//------------------------------//
// Chapter 15 (Epilogue) 
// Story: Living and Dying in Equestria 
// by TwilightsmyMare 
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	I woke up…
Nothing new about that, it had happened many times before.  The difference was I really never thought the darkness that swallowed me would let go…
I could feel I was lying on a soft bed, warm blankets covering me.  I kept my eyes shut tightly not wanting to face whatever reality might lay beyond my eyelids.  
Two things could have happened I imagined.  Either the spell failed…  And Twilight was dead, I somehow survived.  Or I was back at home, possibly in the hospital and everything that had happened was a coma…  Dream or something like that.
Neither of those options appealed to me at all.  I laid there my eyes squeezed shut trying to come to grips with everything.  When I suddenly heard something...
A giggle I thought I would never hear again, her soft sweet breath and voice in my ear.
"As much as I would love to write another chapter in my book on the fascinating sleeping habits of humans, I think a week is probably enough.  Even for you."  My eyes shot open.
"Twilight!"  And slammed shut almost as quickly the bright sunlight streaming thru the window blinding me momentarily.  "Ahrrg!"
"Ahh!  Sorrysorrysorry!!"   I could feel her soft magical glow as she pulled the curtains closed.  I slowly opened my eyes to the most beautiful mare in the world.  She was lying right beside me, books piled and strewn about the plain white room.  She was looking at me with concern in her amazing eyes.
"Are you ok?  I'm so sorry; I forgot how sensitive your eyes would be..."  I stopped her by gently caressing the side of her face.
"You’re alive.  Alive!"  I repeated, tears streaming down my face.  I pulled her close holding her tightly.  "I'm still alive?  How…”  
She pulled back slightly her face an inch away from mine tears forming in her perfect eyes.
"I don't know...  Why did you…?  How could you…!  Don't leave me alone again!"  She cried throwing herself against me, I held her tightly, savouring the feeling of her soft warm body.  The strong beating of her heart.
"Never again Twi.  I‘ll never leave you again."  I whispered in her ear.  
She leaned back, tears still spilling; I leaned in kissing her softly for the first time.  Her lips were soft, warm and sweet.  It was everything I imagined and more.  We stared at each other for a second as we kissed, then closed our eyes losing ourselves in the moment.  As our lips pressed together time seemed to stop.  When we finally leaned back it felt as if an eternity had passed.  I wiped her tears away gently as she blushed slightly, her ears laid back.
"That…  That was my first kiss."  She said softly.  I looked into her luminous eyes.
"Not mine."  I admitted.  "But definitely the best of my life."  I kissed her again.  "I love you Twilight."  She blushed again prettily, fidgeting slightly in the bed.
"I know…  I mean…  I had suspicions…  I hoped?   But, why me?  There are plenty of other ponies prettier then I am..."  Her eyes looked down as she spoke.  I laughed softly gently lifting her chin up to look in those amazing eyes.
"Not to me.  There may be ponies that others find more beautiful then you, maybe even some more loyal, kind, fun loving, honest and generous.  Maybe even somewhere in Equestria there’s somepony more magical then you, but I doubt it.  But all those ponies are missing one very, very important, crucial thing."  
She was crying again diamond like tears falling from her beautiful eyes as they stared right into my soul.
"What?"  She whispered as I smiled at her.
"Their not you."  She stared at me for a second then leaned forward kissing me hard, after a few moments we parted flushed slightly.
"I love you too Rick."  We kissed again softly.
"I…  I hoped…  Dreamed to hear you say those words Twi.  I don't know why you would love me.  But I am so happy you do."  She laid her head on my chest gently, I noticed now a thick bandage wound across it.
"Why?  After all you've done for me?  And we've been through together?  I've known it for ages, I... I just wasn't brave enough to say anything."  She said sadly.
I squeezed her gently.  "Me too.  I was afraid of rejection.  Afraid I was too different for you.  I didn’t want to hurt you when they forced me to go.  But ever since that night..."
"Under the stars?"
"Well yes…  How did you know?"  I asked as she snuggled against me.
"That night when you held me and we looked up at the stars, you were singing to me… I could feel a connection between us.  I knew then I was in love...  I just didn't know what to do…”
"Oh Twi.  How in the world did I ever get so lucky to find you?"  She sat up suddenly kissing me hard again; her forelegs around my neck, my hands tangled in her mane.  Our mouths opened slightly, our tongues meeting experimentally for the first time…  

And suddenly interrupted by the sound of a throat being cleared from the doorway.  I opened one eye not breaking the kiss, looking in that direction to see Rainbow Dash smiling at us, Scootaloo on her back making a gagging motion.  Right behind her was Pinkie Pie, a huge grin on her face.  Twilight and I reluctantly broke our kiss leaning back in the bed.
"You've got a real lousy sense of timing Dash."  I said with a grin.  She trotted into the room, Pinkie and the others right on her heels.
"Whatever.  Get a room you two.”  She retorted.
"But they have a room Dashie!  Unless you mean they should get another room?  But then they'd be in that room and we came to visit them in this room and we couldn't visit them if they weren't here and..."  	Rarity interrupted Pinkie while entering the room, Sweetie Belle and a small box on her back.
"Pinkie dear, let’s not get too overexcited.  So glad to see you both doing so...  Well."  She said with a smile.
"See!  I told you guys!  Their in love!  I told you so!"  Sweetie Belle broke in, talking to Scootaloo and Apple Bloom who had just entered on Applejacks back.
"Whew!  You two sure gave us a heck of a scare!  Zecora came running into town with some crazy story about a Manticore stingin ya and ya'll running off to Canterlot to find help.  By the time we got here they had you two bundled up here with no visitors allowed!"  Applejack stated.  
Fluttershy came into the room right behind Applejack; she seemed to perk up as soon as she saw us awake and well.  Flying over she quickly gave us each a hug.
"Oh, I was so worried!  I'm so glad your both ok!"  
Twilight and I told them the whole story of what happened that day, I filled in the blanks for her when she was passed out and she told us what happened in my week of unconsciousness.
"So you never left his side all week sugarcube?"  Asked Applejack.  Twilight blushed slightly shaking her head; I leaned over and kissed her again.
"Awwww…”  Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom went.
"Ewwww…”  Was Scootaloo's obvious response.
"I still don't understand how we both survived…”  Twilight stated.
"Well darling, the Princess said she would come by and explain what she could so you'll have your answers soon."  Rarity explained while Pinkie Pie bounced around the room happily.
"And when you’re all better we can throw a Glad your not Dead Party!  Woo!"  
Rainbow Dash stepped forward.
"Ya, well we all pitched in and got you this present here…  Figured you might need it.  We were supposed to give it to you before you left, but it wasn’t ready.  Oh well…  Go ahead and give it to them Rare."  Rarity levitated the box on her back guiding it over to me.
"You open it first Rick.  You'll know what to do with it."  Rarity said with a knowing grin and a wink. 	
Confused I quickly unwrapped it; opening it I beheld a beautiful silver ring with a large Star Sapphire crowning it.  I looked at everpony amazed.  They just smiled at us.  I struggled out of bed slowly and painfully.
"Rick!  No you mustn’t…”  Twilight began.
"Its ok Twi, got to do this right."  As I lowered myself down on one knee I noticed other then the large bandage wound around my chest, I had no other clothing on, but at the moment I didn't care.  Twilight stared at me uncomprehending, I took her hoof in one hand reached into the box and pulled out the ring.
"Twilight Sparkle I love you, now and forever.  Will you do me the greatest honour of my life and marry me?"  She just stared at me confused for a few seconds, and then she leapt off the bed onto me knocking me to the floor and peppering my face with kisses while breathlessly saying.
"Yes!  Yes!  Yesyesyes!"  I fit the ring carefully onto her horn and held her tightly.
"How did you guys…?“  I asked.  Dash just rolled her eyes.
"Oh please.  It was sooo obvious.  Well to everypony but you two."  She laughed.  Everyone else laughed along with tears in their eyes.
"What do we have here?"  Everypony turned and in the doorway was Princess Celestia, everypony backed away to make room for her bowing as they did.  Spike popped in the door right behind her with an armload of books.  She approached the two of us lying on the ground.
"Hmm, I see you found a bit of a loophole around that Equestrian citizenship rule."  She said with a sly smile.  Twilight and I just stared uncomprehending for a moment.
"If you’re going to be marrying my prized pupil..."  She said with a wink.  Comprehension dawned on me and I struggled to my knees bowing as low as I could.
"Thank you your highness, for everything.  But Luna…"  
“She will get used to the idea.  Trust me.“  Her horn glowed, she gathered Twilight and I up with her magic, placing us back in the bed and pulling the covers over us.
"Now then, you have some questions I'm sure?"  She asked.
"Princess how did we survive?  What happened?"  Twilight asked.
"When the human...  I mean, when Rick brought you to me and I examined you, my heart was breaking.  You had gone too far for me to purge the poisons from your body, your passing was inevitable.  As I tried to bring myself to accept that fact he spoke up.  Asked me to take his life and give it to you, anything I could do to save you.  I could tell from the look upon his face and the anguish in his voice he was prepared to do anything to save you."  Twilight squeezed me tightly.
"I know an old spell...  Created before my parents even ruled.  Blood magic, forbidden for many centuries.    But it was worth the risk.  As I impaled him and his blood ran over you the spell began to take effect.  Originally it was created to siphon the life force from one and give it to another, to extend the lives of the rulers of old.  I was not sure how effective it would be against the poison but it was the only chance we had.  But magic is not a one way street.  You Twilight, your magic at least, sensed the spell and knowingly or not you intervened.  Our combined power burned off the poison and changed the spell in ways I’m still not fully certain of.  What I can tell is that you two are now linked."  
Her magic gently pulled the bandage off my chest revealing a circular scar over my heart.  But also around the scar was a mark, a mark I was very familiar with.  
Twilight’s cutie mark, not quite as large as hers but well defined.  Pressing on it I could see and feel it was part of my skin.  No even deeper.  Through my muscle and bone all the way down to my heart.
Celestia smiled gently.  "I cannot be sure what effect other then saving your life Twilight spell may have had.  But your life essences are now linked.  I'm not sure if this means you two will live the lifespan of a unicorn, human or mayhap even both combined.  I am sure though that it will not be possible for you to be 
returned to your own dimension.  To do so would certainly kill you both..."  I held up my hand stopping her.
"To be honest Princess, I stopped wanting to go home the moment I laid eyes on the most amazing and beautiful mare in Equestria."  I said as I leaned over kissing Twilight softly.
We all talked and enjoyed each others company for a bit longer before the doctor came in to check on us chasing everypony out, well…  Politely asking the Princess.  
Twilight and I relaxed in the bed talking and kissing occasionally.  Holding her close I could feel her heart beating in time with mine, perfectly in sync.
As we lie there, there came a soft knock at the door.  It opened and Shining Armor and Cadance entered the room.
“It’s so good to see you both.”  Cadance started.
“You sure gave us a fright there sis.  And you as well, soon to be brother.”  Armor said with a grin.
“News travels fast.”  I said.
Twilight hopped out of bed to embrace her brother and Cadance, and then rejoined me.
“What I want to know husband is how you knew about these two before I did!”  Cadance sulked.
Armor grinned.  “When Twily wrote me I could tell something was up with her.  And when she showed up with Rick here, I could see how happy she was.  I know my little sis, maybe better then anypony.  And if she was happy so was I.  And you wife?  What took you so long?”  He teased.
Cadance smiled.  “Well when I came upon them on the battlements I too could see Twilight was perhaps a bit enamoured with Rick.  A small crush I thought, so I cast a small spell on them to determine the depths of her infatuation.  Too my surprise it was so much deeper then that.  Love.”  She said with a large smile.  “And even more surprising was when I looked to you Rick.  Love.  As deep and all encompassing as any I have ever seen.”  She sighed smiling happily.  “I knew you two would be perfect together then.”
“Mom and Dad are very excited.”  Armor grinned.
“Really?  I didn’t think they cared for me too much.”  I asked.
“Well, they were a bit concerned.  But Cadance and I assured them it was what Twily wanted.  Frankly they were just happy for her to find someone.  We all thought she might have to marry a book!”  Armor laughed uproariously.
“Ooh you’re going to pay for that bro.”  Twilight began levitating various items from around the room and throwing them playfully at her brother.
“Whoa!”  He dodged several books and stuck his tongue out at Twilight as my jacket enveloped around him knocking him to the floor dislodging a piece of parchment from my pocket onto the floor at Cadance’s hooves.
“Hmm?  What’s this?”
“Oh nothing…  It’s just…”  My objections died as she levitated it up and open.  Reading it her eyes widened tears forming.  She showed it to Armor and he smiled softly at Twilight and I as Cadance floated it over to us.
“What is it Rick?”  Twilight asked as it landed in front of her.
“It was just in case…”
She read it and turned to me with tears in her eyes.  “We were so close to losing one another…  So close…”
I embraced her and kissed her softly.  “I’m sorry Twi.  We’re together now.  And we always will be.  I’m yours forever.”
She smiled happily and snuggled against me.
Cadance and Armor smiled at us.  “Well we should be going.  We just wanted to see you both, and to congratulate you.  We’ll see you later.”  And with that they departed.
Twilight carefully pressed my note between two of her books to straighten it out.
“Keeping this.”  She breathed.
We lay there together staring at the ceiling and holding each other like it was our last day on Equestria, when in reality it was our first together.
As the sun started to set we both were getting sleepy, we cuddled together in bed kissing softly and murmuring I love you’s to each other.
When out of a shadow in the corner stepped a tall regal pony.
“Princess Luna!”  Twilight gasped.
I struggled to get out of bed to bow when she spoke.
“Stop.  Do not injure yourself further.  I…  I know my sister has accepted you as a citizen of Equestria.  I do not come to oppose it.”  She hung her head sadly.  “I come to apologise.”
She bowed down on one knee her horn touching the ground.
“Princess what are you…?”  She interrupted me again holding up her fore hoof.
“Please, let me explain.”
We both nodded lying back in the bed.
“I…  I have been watching you…  Spying I suppose would be a more accurate term.  I wanted so badly to rid myself of you!  After so many years, a human in Equestria brought all my anger and hatred back up to the surface.  I watched your interactions with the ponies around you and mostly with Twilight Sparkle.  I waited for you to treat her badly, try to take advantage of her in any way so I could make you pay!  But you were nothing but kind to her, loving…  I was jealous perhaps, why should you have your love when my parents had been taken from me!  It was me in the park that day, I didn’t want to hurt you Twilight I hoped you would protect yourself and leave him to his fate…  I’m so sorry…  I could have killed you!”  She covered her face with her hooves sobbing uncontrollably.
I hobbled carefully out of bed, a blanket wrapped around my waist to preserve my modesty.  I knelt by the Princess and gently put my arm around her.
“I forgive you Princess.  Can you forgive me for being one of the beings that caused you so much pain?”
She collapsed into my arms crying still as Twilight came up I pulled her into the hug as well.
After a few moments Luna pulled back and wiped her eyes, shaking her head she levitated us both back into the bed.
“Thank you.  But there’s more.  Twilight Sparkle, when you were sending your requests to my sister.  She was sympathetic, I was so bitter I kept arguing with her, forcing her to reject your proposals again and again.  I was so mad!  I’m sorry.  After seeing what you did in the park that day and hearing what you did for Twilight Sparkle…  I was wrong about you.  Please accept my apologies?”
“Of cource Princess.”
“Please huma…  I mean please Rick, call me Luna.”
“I would be honoured to, Luna.”
She smiled to us both.  “After hearing about what you did I searched my soul for an answer of how I could make it up to you.  And studying the deepest bowels of the spell library I believe I have something.  If I may?”
I nodded, interested but a little worried.
Her horn glowed and surrounded me in its magic for a few moments, it felt strange but not harmful.
“There.  It’s a secret…  But someday I hope you will see, and appreciate it.  Goodbye for now.”
She stepped into the shadows and disappeared.
“I wonder what that was?”  I asked.
“It didn’t hurt did it?”
“No…  I don’t think she means me any harm now.  I believe her.”
“Me too.  We’ll have to wait and see then.”
“I guess so.”
I wrapped my arms around her pulling her close.
“I love you Twilight Sparkle.  So much.”
She kissed me softly.  “Only as much as I love you.”
We got comfortable again and began drifting off to sleep.
"Looks like you’re stuck with me now Twi."  I whispered.
She snuggled against me yawning slightly.  "I think we can make that work."  
As we drifted off to sleep I reflected on everything that had brought us to this point.

Not a bad ending...  I thought.

Twilights voice in my mind:  No.  Just the beginning...