The zebras of Pinkie’s village were certainly surprised when they all came walking back out of the forest awhile later. But once a few explanations were made, the once distant and aloof zebra swiftly celebrated the triumphant return of their heroes, the new bearers of the Elements of Harmony. And to show how thankful they were for the group’s persistence, despite their own lack of faith and support in them, the zebra threw an impromptu feast for them and the two pony princesses they brought with them. Pinkie played a key role in coordinating it all, happening to have a love for celebrations such as this.
Joining them partway through all of the festivities were Applejack’s two siblings, Big Macintosh and Apple Bloom, arriving in the family airship and proving no worse for wear from their encounter with Pharynx and company, more just relieved to see their sister was likewise okay. Throughout it all, the six creatures (and one diamond dog who likewise received a share of the praise) accepted the congratulations somewhat sheepishly, uncertain what exactly this meant for them moving forward. They didn’t get their first clue towards an answer until as the festivities wound down and discovered the two alicorns packing travel bags.
“You’re leaving?” Twilight asked in surprise when the group found them on the edges of the zebra village.
Celestia gave Twilight a sad grin. “I’m afraid so,” she admitted, “but don’t see it as a bad thing.”
“We are planning to head west,” Luna explained, “in hopes of finding where our subjects went after Equestria collapsed.” She averted her gaze in shame. “We hope to try and make amends for…our past mistakes.”
“Mistakes we both made,” Celestia added, insisting she take her share of the blame. She bowed her head sadly. “We both had a hoof in causing the fall of our nation.” She then straightened. “But we hope, when we find the descendants of our subjects, we will be able to earn their acceptance again—if not as their former rulers then at least as their equals.”
“We wish you the best of luck at those goals then, princesses,” Rarity said.
“Yes, but…what about us?” Fluttershy asked, confused. She motioned to the magic artifact she still wore about her neck. “What about the elements?”
“They’re yours,” Celestia assured the hippogriff. “All six of you have more than proven your worthiness to bear the elements and the powers they bestow, and so long as you continue to use them in the name of harmony, you will remain that way for however long required of you.”
“You have already accomplished more with them than I or Celestia have,” Luna added as a means of encouragement, grinning, “so I expect you will have no problem doing so.”
“Well gee, that’s mighty kind of ya ta say, yer highnesses,” Applejack remarked, examining her own necklace. “We’ll have ta try and not let ya down then.”
“Aw, what are we worried about?” Rainbow Dash asked, swatting the parrot on the side with her wing. “We’re already rocking it, just like Luna said!”
“So…I guess what happens next is up to us now?” Twilight concluded, trying to see if she understood this right.
Celestia nodded. “Honestly, Twilight, this land doesn’t need myself or Luna anymore,” she explained. “The creatures that have taken up residence in Equestria’s stead seem to be on the right track already.” She gave Twilight a wink. “And I expect you and your friends will help make up the remaining difference after that.”
Twilight chuckled a little before turning a bit more solemn. “I’m still glad I met you,” she assured.
“And I am glad I met you, Twilight,” Celestia said with a warm sigh. “And thank you. You probably don’t know it, but…you and your friends were more of an inspiration for me than you think.” Twilight blushed and ducked her head under the praise, so Celestia used that chance to turn to her sister. “Are you ready to go, Luna?” she asked gently as she slipped on their bags. “It will be a long journey.”
“That is okay,” Luna said before giving her sister a warm grin. “We have much to catch up on.”
Celestia grinned and gave her a brief hug. “Indeed,” she agreed. She then waved to the group of creatures watching them. “Farewell, everyone! May we all be lucky enough to meet again sometime soon!”
“Goodbye princesses!” Twilight called after them as the two alicorns spread their wings and took flight.
“Bye!” Spike called
“Farewell!” Fluttershy called.
“Safe travels, darlings!” Rarity called.
“Y’all keep safe, y’hear?” Applejack called.
“And just give us a shout if you need us to come kick butt again!” Rainbow added.
“And don’t forget!” Pinkie concluded. “You’re a toymaker’s creation trapped inside a crystal ball!”
“…What?!” Rainbow asked, shooting the zebra a bewildered look.
“You heard me!” Pinkie said, hip-checking the griffon. “C’mon, you know it’s true!”
After the princesses left, the others gravitated towards the Apple family airship so to discuss what to do next in more detail. Twilight allowed herself to fall back though, letting her mind contemplate the events of the past couple of weeks and just what it all meant for her. She eventually fell back so much there was soon a gap of several dozen yards separating her from the rest of her friends, somewhat isolating her from them for the moment.
She realized how potentially vulnerable that left her when an unexpected voice suddenly roused her out of her musings: “Heard you had an eventful evening.”
Twilight, eye’s widening, spun around to see Pharynx and his two changeling cohorts emerging from the surrounding growth, the three centuriones looking no worse for wear after the previous evening’s events. “Pharynx!” she declared in alarm, taking a defensive stance.
Pharynx, however, motioned for her to be calm. “There’s no need for that,” he assured. “I think there’s been enough fighting for now, don’t you?” He motioned to the magical crown Twilight still wore. “Besides, I’ve heard quite a bit about what you can apparently do with that thing.”
Twilight glanced up at the crown then back at the changelings standing before her. “I tried to warn you about Nightmare Moon,” she said, thinking about what had happened to them.
“And you were right,” Pharynx conceded with a sigh. He almost looked sorry. “But you and I both know Queen Chrysalis won’t see it that way.”
Twilight nodded, lowering her gaze. “I still defied her commands,” she admitted, “ignored her authority…she won’t take that lightly.”
“And she’ll want to punish you accordingly for it,” Pharynx added. But then he continued. “It is a pity, then, that I will have to report to her that you did not survive your encounter with Nightmare Moon.”
Twilight’s head shot up, surprised. “…What?”
Pharynx merely shrugged. “The queen can’t punish what she can’t find, now can she?” he reasoned. He then turned apologetic. “Of course…for that to work…it means you can never return home.”
Twilight winced to herself, that prospect weighing heavily. But then she gazed over to where her friends had gathered by the airship, unaware of who she was conversing with. “You know,” she reasoned slowly, “I think I’m going to be okay.”
Pharynx glanced in the direction of her friends and nodded. “You’re probably better off here anyway,” he agreed, before giving her a smirk. “But if anyone asks, you didn’t hear that from me.”
Then, before Twilight could say anything else much less any kind of goodbye, the trio leapt into the air, transforming into geese before leveling out and beginning their long journey back for the Changeling Kingdom. Twilight watched them go until they grew too small to easily see anymore, then with one final sigh to get out the last of her melancholy, she turned to catch up with her friends.
“There ya are, Twilight!” Applejack said, seeing the changeling rejoin the group. “We were just about ta start workin’ out wut our next step oughta be.” She thumped her talons against the hull of the airship behind her. “If any of ya need a lift anywhere, Ah’m sure Ah can give ya one.”
“Thanks,” Twilight said with a grateful grin. “But I’m honestly not sure where I’m going to go next now.” She averted their gaze a little. “I…can’t exactly go home, after all.”
“Well, join the club,” Rainbow said with a sigh of her own. “I bet if I so much as even try to set claw in the Griffon Order without immediately stuffing all of the elements into his talons, Goldstone will just throw my butt into a dungeon.”
“Mm, and I suppose it would be unwise for me to return to my own home without at least trying to make amends with the Dragon Regent first,” Rarity hummed to herself, pondering.
“You’re welcome to come to New Hippogriffia with me,” Fluttershy offered. “I…don’t really have a very big place…and the rent isn’t exactly great…or the neighborhood really…but the door’s always open, nonetheless.”
“Or you could come and stay with me at Ghastly Gorge,” Spike offered in an attempt to be helpful. “I’m sure I can work out something with my pack for you, seeing you did kinda save the world and all.”
“Or if you don’t want to do all that traveling, you can just stay here with me and the other zebra!” Pinkie offered.
“If all that doesn’t work out though,” Applejack proceeded to offer, “Y’all can come and stay at the family orchard until y’all got somethin’ else worked out.”
“Goodness,” Fluttershy then declared. “It seems like we could really go anywhere from here, couldn’t we?”
“We could,” Twilight said, before regarding her friends with a grin. “But whatever comes next…we’ll do it together.”