//------------------------------//
// Sunny Days 
// Story: With Every Story 
// by RunicTreetops 
//------------------------------//

You hum merrily to yourself as you deftly sweep the wooden floors of the Royal-Tea Shop. It has been several months since the death of the First. Although it isn't a particularly happy memory, you find yourself reminiscing about it somewhat frequently. 

Apparently, after you passed out, the entire cloud holding up the temple lost whatever magic was supporting it, causing it to fall. Thankfully, due to Pipp's livestream, pretty much everycreature in Equestria was paying attention, and everyone inside was safely rescued. When you came to some hours later, you were in a hospital bed, though your injuries turned out to be minor. It was there that Sunny, Pipp, Zipp, Izzy, and Hitch greeted you, letting you know that they were going to use the Time Tuner again to return to their own time. Sunny in particular was extremely hesitant to leave, but you all understood that it would be in everyone's best interest if you messed with time as little as possible. To that end, measures were taken such that the time-traveling nature of your friends was kept secret. So, with some heartfelt hugs goodbye, your friends from Maretime Bay returned home.

After that, there were a lot of loose ends to tie up. Specifically, the princesses and your friends had a lot to discuss. There was a lot of apologizing, both to you and to Celestia, but neither of you held it against them. Luna and Tia had a great deal to talk about as well, though you decided to respect their privacy when it came to those talks. All you know is that there were a lot of tears, both sad and happy, coming from both of them.

Finally, there was the issue of the First. Seeing as she was more or less the subject of Equestria's de facto religion, there was a bit of tension on how exactly to deal with that. Thankfully, since most of Equestria saw her reveal her contradictory nature and subsequent death live on-air, there were few who were opposed to the official disbandment of the church. Many called into question the nature of magical exertion, but it was generally agreed upon that the practice can still continue. After all, it is a healthy exercise (and was necessary for you while you were trying to deepen your magical pool), and without the First to receive the magic, there is no real harm that can come from it. All in all, things resolved peacefully.

You let out a contented sigh. Currently, there are no patrons in the shop, and the only sounds to hear are the ticking of the antique clock mounted on the wall, the voices of distant Ponyville residents going about their business, and the soft sweeps of your broom. Some might find this job boring, but for you, it's perfect. You've always preferred the quiet, and the customers that a tea shop tends to attract are a mostly pleasant bunch. Plus, it pays well enough to cover the bills. It certainly helps that your ingredients are all grown in an orchard you started out back, full of grape-covered vines and trees sprouting multiple kinds of fruit. No apples, though. You'd rather support the Apple family than grow apples that taste objectively worse.

You glance out the window. A brilliant orange light is flooding into the shop. Sunset. It'll be time to close soon. Your ears perk up as you hear the front door open, a pleasant little bell signalling that someone has entered. You turn to greet them, and you smile as you lay eyes on the new arrival.

Standing in the doorway is Celestia. She has recovered remarkably well following the defeat of the First. For one thing, it seems that with that big magical explosion caused by the First's death, all of the magic that she had collected, through exertion or otherwise, was dispersed across Equestria. While she might not be quite as powerful as she was before, Tia did recover her alicorn magic, and you can tell by her build. Not only did she regain all the weight and color she had lost after being drained, but she's looking brighter than ever. Her wings seem a bit livelier, and her chest floof is... the floofiest it has ever been. She might even be putting on a few healthy pounds here and there. Her bright smile greets you, and the sunlight coming in behind her reflects off of the beautiful golden ring adorning her horn. Yup, your wife is looking as lovely as ever today.

"How was the store today, dear?" 

She takes a few steps towards you before wrapping a hoof around you in a casual hug. You return the favor, gently scratching the back of her neck a bit.

"Ah, the usual. A few students from the School of Friendship came in around lunchtime to celebrate passing their history exam, so I guess it was a bit livelier than usual. How'd your visit with Queen Novo go?"

"It was lovely! You should really join me next time. Hippogriffia is wonderful this time of year!"

"Hey, any time you want me to join you on one of your adventures, just ask. I'll close the shop in a heartbeat."

"I know you will, which is why I ask sparingly. Otherwise, the shop would go under, my little human."

She playfully nudges your chest with a hoof before taking a seat at a nearby table, clearly expecting you to serve her some tea. You can't help but chuckle as a vivid memory comes to mind. You quickly make your way to the front door, locking it and making sure that the sign is set to "closed." Then, you make your way behind the counter and gather a freshly brewed pot of tea as well as a set of expensive teacups you got from Canterlot. Bringing them to the table, you hand Tia a cup, which she gratefully levitates towards herself before allowing you to fill it with tea, just the way she likes it. Then, you do the same for yourself and sit across from her. You both take a sip, relishing the taste while simply enjoying the company. Eventually, you decide to break the silence.

"You know, I think requesting to have tea with you was the best decision I ever made."

"Oh? Do tell."

"Come on, Tia. If I hadn't, we wouldn't have gotten so close."

"Well, I don't know about that. I thought I was being awfully persistent with those early meetings of ours."

"Maybe, but you were also being really formal. In case you forgot, I only requested tea so that I could figure out what was bothering you so much."

"Yes, you have always been nosy when it came to my affairs."

"Hey, I didn't mean it like-"

"Hmhm, I know, darling. Sorry, I can't help but tease you about that sometimes. You know that was one of the reasons why I fell in love with you." You feel your cheeks flush a little bit as you take another sip of tea, and she does the same. "You have gotten remarkably good at brewing tea. You wouldn't happen to be trying to impress me, would you?"

"That depends. Are you impressed?"

"Hmmmm. Maybe a little."

"Then maybe I am. A little."

The two of you share a laugh. This tea ceremony that the two of you love so much has become a nightly occurrence since you were wed. Right here, right now... this is where you're meant to be. The two of you, just happy to exist. Knowing that you're both incredible in your own special ways, and that you have earned this life. You may not be able to see the future, but there is no doubt that it will be filled with love and joy, forever. With these thoughts filling both of your heads, you drink your tea for two well into the night.

Some things never change.