//------------------------------// // Epilogue: A Hearts and Hooves Day Miracle // Story: The Other Side // by HopeFox //------------------------------// “Goodbye, class!” Miss Cheerilee called as her class filed out of the schoolhouse. “Enjoy the rest of Hearts and Hooves Day!” “What a great party!” said Sweetie Belle, trotting alongside her friends. “I love Hearts and Hooves Day, and Miss Cheerilee is the best teacher in Equestria!” “I can’t believe Miss Cheerilee doesn’t have her own very special somepony!” said Apple Bloom. “If anypony deserves one, it’s Miss Cheerilee!” “I can’t believe Diamond Tiara missed the party,” replied Silver Spoon, leaning against Snails as she walked. “She really loves Hearts and Hooves Day too. You know how romantic she can be.” Scootaloo rolled her eyes. “Ugh, don’t remind me! Watching her making eyes at Applebuck was so painful. Snips, if I ever get like that, promise me you’ll throw me off a cloud or something?” Apple Bloom sighed, looking back at the schoolhouse. Sweetie Belle moved around and nuzzled her shoulder. “You’re thinking about Gold Watch, aren’t you?” “Yeah,” she replied, giving another sigh. “I know he’d have something really romantic planned for Hearts and Hooves Day if I was in his world. Probably a trip to Manehattan or something. It was just really nice to have a colt paying that much attention to me, you know?” “I know,” agreed Sweetie Belle. “Applebuck was always so happy around Diamond Tiara. But it’s okay – you’ve still got us! We’re all going to hang out together, right, guys?” “Oh, I will, but Snips said not to tell anypony about his secret plans for this afternoon,” said Snails. “Snails!” shrieked Snips, and headbutted his friend. The two unicorn colts erupted into a tangle of flailing hooves, tumbling along beside the others. “Should we, like, stop them or something?” asked Silver Spoon, watching the colts fighting. “Nah, they’ll get bored soon,” said Scootaloo. Sure enough, Snips and Snails were helping each other up and brushing themselves off in a matter of moments. “Sooooo... secret plans, huh?” she asked, nudging her head against Snips. “What kind of plans?” “Oh, well, uh,” mumbled Snips, turning his head up to watch the sky as he talked. “Just, y’know... I thought we could get dinner and watch a show together.” “Sounds cool,” the young pegasus admitted. “Where are we going?” “How does Cloudsdale sound?” A rainbow blur streaked past the six friends, circled them once, and skidded to a halt, resolving itself into a familiar blue pegasus, hitched to a streamlined racing chariot. “Rainbow Dash!” squealed Scootaloo. “Oh my gosh! Are you taking us to Cloudsdale?” “Sure am! Snips and I have set up dinner at the Cloud Nine Restaurant, and tickets to see, pause for dramatic effect... the Wonderbolts!” Scootaloo nearly fainted with excitement. “Oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh! This is going to be the best night ever! You’re the best coltfriend in the world, Snips!” The orange filly flapped her wings excitedly as she threw her front legs around Snips’s neck, kissing his cheek over and over. “Hey, no problem,” said Snips, nuzzling her in return. “You’re the coolest filly in school! Who can I get to give you the best Hearts and Hooves Day ever except for the most superextremawesomazing pony in Ponyville?” “And thank you too, Rainbow Dash! This is so awesome of you!” Scootaloo pounced on Rainbow Dash, hugging her idol fiercely. “Yeah, well, you’d be surprised how many Rainbow Dash Points a colt can earn by doing all my laundry and grocery shopping for a month. And I wanted to see an old Cloudsdale friend for Hearts and Hooves Day anyway. Come on, hop aboard. Your parents packed a scarf for you in case it’s cold up there.” Scootaloo and Snips scrambled into the seat of Rainbow Dash’s chariot, and waved frantically to their friends as the older pegasus carried them aloft. The others grinned and waved until the chariot was out of sight. “Gee, I feel kind of outdone now,” sighed Snails. “All I was going to do was make you your favourite dinner.” “Steamed aubergine and bok choi with a watercress and ginger garnish?” asked Silver Spoon, her ears pricking up in delight. “You bet!” said Snails, grinning goofily. Silver Spoon nuzzled Snails contentedly. “That’s so sweet of you,” she crooned. “Say, do you guys mind if we drop by Diamond Tiara’s place? I’m worried she might be sick or something.” “Good idea!” said Apple Bloom. “I’m kinda worried too. I really thought she’d be at school today.” The four friends walked together, chatting about Miss Cheerilee and Rainbow Dash, until the Rich mansion came into view. The front yard was empty of ponies, but two figures were playing on the tennis court to one side of the mansion. As they watched, the light brown adult lobbed a serve to the pink and purple child, who lunged for the ball and barely managed to beat it back over the net. “Looks like Diamond Tiara is okay, if she’s up and playing tennis with her dad,” commented Sweetie Belle. Silver Spoon squinted at the tennis court. “Hang on a minute, that’s not Diamond Tiara. That’s...” “Gold Watch?” gasped Apple Bloom, galloping down the hill towards the court. Sure enough, Gold Watch dropped his tennis racquet when he heard Apple Bloom’s voice, and he ran to meet her with an excited squeal. “Apple Bloom! It’s so good to see you!” Apple Bloom wrapped her front legs around Gold Watch’s shoulders and hugged him tightly, then kissed his cheek. “I was afraid I was never going to see you again, Goldie! Twilight Sparkle kept saying she couldn’t get the portal open again.” “I thought I’d never get to see you again either, but Dusk Shine showed up at my house just after sunrise, and said he’d made it work! He can open it anytime he wants now, or at least every once in a while. I would have met you guys at school, but I wanted to spend some time with Dad.” He went to stand next to Filthy Rich as the stallion approached, leaning against his leg. “Afternoon, Apple Bloom,” Filthy Rich greeted her. “My lad Gold Watch here tell me you two were quite good friends in his world.” Apple Bloom blushed as she smiled at Filthy Rich. She had gotten to know Filthy Rich quite well since she and Diamond Tiara had become friends – and had learned to address him as “Mister Rich”, never “Mister Filthy” – but she had never needed to talk to either him or Greasy Lucre about her relationship with Gold Watch. “Yeah, we, um, yeah,” she stammered. “So... you two are getting on pretty well, then?” Filthy Rich tousled Gold Watch’s purple and white mane with one hoof, and the colt responded by nudging his head against Filthy Rich’s leg. “Diamond Pendant and I always wanted a little brother for Diamond Tiara. It’s nice to know how he would have turned out.” “Gold Chain will always be Father, but I think Filthy Rich can be Dad,” said Gold Watch. “It’s been pretty cool hanging out all day.” “Here come your friends,” said Filthy Rich, pointing up the hill. “I’ll get you kids something to drink.” He wandered back into the mansion while Sweetie Belle, Snails and Silver Spoon trotted down to join Apple Bloom and Gold Watch. “Hey everypony!” said Apple Bloom excitedly. “This is Gold Watch, my very special somepony from Applebuck’s world. He’s... well, he’s kind of the male version of Diamond Tiara. Goldie, this is Sweetie Belle...” “A pleasure,” said Gold Watch, executing a graceful bow to Sweetie Belle, who hid her mouth behind her hoof and giggled. “And this is Snails!” Apple Bloom continued, gesturing to her unicorn friend. “It’s an honour to meet you, good sir,” said Gold Watch as he offered Snails his hoof to shake. He gave Apple Bloom a quick inquiring glance, evidently wondering who Snails was in his world. “You too! Wow, you’re Gold Watch! Apple Bloom told us all about how awesome you are! I love your waistcoat!” Snails grinned excitedly as he shook Gold Watch’s hoof. Gold Watch smiled in recognition. “Ah, I think I know who you are, now. Spice and I always have fun together, and I can just tell we’re going to be great friends!” Apple Bloom beamed happily, thrilled that all of her friends were getting along so well. “And this,” she said, gesturing to the last filly to be introduced, “is Silver Spoon.” Gold Watch and Silver Spoon met each other’s gazes and slowly moved together, looking at each other inquisitively. The pink colt reached out a front hoof towards the grey filly. “Bump?” he asked, tentatively. “Bump...” replied Silver Spoon, meeting the outstretched hoof with her own. “Sugar lump! Rump!” they finished together, then hugged each other tightly, laughing. “It really is you!” exclaimed Gold Watch, nuzzling Silver Spoon’s shoulder tenderly. “This is amazing! Blue Chip is my best friend in my world. He’s always there for me when things go wrong, and he stops me from making some really bad decisions sometimes. I don’t know what I’d do without him. Diamond Tiara is really lucky to have you as her friend.” “Really?” asked Silver Spoon, looking a little taken aback. “She never told me that.” Gold Watch blinked. “What? Of course she did! I’ve said it to Blue Chip dozens of times! I mean... I’m sure I have... well, it was implied, right?” He looked at the ground, shifting his hooves awkwardly. “I just always thought that he knew how much he means to me.” “He knows,” Silver Spoon assured Gold Watch, laying her neck against his. “It’s just nice to hear you say it.” “Come on in, kids!” called Filthy Rich from the door to the mansion. “Drinks and cupcakes are up.” The five children streamed into the house, and sat around the kitchen table, feasting on cupcakes, lemonade and apple juice. Apple Bloom dined happily with her friends, chatting about school, Crusades and other adventures and mishaps. Gold Watch’s news from his world wasn’t exactly novel, as almost the same things had happened in her world, but it was good to hear it all the same. Apple Bloom’s eyes lit up as she remembered a package she had left with Twilight Sparkle for when she finally opened the portal again. “Hey, Goldie, did Dusk Shine give you anything to give to me? It would have been a box about so big, wrapped in butcher’s paper?” Gold Watch perked up and dashed from the room, returning with a large box balanced on his back. “Oh, yeah, I almost forgot! I’m guessing this is the stuff you left behind when you had to go so quickly?” The identical package Apple Bloom left with Twilight Sparkle had contained all of Applebuck’s leftover possessions, so Apple Bloom knew what to expect when she tore open the parcel. “It’s my dress!” she cried, holding the shimmering red and green outfit against her body. “I love it so much! Thank you again, it’s so gorgeous!” Gold Watch chuckled and pressed a hoof against Apple Bloom’s fetlock. “You know that Elusive would have made it for you even if I hadn’t commissioned it. He wasn’t going to let me pay for it at all, but then he said something about ‘being generous with opportunities for generosity’. I’m so glad you like it. You looked beautiful in it.” Apple Bloom nosed through the package some more. “Oh, and here are my earrings! I sent those cufflinks back to Applebuck with the rest of his stuff, Silver Spoon. I’m sure he liked them as much as I like these.” She turned her attention back to the box. “And here are all the photos we took! This is me and Spice just before my first date with Goldie, and this is the Crusaders, and here’s us at the spa... oh, we all had such a great time together. But I have great fun with you guys, too. I’m so lucky to have such good friends.” All of her friends agreed, and they lounged around the mansion until it was time for Snails and Silver Spoon to head back to Snails’s house for dinner. Gold Watch and Sweetie Belle trotted out with them, but Apple Bloom stayed behind a little longer at Filthy Rich’s request. “I believe I have you to thank for all of this, Apple Bloom,” said Filthy Rich, seated across the lounge room from the filly. “It was you who crossed into the other world and made friends with... well, with my son.” “I still don’t quite know how it happened, but I guess so,” replied Apple Bloom. “I learned a whole lot while I was there, and now Diamond Tiara and I are good friends, and the most popular fillies at school, too!” “So my daughter tells me,” Filthy Rich replied with a smile. “Listen, I am aware that Diamond Tiara’s behaviour has gone downhill since her mother passed away. She has her mother’s ambition, but not the perspective that comes with decades of leadership experience. She was trying too hard to be the next Diamond Pendant, and I’m sorry if you ever had to bear the brunt of that.” Apple Bloom pondered. She could tell Filthy Rich about all of the times Diamond Tiara had humiliated her, made her look like a foal in front of the whole school, made her cry, made her wish she were anywhere but Ponyville. It was all true, it had all happened, and it still hurt. “That’s okay, Mister Rich. It could have happened to anypony. We’re friends now, and that’s what matters.” “It does matter, a great deal. Diamond Tiara may have always had the respect of most of her peers, but since you and she became friends, she’s been more compassionate, more understanding of other ponies’ viewpoints and problems.” He sighed deeply. “More like her mother.” He waved a hoof in the air. “No need to listen to an old stallion getting all maudlin on Hearts and Hooves Day. You go and have fun with your friends, alright? And remember you’re welcome in this house anytime.” “Thanks, Mister Rich!” said Apple Bloom, trotting over to give him a quick hug. “I’ll see you later!” Apple Bloom rejoined her friends in the front yard, and they set off towards Snails’s house. “So what do you two want to do after we drop off Snails and Silver Spoon, guys?” she asked Sweetie Belle and Gold Watch. “Go listen to the Hearts and Hooves Day concert in the park?” “I kinda want to do something for Miss Cheerilee,” said Sweetie Belle, tapping a hoof on her chin thoughtfully. “She must be really lonely without a very special somepony on Hearts and Hooves Day, and she deserves one more than anypony else.” “I know how that goes,” said Gold Watch. “Mother is always really sad on Hearts and Hooves Day, thinking about Father. I know she loved him, but it’s been almost four years now. I keep telling her that she needs to move on, but she won’t listen to me. Dad feels the same way.” Sweetie Belle nodded glumly. “That’s really sad. I wish there were somepony who...” She trailed off for a moment, then gasped loudly. “That’s it! Are you guys thinking what I’m thinking?” “Yeah, but remember what happened last time an Ursa Minor came into town? And I don’t think Pinkie Pie will let us borrow her party cannon,” said Snails. The unicorn filly blinked. “Umm... no, not that! Miss Cheerilee and Mister Rich should be each other’s very special someponies!” The others all gasped as well. “Sweetie Belle, you’re a genius!” said Apple Bloom. “They’d be perfect for each other! They’re both super smart and really hard working. And it’ll make them both so happy!” “So... Mother and Mister Smiles?” said Gold Watch, pondering. “You’re right, they would be perfect for each other. How did I not think of this before? Okay, then! Snails and Silver Spoon, you go have fun on your date. Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom, you need to convince Miss Cheerilee to come to dinner at the mansion. I’ll go back and get the cook to set up something nice and romantic. This day is going to be perfect!” Silver Spoon and Snails hugged the other three, wished them luck, and cantered off towards Snails’s house. Apple Bloom gave Gold Watch another long hug. “This really is perfect, Goldie. I bet you made a special Hearts and Hooves Day wish to come here and see me, huh?” Gold Watch tilted his head to one side. “No... I should have! I assumed that you’d made some sort of wish so that Twilight Sparkle could open the portal. You didn’t?” Apple Bloom shook her head. “Nope. Somepony must have, but who?” Dusk Shine lay on a cushion over the packed dirt floor of the hut, the air heavy with incense from a faraway land. He leaned forward and lapped at the bowl of tea in front of him, savouring the taste as a pleasant warmth spread through his body. “I’ve never tasted this tea before, Zecora. Is it from a new herb?” The zebra mare stretched out beside Dusk and sipped from the bowl herself, brushing the side of her head against his. “It is made from a plant named ‘Heart’s Desire’, sure to ignite a stallion’s fire,” she said, her voice low and almost hypnotic. “Long have I waited to share this brew, wishing for a stallion like you.” “You are my heart’s desire,” murmured Dusk, turning to look into Zecora’s eyes. “I’m sorry, I must seem so forward to you. We only just met today, and...” Zecora placed one hoof tenderly over Dusk’s mouth. “Do not regret your words, Dusk Shine. Our hearts already intertwine. Your Zircon is a friend most true, and so my mind you already knew. My heart waited but to see your face, when you came from your most distant place.” Dusk tilted his head and pressed a tender kiss against Zecora’s grey fetlock. “I always knew I had a special connection with Zircon. Not the same as I have with Applejack, Butterscotch and the others, but something different. I wasn’t prepared for this, though.” Zecora pushed her head forward and allowed Dusk Shine to stroke her striped mane. “This was surprising to me too, but I know that our love is true.” She closed her eyes and whickered softly at the contact, then wrapped one leg around Dusk’s neck and pulled him into a passionate kiss. The young unicorn stallion returned the kiss eagerly, shifting his body closer to Zecora’s. Thank you, Prince Solaris, he thought, as he embraced his new lover. Best Hearts and Hooves Day wish ever.