Roughly one day later, Flash began to stir from his extended fever dream. The first sensation he was aware of was the feeling of someone else’s hand in his. He slowly opened his eyes and sat up with a groan. He turned to his left and saw Twilight asleep, leaning against his bed. Her hand was holding his, and his brother was asleep leaning against her. Flash couldn’t help but smile at the sight of the two people closest to his heart not only showing their concern for him but also showing their care for each other.
He gently tightened his grip around Twilight’s hand and began to rub circles into her dorsum with his thumb, causing Twilight to stir. She lifted her head and blinked the sleep from her eyes. Her first sight upon waking was Flash’s brightly smiling face.
“Good morning,” Flash greeted tenderly.
“Flash!” Twilight cried, bolting upright and throwing her arms around Flash. She buried her face into the crook of his neck and held him so tightly that she couldn’t tell his racing heartbeat apart from hers. Although surprised at first, Flash quickly returned the embrace, drawing comfort from her closeness.
When they eventually parted, Twilight shook Base by the shoulder, telling him to wake up. Base did so with a grimace and a groan.
“Ugh! Okay, I’m up. I’m up,” he protested, pushing himself to his feet and rubbing his eyes. When Base opened his eyes and saw his older brother awake and smiling, his whole face lit up, and he cheered. “You’re okay! Oh, thank God! You’re okay!”
Base tackled Flash into a hug as happy tears began to stream down his face.
Flash returned the hug and replied, “Yeah, I’m okay.”
Flash was up and walking almost as soon as he was awake despite Twilight and Ms. Matilda’s protests. However, he had to wait another three days before he was strong enough to leave the room. On his first morning outside the room, Flash was having breakfast with his friends, First Base, and Twilight in the inn’s dining room. Pinkie Pie had returned to Griepsburg after Flash got better, and no one had seen hide nor hair of Timber Spruce since he had brought the girls and Groat to the mainland.
While everyone waited for their breakfast, Cranky Doodle sauntered in and sat himself at their table.
“Well, nice to see you back in the land of the living, boy,” the salty, old ferryman said to Flash.
“Good to be back,” Flash simply replied.
“So, it’s been, what, five days, six days since you’ve left Griepsburg? Is that right?”
“That sounds about right,” Base affirmed.
“Well, that pink friend of yours wanted me to tell you that you’re going to want to go back there as soon as you’re better.”
“But we gave the clan leaders our word that we’d never return or write there in exchange for Base, Button, and Pip’s lives,” Flash countered.
“Oh, you mean, none of you know yet?” Cranky recounted in mock ignorance. He leaned forward and stage whispered, “Lord Tirek and Lady Chrysalis are criminals now. They’ve been arrested and imprisoned and everything.”
“Wait. What?” Twilight uttered, confusion crossing her face. “But in order for that to happen, then—,” she trailed off as realization slowly sank in. “Oh my, it actually happened.”
“What?” Flash questioned.
“Pack your things, boys. We’re going back to Griepsburg,” Twilight excitedly replied.
After breakfast, the boys packed their few belongings and followed a surprisingly ecstatic Twilight to Cranky’s ferry. Despite their confusion, Flash, Base, and their friends boarded the ferry and rode it back to Griepsburg. Unlike the harried trips from Timber’s endeavor to reunite Flash and Twilight, Cranky drove the ferry at a calmer, more leisurely pace. In fact, the trip was so calm and leisurely, Pipsqueak started a round of sea shanties just to fill the silence.
“Soon may the Wellerman come,” all the boys sang. “To bring us sugar and tea and rum/One day, when the tonguing is done/We'll take our leave and go”
Twilight didn’t know the words, so she just smiled as she listened. Flash stopped singing and turned to her while his brother and his friends sang the chorus again. Flash gestured for Twilight to follow him, and the two of them crept to the other side of the boat unnoticed.
“What is it?” Twilight asked him when the two of them were alone.
“Something happened while I was sick that I wanted to talk to you about,” Flash began. “I don’t know if it was real or just a fever dream, but I, I thought, I thought,” Flash took a deep breath and finished, “I thought I heard you say that you loved me.”
Twilight could only stare back as a blush appeared on her cheeks.
“Well, did it really happen, or did I dream the whole thing?”
“Uh, y-yes, yes, I really did say that to you,” Twilight affirmed.
“Wow, you aren’t even trying to deny it,” Flash noted.
“Well, what was I supposed to do? Wait until you nearly die again before I tell you?” Twilight retorted. “I’m guilty of a lot of foolishness in my life, but that would have surpassed them all if I had done it.”
Flash smiled at her and took her by the hand. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. He shut his mouth and opened it again trying to speak a second time, but still the words refused to come out. Finally, Flash just pulled Twilight closer to him and wrapped his arms around her. For a while, the two of them just stood there, listening to the lapping of waves and the singing of sea shanties. Eventually, Flash managed to tell Twilight what was in his heart.
“I love you too,” he whispered. He leaned forward intending to kiss her cheek, but Twilight turned her head and pressed her lips onto his. The kiss lasted for maybe a tenth of a second, but that tenth of a second lasted a lifetime.
Upon arriving at Griepsburg, Pinkie Pie unsurprisingly greeted everyone with fanfare and rejoicing. She also somehow managed to scoop Twilight, Flash, and Base all into a tight, exuberant hug. Twilight’s family was also there to greet them, and they had a wonderful surprise in store for the arrivals.
“Shining Armor?” Flash exclaimed, taking note of the uniform Shining Armor was wearing. It was light blue with a silver, sun-shaped badge pinned onto it. Etched on the badge was the word “deputy” in capital letters.
“Notice anything different about me,” Shining joked. Twilight ran up to hug him, beaming proudly. Shining caught her and hugged back.
“Wait. So, you were able to convince the queen to set up a police department here?” Base noted in awe.
“Yup, and the chief appointed me as the new deputy. Pretty amazing, huh?” Shining Armor replied.
“So, you were able to get the clan leaders arrested? How?” Flash asked.
“Furthermore, where are they being kept?” Twilight added.
“Ooooooh! Oooooooh!” Pinkie squealed. “I can answer all those questions. Follow me!”
Flash, Twilight, and Base shared looks with each other as Pinkie skipped away towards the mountains. The three of them shrugged and elected to follow her.
“Come on, come on, come on. Hurry up,” Pinkie called cheerfully, pausing from her skipping to goad her friends on.
“How is she able to skip so quickly through rocks and forests?” First Base exclaimed as he, Flash, and Twilight trudged up the mountain path after Pinkie.
Flash, Twilight, and Base followed Pinkie up the path to her family’s cabin and then passed the cabin towards the mine. To everyone but Pinkie’s surprise, two people dressed in orange and black striped uniforms emerged from the mine entrance pushing a cart of metal ore.
“Timber?” Twilight exclaimed in shock.
“Hey, I know you,” Base added, recognizing Pharynx. “You’re Lady Chrysalis’s son.”
“My name’s Pharynx,” the scowling young man retorted.
“What happened to you guys?” Flash asked.
“It’s simple,” Limestone butted in, emerging from the mine behind Timber and Pharynx. Flash, Twilight, and First Base noted that she had a silver, sun-shaped badged that read “WARDEN” pinned to her chest over her normal clothing. “These two testified against Tirek and Chrysalis in exchange for a lighter punishment for their role in the whole thing. They have 27 days of penal labor and house arrest left in their sentence.”
“At least we get to go home at the end of the day,” Pharynx pointed out, bitterly.
“Quit your yapping,” Limestone ordered gruffly. “Your debt to society isn’t going to pay itself.”
Pharynx rolled his eyes as he and Timber unloaded the metal ore and returned to the mine.
“Speaking of Tirek and Chrysalis,” Flash noted, “where are they? What happened to them?”
“There’s a section of abandoned tunnels in the mine,” Limestone explained, smirking sadistically. “All we had to do was put in some metal bars, and instant jail.”
“Speaking of which, it’s time for their regularly scheduled cake and entertainment,” Pinkie Pie exclaimed. Before anyone could blink, she rushed into the mine, carrying roughly ten musical instruments and an unfrosted cake.
“She’s been giving them cake and playing music for them on a regular basis?” Twilight asked Limestone incredulously.
“It’s not as fun as she thinks it is or makes it sound,” Limestone replied.
Meanwhile, in the jail…
“Make her stop! Make her stop!” Chrysalis cried out as Pinkie Pie danced and played her instruments.
“Sweet mercy! I thought cruel and unusual punishments were illegal,” Tirek added, with his hands over his ears.
Of course, Pinkie had a welcome party ready for Flash, Twilight, First Base, and their friends, and it was as warm, welcoming, and full of love and laughter as all her other parties. The best part was that nobody set anything on fire this time. However, in the middle of the festivities, Flash noticed Pinkie Pie going up the mountain with a plateful of cake in each hand and decided to follow her.
“Hey, Pinkie,” Flash called, “where are you going?”
“Oh, I’m just heading up to the mine to bring Timber and Pharynx some cake,” Pinkie explained. “Apparently, owing a debt to society means no parties, but I didn’t want them to feel left out, so I’m bringing them cake. By the time I get there, Limestone will be letting them have their legally mandated break.”
“Is Limestone okay with you doing that?” Flash asked her. “Bringing them cake I mean.”
“No, she’s not, but she’s allowing it.”
“I thought so,” Flash remarked with a laugh. “Hey, is it okay if I take them up for you?”
“Oh, don’t worry about me. After what you just went through, you should stay in town and enjoy the party,” Pinkie refused.
“Pinkie, I appreciate the sentiment, but I didn’t ask because I wanted to take work off your hands,” Flash admitted. “I actually wanted to talk to Timber Spruce about something.”
“Oh?” stated Pinkie as she blinked twice.
“Yeah, and delivering those cakes for you gives me the perfect excuse to miss the rest of the party.”
Pinkie frowned slightly but nevertheless, gave Flash the cakes. Flash thanked her as he accepted them and continued his way up the mountain towards the mine. He arrived at the mine just as Timber, Pharynx, and Limestone were exiting it.
“Alright, pansies, stop working,” Limestone ordered. “It’s time for your legally mandated break. Use it wisely.”
“Hi,” Flash greeted making his presence known.
Timber rolled his eyes and groaned, “What are you doing here?”
“Pinkie was coming up here to bring you two some cake, and I offered to do it for her,” Flash explained. “Besides, I have something that I want to say to you.”
Timber raised an eyebrow as he and Pharynx accepted their plates from Flash. Pharynx looked from Timber to Flash and back again before taking a nonchalant bite out of his cake.
“Not bad,” he said expressionlessly before leaving Flash and Timber to themselves and taking another bite out of the cake.
Timber looked at Flash before turning away from him with a scowl and spitting, “Go ahead. Say it.”
“Thank you,” Flash replied sincerely.
“What?” Timber uttered, turning to Flash in total confusion. Timber had expected Flash to either gloat or yell at him, but he hadn’t been expecting a thank you. He wasn’t used to being shown gratitude, especially from someone who, as far as Timber was concerned, had every right to be angry with him.
“You were the one who brought Twilight and Pinkie to the mainland while I was sick, right?” Flash continued. “And you testified against Tirek and Chrysalis. If you hadn’t done any of those things, I probably would have died, and Tirek and Chrysalis would still be trying to make everyone else’s lives miserable again. For that, thank you.”
“You wouldn’t have been dying if I hadn’t shot you in the first place,” Timber retorted bitterly before taking a bite of his cake. His eyes involuntarily brightened, and he remarked, “Wow! This cake is amazing!”
“Yeah, Pinkie Pie sure can bake,” Flash replied with a laugh. “You know, after what you had said to us on the ferry, I had expected you to just run away and never look back.”
“I WAS going to run away and never look back,” Timber retorted, “but what you and your friends said to me on the ferry got to me. Also, I found out pretty quickly that running was pointless because the guilt kept following me wherever I ran, and it’s still following me. The only thing that’s keeping it from completely eating me alive is knowing that I’m doing what I can to make things right.”
“Well, for what it’s worth,” Flash added, “I forgive you, and I hope maybe one day, you’ll be able to forgive yourself.”
Timber sighed and nodded before turning to Flash. “Thanks. Now, beat it. My legally mandated break’s almost over, and I’ve got to get back to work soon.”
The party ended at sundown, and everybody went home. However, as their family and friends returned to Night Light’s cottage, Twilight and Flash hung back to talk to each other.
“Everyone seemed really glad to have you back,” Twilight said to Flash.
“I was glad to be back,” Flash replied with a smile.
“You know, now that you and Base know that your friends are alive, you don’t really have a reason to go to Paardenstad anymore, do you?”
“No, I don’t,” he replied as he took Twilight by the hand and pulled her closer to him.
“So, what are you going to do now?”
Flash bit his lip as he carefully thought about his answer. He turned his eyes towards the ground and answered, “I don’t know.”
He looked up into Twilight’s eyes and continued, “For the longest time, my most precious dream was to find a home for me and my brother, and well, I think we’ve found it here in Griepsburg. The only problem is now, I have no idea what I’m supposed to do next.”
“I wish I knew what to tell you,” Twilight admitted, “but if I were you, I’d probably worry about it more than I should and be no closer to finding an answer.” She pursed her lips in thought before continuing, ”My father, on the other hand, well, he’d probably tell you to just take your time and enjoy having a place to call home and that you’d find a new dream to chase eventually.”
“But what if my new dream ends up taking me away from home?” Flash asked apprehensively.
“Then, you’ll always have a place to return to no matter how far you go,” Twilight assured him before kissing his cheek.