When the young couple floated back to the ground, their lips were still locked. The world around them had returned to normal and not a changeling, except Mothball, was in sight. The fillies and colts hopped out of their hiding places and cheered. Discord was struck in awe, but still angry.
"At some point they should come up for air!" he exclaimed furiously.
Applejack rolled her eyes. "Hon, the boy just saved our lives! Not to mention he brought Zany back."
When the pair finally pulled away, Mothball was smiling like an idiot.
"Wow!"
His eyes spun in circles and animated hearts popped up behind his head. This made Screwball giggle. Her friends rushed to her side and embraced her.
"That was amazing!" Apple Blossom shouted.
"Heroic!" Cinnamon Stick added.
"Cool!" the Tri-Pies piped.
"Romantic!" Cinnamon Roll sighed.
"Awesome!" Prism said, but then she stuck out her tongue. "Even if it did involve kissing."
"So you guys aren't mad at me?" Screwball asked hopefully.
"Of course not!" Dinky insisted. "We forgive you!"
"Yeah," Cinnamon Stick said, putting his hoof to his bandaged head. "It wasn't even that bad."
Meanwhile, Mothball was twirling in circles, lost in the memory of the bliss he had just experienced.
"Uh oh," Apple Blossom chuckled. "Screwy, I think your kiss did more than save the world. You've made the poor boy all loopy!"
The group laughed. Screwball broke their hug and walked over to her coltfriend. She put her hooves on his shoulders to stop him from falling over. Mothball then returned to his senses, only to get lost in her hypnotic swirls.
"I'm proud of you, Screwy."
They turned toward Twilight, who had her horn back.
"You lost yourself in your emotions, but in the end, you did not lose sight of what was truly important: the love for your family, the love for your friends, and," the alicorn smirked, "the love for your colt."
Mothball blushed nervously. "Princess...I know I've done some bad things in the past, but I swear I'll be careful around ponies! I can become a vegetarian and live on chocolate!"
Twilight laughed. "You are pardoned, Mothball."
The alicorn's mirth diminished when Discord stepped in front of her. Mothball shrunk under the draconequus' strict glare. His arms were folded and his face wore a frown. The changeling clung to Screwball for leverage. She gave him a reassuring squeeze.
Discord glanced between the two. Neither said anything for a long while. Then he sighed and extended his paw towards the changeling.
Mothball looked at it unsurely. He glanced at Screwball, who was grinning excitedly. She let go of him and nudged him toward Discord's paw. The prince gazed up at the draconequus. His eyebrow was raised, as if to say: Do you want my daughter or not?
The changeling slowly raised his hoof and placed it in his paw. As soon as they made contact, Mothball felt a bolt of electricity and shook uncontrollably. He wrenched his hoof away.
Discord started laughing and revealed the joybuzzer in his paw. He clutched his stomach as he collapsed to the ground. The Pie family was laughing as well, as was Screwball. The others either giggled or just grinned in amusement.
Mothball looked at his marefriend in confusion. "What are you laughing at? Your dad just electrocuted me!"
Screwball chuckled as she patted him on the back. "Baby, that's his way of showing that he likes you!"
The changeling looked at the others. Cinnamon Stick gave him a shrug.
"It's true."
Mothball then found himself snickering. Everyone went silent however when Rainbow Dash emerged from Derpy's house. Her face was solemn. She saw that the world was normal again and that Screwball was holding hooves with a changeling, but all that mattered was the news she was about to deliver.
"Rainbow, what's wrong?" Applejack inquired.
The pegasus hung her head. "It's Fluttershy."
Discord flung the door to Derpy's room open. The Dash twins backed into the corners, allowing him to see the scene more clearly. Derpy was standing off to the side, sniffing as she held a plate of muffins. Rarity was kneeling by the bed, removing a stethoscope from her head. Fluttershy lay on the cot, completely still. The unicorn looked sadly up at Discord and shook her head.
He walked slowly toward his wife, his eyes locked entirely on her frozen face. He gently put his fingers to her neck. No pulse. He laid his paw on her chest. No heartbeat. No breath.
The others crowded in the doorway, gasping at the sight. Screwball pushed forward, her brother in her hooves. She paused in the middle of the room. She looked to Rarity.
"Is she...?"
Rarity hung her head and nodded.
"No," Discord uttered.
He lifted Fluttershy's lifeless body and held her close. Her once soft yellow fur was now pale and stiff. He sobbed into her pink mane. Its rosy scent had gone stale and her strands of silk had gone brittle.
He pulled away slightly to look at her face. Never again would he see her sweet smile, nor her sparkling teal eyes. Never would he hear her enchanting voice or her delicate laughter.
She was gone. For real, this time.
Screwball squeezed Zany as tears fell from her eyes. Mothball pulled her in for an embrace and allowed her to cry on his shoulder. He stroked her mane sympathetically.
Fluttershy's friends all shed tears, but they knew neither of them were as heartbroken as Discord.
"I'm sorry, Fluttershy," he whispered, running his hands through her fur and mane. "I'm so sorry! No amount of chaos can replace my love for you. Please, don't leave me now. I love you. Fluttershy, I love you so much."
He pressed his face to hers. "Come back to me."
As he said that, a golden tear fell from his eye and landed on Fluttershy's forehead. Slowly, her colors returned and her heart started up again.
Her eyes fluttered open and she looked up at her husband's teary face.
"Discord?" she uttered.
Discord gasped and looked at her. "Fluttershy?"
The others lifted their heads in disbelief, their mouths spreading into smiles.
"Did...did we win?" Fluttershy asked.
The draconequus nodded, his tears now falling with joy.
"Oh, Fluttershy!"
He embraced his wife, surprising her, but she returned his hug.
"How...?" Applejack breathed. "How is this possible?!"
"It...it isn't!" Twilight exclaimed happily. "There's no way she... Oh, but who cares?!"
Screwball left Mothball and ran to her parents.
"Mom!"
The couple pulled away and opened their arms for their daughter. Fluttershy weeped at the sight of Zany.
"Oh, my baby!" she cried. "I thought I had lost you!"
"We thought we had lost you!" Screwball sniffed.
"Our family," Discord sighed, "together at last!"
"Promise me we'll never split up again?"
The draconequus shook his head with a laugh. "Never."
Mothball smiled as the family embraced each other. He was happy that they were whole again, but it also made him sad. The changelings were the only family he had ever known. Now that he had left them, he had no one. He did not even have a place to live.
Then Fluttershy noticed Mothball. She was surprised to see him here, but given the fact that Discord had not vaporized him, she figured things were sorted out between them now. She reached out her hoof toward him. Mothball beamed as he took it and she pulled him in.
Pinkie Pie blew her nose in a handkerchief.
"It's so beautiful!" she cried.
Then she smiled suddenly. "Hey! You know what this calls for?"
Everyone laughed.
"Yes, Pinkie," Twilight said. "We definitely do."
The park was covered with streamers, balloons and ponies dancing to Vinyl Scratch's music. Ponies were crowding Screwball and Mothball, thanking them for saving Ponyville. Their attention was diverted when the chariots of the royal sisters landed on the grass. Every pony bowed as the two princesses walked toward Twilight.
"Did we miss anything?" Luna inquired.
The purple alicorn chuckled. "Quite a bit."
On the other side of the park, the colts and fillies were playing Pin the Tail on the Pony. Prism took off her blindfold and gasped.
"I won!"
The Tri-Pies cheered and pinned a blue ribbon in her mane. They squealed when the music changed.
"Ooh!" Blueberry squeaked. "I love this song!"
"Me too!" said Raspberry.
"Dance off!" Cherry declared.
Prism was about to follow the triplets to the dance floor when she spotted Gemstone sitting by herself with her head down. The pegasus filly walked up to the unicorn.
"Hey, Gem."
Gemstone looked up, surprised that some pony was talking to her. Prism held out her hoof with a smile.
"You wanna come dance with us?"
The unicorn's face lit up. "Really? I'd love to!"
Rarity grinned as she watched her daughter join the other fillies. Her smile faded as she caught sight of the many couples dancing together. The fact that her special some pony was not with her made her sigh sadly.
"Rarity!"
Her head shot up and turned to the stallion that was racing toward her. She could not believe her eyes.
"Fancy Pants?"
Her husband stopped and caught his breath before answering. "Yes!"
"W-what are you doing in Ponyville?"
He grabbed her hoof and looked her desperately in the eye.
"Rarity, what happened between me and Fleurs-de-lils was nothing! I did not encourage us getting back together! She forced herself upon me! I do not love her, nor do I have any intentions for her! I swear!
"Still, I should have told you about seeing her earlier. Please, please forgive me, Rarity! I love you and only you!"
Rarity's eyes were watery. "You...you came all the way from Canterlot...to get me back?"
He caressed her face with his hoof. "Of course. I wasn't going to lose you, not without a fight."
She could not remember a time when he was any more romantic. She flung her forelegs around his neck.
"I'm the one who should be apologizing," she insisted. "It was me who jumped to conclusions. I should have heard your side of the story first."
Fancy Pants smiled in gratitude. "My dear, why don't we promise to always be open with each other and to never again hold back our feelings?"
Rarity pulled away and nodded. "Agreed. So, now that we're being open with each other..."
She took a deep breath and spoke rapidly.
"I'm tired of living in Canterlot. Oh, the ponies are so rude and vulgar! I think we should move back to Ponyville. I'll be closer to my friends and business is much better here. And I'd prefer it if you stop patting me on the head in public, I feel like a trophy wife! Oh, and you hardly spend any time with little Gemstone! You should take her to school every day from now on. Oh, and darling, that bow tie is so wrinkled! And you really need to find a new dry cleaner..."
Applejack watched the couple from afar and shook her head with a smirk. Spike approached her, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Rarity told me what the changelings said to you," he admitted.
The cowgirl glanced at him and hung her head.
"Do you really think I picked you as a last resort?"
She met his eyes. "No, but...sometimes, I can't help but think...you would've married her had I not spoken up. You hardly noticed me before then, and...well...I'm not..."
He laid his claw on her shoulder. "You're my wife, AJ. Sure, I liked Rarity first, but I love you."
"So...you don't think Rarity's prettier than me?"
Spike smiled as he lifted her chin. "Rarity's as pretty as a gem, but you, AJ, shine like gold."
Tears fell down her cheeks as Applejack embraced her beloved dragon.
After explaining the day's events to the princesses, Twilight felt a tap on her shoulder. She whirled around to face...
"Flash?"
The golden pegasus was not wearing his armor. It had been a long time since she had seen him like that. He looked down at his hoof as it drew circles in the ground. Twilight was about to ask the princesses to leave but saw they were already gone.
They were silent for a while and did nothing but stare at each other awkwardly.
"Hey," Flash finally said.
"Hey," Twilight repeated.
Another silence.
"Look," the stallion sighed. "I know you hate me, and you probably don't want to speak to me..."
"I'm sorry."
His ears perked up. "What?"
Twilight stepped toward him. "I'm sorry. What happened between us was stupid. I mean what we had was wonderful, but the way it ended was just plain stupid! I didn't even bother trying to patch things up with you. I...I've been an idiot."
Flash Sentry lowered his head. "I'm sorry too. It takes two ponies to end a relationship, after all. And...for what it's worth...I never wanted it to end."
She blushed slightly. "Can...can we start over? And at least be friends again?"
He raised his eyebrow at her. "No."
Her smile faded. "What?"
"I don't want us to be friends."
"Then...why did you come here?"
"To give you this."
He reached into his saddle bag and pulled out a small blue box. Twilight gasped as he opened it to show a sparkling amethyst ring.
"I was planning to give it to you before we broke up," Flash explained. "You don't have to say yes, but I at least want you to have it. See, I saved up a lot of money to get this and I was hoping that someday you might..."
"Yes."
He looked up. "What was that?"
Twilight shouted, "YES!"
She surprised him by fiercely pressing her lips against his. He smiled and wrapped his forelegs around her. Twilight had forgotten how wonderful it felt to kiss him. She silently swore never to doubt him again.
Derpy was dancing solo. She did not mind. She had accepted being single long ago. Her daughter was a little ways off with Cinnamon Stick, but the mare was not lonely. As long as Dinky was happy, she was happy.
"Derpy?"
The pegasus froze in place at the sound of a voice she had not heard in years. She turned slowly, praying she was not dreaming.
There he was. He had not changed: brown coat, brown mane, blue eyes, hour-glass cutie mark. He even wore the green tie she had given him.
And he still made her weak in the knees.
The Doctor turned his head to the gray unicorn with wonky eyes.
"Is that...?"
Derpy nodded dumbly. "Her name is Dinky."
"She's beautiful," he said, facing her again, "like her mother."
The pegasus blushed.
"Is she happy?"
"Yes," Derpy replied, "but she needs her father."
"Derpy," he said seriously, "you understand I'm only here for a moment."
She sighed. "Daleks?"
"Cybers, but that was a good guess." He paused. "I'm sorry I left you so abruptly, Derpy. See, there are other worlds that need me. I came back so I could properly say goodbye."
Derpy shook her head. "I don't like goodbyes, but if you're going to say anything, say it to Dinky. I...I want her to meet her father."
The Doctor looked nervously at the young mare dancing with the brown colt.
"Alright," he said.
He approached the filly. She did not see him at first, but when she did, she stopped. Her mismatched eyes squinted at him.
"Do I know you?"
He smiled. "No, but I'm a friend of your mother's."
Cinnamon Stick rolled his eyes. "Yeah, that's what they all say."
The Doctor laughed. "Smart lad, here. Is he your boyfriend?"
Dinky blushed. "Yeah, you could say that."
"Well, I know this doesn't mean much to you, but I approve."
He turned to leave. Dinky watched him curiously.
"Wait!" she called. "What did you say your name was?"
He looked over his shoulder. "They call me...the Doctor."
Dinky's eyes widened. She continued to watch the stallion as he walked over to her mother and embraced her. Her mother was sobbing and looked as if she did not want to let him go.
"You did a good job taking care of her," he whispered.
Derpy said nothing, only tightened her grip on him.
"I love you," she sniffed.
He pulled away and gazed into her eyes. "I love you too."
Dinky recognized the stallion. She had seen him a couple times before: at the schoolyard, when she was hanging out with her friends. He had watched her. By the way her mother was looking at him, it was clear he was not just some stalker.
When she reached a conclusion, he was disappearing inside a tall blue box. Dinky raced toward him.
"Dad!" she called. "Dad, wait!"
She came to a halt as the box faded in and out, making a strange noise. In a few seconds, it was gone.
Derpy approached her daugher and patted her on the back.
"It was him, wasn't it?" Dinky asked.
Her mother sighed. "It was, Dinky."
The filly sniffed. "Why didn't he stay?"
"He's needed elsewhere, but he does love you, Dinky." She wrapped her wing around her daughter. "Your daddy loves you."
Discord and Fluttershy decided to get away from the festivities and walked to an empty area of the park. Their time alone together was long overdue and the first thing they did was share a passionate kiss.
"I never should have doubted you," Discord said. "I should have known you would never betray me." He chuckled nervously. "I'm such a nutcase."
Fluttershy smiled. "It's alright. It's all in the past now." She glanced back at the party. "Are you alright with Screwball's coltfriend?"
"Well...he's not exactly what I had in mind, but...he did rescue both our children and...Screwy seems happy." He grunted. "Does he really have to move in with us though?"
"Now Discord, you know he can't return to the hive. He helped bring us back together. The least we can do is give him a place to stay."
"I've already given him my daughter! Next thing you know, he'll be asking for my throne! Why, if I could get my paw and claw around his neck..."
"Honey!" Fluttershy gasped.
He sighed. "You're right. You're right! He'll take good care of Screwy. It's just that..." He turned away. "I don't want to lose my little girl."
"Aw, Daddy!"
He looked up and saw Screwball hovering above him. She had been listening to the conversation. Not on purpose, for she and Mothball were taking a stroll too.
Screwball floated down and hugged her father around his neck.
"I'll always be your little girl," she declared.
Discord smiled and wrapped his arms around the filly. No matter what would happen, no matter how big she would get, she would always be his daughter Screwball, and he would always be there for her.
For he was her Daddy Discord.