//------------------------------// // An End to Adventuring: The Final Chapter // Story: Happy Adventuring, Twilight! // by Pennington Inkwell //------------------------------// Twilight took a deep breath. It had been almost three days since Moonstone had given her the warning about Pennington's trip, and he had said nothing to her, himself. Now, her parents had finally come to visit, and Pennington had joined them for dinner, as he'd promised. The table was set, and all of them were waiting for her in the main room of the library, and she had left under the guise of needing to retrieve another pitcher of water. I'll talk to him about it once my parents have left... I can't take the suspense any more! She shook her head. Where is he going? WHY is he going? What is going to happen with us? Taking a deep breath to settle herself before she fell into an obsessively nervous episode, she plastered across her face and stepped back out, where her three guests were all chatting happily. "So, Pennington..." Her mother smiled, looking at him from across the table. "Twilight told us all about your 'adventures,' including some interesting facts about your nom de plume..." Twilight had barely stepped through the kitchen door before she found herself horrified again. "P-Pennington! I'm so sorry! It was when you were sick! I-I was just scared and I needed to talk to someone about it! I didn't mean to give away-" "It's okay, Twilight... Quite frankly, provided that your parents are better at keeping secrets than you are, it would be a relief not to have to keep up some kind of front about it." Pennington smiled, lifting his glass to her mother before taking a drink. "I really just don't want the word out because my mother would practically have a heart attack if she found out what I've been doing..." "What? You mean your own parents don't know?" Twilight's father asked, surprised. "If they did, what good would it do? They'd always be worried about me, probably chew me out over a few of the events in my previous books, and my father has never had a high opinion of Scorching Quill..." He rolled his eyes slightly, chuckling. "You wouldn't believe some of the tricks I've had to use to avoid interviews with my 'intrepid reporter' of a dad." After a moment of pushing at his food with his fork, he set it down again. "Twilight told me that you do some writing yourself, Miss Velvet?" Twilight's mother's face flushed slightly, but she nodded. "I've dabbled, written a few novels myself..." "I took the liberty of checking out a few copies from the library, actually. Very impressive! I was riveted!" He smiled. "Which brings me to a rather important point... I wanted to ask you for your help. Or, depending on how you look at it, offer you an opportunity." Looking over to where Spike and Moonstone were enjoying a large plate of gemstones, he gave his assistant a knowing nod, which she returned, running over to pick up his bag. "I'm afraid that, ever since the Royal Wedding, my health has been on a steep decline. I've done my best to hide it from Twilight, since I didn't want her to worry about me, being the dynamic, kind mare that she is..." When Moonstone handed him his bag, he quickly undid the strap, reaching inside before picking up a large bundle of paper tied with read yarn. "It's taken some time for me to realize that the only thing that can really save me from becoming ill to the point of death or suicide would be a drastic change of scenery... Meaning that I've been planning on leaving Equestria for some time." All three of them seemed about to comment on the statement, but Pennington held up his hoof, begging for a moment more. "This is a manuscript that I haven't been able to finish: Daring Do and the Quest for the Alicorn Amulet. I've given it every effort I can, and spent hours pouring over it, trying to figure out what it needs... but I just can't bring myself to work on it any longer. I was wondering whether or not you'd be able to take a look at it and see what I can't, think of something I couldn't..." He passed the bundle of papers across the table, where Twilight Velvet picked it up into the air with her magic, staring at him hesitantly. "Why? I mean, if you really do just write from experience, why not just use your memories?" "Bad memories, I guess. This came just before a time in my life I wouldn't want to relive in a hundred thousand years..." He shook his head. "But, I'd like to offer you this manuscript. You can rewrite it however you wish, make whatever changes you like, I'll give you full creative liberty... Only on the condition that you make sure it gets published as the next installment in the series, and under whatever name you choose to use. All authorship needs to go to you, along with royalties, credit for the book, and other profits of any kind." Silence fell like a stone. It was several moments before Pennington forced a breaking of the stillness. "In all likelihood, I won't be able to write on this trip, and it's already been more than half a year since the last time I published a new book... " He shook his head. "I just don't want to feel like I'm abandoning the readers..." "And what about me?" Twilight finally spoke up, drawing the attention to herself. "Do you feel like you're abandoning me?" Silence fell again, and again, Pennington was the first to break it. "I'm here, aren't I? If I was going to abandon you, I would have left early in the morning or late at night, before you woke up. However, that didn't stop you from trying to follow me and track me down, last time, did it? When we were at the border and I tried to leave you behind so you'd just go home?" He looked straight into her eyes, and Twilight found herself surprised at the deadness of his stare. Pennington had always kept some kind of exploratory look, some glimmer of eagerness and excitement, but he hadn't been making much eye contact with her ever since the wedding, not even during their lessons. Now, she could see why: that glimmer was gone. The exploratory gaze had been turned inward, leaving only a still darkness behind. "I wouldn't abandon you in a thousand years if it weren't for your own protection, Twilight, like how I sent you away from the hive when I was captured..." He took a deep breath, looking down at his plate. "But I've been doing a lot of thinking ever since I- ...ever since my connection to the hive was severed. The entire fiasco with the wedding could have been avoided if I had just listened to you. If I had just stopped to think about what I was doing!" His hoof pounded down on the table, punctuating his remark. "Did I ever realize why I've been going on these harebrained adventures? I mean, yes, they make a good story, but my books were just an excuse. I went because it wanted to. It was stupid, reckless, and dangerous. That was why. I never thought about the fact that I was invading their home for my own pleasure, possibly upsetting forces that I couldn't control. It didn't matter, just so long as I got the thrill of the danger." He shook his head, tears beginning to well up in his eyes. "I always thought that the compass on my cutie mark just represented that I love to go 'adventuring,' and everyone always encouraged me to do so. I would go out, do whatever I wanted without consequence, sometimes bring back a pretty or powerful souvenir, and then be given a hero's welcome... Ponies being helped by what I did was always just a happy coincidence!" "But now, the scales tipped the other way: my disregard didn't help ponies, it hurt them. Some were even killed in that invasion, and it was my fault! Chrysalis couldn't make me kill you, but the other changelings didn't care at all!" He shook his head again. "Twilight, I don't want to- I can't- believe that my cutie mark could be for something that could destroy a family or take a life! That can't be my destiny! It took a pretty blinding light, but I think I can finally see, now, that my 'adventuring' has just been selfish, done purely for the adrenaline and the praise... And seeing my own greed makes me retch." When he finally looked up at her again, silent tears were running down either side of his muzzle. "I don't want to go... I don't! But I can't live like this, believing that my destiny can leave a foal crying in the street for his dying mother. Somewhere, a little filly is still wondering why her daddy never came home from work on guard duty. I cannot live knowing that my talent rolls the dice of joy and tragedy with the repercussions of my actions!" He took a deep, shuddering breath. "You saved my identity from being lost to the hive, Twilight, but I think I lost 'who I am' in Canterlot... And I'm going to make sure that the change ends for the better... one way or another." He silently wiped away the tears with one hoof. "So, I need to go and learn what my cutie mark means. I need to find out if that reckless disregard for others is who I really am... And the only way that I can do that is to leave and go far away from everything that comprises the life I've been living under that illusion. No more books, no more trips to Canterlot, no more disguises... Just me, trying to discover who I really am. Please, Twilight, I'm begging you to understand..." The two of them stared for a moment, and Twilight's eyes finally turned down towards the floor, locked in thought. "You expected me not to? After all that we've been through and all that you've told me?" When she looked up again, her eyes were filled with tears, as well. "I remember how overjoyed I was the day that I found my cutie mark! It was the same day that Princess Celestia asked me to be her protege! If I were to look back and see that that day was wrong... that my cutie mark had lied to me? I don't think I could bear to believe that I had been living the wrong destiny." Standing up and walking to Pennington, she took hold of him and pressed his crying face into her shoulder. "Of course I would understand why you would want to leave and try looking for it all over again! However... I have a couple conditions." Pulling himself from her enough to look up again, Pennington's questioning look seemed to ask the question when he couldn't speak. "I don't want you to be gone forever, so your little quest needs to have a limit. So... You have to come back for a date at least once a month, and you can't be gone any longer than three months. That's how long it took you to get back to Canterlot from the changeling hive. That's how long I want you to take to recover again." "Three months? But-" "Pennington, I'm not going to let you lead me on. If we're in a relationship, you need to act like it!" She smiled. "But I also know that you have a good reason to leave, and that Moonstone is going to be taking care of you." She smiled and hugged him again as her silent tears began to fall once more. "For perhaps the first time... I trust you to take care of yourself. I trust you to come back alive." The two held one another for a long time, each refusing to let go of the other. "We raised her right, didn't we?" Twilight's mother smiled, gently tucking the manuscript away in her saddlebag in the corner. "So... You're going to do it? Daring Do's fan base could get vicious when they see a different name on the next book." "I'm not worried. It's a welcome challenge and a rare opportunity! Besides, you heard him yourself, honey... He needs this break, and I doubt he'll want to write immediately once he gets back." Nightlight nodded. "A stallion's gotta do what a stallion's gotta do, I guess... Besides, as you like to say, 'absence makes the heart grow fonder,' right?" He leaned over and gently kissed his wife on the cheek. "But don't you go anywhere..." Eventually, inevitably, the day came that Pennington had chosen to leave. A small group of his friends had gathered together outside Inkwell Commissions to bid him farewell. Whipstitch, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Zecora, and Pipsqueak were all there, waiting for him to emerge to say their last goodbyes. "Wait, where's Lily?" Twilight asked quietly. "Dear Pennington is being silly..." Zecora muttered, "and insisting we don't tell Callalily." "But- what about his mane?" "He's going to let it grow in its natural color on his trip... I've never actually seen the real color of his hair." Whipstitch pondered for a moment before shrugging. "But if Lily heard that we was leaving on a trip like this so soon after the wedding, she would NOT be happy." Before Twilight could ask any other questions, the door to Inkwell Commissions slowly swung open, and Pennington emerged, followed closely by Moonstone. He was carrying a huge rucksack on his back, much larger than he had taken on his trip with Twilight. He stopped short when he saw the small group of ponies waiting for him, then smiled as he turned around to lock the door behind him. After a few seconds of fiddling with the lock, Pennington finally turned back around, tears already brimming in his eyes. He didn't take long to reach the end of the short path to the street, coming to a stop in front of the group. "So, you're really going through with it?" Whipstitch asked quietly. "You're doubting yourself THAT much?" Pennington nodded, barely able to keep the tears at bay. Whipstitch stared at him for a moment, then grinned and hugged him. "Then pick me up a nice souvenir, would ya? Maybe one of those nice things you keep in your basement!" Pennington laughed, though it was sightly muted by the tidal waves of other emotions washing over him together. "Yeah! And don't forget to tell Scorching Quill I won't be able to get his next book from you!" Rainbow Dash grinned, floating down to the ground and giving him a gentle punch on the shoulder. "And I'm pretty sure I'll come up with a good commission idea by the time you get back! So you better take care of yourself and get back in one piece!" Pennington rolled his eyes, shaking his head with a smile. "Dash, can you keep a secret?" Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow, but nodded. "Pinkie Promise?" Rainbow Dash's suspicion seemed to grow, but she nodded again. "I guess so... Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!" "I'll trust you to be loyal to your word..." Pennington leaned in close, whispering something in her ear. Rainbow Dash's eyes grew wide, and her jaw fell open wider than Twilight had ever seen. Rainbow Dash stared at Pennington for a moment, who was quickly beginning to break down into uncontrollable snickering. "B-B-But- But- HOW?" Pennington rolled his eyes again, and for a moment, Twilight caught a glimpse of that mischievous smile she was so familiar with. "Then- then that means-" Rainbow Dash still seemed to be struggling to understand what Pennington had told her. "OH. MY. GOSH!" With that exclamation, she finally fell backwards onto the ground, the shock knocking her unconscious with an enormous grin across her face. "Ah dunno what you told her, cousin, but ah think ah can guess..." Applejack took her turn to step forward, taking off her hat. "And your secret's safe with me, too." Reaching into her saddlebag, she pulled out a dark-blue cloak with a small apple embroidered into the corner. "But Granny wanted me to give you this before ya left. Stitched with love." Pennington smiled, momentarily shrugging off the huge bag on his back to try on the cloak. He stared at it for a moment, reflexively trying to use his magic, then shook his head and reached out with his hoof, throwing it across his back. He fumbled with the clasp for a moment, and Applejack quickly helped him to fasten it. "It's perfect..." His eyes beginning to water again, Pennington looked up at Applejack. "How did she know it would fit?" "Penn, if there's one thing you should have learned back when your mom forced you to come to our family reunions, it's that Granny Smith can size up a filly or colt just by lookin' at 'em!" She chuckled, even as Pennington leaned forward and wrapped her in a tight hug. "Tell Granny I thanked her from the bottom of my heart... And that I'll be at the next reunion." Twilight didn't know exactly how important reunions were to the Apple family, but the joy that lit up Applejack's face definitely signified that Pennington willingly attending was definitely significant. "Do ya- Do ya mean that?" Pennington nodded. "It's high time I got back to my roots, rather than trying to rip them up... So I'll be seeing you later, cousin." "If you insist on leaving, Pennington, don't forget your medicine!" Zecora chirped as she placed a fresh, filled pill bottle into a pocket she had opened in his bag. As he turned to face her, Pennington and Zecora simply stared at one another for a long time before each giving a silent nod. "My old friend... Keep on your hooves our there in Everfree." "With sweet sentiment, your words do drip. I will say the same about you on your trip!" The two smiled at one another, exchanged only the briefest of hugs (more like a friendly pat on the shoulder), and Zecora returned to where she had been standing: near the back of the group, able to leave and disappear at a moment's notice. Pennington never told me much about his friendship with Zecora... But I guess that the two of them have gotten to the point of not needing a lot of words to express what they mean. Twilight thought to herself. Finally, Pennington turned to the last of his friends that he hadn't spoken to yet: Pipsqueak. The tiny foal was trying to put on a brave face, but was quickly falling apart as tears ran down the sides of his face. "Mister Penn... Why do you have to go? It seems like you only just got back!" Pennington knelt down, meeting Pipsqueak at eye level. "I know, Pip, and I'm sorry that I haven't had time lately to teach you much about writing... But you can take this chance to practice on your own! Your mother told me that your poetry is coming along really well!" He raised the colt's chin up, giving a gentle smile. "When I come back, I can teach you all about writing your own stories, just like me, okay?" In a sudden leap, Pipsqueak wrapped his front legs as far as he could reach around Pennington's neck, shaking his head. "But I don't wanna practice on my own! I want to practice with you!" Pennington seemed surprised, at first, but quietly smiled and accepted the hug, gently returning it for a few seconds. "Hey, you know what, Pip? I think it's possible that you might get a cutie mark in writing while I'm gone, if you really try! Now THAT would be a great surprise worth coming home to!" He smiled, letting Pip go again. "Then maybe you could teach ME a few things!" Pip wiped away some of his tears, looking up as Pennington rose back up to his full height, strapping the huge backpack back onto his shoulders. "Do you really think so?" "Pip, I think you've got the potential for some great adventures of your own! You could be setting up the base of what will make you happy for a long time!" Pennington smiled. "Besides, this means that, in a way, we're both going to be looking for our cutie marks while I'm gone!" Pip finally smiled, though he still seemed to be crying. "Okay, then! I'll have that cutie mark by the time you come back, Mister Penn! That way I can grow up to be just like you!" Pennington smiled and gave Pipsqueak a short salute before turning to Twilight. It was his turn to begin to cry as the two of them embraced one another, though he hid his tears in her shoulder. "Take care of yourself out there, okay?" Twilight whispered, and Pennington nodded silently in response. "Write to me every day..." Pennington nodded again. "And remember my conditions." "O-okay..." He barely seemed to be able to force the word out. "And, so help me, if you die, I will never forgive you!" Pennington laughed into her shoulder, finally pulling away again and moving his face upwards to whisper in her ear. "Twilight... Just let Inkwell Commissions gather dust. Don't worry about it. But if you ever need help, and I'm not here... if the Elements are ever out of reach or Ponyville is in danger again, I want you to go to my study. Take every copy of 'Daring Do and the Dangerous Descent into the Dragon's Den' off of the shelf. You'll find my iron wings and anything else that you could need to fight back... And if the evil can't be fought, I want you to hide in that vault. You couldn't be safer. Promise me that?" "I promise..." Twilight whispered in return. Pulling away slightly from the hug, the two stared at one another for a moment. "And Twilight, even more importantly... Promise me this: If you have any adventures of your own while I'm gone, make sure that they're happy. Happy adventures are what bring you the best memories, and any other kind of adventure... what you get from it can never last. So please... just promise me that your adventures will be happy, even without me. They're the only ones worth having." He smiled, looking straight into her eyes. "Just keep a smile on that beautiful face..." In spite of the dread of seeing Pennington leaving, Twilight couldn't help but smile and blush. Without a word, she leaned forward, pressing herself into a deep kiss with Pennington. Just as it always had, the sensation sent electric thrills down her spine and made her heart race, pounding harder and faster in her chest with every passing second. As the heat from their lips mingled and grew, a happy spark of energy leaped from her horn to his, and she once again could feel and even smell and taste the faintest of wisps of his energy, like the smells of the ocean and mint tea mingling together. After almost a minute, the two finally parted again, their horns gently colliding as they each stared lovingly into the other's eyes. "I promise, Pennington..." Pennington smiled and nodded. "Thank you..." Stepping away to he could address the group together (except Rainbow Dash, who was still unconscious), Pennington nodded. "Thank you all... I'll be back, I know that I will. But I can't live what I think is either a lie, or a horrifyingly cruel truth." "During all the years, I've been taking care of you, and you in return have been taking care of me. You're still my best friends, and always will be. One day, I will come back..." He glanced down at the ground, tears once again beginning to fall. "Yes, I will come back. Until then, there must be no regrets, no tears, no anxieties..." He glanced from first Zecora, then to Pipsqueak, and finally to Applejack. He turned to look at Whipstitch, now, before finally stopping at Twilight again. "Just go forward in all your beliefs... and prove to me that I am not mistaken in mine. Goodbye, everyone..." His speech finished, Pennington turned and began walking towards the railway station, Moonstone following closely behind. Twilight could tell by his hasty stride that he was forcing himself not to look back, and she knew that if he did, he would be tempted once again by everything that he was leaving behind, possibly beyond what he could resist. However, there was one more thing that she needed to say before he was gone: a thought, a hope, a prayer that she knew he needed to send him on his way. So, taking a deep breath and shouting as loudly as she could, Twilight waved her hoof to her departing love. "HAPPY ADVENTURING, PENNINGTON!" The words caused the stallion to stop in his tracks for a moment before slowly turning back around. This time, he had an enormous grin that nearly filled his entire face, and shone in the sunlight with every ounce of vivacity and joy that he had held when Twilight first met him, and he waved back to her just as enthusiastically as she had. "HAPPY ADVENTURING, TWILIGHT!" Wow. What a journey. This has been one of the most amazing experiences I've ever had and one of the greatest accomplishments of my life. So, as promised, this is my vlog, speaking to all of you face-to-face and from the bottom of my heart! I was limited to only 15 minutes, so I apologize for rushing through my ending! I thought that I had more time! So, for those of you sharp enough to pick up on it, I DID directly quote something in Pennington's farewell! Old-school Doctor Who fans may have noticed, but for the rest of you, here's a clip of the quote! So, thank you all so much! I'd like to leave you all with this quote as we move on and begin anew in our continuation: "Penn and Stone: Dynamic Duo!" There's so much to look forward to, I can't express it in words! I can't wait to see you all there! And again: THANK YOU ALL!!!! I wouldn't be here without you! So, until the next time we meet I wish you all happy adventuring! And I can't wait to get back to work!