Epilogue
Three months had passed in Canterlot since what had become known as the Aethiope Coup, or to some as the Night of the Balrog. Only to a select hoofful of ponies was it known as the final act of the Dawn Rebellion, and those ponies who were aware tended to be glad that the crowds were not.
Through dedicated reconstruction efforts, the parts of Canterlot that had been damaged by the zebras had been rebuilt, as good as or better than before. Shining Armour, despite his brief return to command of the Royal Guard, returned to the Crystal Empire alongside his beloved wife, whose memory and personality were restored exactly as they had been. Princess Twilight Sparkle returned to Ponyville, as she had vowed to do before the whole mess began, and on her return she kept a promise to Pinkie Pie: their first night back the six of them went out and painted the town. Literally, once they got to Sweet Apple Acres.
The August Court of Grevyia disclaimed all responsibility for the actions of Lord Mathos, vehemently denying any desire for war with Equestria. Nevertheless they declined to send a replacement ambassador. Quaggai, on the other hand, obtained a lucrative free trade agreement, including mutual removal of all tariffs between Equestria and Quaggai. As a gesture of goodwill, ambassador Sophoniba invited Fluttershy to visit Quaggai and observe their wildlife in its natural habitat. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, who had packed several Daring Do style outfits, left on their safari a month ago.
Though the conspiracy of Breaking Dawn and its role in the events of the Aethiope Coup had largely escaped public notice, Breaking Dawn herself had not been completely forgotten. Two new stain glass windows had been erected in the Great Hall. One displayed Princess Twilight Sparkle, the Elements of Harmony and the Princesses vanquishing the balrog threatening to destroy Canterlot. The other displayed the defeat of the zebras by the heroes of the Battle for Canterlot: Princess Luna, Captain Lancer, Prince Shining Armour and a golden unicorn some recognised as having saved and rallied terrified ponies at the beginning of the struggle. Nopony had seen her since, and it was assumed that she had, with the modesty of a true hero, declined all thanks and retired into the same private life from whence she had emerged.
A new statue had appeared in the quad of Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. A proud unicorn mare, mane swept back by the wind, look frightfully heroic on a plinth surrounded by a fountain. The students came to the understanding that it was supposed to represent the ideal alumni of the school, the pony each of them should aspire to become. After all, not everypony can become an alicorn princess.
Razor Wind slipped through the school gates and approached the statue. A few students hurrying across the quad gave her odd looks, but lessons were in session so there were few ponies about to see her. She sat down on the edge of the fountain, looking up at the statue of, the statue that was, her dear friend.
"Hey there, Dawny," Razor began haltingly. "I, I don't know if you can hear me or if I'm making a fool of myself talking to a statue for nothing but, I figured if you can hear me then you might like some company. And if not, well, I'm not hurting you am I?
"The first thing you'll notice is I'm not in prison. I knew you'd spot that because you were always very sharp. Princess Celestia was very lenient on us. I reckon you asking for mercy really got through to her.
"We miss you Dawny. All of us. We haven't gone back to the way we were, the way we went the first time. We've all kept in touch, helped each other out how we can. We miss you but, we're all doing okay.
"Cherry's opening up her own Diner, she's going to call it Cherry's and the breakfast is going to be named after you: the Breaking Dawn Special. Maybe you'd hate it, but I think it's cute. Candy is playing Princess Silver at the Lyceum, opening next week. She told me she's going to base her performance on you. I don't know if you should be flattered or insulted but I think its the first one. Laurel got a job teaching history right here, at Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. And Hardy has been offered a partnership in a law firm that takes on cases nopony else will touch and then wins them: Swooping Crane and Sandy Shore. She took the pool table with her to her new office. And me? I get by, keep on keeping on I guess."
Razor sighed, "This would be a lot easier if you could answer back you know." Softly, gently, Razor began to sing:
"You are my sunshine,
My only sunshine,
You make me happy,
When skies are grey,
You'll never know, dear,
How much I love you,
Oh don't you take,
My sunshine away."
"I, stay, see you, gah how do you stay goodbye to a statue? I'll, I'll see you around Dawny. I miss you a lot." Razor took off up into the air, her eyes beginning to water.
***
In Grevyia, at the court of the Most Ancient and August Empire, the Emperor Syphax IX sat wearily upon his throne in a throne room nearly empty. A messenger galloped in and bowed upon the red stone floor.
"What news?" the Emperor demanded.
"The heir to House Aethiope is dead. That traitor House is now extinguished," the messenger declared.
"Good," the Emperor declared. "We will hold their lands until some lord has gained my favour sufficiently to be rewarded with the Aethiope estates. In the meantime let the High Bloods remember that this fate ever awaits those who fall behind in the eternal race. Those who overreach will fall. Those who underreach will never rise. All but the swiftest and the strongest will be devoured."
"Indeed, Your Majesty, well said," laughter echoed from the shadowy colonnades on either side of the throne room. "And not just for zebras, the same thing goes for ponies too."
The Emperor said, "You mean the vacillating traitoress?"
"Exactly," said the female voice. "So poor little Dawny got herself turned to stone after all she'd been through poor baby." More laughter. "Just as well. She would have worn power like a little filly wearing her mother's dress: cute, but impossible to take seriously." Sunset Shimmer stepped out of the shadows and into the light, "Don't worry, Twilight Sparkle, I'm going to give you a real challenge."