Sloop scoffed. “Golly, it sure is dark in here! And this hard rocky ground is murder on my designer boots!”
Rarity gave a giggle. “Now you know how we felt coming down here. Once I get home, I’m definitely getting a new hooficure!”
Trace made an arrogant laugh. “Meh, It’s all for the best, after all, Boros told us to train like we’ve never trained before, so we’re going to have to expect a little wear and tear!”
Rainbow Dash gave a satisfied snort. “Oh, yeah? Why’s that?”
Alphonse took on the shape of Kris as he stepped to the head of the group. “Well, he said that becoming a top-class warrior isn’t the end, but the beginning of an even greater journey. Eventually, we should gain new abilities, like to change the form of our weapons and gain our own form-fitting armors!”
Applejack gave a nervous laugh. “Well that makes it sounds like he was holding back during our tussle!”
Wilda made a loud laugh. “Well, let’s just say if he wasn’t holding back, you all would have ended up as minced horse meat!”
On that note, Fluttershy started cowering and made a gentle squeal. But Alphonse stepped up and tried to soothe her. “Well, he’s always been a nicer guy than he comes off as. He’s the one that taught us the basics of combat. But then again, he’s also the one that gave Kris his first scar when he challenged him as a kid, the vertical one across his eye.”
Pinkie Pie excitedly bounced forward. “Wowee! You have got to tell us the story!”
Kris just sighed as he lit the way with his sword’s light. “Well, there isn’t much to tell. I was young and arrogant and thought if I could beat the best fighter in the guild, I would take his place as the best. But he must have seen something in me, because he personally taught me the basics of swordsmanship and eventually gave me the Omega Weapon which he received from his teacher even though he couldn’t use it himself.
“Though he seemed surprised when I immediately recognized it from the legends I read. In fact, if you want a real story, I could tell you one of the many I’ve memorized. I even memorized the ten thousand tales of Ultima! Speaking of which, It’s definitely going to be a pain getting all my books to the surface.”
Twilight, who was also lighting the way with her horn, turned towards him with a big smile. “You like books too? We have got to get together to swap some sometime!”
Kris, for the first time, smiled in response. “I’m looking forward to it.”
Soon, they managed to make it to the end of the tunnel. However, a spark came off Kris’s blade that mixed with a spark from Twilight's horn and hit the dead end, which somehow opened up an exit, letting in fresh air. When they all stepped outside, all they saw was the night sky over a vast field. Alphonse made an annoyed grunt. “Well, this doesn’t seem like much of an improvement from the cavern!”
Twilight’s horn sparked and a round watch appeared before her. “Like they say: It’s always darkest before the dawn. Princess Celestia should be raising the sun in three, two, one…”
The sun suddenly rose up before Canterlot Castle. The humans at first shielded their eyes from the glare, but as they adjusted, their eyes and mouths opened wide as they beheld the sights surrounding them. The endless sky, the vast clouds, the glimmering lakes, the tremendous mountains, the seas of forest, every single blade of grass swinging in the wind, each sight filled them with a thousand primal memories and reawakened a thousand thousand instincts. Twilight and the ponies took great satisfaction in their looks. “We had a feeling you’d like it! Now if we hurry towards Canterlot, we should be able to present you as representatives of the humans before Celestia’s morning duties and Luna turns in for the morning.” Twilight waited a moment for a response, but grew concerned when she didn’t receive one. “Um… fellows?”
Kris kept his gaze on the view, but angled his head towards Twilight. “No offense, Princess… but can all that wait a day or two?”
Twilight twitched in surprise. “What? But… but… over the course of the next week, millions of humans at a time will come up from the cavern! We haven’t even told anypony about you all!”
But the humans could no longer contain themselves and took off to the wilderness running. Twilight flinched and started flapping her wings, but Applejack grabbed her by the tail and brought her back down to earth with a wrench of her neck. Twilight turned towards her friend, who got a sentimental look and shook her head. Twilight stared for a moment before realization dawned on her face. Then, she joined her old friends as she waved at her new friends as they raced off to experience everything the world they belonged in had to offer.