//------------------------------// // The Finale- Part 2 // Story: Beauty and her Spike // by FlimFlamBros. //------------------------------// The rain began to pour from the sky as Spike stared into the black forest. His heart still ached with guilt from his decision to let Rarity; the only pony he would ever love, free to save her father. More than just that, his friends would forever hate him for his choice no matter how noble his intention. The dragon figured it would just be better if he stayed in his room for the rest of his life, severing contact with the outside world and the ones he cared about. He had accepted his fate that he would live the rest of his days as this monster, forever alone in his shredded room. And as he thought these things to himself, even the castle’s knick knacks and enchanted items felt the veil of depression shroud them as they laid lazily in the main hall, sighing and staring at the vast ceiling. What were they to do? Spike had let Rarity leave so there wasn’t much point anymore in doing housework or even work in general. It was sad that last year would repeat itself until they rust and rot away but at the same time, they really couldn’t be that mad at Spike. He was just doing what he thought was right, and in the end they would have done the same thing. “This sucks,” sighed Pinkie Stick as she hung upside down off the table’s edge. “There’s nothing to do again. If there was anything I miss the most about Rarity is that she at least gave us something to do.” Twiclock shrugged in agreement. “Now Spike just wants to go all cave drake on us like before.” “At least he’s not mean anymore…” “But for how long, Flutterbench?” The clock asked. “Remember the first time? It was only three weeks before he started lashing out and jumping on the walls and…ugh, defecating everywhere. I refuse to go back to cleaning dragon droppings! I did it once when he was an infant and I won’t do it again!” “I don’t think we have to worry about that this time,” said Tankardjack. “He doesn’t know it but he finally got some closure, even if it’s not the type he wanted.” “What do you mean?” “Well, the big guy finally got to go on his date with Rarity. It’s all he really ever wanted. I mean sure he wanted her to love him back and all, and we all know she does, but he got his chance to finally feel what it was like to dine with her, to dance with her, to really and I mean really feel what it’s like to be on a date with her. It may not have ended like Spike had hoped, but I think we all know she was just one thought away from kissing him. But y’all that’s just my opinion.” “Well I…” Twiclock began to say, trying to think of something to say back to the metal tankard. “I guess you’re right…so what are we all supposed to do now?” “Anypony want to play Go Fish for the next twenty or so years?” ***** “Kill the drake! Kill the drake! Kill the drake!” The mob of ponies shouted. Blueblood and company all stood at the very edge of the Everfree Forest, the eeriness and spookiness of the woods halting their progress. A few of the stallions in the horde gulped a little at the imposing forest, shivering a little as they started to have second thoughts. One pony from the crowd shouted, “So…does anypony actually know where there’s a castle in the Everfree?” “Yeah, that sounds like something we should have noticed…” another pony said. “I’ve never even been in the Everfree.” “Will all of you shut up for a minute?!” Blueblood demanded. “I have the mirror right here, I’ll simply demand that it tells us where the castle is.” He cleared his throat as he pulled out the mirror he had taken from Rarity a little earlier. “Mirror, mirror in my hoof, show us where this dragon is. And make it snappy!” The mirror’s screen began to whirl a little as it showed a picture of the castle. “Well that’s hardly any help, stupid thing must be broken. I wanted directions, not a picture! Whatever, luckily as a prince I have an expert sense of direction!” “Sire, you got lost in the mall’s food court…” “That was when I was a child, Consort.” “Yes, but I’m also referring to the incident two months ago as well.” “Oh just shut up you old geezer,” the prince mumbled as he headed into the forest, the mob of ponies cautiously following the prince. None of them probably had much faith in the prince’s sense of direction, but it was probably better than their own. After all, not many who entered the Everfree Forest came back to tell the tale. “Now If I was a castle where would I go…” “He’s not serious, is he?” Feather Duster whispered. “Consort, you have to say something, he’s going to get us all lost.” “And what do you suppose I should say, hmm?” The advisor mumbled back. “He’s gone off the deep end, he’s not going to listen to reason until he gets what he wants. The sooner we find this castle and get this all done with the sooner we can all go home.” “I can’t believe you’re just going to let him do this…” huffed the maid. “It’s sad how you just let him walk all over you. For the love of the goddess, grow a backbone.” Consort didn’t respond to her this time, walking by her side, head down and silent. “Pathetic…” “Ah ha!” Blueblood shouted. “I think I found it! Behold, the terrifying castle of the dragon!” “Umm… sir.” “Shut up, now we need to think of a way to break into it. I’m thinking we use these torches to burn a hole into it.” “Sir I—“ “Or we could take a more direct approach.” “Sire, this is not a castle!” Consort finally snapped. “It’s a wooden hut!” “What are you talking about?” Wondered the prince, waving a hoof at Zecora’s tree hut. “This is a strange building in the middle of a magical forest! Obviously it’s where are dragon is. You can be so stupid sometimes, you know that?” The young prince gave a huff as he turned to his mob. “Alright ponies, take whatever you can find, but remember the drake is mine!” “Kill the drake!” The mob of ponies screamed as they went charging into the tree hut, breaking down the wooden door of its hinges and sending it flying across the room. Stallions and mares alike howled like barbaric animals as they randomly smashed and crushed anything they could get their hooves on. “Now where is that dragon?” Blueblood said aloud as he flipped over a pot. “WHAT ARE YOU PONIES DOING IN MY HOME?” A very angry roared as she came from the other room. She had her mane and body wrapped up in pink frilly towels and she was still very damp and bubbly, probably because she was in the middle of a bath before her home was invaded. “I do not care the reason, just go, go, GO!” “Dear lord, what the heck is that thing?” Baffled the prince. “It’s like some sort of weird penguin pony.” “Beware, beware! Leave, before my anger flares!” Growled the zebra. “Can I not even have a soak, without being disturbed by you pony folk!?” “Oh like I’m afraid of some dude in a pink bath robe,” spat the prince. “Do your worst.” Zecora's brow crescent as her eyes started to glow a brilliant green. Magic sparkled from her irises as her body levitated from the spot. With her towel whisked away in the turbulence she created, the zebra’s strange magic blasted all the ponies out of the hut and back into the forest. The mob of ponies screamed in the air, those without wings flailing helplessly as they landed in trees and bushes, while the pegesi tried their best to gain control of their selves. When the dust had cleared they were miles from the outskirts of town, and deep within the Everfree Forest. “Well that was a rather rude pony thingy,” Blueblood mumbled to himself, picking himself up and brushing himself off. “Consort make a note to lynch that pony when we get back.” Consort sighed. “Very well, sire. Just let me find my notepad, I think I may have lost it in the blast of that zebra’s magic. Although I can hardly blame her, it was technically a home invasion.” “Who cares, I’m the future king of this country. I’ll have her hanged and then have her body deported to whatever backwards nation she came from as a message of my total dominance. Now we need to go and find that castle!” “Sir, I’d really advise against all of that.” “Who cares what you think,” frowned Blueblood. “You’re just here to carry my schedule and do all the stuff I don’t want to do. We’re going to the castle and that’s final!” “…No.” A strange word for the prince, it made his ears twitch. He looked at the old stallion who had defied him, saying the one word he’d never heard him say to him, at least in this context. “Excuse me?” He said coldly. “I think I must have misheard you. I could have sworn you just defied me but there’s no way you’d be that stupid.” “N-no Blueblood,” Consort stuttered, trying to muster up whatever courage he could find. “I-I can’t just sit on the sidelines and let you do this anymore. Everything else you’ve done in the past two weeks I’ve had to go behind your back and fix or plan to fix. I’ve written dozens of apology letters and paid off several ponies to overlook your stupidity but I won’t enable you any longer. You’re going to abandon this mad dream of kingship and accept the fact that your aunt chose Cadence over you. It doesn’t mean that she doesn’t love you any less but please sire, let’s just go home…” Lightning struck as the prince looked at his long-time advisor stood there, shaking and breathing in the heavy rain that began to pour. Blueblood slowly began to approach Consort, staring a dagger like glare at the old stallion. It looked like he was about to kill him for speaking out but the prince was surprisingly calm. Angered in mind, but sane of body as he said to him, “Then leave, you old fool. You’ll not stand in my way to greatness.” “Sire, I love you like a son but don’t do this!” “I’m the sole wielder of the Elements of Harmony!” He snapped. “I alone defeated Nightmare Moon and Discord, two of our history’s greatest villains! I am of the royal bloodline and I will not be denied my greatness! You and anyone else who doesn’t want to follow me into battle can go crawl back into your holes and live with the guilt and shame that you fled your future king in his hour, that you didn’t defend your homes, that you didn’t help me rid this world of evil!” Prince Blueblood turned around to the rest of the pony mob, who had all been listening uncomfortably to this argument. “That goes to you as well! Are you ponies, or are you rats?! Anypony that’s not worth his horseshoes can leave. I only want the best of the best to walk by my side into prominence.” A few murmurs were heard from the mob, but no pony dared flee after that speech, in fear of being called a coward. Besides, they still had to protect their homes from the dragon. With a nod from Blueblood, they followed him deeper into the forest in search of the enchanted castle, leaving Consort and Feather Duster alone in the mud and rain. “You… you actually stood up to him,” smiled Feather Duster. “I’ve condemned him to death is what I did,” muttered Consort, slumping into the mud in tears. “I don’t ever expect anypony to understand, but I raised that boy from a foal…when others wish death upon him I think the opposite, I tried my best but this is my ultimate failing. I failed him, Feather Duster…I couldn’t save him from himself.” ***** “I. Am. So. Bored…” groaned Pinkie Stick, lying on the floor of the main hall. “Does anypony want to play I Spy?” “For the last time, no!” Twiclock mumbled. “I swear…can somepony please think of another game for us to play?” The rest of the clocks friends said nothing. They were all too depressed to do anything. It seemed that they were falling back into their old habits once again, lying around the floor doing nothing, barely finding the will and energy to stay awake. “Why bother...” Tankardjack yawned. “It’s not like it’ll do much. Best to just live and let live I reckon.” Flutterbench sniffled. “I’m so sad…I don’t want to be a bench forever!” “Do y’all think there’s any chance that Rainbow Cup got to Rarity and convinced her to come back?” The clock shook her head. “Doubt it, but stranger things have happened…like a stupid curse that turns ponies into castleware.” “Or a giant mob heading towards the castle…” “Exactly Pinkie Stick, that’s another example.” “No, I mean there’s a giant mob of ponies heading towards the castle. I think your brother’s in there, Tankardjack.” “Huh?!” They all got up from their lazy flanks (or the equivalent of one) and hopped towards the castle’s window. There they all saw the approaching horde of Ponyville ponies marching at the metal gates, chanting ‘Kill the Drake!’ over and over again as the biggest of the stallion s kicked down the metal gates. “Holy freaking horesapples!” Twiclock screamed. “Invaders!” “My Celestia!” “What are we going to do!?” “We fight back…” They all turned around. “Flutterbench?” “I always knew this day would come,” she said, walking ominously towards the kitchen. “If it’s a fight that they want, then it’s a fight they’ll get.” Pinkie Stick turned uncomfortably on the spot. “Umm, are you okay Flutters?” “Very,” the hoof rest said. “Now, I don’t know about you but I don’t want to be a bench for the rest of my life. I want to see Angel Bunny and Mr. Beaverton and all my other animal friends again. Rainbow Cup has never let us down before, and we’re not going to let her down! Now come on, everypony! I have a plan…” "End is nigh! Say goodbye! As we slowly reach the climax! By tonight our story will reach its bitter end. Final song, sing-along, It’s the end unless we’re wrong… So save the drake!” ***** “Alright, everypony,” Blueblood announced as his mob circled the castle’s door. “I am almost certain that this is the right castle!” The mob nodded in agreement. This definitely looked like a castle a dragon would hide in. However, every pony knew that there would only be one way to find out, and that would be to go inside. A hesitant idea for most of them, for it was one thing to barge into a small tree house hut, and another to barge into a stony dark castle in the middle of a lightning storm. Blueblood noticed this and gave a little huff. “Well what are you goat bellies waiting for? Don’t you want to protect your town? And don’t forget that you have the sole wielder of the Elements of Harmony as your fearless leader. Now charge!” And they did just that. The pony mob let out a thunderous scream as they rammed past the door of the castle as if it were construction paper. Pitchforks and torches in hoof they roamed the main hall with a steady caution. They had no idea what sort of tricks this castle had in store for them. And their caution was well placed, for standing in the middle of the floor was a single candlestick and a black powder pistol. “What an odd combination to be laying on the floor,” one of the ponies said, poking at it with the end of his shovel. “What do you think it is?” “It’s a distraction.” Everypony looked up towards the rather assertive voice, but where they expected a pony or perhaps the dragon, they found nothing but a few assorted knick knacks. Flutterbench stood up from onto her back legs, a rather sinister smile on her cushion face as she announced, “Attack…if you want to that is.” Now the funny thing about castles is that they are usually quite big, with many tall rooms and dark cellars, and these are just breeding grounds for wonderful creatures such as rats and bats, as well as spiders and frogs, any critter that could appreciate a good dark corner found a home in the castle, and Flutterbench; still Fluttershy in spirit, befriended each and every one of them, finding fruit and cheese or flies or giving them rides when they were tired of walking. In any case, every creature that lived in that castle were friends of the shy little bench, which made her enemies their enemies. Bats swooped down from the ceiling in a screeching frenzy of fangs as they attacked and scratched ponies from above, getting into ponies manes and faces. The fat rats appeared from the cracks and holes in the walls of the castle, skittering into the fray with snarling teeth and twitching whiskers. Spiders descended down from their webs and enthralled ponies in a weak web of stickiness and arachnophobia. The ponies didn’t know what to do, so they acted on instinct. Screaming and thrashing the bats with their torches to keep them at bay only left them open to a rat attack, and those who stopped to swat them off would find themselves hopelessly overpowered by the critters sheer numbers. Even the unicorns found themselves in a bind, unable to use their larger spells in fear of hurting their fellow ponies, they tried simple fireball spells and magical blasts, but the spiders would quickly crawl onto their faces and blocked their vision. It was a losing battle. “Fight harder you cowards!” Blueblood ordered as he disintegrated a small platoon of roaming rats while stepping on a spider. “They’re just pests! We must keep pushing forward. Get in formation!” The ponies knew he was right, and started fighting harder. They began buddying up with torch bearers, one pony swatting at the ground while the other swung their torches at the air. Flutterbench’s army began staving back as the ponies started to form an enclosed formation of fire and steel. “That’s it, now keep pushing forward!” “Uh oh,” gulped Twiclock. “It’s not working! They’re getting up the stairs.” “What are we going to do?” Asked Tankardjack. “Don’t worry, I have a back-up plan,” the bench said. “I had hoped that I wouldn’t have to wake them up so early, but we have no choice.” “Flutterbecnh?” “Mr. Cloud!” she called, “We need some assistance!” “Mr. Cloud? Who’s that?” They would find out in a few moments as the large window behind them shattered and a dark, hulking figure came crashing through and landed in front of the ponies. Standing in the debris of glass and stone was one of the most terrifying creatures the Everfree Forest had ever produced. Four times the size of the biggest pony, with razor-like teeth, wings of a bat, head of a demonic dog, body of a bull, talons of a falcon and was made completely out of stone. Mr. Cloud was a gargoyle, and a rather grumpy one, considering his rather early awakening. Flutterbench’s friends were in shock. “Since when does the castle have a mother bucking gargoyle?!” “He’s been living on the roof longer than we have been here. He usually sleeps twenty hours a day and doesn’t like to be bothered, but I told him that this was really important.” The pony army was petrified by its hollow eyes as it shrieked a warning cry at them. The critters from earlier quickly fled from the path of Cloud in horror as it made a slow advance towards the mob. “I’m out!” Screamed Thunderlane as he flapped away, crying in fits as he made his escape. “I’m not fighting that thing!” “E-e-eeyup,” trembled Big Macintosh as he too turned tail and ran away. One by one the ponies all came to the realization that fighting a gargoyle was a fool’s battle and made their retreat. All of them ran away… All but one. “You think you can take me?!” Roared the headstrong Prince Blueblood. “An oversized pebble like you could never hope to defeat—“ THWACK!! Mr. Cloud had gotten rather bored with the prince’s ramblings and had smacked him across the room with formidable force. So forceful in fact that Blueblood broke through the wall he was smashed into. He was hit so hard that he continued to fly uncontrollably through that wall to break through yet another wall. The trauma from getting hit through two walls was dire, and if it wasn’t for the royal blood pumping through his veins and his ancestry with alicorns he would have perished. Instead he lay limply on the ground, clinging to the last bit of consciousness that he had. In a fit of groans he tried to get up but he couldn’t feel any of his legs. He only had one choice. With the last of his magical reserves he performed a rejuvenation spell on himself. It took every last drop of his magic but he was able to heal his body enough to get back up. It would be awhile before even he could cast a spell again, but that didn’t matter. He did after all have the Elements at his disposal. “Note to self, kill that rocky thing on my way out,” he muttered. “Now to find that dragon…” “What do you want?” “Huh—cheese and crackers there you are!” The prince gasped. No pony had realized that the gargoyle had hit Blueblood so hard that he was knocked into the west wing. Spike sat next to the window, staring into the faint reflection it gave him. He looked sad as he turned around to see who had intruded him, he didn’t even seem to care that it was Prince Blueblood, he just went back to the window and stayed looking depressed. “Leave me alone,” the dragon said. “Yeah, you liked that, wouldn’t you, you monster?!” Blueblood barked back at him. “Well you can beg all you want because there is no way that I’m letting you live! Not after all you’ve done to me!” The drake sighed. “What did I do to you?” “You caused me to not become king!” “Really, I did that? I haven’t left this castle in over a year. And trust me, if I did go outside, I’d have better things to do than ruin your life.” Blueblood sneered. “Don’t think you can talk your way out of this! I’m going to slay you, then everypony will see that I’m the leader that they deserve, that they need!” “If you say so…” “And furthermore, I will show everypony that I am the most powerful pony in the world!” “That’s great, but I really don’t care.” “And I will prove to them all that I’m not gay!” “Oh, for good…” Spike paused. “Wait what?” “You heard me!” Blueblood said. “I know everypony talks behind my back! They say that I’m some sort of coltcuddler and should just come out of the closet already. But I’m not gay! I like mares! Oh, sure I mistake a stallion for a mare every now and again but who hasn’t? I’m sure you’ve done that, right?” Spike looked bewildered as he slowly shook his head. “Oh well, look at you, Mister Perfect,” groaned the prince. “But it won’t matter, I’m going to destroy you and prove to everypony that I’m straight!” “I thought this was to be king…” “That too! It’s sort of a double whammy. Like what happened at summer camp, why did I say that? You shut up dragon! Stop putting gay thoughts in my head!” “I—“ “Sure it was the best summer of my entire life but it meant nothing! That’s what I keep telling them! I’m a prince so I have to keep the standard! I have to be the most stallion of the stallions!” The prince was left breathless as Spike just stared at him. “Do you want to know what I think, Blueblood?” “Not really, but for conversation’s sake speak.” “I think you’re gay.” “YOU’RE GAY!” “Listen to me, moron,” droned the dragon. “From what you’ve said—“ “No, you listen to me,” Blueblood interrupted. “I don’t care what you think! You’re going to die anyways!” He said, ripping off his frontal tuxedo necktie and blouse piece. Underneath were the six sparkling jewels that represented the Elements of Harmony. The young stallion smirked as he stared down the uncaring dragon. “I am the sole wielder of the Elements of Harmony, and you’re time is up. Now die!” He pushed his chest forward and began to concentrate. He would unleash the full wrath of Equestria’s most powerful weapon at this beast, and finally prove to all that he was the best, that he deserved to be king and that he wasn’t gay. However, there was a slight problem… The Elements did nothing. Prince Blueblood was confused, tapping on the magical and dormant crystals. “C’mon, work! I command you to work! Why aren’t these stupid things working?” “Because you’re not the true bearer of those The Elements,” a lavishly familiar voice chuckled. From the shadows, Ding-a-ling appeared, his purple stained face curled up into a yellow tooth smile. “You never were and never will be you overgrown idiot.” “Ding-a-ling…” Spike scowled. “What are you doing here?” “I came to watch the finale, you have less than forty minutes before midnight and I didn’t want to miss a thing. Plus, if I missed watching Blueblood realize that he’s not the wielder of the Elements of Harmony I would simply die.” “What are you talking about? Of course I am! I’m Prince Blueblood, The sole wielder of the—“ “No, you’re Prince Blueblood, the stallion that thinks he’s the Element wielder,” laughed the bell hung pony. “Your past conquests and endeavors are no more than a false memory I created for you.” “Impossible!” “Not at all,” Ding-a-ling said. “It was all part of my spell, a spell that’s actually simple in nature but still quite effective. Even I do not possess the power to change the pass and history. But memory charms are quite simple to cast, and what I can do is cast it on a global scale. Wiping the memories of everypony in the continent and rewriting it, reshaping it, into something else. You only think that you’re the wielder of the Elements, Blueblood, but you never were.” “I don’t believe you!” The prince snarled. “I’m Prince Blueblood! The greatest of the royal bloodline! It was I that took down Nightmare Moon and thwarted Discord.” Ding-a-ling laughed. “Get it through your thick head, kid. You’re nothing more than a character in a much greater story.” He turned his attention to Spike. “And you, Spike the dragon. I can’t lie and say that I’m not a little disappointed in you. I really thought you were different. I thought that you would fight for Rarity.” “Don’t you even dare to say her name you monster!” The dragon screamed. “I had no choice. I love her with all my heart…and that’s why I let her go. Even if it meant being miserable and like this for the rest of my life.” There was a looming quietness as the three of them stood there in the room, the mental ticking of their internal clocks grew closer to the final moments of the contract. In a matter of minutes, the spell would become permanent and Spike would never become the creature of Rarity’s affection. The hulking purple drake looked once more into the icy rainfall to shed one more tear for her. Rarity was such a wonderful mare, she would find happiness with somepony else and hopefully forget about him. “Rarity…I love you.” “I love you too.” His heart skipped a beat. He must have misheard that voice; a delusion of his growing depression, but it was too pure to be a voice in his head. Spike slowly turned around, and there she was. Standing at the door, shivering in the cold but still she was there. Rarity’s eyes met Spike’s as she started making her way towards him. “You came back…” “Of course I did, Spike,” she smiled. “You were in trouble…I had to make sure you were alright.” “But what about your father?” Spike asked. “He’ll live. He’s far too stubborn to die. Besides, the world wouldn’t be as interesting without him (and also a lot more bearable) but I needed to check up on you. There…there were a few things that I didn’t get a chance to say before I left.” Spike took a step forward. “Yes, Rarity?” “I…” she said, leaning up towards the dragon’s face, once again finding herself getting lost in those deep green eyes. “I never got to say thank you for everything. And that I…” She bit her tongue a little, but she knew now it was time to confess. “I love you.” They both spoke at the same time as their lips finally met. After all this time they finally shared a true kiss. Spike’s heart began to feel a searing sensation, like it was going to stop. His bones got twitchy and his muscled grew tense. Was this the feeling of love? If it was then it would be a feeling he would never forget, and as he parted from Rarity’s snow white lips and looked into her sapphire eyes he felt another thing. Magic started to overtake him as he was slowly lifted into the air, magical swirls of silver and gold engulfed him as he began to glow. In the other room the same thing was happening to all his friends. One by one, Tankardjack, Flutterbench, Twiclock, Pinkie Stick and even Rainbow Cup (who had once again stowed away in Rarity’s saddlebag) began to hover and glow. Within moments it was over, and a flash overtook The kingdom of Equestria. It was like a great awakening, as everypony began to remember what was once forgotten. The Apples remembered that they had a sister, the Sparkles that they had a daughter. Everything in a blink of an eye had been like it had been before the contract. Twilight and her friends were dropped from the air, falling to the ground with thud. “Ow!” Twilight groaned, rubbing her head with her hooves. “Wait a minute…head, hooves. Girls! She did it! Rarity broke the spell! We’re pony again!” “Sweet hayseeds in a corn field!” Applejack cheered, kicking the tankard cup that she had been for so long away with her powerful legs. “Rarity pulled through for us.” “YES!” Rainbow screamed, bolting straight through the window, shattering the glass as she did several gleeful twirls in the air. “I can fly again! I’m not a stupid tea cup anymore! My life once again has meaning!” It was true. After such a terrible year, they were all pony again. However, as the light faded from Spike, those in the room noticed something strange. Spike landed back on his two feet, opened his eyes and looked into his dragon claws. “Wait a minute, this isn’t right!” Spike worried, feeling his scales to see if this wasn’t just a dream. “Why am I still a dragon? The contract I signed said that I would become beautiful.” “Spikey…” Rarity cooed, as she wrapped her hooves around him. “You’re beautiful just the way you are. And I’m sorry it took me so long to realize that. Can you ever forgive me for what I’ve put you through?” “O-of course,” wept Spike, hugging her back and giving her another kiss. “I could never stay mad at you.” “Wait, wait, wait!” Blueblood frowned, interrupting what could have been a special moment. “…What on earth am I doing here? And why do I have the Elements of Harmony? Oh no, auntie will have my hide if she thinks I stole these from her! I need to get back to Canterlot now!” He began calling out for his servants. “Consort! Consort where are you? Blast that old fool…never around when I need…him…oh dear. I left him in the Everfree Forest…Now how’ll I get home?!” There was a loud crashing in the kitchen and the sound of china being smashed as Rainbow began laughing maniacally. “Yes! Die, tea cups, die!” she howled, her laughter being followed by more china shattering. Applejack voice was heard as well. “Rainbow, I know you’re happy and all, but do you really have to break every dish and cup in the kitchen? You’re making a mess!” “You don’t have power over me anymore!” “I—hey! Watch where you throw those things! Dang blast RD, that one almost hit me!” “I won’t miss this time!” Rainbow snickered. “This is for making me sleep in a cupboard!” The two ponies continued to argue in the kitchen, creating quite a ruckus. But in the end it didn’t matter. Spike and Rarity were finally together, their love conquering all. “So…” pondered Rarity. “When do you plan on filling me in on what happened over the last year?” Spike chuckled to himself. “I’ll tell you later. But trust me, it’s a great story.”