//------------------------------// // Epilogue/Prologue: An End and a Beginning // Story: A Red and Green brush // by Netherweaver //------------------------------// Epilogue to Act 1/Prologue for Act 2. It's today. The big day. Dad's funeral. It was time to say goodbye to the man, who even though he wasn't meant for this world had taken me in and raised me. I didn't care if he wasn't my real father. My 'real' father was one of the bastards who attacked us. I didn't care about being a griffon any more. I was as much of a pony as Dinky, or Twilight. The griffons didn't deserve me. I've been refusing to use my griffon body ever since the incident, and everyone is worried about me. I'll show them that I'm strong like my father. I will never become one of them again. I don't care if it means having to wear his clothes. I don't care if it means having to stand out. I will never be a griffon. I am Skye, and I am strong. As we said our last goodbyes in the chapel before we moved to the crematorium, I started to cry. I hadn't cried since I was a baby. We walked outside behind the coffin bearers, and we proceeded slowly towards the crematorium. Elliott was sobbing loudly into Rainbow's mane. Mom was leaning on me for support, having chosen to come as a human as well. Celestia was leading the procession. Pinkie and AJ were carrying Fluttershy between them, as she couldn't walk because of how hard she was crying. Twilight was walking along, straining to stop herself from crying so Spike didn't get even more upset than he already was. Rarity was at the rear of the procession with Derpy, Dinky and the CMC. Nopony said a word. The streets were hushed as we walked through them, as people came to pay their respects and to support their leaders. We arrived at the crematorium, and the bearers place his coffin on the mechanism. We all took our seats for the service. (Max's Perspective. A/N: It's gonna take more than that to keep him down!) Ba-dum... Ba-dum... Darkness. Ba-dum Ba-dum Ba-dum... Enclosed space. Ba-dum Ba-dum Ba-dum Ba-dum... LIFE. I AM ALIVE! Sensations became feelings that became thoughts. I pressed my palms against the wood that enclosed me. Easy enough. I slammed my palms into the lid, creating an echoing thump. I heard a gasp from outside the coffin. I'm not buried yet. Another thump followed. Then another. Then another. Then the lid cracked open, flying upwards. "I. AM. ALIVE!" I screamed as I breathed in the clean air of the building I was in. There was chorus of screams from the mourners, but I only heard one. "DADDY!" Skye screamed as she ran to the coffin and hauled me out. "NEVER DO THIS TO US AGAIN!" She continued screaming as she punched me in the face. I didn't react, I just pulled her into the tightest hug I could. "Never." I said, as Luna finally recovered enough to walk over to us. "You... you're dead..." She said as she looked at me. "Not any more Lu. It's gonna take more than some retarded punks to keep me down, especially when I have a wife and daughter to protect. "Holy fucking shitballs." Elliott said as he walked over to me. "You never give up, do you?" He said, joining the growing group hug. "What can I say, when I have a daughter powerful enough to repair a completely destroyed torso, how can I give up?" I said, tousling Skye's bright red hair. We all sat there together for the best part of an hour, and by the end I had taken enough hits to down an elephant as everyone took their frustration with me out on me. I took it all, I saw no point in stopping them from getting rid of all the fucked up emotions I was causing. "Well, I think a double party is in order. Pinkie, add 'Max is Back' to the banners and get ready to rip it up. Vinyl, go with her and get set up!" I said, seeing the albino DJ at the side of the cluster of ponies. Vinyl ran to catch up with Pinkie. "Octavia, go keep your marefriend in check!" I said, and Octavia ran to make sure that Vinyl and Pinkie didn't do anything too idiotic. "Dad?" Skye asked. "Yes sweetie?" "You're the biggest douchebag I've ever met. But I still love you." She said, snuggling into my chest. "C'mon, let's get to wherever your birthday party is Skye." I said, and Skye led the group of us further into Canterlot. We arrived at an impressive looking hall, easily as big as the throne room at the palace. As we walked in I saw Vinyl stood behind her DJ set-up. "Hit it, Vinyl!" I yelled. We spent the rest of the day and most of the night partying, and everyone came to terms with the fact that I was back.