When the numbers were totaled almost half of the Fillydelphia settlement died in the battle. They had begun the fight with almost 400 ponies and ended with a little more then 250. The gryphons and the dragons both suffered losses as well, though none so great as the ponies. The bodies were so high in number that a proper burial for many was simply not possible. So, with the help of the dragons, funeral pyres were lit well outside the city, and the dead were remembered with somber ceremony as their bodies were burned. Rarity and Spike were spared this fate and a special place was selected for them.
The largest garden of the city was along the southwestern wall and virtually untouched by damage. Scribes showed the others to this secluded area and offered it to them as a place just for their friends. All five mares were in attendance, a still recovering Rainbow Dash included, and their chosen mates. Fancy Pants was there as well and made frequent use of a scrap of cloth he used for a kerchief as Rarity and Spike were buried.
Apple Bloom dug holes on both sides of the garden and planted seeds that would one day grow into trees, saying she felt both Rarity and Spike would have liked that. As she covered up the last hole with dirt, Silver Spoon gasped. “Apple Bloom! Your flank!”
Apple Bloom froze for a moment before, to everyone's surprise, she started to cry. “I knew it! I knew I would get my cutie mark when all this was happenin'! I don't even wanna look!”
“But you have to!” Silver Spoon hurried to Apple Bloom's side, a smile on her face. “Just look.”
Sniffling and bracing herself for the worst, Apple Bloom turned. A gasp left her parted lips. There upon her flank where it was just plain old yellow fur were two delicate flowers, one bigger than the other, with a pinkish tinge to their white petals and a yellow middle. “They...they're beautiful! What are they?”
“Look like apple blossoms to me,” said Applejack proudly.
Apple Bloom did circles trying to get a better look. “What do they mean? What do they mean?”
Her sister chuckled. “Apple blossoms represent love an' new beginnin's. Now that I think about it, that always was somethin' special about you, Apple Bloom. You always could take somethin' old an' used, somethin' no pony wanted or saw anythin' special in an' turn it into somethin' brand new. An' we all know you got a lotta love to give.” Applejack nuzzled her. “I'm real proud of you, little sister.”
“Big Macintosh, look! I got my cutie mark! I got my cutie mark!”
Almost eleven months later Twilight lay in the shade of one of the growing poplar trees reading a book. She'd finished with her teaching early and liked to go out to see Spike and Rarity regularly. It was in part because she liked to feel close to them but also because it was one of the very few places left that wasn't busy with some kind of construction. They no longer called the place they lived a city, for a city meant busy bustling streets, high energy and fast living, and it was no longer Fillydelphia. No one could decide on what it should be called but all were in agreement that Fillydelphia was definitely no more.
The world had changed in just a few months before the battle found them. Ponyville was gone, Canterlot was gone, and there would be no returning to what had once been. After much debate both Celestia and Luna agreed Canterlot would be relocated instead of being simply rebuilt. With no one wanting to leave the new town that was being built they thought it only appropriate that Canterlot be rebuilt in the Coltorado Rockies. The dragons and the gryphons, having little to return home to, would be calling the vast mountain range home as well. It was filled with caves they could claim and they would be close to the ponies, their new friends, without being invasive or encroaching on each other's spaces. For now they would all live close together and no one seemed to mind.
Luna seemed to truly enjoy living in town with everyone else while the palace was being rebuilt. She'd made good on her word and took Pipsqueak in as her own, and it didn't take long before he was calling her his mother. This added a more down to earth aspect to Luna's attitude than anything had before and she quickly became just like everyone else. Celestia was not adjusting as easily and longed for the day when she could return to her palace. For now, however, she was gracious and uncomplaining of her simple accommodations within the town.
Twilight had also made good on her word, and she and Clover were married a few weeks after rebuilding had begun. She missed Spike so much that it hurt sometimes, but Clover was always there to help her get through the worst of it. Now that he was by her side it was hard time imagine a time before him.
Applejack and Pokey were raising both Apple Bloom and Silver Spoon. The fillies thought of each other as sisters now and as Pokey and Applejack as older siblings. Fluttershy and Big Macintosh were looking forward to starting a family, and Pinkie and Braeburn were still serious about opening up and bakery-slash-ice cream parlor. Pinkie was also still serious about those babies.
“Twilight, there you are!” Twilight's thoughts were interrupted as Pinkie galloped across the grass. “I've been looking everywhere for you!”
“What's the matter, Pinkie? Did Dinky magic herself into a tree again?”
“No.” Pinkie panted, trying to catch her breath. “It's time.”
“It's time?” Then realization hit and Twilight burst into an excited grin. “It's time?!”
Pinkie bounced. “It's time!” Before the pink pony had time to get even one more bounce in Twilight was on her hooves and teleporting them back to the main area of the newborn town. They ran to the hospital, the first building to be completed, and found the rest of the girls pacing a small waiting room, Celestia included. “Did we miss it?” Pinkie asked.
“Nothin' yet,” said Applejack. “but it should be any minute now.”
Twilight sat down beside Celestia to watch everyone else chatter in excitement. With a hesitant smile on her face, Twilight looked up at her mentor. “I have a confession.”
Celestia quirked a brow. “Oh?”
“I keep praying she won't have an alicorn.”
With a smile just for Twilight, Celestia nodded. “I know.”
Pinkie nearly screamed, “Here he comes!”
All chatter stopped as Soarin trotted into the room, a dopey half grin on his face. “It's a girl.”
The room erupted in cheers and everyone was congratulating him. Twilight, however, had a question. “What is she?”
He smiled in understanding. “A pegasus.” More cheers and hugs all around, then everyone was asking when they could see mother and daughter. Soarin said as long as they kept the energy level down they could see her immediately. So, as quiet as an entire group of ponies could possibly be, they followed Soarin down the hall and into a larger sterile room.
Rainbow Dash lay under a blanket on her side on one of the beds. In her protective embrace was a little wrapped bundle that slept peacefully. Dash smiled tiredly as the room was filled with her friends. In a whispery voice she said, “Hey, guys.”
“Oh, Dash,” breathed Twilight. “She's beautiful.” A little cherub face was the only thing visible under the blanket wrapped around her body. Her coat was a pale sky blue like Soarin's and wisps of rainbow hair could be seen poking out from the edges of the blanket. “What's her name?”
Dash looked up at Soarin as he stood by her head and they shared a smile. “We were thinking of calling her Hope.”
Applejack chuckled. “A daughter of yours? She'll be a wild Hope.”
Looking down at her baby, Rainbow's smile warmed. “Wild Hope. I like it.”
“It's quite appropriate,” said Celestia. “She is the first foal born to this new world. She is, in very essence, all of our wild hopes.”
Taking a step forward, a very pregnant Fluttershy brushed a kiss over the newborn's brow. “Welcome to the world, Wild Hope. Wait until you see what we're building just for you.”