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// Epilogue: Paradise Untouched By Darkness 
// Story: Broken Blossom 
// by BronyWriter 
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Sweetie Belle was alone. 

She had requested that the others leave her alone and go back to Ponyville without her for the time being. She would join them in a little while, but for now she just wanted to be alone. 

Her daughter was dead. 

Joyous Blossom, the daughter that she had carried, raised, was imprisoned for, loved with every fiber of her being, had been executed by Princess Celestia. If Sweetie Belle never saw either princess again it would be far too soon; not that she trusted herself to not blow up at them anyway for killing both her sister and her daughter. 

It had been a small confirmation; the group had been sitting in a room a little ways away from the execution room. Blossom had requested that nopony be allowed to see her execution and the guards had honored her request. Sweetie Belle wasn't quite sure how she thought about that. On one hoof, it was a kindness to not see her daughter's lifeless body, to not see her life slip away like grains of sand through an hourglass to the point where she was empty. She had done that with Rarity and she still dreamed about it. 

On the other hoof, Blossom had to die alone; without her family there to support her. She couldn't draw the strength she needed to go out with her head held high from her executioners. 

The guards had come out of the room after it was done. Two left immediately, but one stayed and gave a small nod to the group, most of whom had burst into tears immediately. Well, those who had not already been sobbing, anyway. The guard had given them her best sympathetic look and had said 'she died well; she looks very happy', before leaving with her fellows.

Sweetie Belle hadn't responded to her words. She merely told them to go back to Ponyville and began walking. Where, she didn't know, but she just had to walk. 

She found herself leaning against a wall in one of the castle corridors, staring out the nearby window at the glorious day that had arrived with Celestia's sun. The happy atmosphere seemed to Sweetie Belle to be Celestia mocking her for what she had taken from the broken mare. 

Her thoughts were cut off when she heard a voice behind her, the last voice that she expected to hear at a time like this. "Sweetie Belle?"

Sweetie Belle turned to see who was calling her, and found Silver Spoon of all ponies standing behind her. Sweetie Belle scoffed lightly. "Come to rub it in? My daughter took yours, and now I lost mine too. Have you come to gloat that now your child can rest in peace, knowing that her murderer was put down?"

Silver Spoon's eyes widened and she took a step forward. "No, I haven't! I..." Silver Spoon began blinking back tears as she took another step forwards. "I heard the rumors that Blossom had given herself up. I know what happened. I wanted to say that... I'm sorry for all those years that I hated you." 

"You didn't know that I was innocent, why would you apologize now?"

Silver Spoon bridged the gap between her and Sweetie Belle and, to her surprise, she threw a hoof over her shoulder in a hug. "Because I would have done the same thing to protect my child," she whispered. "I don't hate you, I don't hate Blossom for what she did, and I don't hate anypony." Silver Spoon gave a small, but comforting smile. "We've had enough of that to last an age, don't you think?" 

Sweetie Belle blankly sat on her haunches, allowing her childhood enemy to sit down with her had hold her close. She didn't know why she accepted her comfort; maybe it was because they both had to bury their daughters, but the two childless mothers sat in silence, unmoving.


*  *  *  *


Blossom's eyes fluttered open. 

The first thing that she became aware of was how warm everything was. It was like a nice summer day in Ponyville that wasn't too hot or cold. Everything was just right. She was lying in a field of bright green grass that felt cool and relaxing on her fur. The cloudless sky was a wonderful shade of blue and reminded her almost of her Aunt Rainbow Dash's fur. 

Of course she knew that she couldn't lie here forever. There was a time that she had to get up to see where she was and that time was now. She sat up on the grass and pushed herself onto her hooves. 

When she was standing up, she noticed that the field around her seemed to stretch on endlessly, save for a hill jutting out of the ground to her left. Deciding that this was the best place to go, she began her trot towards the hill. 

As she walked, she saw what appeared to be a very young filly standing at the top, positively beaming down at her. Blossom chuckled to herself when she realized that this filly looked kind of like her mother, but with darker fur and a purple mane. The filly giggled when Blossom was close enough, and ran down the hill to meet her as Blossom climbed up. "Hello, Blossom!" the filly chirped. "My name is Sweetie! We've been waiting for you!"

Blossom smirked at the filly and continued climbing up the hill. "Your name is close to my mother's name. Her name is Sweetie Belle."

The filly's grin widened and she vigorously nodded. "Yeah, I know, and I think that's really cool!" 

Blossom's smile slowly faded as the pair neared the top of the hill and she looked down at Sweetie. "Where are we?"

Sweetie giggled but said nothing as the two reached the top of the hill. When Blossom saw what was on the other side, she gasped but it was followed with a smile of childlike wonder. For on the opposite side of the hill there was a great city whose splendor far outstripped even the wonders of Canterlot. The buildings were made of what appeared to be opulent marble and they shone brightly as the morning sun reflected off of them. However the effect was not overpowering as it might have been if the effect were repeated in the real world. The buildings stretched to the skies and the streets below them were paved with the same white stone that the buildings were made out of. A pure city, untainted by anything bad. 

Sweetie giggled again at Blossom's wonder and began tugging on her hoof to lead her into the city. "Come on, silly, you have a lot of ponies who want to see you." 

Blossom's smile returned and she allowed the filly to lead her inside the city. Normally such splendor would have intimidated her, but here it was so peaceful that she entered it without trepidation. Blossom had to admit, the outside of the city did not do the inside justice. The buildings were even more impressive close up, and it was hard to imagine that this would be where she spent the rest of eternity. 

Of course, what really got Blossom's attention were the ponies. 

Ponies of all shapes, sizes, and races were walking around the city, each of them with a look of pure bliss on their faces. She saw a pair of pegasi, one with a dark grey coat and the other with a bright green coat, chatting animatedly with each other like only a mother and daughter could. She saw a pony that looked like Starswirl the Bearded telling thrilling tales to a group of wide-eyed ponies, she even saw two ponies who looked like they could be the parents of Applejack, Apple Bloom, and Big Macintosh. 

"It's pretty awesome, isn't it?" Sweetie said with a contented sigh. 

Blossom nodded dumbly and continued to look around in an impressed stupor. "It's magnificent."

"You never get used to how cool this place is, that's the best part!" said Sweetie happily. "But right now you gotta talk to some ponies who have been wanting to see you for a long time."

Curious, Blossom followed the little filly down a few streets and alleyways to a small little cabin type building near the edge of the city. Curious, Blossom frowned at Sweetie. "What's here?" she asked. 

Sweetie giggled and pointed towards the cabin door. "You'll see. It'd ruin the surprise if I just told you. Sweetie looked behind her. "I think I hear my Mommy calling me. You go on ahead and just open the door. They won't mind."

With that, the light gray filly bounced away, leaving Blossom staring at the door of the cabin. In life she would have been nervous about just walking into some stranger's home, but here she had a feeling that everything would be fine. She began resolutely walking towards the door and she reached it in a few short moments and pushed it open. What she saw inside made her gasp in surprise. 

Fire Ruby, Golden Necklace, and Diamond Tiara were all inside the cabin, happily playing a game with each other. Blossom could not recall the last time she saw the three of them looking so happy, if ever she had ever seen it at all. 

She wasn't standing in the doorway for more than a few seconds before all three of them noticed that she was there. To her surprise, they didn't look angry, or even a little upset that she was there. If anything their smiles widened a little. Fire Ruby and Golden Necklace rushed over to Blossom and wrapped her forelegs in a crushing hug while Diamond Tiara was slower to get up. She seemed no less happy to see her killer, though. 

Blossom exhaled sharply and sat on her haunches on the floor. Diamond Tiara chuckled and sat down next to her, bringing her in for a tight hug. Blossom expected to have to blink back tears at the reunion, and in life she would have, but here was not the place for tears. She merely opened her mouth and whispered out two words. "I'm sorry."

Diamond Tiara chuckled again and began stroking Blossom's mane. 

"Blossom; my dear Blossom. There's nothing to forgive."