A galaxy rejoiced at the announcement of peace in the empire. The blast that wiped out ninety percent of the Terran division of the Imperial fleet could be seen on all continents of the globe. The few remaining Changeling clones that had been developed for the separatists had been collected, their control units removed, and were returned to the changeling homeworld to manage the discomfort of their decaying organs. Cloning on the quick never ends pretty.
The clean up effort took months and the knights of Strike Team Sparkle were, for some unknown reason, devilishly hard to find. Celestia had a very long talk with Twilight after she'd emerged and it took considerable effort and much retelling of the same story again and again to hammer out the details. Celestia reluctantly pardoned Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash for everything they'd had to do to protect the empire. Rank, as previously mentioned, did in fact have its privileges.
After they'd all gotten the romance out of their systems the knights of Strike Team Sparkle eventually reconvened at the Imperial palace. It was a cold reunion at first. Five years of relentless hunting don't disappear overnight, not to mention Twilight saw what Rainbow had done to Pinkie. It was only because she saw how much Rainbow regretted it that she didn't punish her for it. Pinkie was also a bit cool with Rarity, she knew it had been five long lonely years, "But no one touches my Sparkly Warkly!"
After a few nights and several rounds of drinks they fell back into their old friendship and began to celebrate their victory in earnest. Parades were held, interviews were sat through, Twilight's sword was once again laid down, and nights were spent in pleasant company. After a while it occurred to Applejack that they were all effectively homeless. Rainbow had never had a physical address, and the rest had spent at least thirteen years in military service. It was decided by unspoken agreement that each of them would establish their fiefs on Pomum Dulce and would all be neighbors.
Big Mac was deputized to select good plots of land for them and he came through in fine style. Rarity and S.P.I.K.E. were to be established in a lovely little shop on the edge of the village of Bonneville. Twilight and Pinkie Pie would establish themselves at the Bonneville library, a library in desperate need of some expansion, and Rainbow and Applejack would simply live on her farm.
They made their preparations and on the day they were scheduled to ship out they arrived at a large field dressed head to toe in black. They'd all spent five years away from Terra so none of them had ever visited the memorial. They were shuttled past miles and miles of gravestones. No one said a word. They were allowed through the gate to the Wonderbolts private burial ground and stepped out of their shuttle. They walked slowly up to the enormous monument.
Standing there keeping watch over the honoured dead, was a full size statue of a Valkyrie class mech with a gas light torch burning in front of it. Each lay a rose on the grave, Applejack's yellow and Rainbow's a full bouquet. They stood in silent reverence of their departed friend, there wasn't a dry eye among them. By an unspoken symbol they saluted their fallen comrade and began to walk away. Rainbow walked a bit slower than the rest. She held Applejack's augmetic hand in hers. She felt her squeeze it gently as she whispered. "Ah know. Ah miss er too."
Fin.