She passed through yet another door, venturing deeper into Caelum, possibly deeper than even Celestia has seen.
She found herself in a white hallway, with bright light shining through the glass windows. Up ahead, Discord was waiting for her.
The draconequus began to speak in his serious voice. "... Where you are standing right now, is eternity. True Caelum, the afterlife, heaven, this place has many names."
Twilight went wide-eyed, she turned her head to look out the window. Outside were landscapes that she could have never imagined before, it was more beautiful than anything she had ever seen in her entire life. She stood there, speechless.
Discord continued. "I just thought it would be a fitting place to have such a conversation. I know I already thanked you twice, but..."
Twilight looked at him as he approached her, he kneeled before her. "Even with all the power I have over existence, I could have never done what you and your friends accomplished. Before I knew you and the others, I had no purpose. All I could do was try and forget, fancy up reality to drown out the sadness."
"Twilight Sparkle, I will never be able to express how thankful I am. As long as eternity goes on, I will be in your debt." Discord finished, holding out his paw to her.
Twilight looked to him, and then downward to think. "... You don't owe me anything, Discord."
Discord was a little surprised to hear this, Twilight then raised her head to look at him. "Because true friends don't keep track of favors." She said with a smile across her face.
Discord's eyes welled up, he pulled her in to hug her tightly. Twilight returned the hug. As they did so, Twilight felt two others put their arms around her. When she eventually pulled away, she saw Harmony and Megan before her as well.
"Discord had already spoken how we all feel. We will be sure that the deeds of you and your allies are forever remembered." Harmony said.
"Thank you again for freeing me of being an evil shadow person, now I can be a nice shadow person instead." She said, slightly jokingly.
Discord rose up, wiping the tears from his eyes. "I hate being this serious. Since you won't let us reward you, our thanks will have to be enough. But I suppose there is one small present I can give to you."
They would appear in Canterlot's throne room, and with a snap of Discord's claws, there was a large stained glass telling of the great adventure.
Twilight's facial expression alone told that she loved the new addition. "Wow. I guess it deserves a name, huh? Megan, do you have any ideas?"
Megan stepped forward, seeing a glass telling of her transformation from Algea back to Megan. "Hmm, how about... A Tale of Shadows and Chaos? It's the story of how we overcame them."
Twilight nodded. "A Tale of Shadows and Chaos it is. Well, back the party I assume?"
Discord began to wiggle his whole body. "Agreed, I need to get all of these gooey emotions out of my system." Megan giggled and began to push him towards the door, the other two following behind.
And thus, the world was safe once again.
The End.