The Last Holdouts
By Aedina
A C o n v e r s i o n B u r e a u S t o r y
Upon Four Hooves
Upon four hooves, I sweet grass tread
Where once was devastation
And flower'd meadows, verdant, spread
Across my newfound Nation
The bubble-gate, which open’d doors
Of hope, long cast aside
Dismiss’d away all human mores
And vanquished human pride
A new beginning, second chance
Was gifted to my ken
Compassion for our circumstance:
The plight of mortal men
And those who had the sight to view
Beyond all compass’d fear
Traverse’d the dangers to pursue
The better life found here
Equestria, the Fairest Realm;
Where dwells no Earthly pain ~
Our Princesses are at its Helm
May They, forever, reign
Epilogue: Past Tense
There were few things grander than the view of Ponyville from the Canterlot Castle's balcony. Today, the view was grander, still, by far. Banners of all shapes and sizes fluttered from every peaked roof, some being pulled across the sky by pegasi. Everywhere there were flowers, on buildings, on lamp-posts, on ponies - the aroma was a wild mix of pure intoxication. Confetti rained down from what few clouds had been commissioned for the day, only to disappear once it reached the ground. Nowhere was there a cobblestone that didn't gleam with polish, and nothing could there be to dampen the spirits of the parade of celebrants.
900 Years ago, a promise had been made. 100 years ago, a promise had been kept. Now Equestria brimmed with the one time populace of an extinct world, the New Foals. With them had come new cultures, foods, entertainments, and a point of view that radiated with goodwill and gratitude for their salvation.
A small gathering of New Foals milled on the castle promenade. Colts and fillies, chasing, and calling out to each other in their excitement. Watchful parents keeping their eyes peeled for any sign of trouble, of which there was, blissfully, none.
Resplendently head and shoulders above this group, stood a handsome black pegasus stallion with a stark white mane and tail. At one time, he'd been known as Oliver Heskin. Princess Luna, Herself had graced him with the choosing of his Equestrian moniker: Onyx Wavechaser. His broad chest sported a purple sash, which crossed diagonally from over his right wing to under his left wing. Somehow he managed to pull off the swank of this accessory in his stride. On him, well, it just looked right. He was bookmarked on either side by two very different unicorn mares. One was a contrast study of his own coat, in white and silver, with a starched nurse's cap perched between her ears. The second was slight and slender, deep purple with markings swirling across her rump in shades of green.
"I've decided," said the white nurse mare, "to move to the border. There just isn't enough work here."
"You would think, Florrie" replied the purple mare, "that you almost wished that ponies could become ill more easily".
Onyx's ears swayed like a metronome as he followed the conversation. "No, of course not!" Florrie sounded indignant.
"You could always train for another kind of job, Florrie. You have such a knack for magic of almost any kind."
Florrie shook her head, "It's like starting over from scratch, Netta. Some might find that exciting, me...I just want to do what I have been doing - only, more of it. More often."
Carefully, Onyx cleared his throat. He stepped out from between the two mares, and turned to face them. "I think, Florrie, that the only true concern we might have, is that you'd be so far away from us, in Tacksworn. We're going to miss you. Right Thistle?"
The former doctor let Florrie use her old nickname, out of friendship and habit. Every other pony knew her as Thistle Bloom now-a-days, and addressed her as such. "Too true, Florrie, you're family - near as nevermind....I can understand, but I don't have to like it."
"Well, nothing's set in stone, but the idea's been buzzin' around in my brain-pan for a good, long time, now. Besides, I can and WILL keep in touch. And you can put me on the roster for Finders Keepers contacts, I can spot lost New Foals from a mile away."
"Yes, one of your better notions, Thistle Bloom," Onyx chimed in.
"It just made sense," responded Thistle, "So many of us had no clue where we were, or where our loved ones might be amidst all the chaos. And since my talent kicked in even in my conversion dream.....it seemed only right to help."
Thistle had hunted down her father in a far off new settlement almost instantly, once she'd put her horn to it. She still recalled the wonderment of just being able to "know" whether someone was in Equestria, or not, and finding them became her calling. Especially when there were those trying to reconnect with loved ones across the vast Exponential Lands. Now Thistle's Finders wandered in all corners of the realm, it was a very rewarding career.
A blast of trumpets halted any further conversations for the time being. Above the airships, the Princesses glided to a regal rest upon the tallest parapet's balcony. Celestia's voice was audible to everypony as She thanked the New Foals for their many contributions to the Realm, and extolled their virtues to all in attendance.
The party lasted a week. Conferences, classes, demonstrations, displays, and dances galore were just the tip of the ice-berg to the options available. Oh - and there was one more thing. Ponies were now Immortal.
The afterlife realm had been dismantled and reabsorbed into Equestria Proper, and everypony who had ever died was back. There were more details to follow, to be sure. And the Recently Revived would have thousands of stories that nopony had every heard before. There was so very much to look forward to!
Character Follow Up Synopsis:
Onyx Wavechaser - Formerly Oliver Heskin: Onyx was appointed the official New Foal Ambassador. His wisdom and calm diplomacy were of infinite help and support to the Crown.
Thistle Bloom - Formerly Dr. Jeannette Frazer: Created Finders Keepers, which specialized in helping New Foals find and reconnect with loved ones that had been separated during the Conversion Years. After the Respawn, they also helped the Recently Revived to do the same. Eventually she asked Onyx to sire her 3 foals, but declined his offer of matrimony.
Grey Salt - Formerly Captain Damian Smollette: Adopted Greenwind as his son, & formed a family with Marina. Together, they charted luxury conveyances upon the transformed Bonne Chance.
Parchment - Formerly Hiromi: Ran a Tea House with her adopted mother Amber Flame.
She also gives classes in Ikibana (flower arranging) & Jiuta Mai (Geisha formal dance)
Yonder & Tangerine Sunset - respectively the helicopter pilots Paul and Artie: Moved to Tacksworn and created Daredevil Diving. They specialized in parasailing and other means of allowing Earthponies and Unicorns to enjoy and explore the joys of flight.
Florrie: Lived with Onyx and Thistle in Canterlot, for a while. Eventually she moved to Tacksworn and joined the staff of Daredevil as chief Medical Specialist.