Epilogue
Ace Pinecone looked up at the moon as it slowly rose above the horizon. Tonight would be a momentous night for squirrels and all of squirrelkind. It would be talked about for generations to come all over the world. Ace hoped this gesture would unify squirrels everywhere and remind them that whether they came from a nest near Sweet Apple Acres or a nest near the cottage of Fluttershy or even from a nest in the faraway and exotic land of Ponyville train station, they were all, ultimately, squirrels together. Brothers and sisters alike.
Ace looked up at the thing he was about to ride, the result of months of work, and then to his friend Sciuridae. Ace reckoned there was none more well versed in squirrel-science and squirrel-magic than Sciuridae. Some said she was the personal student of the Queen of the Forest come from lands afar to learn about the plight of the common squirrel. Whatever the truth, she had proven a loyal friend and Ace trusted her to know what she was doing.
Nodding, he turned to the crowd of well wishers and waved. To his eyes, four squirrels stood out in particular. There was Bushy, with her large and well groomed tail. Prissy sometimes, but with a heart of gold. Then there was Oak, a common, hardworking squirrel that was anything but common. Next was Sugarcane, always shy, but always kind and gentle. And last but not least was Nuts, always good for a laugh. His eyes met each of them in turn. Good friends. The finest friends a squirrel could ask for.
Turning away from them, Ace walked towards the unexploded firework. It would be wrong to say he did not feel fear. Only a foolish squirrel would think that nothing could go wrong. No, Ace felt fear but he embraced it, letting the surge of adrenaline motivate him as it pulled him into the present moment.
He stretched out his limbs to let Sciuridae attach the straps. Once again, he looked up at the silver disk as it fully rose above the horizon. Tonight was the night that a squirrel would visit the moon, not because it was easy, but because it was hard. Squirrelkind would finally learn the answers to so many questions that had plagued it for generations. What was it like up there on the moon? Was there other squirrel-like life? Most importantly, were there any good places to stash nuts?
Ace took one last look at his friends as Sciuridae prepared to light the firework. Sugarcane was mostly hidden behind her tail, but she was still peeking out. In the last moments, Ace caught Sciuridae’s eyes, and they shared a look that said more than squirrel-words ever could. Then, reluctantly, Sciuridae turned towards the fuse—
“Git out of here you damn thievin' varmints!”
An orange pony in a Stetson leapt from behind the nearby cowshed armed with a broom in her mouth.
With a chattering sound, dozens of squirrels scampered from the scene.