True Harmony

by Saturni_Rose


Epilogue

To the friends we've made along the way...

Brightwick watched on, enamored, as Luna bowed for the crowd one last time and disappeared into the library to rest after her adventure. And while she did not hold any negative feelings toward her queen, she found Celestia’s pretty speech of little interest. In due time, it was over. 
The crowd began to disperse, once the queen and her coterie of princesses bid them farewell. The excitement was over, and it was time to return to their daily lives. Wick waited on the nearest corner, eyeing the door for her friends. That’s where Diamond and Silver found her. 
“They’re gone, aren’t they?” panted Silver. 
“Aw, we missed it.” pouted Diamond, head hanging in resigned sorrow. 
Wick opened her mouth to regretfully confirm, but the door opening across the street stole all of their attention away. Folks began filing out, and when Applebloom saw them, she waved over. Wick waved back, and was surprised to find Diamond and Silver doing much the same, excited smiles upon their faces. It seemed that grudges were fast fading in light of gossiping over the local heroes. 
Once the trio got permission, they joined them across the street. Bloom, Belle, and Scoot all took turns relaying how “nifty,” “beauteous,” or “totally sweet” it was to be so close to the visiting royals. And of course, the town heroes. 
Wick, Diamond, and Silver were positively green with envy. They rambled and they bickered on. Scootaloo was certain the queen was hiding injuries she’d received, and Wick joined in, the two arguing over who must’ve hit harder in the sisters’ duel. Applebloom and Diamond suggested Pinkie must have helped. Sweetie Belle and Silver meanwhile, were far more convinced they’d called it, that love broke the curse over Pinkie’s head. 
“Hang on. If the curse is broken, how come she still has those bat wings?” Brightwick scratched her head. 
“Come to think of it,” pondered Applebloom, “my big sis said not to worry about Luna’s eyes none. They look pretty darn different though, don’t they?” 
Diamond pursed with thought and intrigue. “How do you mean?”
“They’re kinda spooky looking.” chimed in Belle. 
Scootaloo let out a loud gasp. “Wait, I remember now. They look just like how her eyes are in the storybooks, in her Nightmare Moon form!” 
“Girl.” said Silver teasingly. “You still read those old mare’s tales?” 
“I don’t still read them.” protested Scoot, nose wrinkled in a sour expression. “I remembered them being read to me. C’mon, Silver.” 
“Okay, sorry, I didn’t really mean it.” She reached out and nudged Scootaloo. “I was only playing.”
“Well, also,” added Sweetie Belle, “Nightmare Moon is in a lot of Nightmare Night decorations. And her eyes really are just like that now.” 
“Oh,” said Silver far more sheepishly, “yeah, you’re right.” 
“What do you think it means?” pondered Brightwick aloud while Silver more quietly gave Scootaloo a better apology. 
Diamond Tiara leaned in, a devilish look on her face. Drawing them in, she donned a more conspiratorial hush. “Pinkie could be heading back to her job at Sugarcube Corner. We could always go straight to the source.” Smiling more pleasantly, she then added: “Plus, we could get some treats. I’m starved and they have the best ice cream sandwiches. Way better than those cheap, prepacked ones.” 
“I’m a little hungry myself.” Applebloom admitted with a smirk. Ponderously, she decided upon one caveat: “But could we get some real sandwiches first though? I can’t just eat nothin’ but sweets, that’s too much sugar for me.” 
Placing a hoof across her shoulder, Diamond said: “Oh young, little Bloom. You’ll have to learn how to really party if you’re gonna hang out with me. There is nothing but sweets at my birthdays.” Try as she might, that unimpressed look wore her down. “Ahem, but, you know, I could always make sure an exception happens. For a friend, I mean.” 
“Gee,” said Applebloom, tilting her head to one side, “ain’t that just so swell of ya.” 
Grimacing, Diamond bristled. “Okay. I deserve that.” Tapping her hooves together tepidly, it took her a moment to work up to say: “But… you will come to my next birthday party, though. Right?” 
Scootaloo sidled up beside Applebloom, leaning on one shoulder. “This goes for the three of us, right?” 
“Yeah, even though we’re blank flanks?” teased Sweetie, taking up Bloom’s other shoulder. 
The little pink filly flushed with embarrassment and rolled her eyes. “Obviously.” 
Before any further smart remarks could be made, Silver tossed herself at Sweetie and squeezed her tight. “Yay, you’re in! I’ll finally have somepony else to gossip with.” 
“You didn’t need her permission to be my friend but okay!” Sweetie Belle matched her giddy excitement, much to the chagrin of the others watching them bounce in place. 
Applebloom smacked her forehead and pointed at Brightwick. “Shoot, can she get an invite too? I’m awful sorry, Wick, I didn’t try to forget about you.” 
Brightwick’s brows rose. “Oh, I’ve been going to Diamond’s parties.” When she watched Applebloom and Scootalo’s jaws hang open in shock, she turned to remind them of the burning burgundy candle on her flank. “I already got my cutie mark, remember?” 
After the uproar settled down, the girls all huddled together and pooled their allowances to see if they had enough to get both kinds of sandwiches for each filly present. Diamond and Silver made up the slight shortage and assured the others they didn’t mind. What else were friends for? 
As they made their way up the hill, Brightwick stole one last look back at the library. Perhaps she hoped to catch a glimpse of Luna through one of the windows, though she wasn’t sure if she expected to see the stalwart hero, or the battered librarian. Either way, this had been the most exciting start to a weekend in some time. 

... and to the tomorrows yet to come.

Pinkie Pie splashed cold water across her face. She felt a little silly in doing so when she heard the cool winds whistling outside the washroom window. Sighing, she dabbed herself dry with an unassuming gray towel. It was just as well she took off the makeup before coming home, because this simply would have smeared it. Catching her reflection glimpsing back at her, she imagined what a sorry clown she’d look like then. 
It was a pretty funny thought, though, so she managed a soft chuckle. The laughter didn’t last. Not long enough, it never did. Because here she was again, another Hearth’s Warming dinner at home, hiding away from her parents.
A nervous tapping sounded from the door. Pinkie didn’t respond at first, so Luna’s voice quietly followed: “Is everything alright?” 
“Yeah.” said Pinkie Pie with little in the way of conviction. A little firmer, she added: “It’s fine.” 
Luna could be heard not leaving, much to Pinkie’s chagrin. After a moment, she asked: “Mind if I come in?” 
“It’s a little cramped,” said Pinkie, easing away from the sink, “but sure.” 
Luna tugged on the latch and pushed in. As she closed the door behind her and made to turn, her horn caught against the wall. She tried to stand, only to realize there wasn’t enough headroom to raise up all the way. The doorways had been one thing to duck beneath as she’d been moving about, but this was another. “Ah. I see you weren’t kidding.” 
“Not this time, I’m afraid. We never got a lot of tall guests.” Pinkie reached up; some of Luna’s mane got mussed up as she moved about, so she fixed it behind her ear for her. As she was about to let go, she realized something, and continued to play with her hair. “Your mane has gotten kinda long and shaggy, babe.” 
Luna looked down at her somewhat nonplussed. Leaning into the frame of the mirror, she examined it, a touch humdrum. “So much has been happening since I returned, I haven’t had a chance to…” She pursed at the roughening ends, how they frayed ever so slightly. “I’ve done what I can, but you’re right, I need a cut.” 
Tugging on her chin, Pinkie told her: “No, no, I kinda like it. Though, feel free to not take hair care advice from me of all mares, hahaha!” 
Smirking, Luna looked her up and down as that infectious laughter subsided. Their smiles faded at the same rate. “You weren’t hiding away in here to worry about your mane, dear. Talk to me.” 
Meeting her eyes, Pinkie hesitated. At last, a wry smirk graced her. “You know, it’s funny how much better things went for lunch at the castle. We literally beat the tar out of your sister, and that felt less painful and awkward than this.” 
“I’m afraid I don’t think she’s in the mood for a rematch, this being a holiday about togetherness and all.” Luna snickered as that incredulous, bemused look washed over her. “At any rate, I’m… sorry if your parents seem disapproving of us. I… suppose it is rather strange, after all.” 
Again, Pinkie glanced forlornly off into the mirror. “It’s not just that. In fact, I’m not totally sure that’s a factor, surprisingly. I think it’s me—how I’ve changed. And, I dunno, maybe they blame you for that too a little.” 
Luna looked at her with sad eyes, unsure what to say right away. So Pinkie went on, crossing her hooves. 
“They’re so hard to read, sometimes. It’s why I had to get outta here. That, and I always had way too much energy for them.” 
“Do you find Maud hard to read?” asked Luna with an arched brow. She had her own answer, to be sure, but wanted to hear Pinkie’s. “Do you ever feel like you have too much energy for her?” 
Looking up from the simple tiles of the floor, Pinkie met her eyes, ponderously and pensively so. “No,” she said at last, “she always got me. She was my best friend growing up.” 
Luna nodded and pat her shoulder. “We can stay for her, if you’d like. I know you were looking forward to seeing her again. But my offer is still on the table if you’re not feeling up to this.” 
Pinkie gawked up at Luna’s horn. All she had to do was give the word, and a spark of magic would whisk them away from this awkward mess. Perhaps that would be far more preferable; hadn’t Applejack and Fluttershy both said they were welcome? Certainly, neither would mind the extra company, now that their respective guests were gone. It had been surprising to see how hard it was for them to say goodbye. 
In the end, Pinkie shook her head. “I had to face them eventually.” 
“I suppose.” Luna said pensively, her wings fidgeting ever so slightly. 
“Let’s get back out there,” said Pinkie, taking Luna’s hooves into her own, “and we’ll keep being unapologetically our weird selves. My parents will just have to learn to like it like my sisters.” 
“Just don’t forget.” Luna nodded towards the mirror and lowered herself into the frame next to her. They stared at each other and themselves in equal parts. “The wings are new, but you’re still you. We’re still us.” 
With an askew frown, Pinkie couldn’t help glancing at Luna’s wing, knowing that just beneath the folded appendage was a nasty scar she’d left her. Perhaps it pained her no longer, but it would always be there, a streak of hewn flesh to remind them of the violent urges she found herself relishing in. Even now, some soft voice at the back of her mind chuckled about it. 
The amusement faded to forlorn regret all too easily, however. Her inner train of thought apologized to itself, and she looked at the mirror again. That wasn’t who she was anymore, and she never wanted to be that person again. In that way, her heart sang a harmony with Luna’s, who knew that feeling better than anyone she could ever talk to about it. Finding her reflection, she looked long and hard at that pony across from her. 
She was not the mare she was. She was better. 
“You’re right,” said Pinkie with a smile, “I’m still me.”