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// Epilogue 
// Story: Home Again 
// by drnkntst 
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Epilogue

“And that, young ones, is how your mothers and father met and formed a family,” Luna told the four little foals, varying in age from three and a half to two, crawling all over and around her.
“Auntie Wuna, do you really think we’ll believe Daddy was a ape or somethin’ before?” a tiny pegasus with identical colors of his father asked from his resting place nestled between Luna’s forelegs.
Luna lowered her head, smiled warmly and nuzzled the cute little colt. “Every word of it is true. Has your Auntie Wuna ever lied to you?”
“Yeah, Bumblebee, Auntie wouldn’t lie. Besides, Mommy AJ showed me the picture of Daddy from before he changed to a unicorn so I know it’s true,” a pale violet unicorn filly, whose coat and pure white mane seemed to glisten in the sun, confirmed.
“Alwight, alwight, fine, Diamond Dust, I guess it’s possible. But that still dudn’t explain why he’s a pony now.” Luna had to agree, they never did figure out how he came here or how he returned as a pony. Rick just always said it was his wife and daughter that sent him here and changed him, but they never figured out how.
Luna also had to admit, for being three or under, these foals were very well-spoken. She knew that had to be thanks to their Mommy Twilight. Of course, there was that whole ‘Wuna’ bit that they seemed to be unable to avoid doing, not that Luna wanted them to ever stop. Since the oldest, an Earth pony filly with surprisingly dark brown fur to contrast the same blonde mane and freckles as her mother, named Toffee Apple could talk, Luna had become ‘Auntie Wuna.’ And she loved every second of it.
Rick and the rest of the clan Rhinestone had arranged for nannies and wet-nurses every time they had to leave on an adventure, or just a little romantic get away, But Luna always chased the nannies away, nearly with force sometimes. These little foals were as un-frightened of her as their father was, and that was something Luna still didn’t get very often. There of course were the Crusaders and Pipsqueak, they were not afraid of Luna, but this was different. This was family. True, there was no blood relation between them, but like Rick said, that didn’t matter. Not since her sister, had Luna felt so much familial love.
The youngest foal in the family had fallen asleep sprawled across Luna’s back. She was a unicorn just like her mother had been before her coronation. She had blue fur that was almost as dark as Luna’s with a purple and blue-striped mane and tail. She also had her mother’s curiosity and love of learning. Her name was Evening Star, but everyone just called her Star.
Star had woken up and was gently playing with Luna’s mane absentmindedly, “Auntie Wuna, wha was Daddy like afore he was a pony?”
“Your father before he was a pony?” Luna looked to the ceiling as she thought, “your father was a handsome human. When I first met him, he had just had a fight with Twilight Sparkle and walked off into the night. He had wandered into the Everfree Forest, he was just lucky no creatures had found him. When I approached him, he did not know who I was, but he was still polite. He told me all about the fight and how sorry he was about it. He was so scared he had ruined his friendship with your mothers, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash. Fortunately, he was able to find Twilight after she had followed him into the forest and help her with an injury she had gotten from falling down a hill. Your father carried her all the way back to town the next morning until he collapsed from exhaustion. Your father was and still is the kind of individual who always puts another’s needs first.”
All four foals had stopped what they were doing to listen to Luna’s recounting. None of the ponies they knew talked much about Rick’s two-legged days, so this was all new information to them. Plus, the idea that their daddy had an argument with any of their mommies, especially their Mommy Twilight, seemed almost impossible.
Bumblebee drew himself up to his full height and puffed out his barrel, “when I grow up, I’m gonna be just like Daddy.”
Luna looked down at him and smiled warmly, “oh, and just how do you mean?”
“I’m gonna pwotect my family too! Nopony’s gonna hurt ‘em when I’m awound!”
“Yes, yes I believe you will.” Luna nuzzled Bumblebee again. He tried to act like it was upsetting him, but it didn’t last long and shortly after he was giggling and hugging her snout. Luna was in bliss.
“But Auntie Wuna, what happened after all that?” Toffee Apple asked.
“What do you mean, child?”
“I mean, stories normally end with ‘happily ever after’ or something like that. So what happened after Daddy proposed?”
Diamond Dust spoke up, “silly, they got married, moved in together and then we were born.”
“That may be true,” Luna added, “but in either case, that is a story for another time.”