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// Epilogue 
// Story: Isn't it Great to be Different? 
// by BronyDerp117 
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Epilogue



These last few years have gone by like a blur. I'm exactly where I should be. I'm a published author, and I'm a successful musician. Derpy is no longer a mailmare and uses music as a prime source of income as well. All of her songs get sold out in the stores immediately when they come out. Derpy and I's song went platinum, getting over 20 million sales. We've preformed Great to be Different live many times, and twice in front of the Princesses. However, despite my biggest dreams coming true, one achievement tops them all; I'm married to the mare I love. Derpy and I got married two years after that first kiss. While we were dating, we would stay up all night talking about completely random things like sports, movies, music, friends, Los Pegasus, and truck loads of other topics, and we still do. We rarely talked about our relationship. We would talk about stuff, and just savor every little bit of each other's company.

The night I proposed, I took her to the cafe she took me to all those years ago. I told her to order whatever she wanted, and I told her to not worry about the prices. We weren't struggling with money anymore at that point, but she was still conservative. She ordered a bowl of split pea soup. What I ordered, however, earned me a look of confusion from Derpy. I ordered coffee and a blueberry muffin. When she asked if my stomach was feeling ill, I laughed and told her I was fine, and she'll see why I ordered a muffin. When my coffee and muffin came to the table, Derpy was already eating her soup, which had arrived a few moments prior. She hadn't looked up when the muffin arrived. Man could that mare eat. I asked her if she would like a bite of my muffin, to which she happily said yes. However, when she looked up, her aureate eyes grew wide, and her mouth hung wide open. On top of the muffin was a diamond necklace; the same diamond that had been in the pocket of my vest almost four years ago on a beach in Los Pegasus. She slowly looked from me, to the necklace, then back to me. I chuckled lightly and stepped out of my booth. Derpy eyed me the entire time I was doing this. I got down on my hooves, picked up the necklace, and held it in front of Derpy. I'll always remember every word I said.

At this point, the entire cafe was watching us. I said to her, "Derpy, when my life was at its darkest it had ever been, even worse than my teenage years, you showed me a kindness that not even the best of friends commence in. When the only thing you knew about me was my name, and that I was hurting, you selflessly took me to this very cafe, and tried to make me feel better. I guess you underestimated the size of my wound. However, with one little note, you stitched that wound together. And that note was correct: it is great to be different. It is wonderful to be exactly who you are. When I saw the note and began writing a song for it, I remember hearing you sing along with me. At the time, I didn't notice but, when I think back, I remember my heart racing when I heard your voice. After that day, our song, our first kiss, and the start of our relationship, you showed me life again. This was Shining Star's diamond. I think," I hesitated in saying the next words, "I think wherever she is, she's looking down at me, smiling, seeing her diamond being passed to the love of my life. I think she would be happy to see me move on, and not cry and pity myself for my entire life. Derpy, you opened the window in my life, and now it's my turn. I want to give my life to you. I want to start a new life with you. Derpy Hooves, will you marry me?"

Tears began to run down her face, and she covered her mouth with her hoof. She eventually composed herself and looked at me with an excited grin. She said to me, "Yes! Absolutely yes!" She held her hoof out to me, and I put the engagement necklace that housed Shining Star's diamond around Derpy's neck. I held Derpy's hoof as I got up, gave her a little twirl, and kissed her. Then we lost ourselves in each other's embrace. The entire cafe was clapping, and I think I heard an older mare crying. After that, we went back to our apartment and wrote a new song.

And now we're married, and a little foal is on the way. We've decided on the name Dinky Hooves if it's a filly, and Shining Forest if it's a colt. My father will be able to see his own grandfoals before he passes to the next life. Another life goal accomplished.

Derpy and I have also started a non-profit organization for abnormal fillies and colts. Whether it be medical conditions, physical conditions, or mental conditions, they can all go to our organization and write out their problems to us. We help them find themselves. We help them find just how special they are, how great it is to be unique. 

It's funny, really, how one little note changed my life forever. And I owe it all to the golden-eyed mare with the wall-eyed stare. The mare who accepted who I was before I even knew her. The mare who has gone through the same pain I have gone through and has come out of that dark tunnel, into the warm sunshine. The mare who saved me. The mare who pieced me back together. The mare who restored my faith when all was lost. The mare I love. But, Derpy did speak truth on that note five years ago.

It's great to be different.