//------------------------------// // Chapter 30: The Generation After // Story: My Little Pony: Make Your Mark In Love // by SamSwordsman123 //------------------------------// Over a decade passed in Equestria, and the land was flourishing. Especially in the newest settlement that had been called Uniternal. It was the land that had once belonged to Opaline, but with her gone, the storm clouds that had been constant around the castle had dissipated. Sunny and Fireforge had gotten married and spent their honeymoon at the castle, which was now their own home as they took their places as High Queen and King of the reborn nation of United Equestria. They looked down at the settlement which had been made up primarily of ponies that had been under Opaline’s mind control, which were all stallions. Those ponies woke up to find their families and loved ones had passed on long ago. Some tried to or even went through with committing suicide but Sunny and everypony else encouraged them to live the rest of their days in the new Equestria. It had been difficult, but they’d managed to convince a fair number against throwing their lives away. Some found new love and friendship with the modern-day ponies, while others struggled with the guilt and grief of the past. Still, they were proud to be serving under better monarchs now. Others from the three locations around Equestria traveled here as well and learned to call it their home. Things had been very busy with helping build the settlement, redesigning the castle interior to have less of an evil theme, and other things that Sunny and Fireforge had to take care of. But today was a very special day for the two highest ranking monarchs in United Equestria. Their duties often prevented them from their seeing their old friends and family. But today they would have a break from that as soon as they got down with the current stack of papers. Sunny managed to stamp the last one when- “Mom! Dad!” a voice called. Sunny and Fireforge’s son, Solar Flare, ran into the throne room with a wide grin. He was a orange pony like his mother and had a fiery mane like his father. A red spectral horn and set of wings had appeared from Solar’s head and back. Also like his mother, he was an Earth Pony that could transform into an alicorn. “What’s up, son?” Fireforge asked as he got off his throne that stood next to Sunny’s. They’d removed Opaline’s and had two of their own constructed, as well as a smaller one for their child, though he didn’t always sit on his except when they ordered him to. “They’re here!” Solar Flare said eagerly. “Just in time!” Sunny said as she got off her throne with a flap of her spectral golden-orange wings. Fireforge and Solar both followed her on their wings as well. They flew outside and onto the edge of the bridge leading to their castle. They saw the many houses ahead as well as the lush garden like the one Sunny made in Maretime Bay. In the center of the garden was a large cut floral statue of Sunny, Fireforge, and all their friends, across from a floral statue of Opaline and her minions, though the minions were made smaller to show Opaline’s ego and sense of superiority. Above the garden though, Sunny and her husband and foal saw them come. Hitch and Pipp sat on a Pegasus drawn carriage with their two children being pulled by members of their royal guard, they’d become King and Queen of Maretime Bay after their wedding and now were in charge of Sunny’s hometown with a council of Earth Ponies. Their son Hipp Hopp and daughter Blossom Petals sat with them in the carriage. Hipp had a yellowish peach coat as a result of his parents coats mixing together. He’d inherited his mother’s purple mane which he had in a ponytail. His cutie mark was of a microphone and a crown. His sister, meanwhile, had a pinker peach color that showed a dominant side of her mother’s coat, and her father’s aqua mane. These traits sometimes reminded Sunny a bit of Dahlia. Blossom’s cutie mark bore flowers and a crown at the top, following the line of her royal family. “Race you to the entrance, Blossom!” Hipp said competitively with his younger sister as he ran. “You’re gonna lose big brother,” she said flapping her Pegasus wings that gave her an advantage over her Earth Pony Brother. Pipp and Hitch followed across the bridge. Looking up into the sky, Sunny saw the king and queen of Zephyr Heights, Thunder and Zipp, flying together with their own child, Zap Shock. Then a flash of light appeared and Misty, Sprout, Izzy and Rufus all teleported in front of Zipp and her family as the unicorn horns glowed. Izzy and Rufus had an Earth Pony daughter named Aurora Lightseeker, who had her father’s gray coat and mother’s blue mane. Finally, Misty and Sprout had a unicorn filly called Mariposa, all three of them had the butterfly wings thanks to the spell Misty had become proficient in over the years. Mariposa greatly resembled her mother, having inherited Misty’s coat for her own, but had her father’s red in her mane. All the families gathered together, embracing each other. Sunny hugged Hitch and Sprout first, her two oldest friends, even if one of them had been a bully for the longest time. Fireforge went to Misty and hugged his sister, then they did the same for everypony else. Their children meanwhile, also hugged each other then began to play and run around the settlement happily. Their parents watched proudly. “I never thought this day would come,” Sprout said as he flew on his gold butterfly wings Misty had made for him. “You really changed Equestria, Sunny.” “Thanks Sprout,” Sunny said. “But I’m not the only one. We all did, together.” Sprout nodded. “I probably had the least impact out of all of you though.” “You did what you could,” Hitch assured him. “And it was enough to make up for past sins.” Sprout smiled. Even though he was king of Bridlewood, he thought it best to limit his power and let Misty call the shots there. Their children played and laughed for a long time until finally they were exhausted and everypony could return the castle. They had dinner and then put their children to bed. Sunny let out a sigh of relief as she sat in the throne room with her friends and their spouses on couches. “Being a mother is fun, but a lot of work,” she said. “You’re telling me!” Pipp said. “Try raising two ponies!” “Good thing the rest of us only have one foal,” Zipp smirked at her sister. “I’ll never know how Mom handled us both!” “Well, as long as I have Sprout and all of you by my side I think I can handle anything,” Misty said nuzzling her husband. “We’re all gonna be friends forever!” Izzy agreed. “United forever!” Rufus declared. “The great uniters of Equestria! Up for a song?” They nodded and Rufus got out a set of drums that he played as they sung. “United we stand, for eternitttyyy,” Sunny began. “Or at least as we live! With love and friendship to light our way,” Fireforge joined in. Misty walked over and nuzzled her brother. “Brought us out of our dark ways.” She was nuzzled by Sprout as well and put her hooves around them before lighting her horn up. Opaline’s old magic pool lit up to let them see how the rest of Equestria was doing. Other ponies went about their business peacefully. Haven and Alphabittle were leading Zephyr Heights for the day while Zipp and Thunder were away, along with their own son, a unicorn named Alpha Crown. “Now we can fly to untold heights!” Zipp sang as she flapped her wings. “And reach our full potential with a bit of courage!” “And a bit of confidence!” Pipp said as she put a hoof around her sister in midair. “For the ponies of the generation after!” Maretime Bay was as peaceful as ever with Sparky acting as the Sheriff there, helping his adoptive pony parents. Hitch had moved into the Bright Castle with Pipp after they were married and Sunny and Fireforge moved to Uniternal to lead its construction. Mane Melody was headed by Rocky and Jazz along with the Pipsqueak trio who took up the jobs as singers. “Let’s make sure it is a generation of kindness!” Hitch said gazing lovingly at his wife. “And don't forget about creativity!” Izzy put in. “To spread the beauty of friendship and unity, arts and crafts are among the best of things!” They saw Bridlewood now where unicorns and other ponies made tea in Alphabittle’s old shop, practiced magic at Misty’s Unicorn School she’d made after moving there, and making art like Izzy would. “But we also need empathy too so we can relate to each other!” Misty said. “And not make the mistake of hurting one another!” “All these things are equally important!” Sunny flew high with Fireforge soon following. “They provide us the hope for the future!” And they all sang together as they moved through the castle. “United we stand together. Earth Ponies, Pegasi, and Unicorns!” they all looked up at the banner showing the unity crystals. “Friends forever no matter what!” They all looked down upon Equestria from the balcony of the castle with smiles on their faces. The age of unity was here, who knew how long it would last? But they hoped it would for a long time even after all of them were gone. Hearing wing flaps above, they saw Spike, Ember and Flurry all flying above. Flurry Heart smiled down on Equestria and looked up at the sky. Her aunt Twilight would be happy to see this new Equestria, united once more, and hopefully, forever. Thanks to the efforts of Sunny Starscout and her friends. She looked down at them as they smiled at her, and she looked forward to what the next day might bring for the generation after.