//------------------------------// // Epilogue: The Four Sunrises // Story: Moon Fall // by 007Delta //------------------------------// o.0.O== Golden Oak Library ==O.0.o A thick sheet of fog hung over Ponyville. The residents had been moved back into the city a few hours ago, and an eerie silence had befell the land. In the quiet, seemingly empty city, Twilight Sparkle stood over a small stone grave placed in front of her library. When Nightmare fainted, all the magic she had used dissipated, freeing Twilight from her spherical prison. She immediately ran over to Spike and tried to coax him back to life. In her mind, she couldn't believe Spike was gone. On her way to her home, she had carried Spike's dead body on her back, as if he were still alive. She talked to it as well. "How are you feeling?" She had said through tears. The baby dragon on her back said nothing, it only lay stiffly against her skin. "I know you're sleepy, Spike, we'll be home soon." She had continued to walk, tears steadily rushing down her face. "You were brave back there, standing up to Nightmare Moon like that,". She looked over at Spikes peaceful looking body. "I just wanted to let you know that I'm proud of you. You're going to grow up to be a wonderful dragon..." She began to sob profusely, knowing full well that Spike had drew his last breath hours ago. She stopped and let her head hang low. "I'm sorry Spike, Im sorry..." She managed to sputter out. She knew the truth, no one had hidden it from her but herself, and as she carried her dead friend on her back, she realized that. But as she stood in front of her deceased assistant, she simply couldn't bring herself to believe it. She stood silently over the grave, when through the fog, a black figure emerged. Twilight knew who it was and launched herself at the figure, horn ablaze and hungry for revenge. "Nightmare Moon, you black hearted, murderous piece of-" "Twilight!" Said a panicking white mare beneath her. Twilight looked down into the pony's eyes, realizing soon that it was just Rarity, dressed heavily in black for Spike's passing. Twilight backed away, her head down in sorrow once again, muttering an almost inaudible apology. Rarity picked herself back up, a gentle look of concern on her face. "I know it's hard, Twilight". She put her hoof on the sulking Alicorn's shoulder. "I know that in your heart, you will never be able to truly let go..." Rarity lit her horn a light teal, before a gold and red pendant gently floated from around her neck and onto the grave. Twilight immediately recognized it as Spike's fire ruby, the one he had given to Rarity a while back. It hung on the grave, slowly swinging in the wind. "But try not to linger on it too long, darling." Rarity then walked to the grave, looked at it gloomily, before kissing the surface and walking away, her silhouette against the sunrise. o.0.O== Sweet Apple Acres ==O.0.o Applejack opened the door to her home, only to find Applebloom sitting on the couch, a hopeless look on her face. "Hey there, Applebloom,". Said the orange pony gingerly. Applebloom simply turned her head towards Applejack, her expression unchanged. "Are... Are you alright there, sugarcube?." "We almost died." She said solemnly. "Everypony almost died." She turned her head towards the window. "It makes me think about life... About time." She looked back over, the same lost expression on her face. "And just how little we have of both." Applejack's ears flattened against her head as she forced a smile to her lips. "Oh, don't look at it like that, Bloom," "Why not?" She said quickly, her eyes looking sad and confused. "Why look at it any other way?" Applejack opened her mouth to speak, but couldn't think of an answer suitable for her question. Applebloom shook her head. "You know why? Because it's the truth. The world outside is ugly, dark, and full of sadness, and the life I've known has been so worry free and careless." Applebloom suddenly looked frustrated. "To look at it any other way would just be pretendin' it didn't exist!" There was a long pause between the two sisters as they stared at each other. Finally, Applebloom's expression changed to that of a sad little filly. "I don't wanna pretend anymore, sis..." Applejack started to trot towards her, her sights set on comforting the small pony, but Applebloom only held out her hoof. "Ah need to be alone right now..." She put her head down and closed her eyes. Applejack walked by her silently, before turning and heading upstairs. As she reached the top of the steps, she caught sight of Granny Smith. She was knocking on Big Mac's bedroom door, speaking softly and tenderly to the red stallion behind it. "Oh, come out already, young 'un, the disaster's gone and passed,". She said gently thought the door. "N-Nope!" Came Big Mac's panicked reply. "But everythin's fi-" "Nope!" Yelled Big Mac through the door, obviously frightened. Applejack let out a small puff of air through her nostrils. Even though Big Mac was a startlingly strong pony, he wasn't a very brave one. Applejack went inside of her room, a goofy, but out of place smile on her lips. She knew it was over, and she was relieved that she and her family had survived... But the emotional stress and trauma that it brought would remain as long as they all lived. She sincerely hoped that Applebloom cheered herself up soon, she wasn't sure she would be able to tolerate this new, grim little filly..." Oh well. She stared out at the dim landscape, just as the sun began to poke it's fiery head from behind the hills. She looked down on the landscape, noticing a large platoon of Royal Guards stationed outside of Ponyville, their heads raised and their horn ablaze. Why would the Royal guards be moving the sun and not Celestia? Unless she had... Applejack reached up to grab her hat off her head, and when her hoof only felt her blonde mane, a shiver of fear crawled down her spine. Her hat was missing. Where could it have go- She quickly recalled her parents tree, and her returning the hat to her father. Now that she had noticed it's absence, she couldn't help but be bothered by the sudden lightness of her head. She had grown quite accustomed to that Stetson, and without it, she just felt... Incomplete. The event had changed even her. She just sat there, running her hoof through her hair as she watched the sun ascend from beyond, rays of morning sunlight shining peacefully through her window. It really was a beautiful sunrise. o.0.O== Fluttershy's Cottage ==O.0.o Fluttershy sat quietly across from a royal blue unicorn. The Pegasus had found her perched uselessly in a cloud, just above the Canterlot ruins. Seeing as Trixie had no wings, she gently pushed the cloud down to ground, allowing her to escape the confines of the puffy prison and plant her hooves in the grass once again. She had been left stranded by Twilight after she dove after Nightmare with the potion, and had been stuck on the cloud for several hours. Fluttershy had said her goodbyes to the blue magician, before she asked to stay at her cottage. Trixie had been left homeless after an encounter with Timberwolves, and seeing as she had no place to stay, she obliged. Fluttershy wasn't entirely sure where Dash went, as she flew away a few minutes after the moon began rising. The yellow Pegasus had quietly objected, but Dash's mind had already been made. She had flown off to take care of what she called, "One last piece of business" Now Trixie sat awkwardly across from Fluttershy in her cottage, silently sipping on a mug of coco, watching the yellow Pegasus as she meticulously catered to her small white bunny. She watched as Fluttershy rolled his white tail into hair curlers, before turning around to prepare a large bowl of leaves, carrots, and other fruits and vegetable for the bunny. All the while, Angel sat and tapped his foot impatiently. "Thank you for letting be stay here, Fluttershy." "Oh, it's no problem at all,". Said the yellow Pegasus gently as laid the bowl in front of Angel, who began stuffing his face ungratefully. Trixie finished off the last drops of her coco, before she stood from the table and walked to Fluttershy's green couch. "Um, is it OK if I sleep here?" She motioned to the three seater. "You can have my bedroom upstairs if you like," Trixie put on a gentle smile, and thanked Fluttershy, before retiring wearily to the bedroom. Fluttershy watched her as she disappeared up the staircase and heard a door close gently. She thought about what Dash could have meant by 'One last piece of business.' "I wonder where that rainbow maned dare devil has gone of to this time?" She thought as she stared out of her circular window into the sunset. o.0.O== Scootaloo's House ==O.0.o A small orange filly walked silently and alone down a small dirt path, just outside of Ponyville. She knew this dreaded walk all too well, but what she resented most, was it's destination. Her home. She slowly approached her front door, and lifted her hoof to turn the knob. She stopped as she realized it had been locked. She sighed as she lowered her head. She was hoping to slip in quietly, to try and avoid her mother's abusive gaze, but now she would be forced to knock on the door. She rapped against the cheap wood quietly, hoping to Celestia that her mother wasn't in a bad mood, but cringed slightly as she heard a pair of angry hooves storm to the front door. There were several sounds of locks being undone, before the door swung open to reveal a livid chestnut Pegasus. "Where. Have. You. Been!" She screamed at her. "Oh don't tell me, I already know. You were hanging out with that perverted Wonderbolt wanna be, sneaking in a few last minute thrills before the-" Scootaloo suddenly raised her voice. "She's not a pervert!" Scootaloo stared daggers at her mom. "She's more of a mother than you've ever been!" The chestnut pony's face contorted with hate, before she wound up, and slapped Scootaloo to the ground. "Don't you ever raise your voice at me, you insolent little brat!" Scootaloo could only look up in fear as her mother berated her. She felt a bruise forming on her cheek, the pain swelling from the hit. The chestnut Pegasus raised her hoof for another attack, when suddenly, there was a gust of wind and a cloud of dust. She saw her mother reel back in surprise, and could hear her coughing somewhere behind the smokescreen The cloud slowly dissipated, revealing a rainbow maned pony standing between Scootaloo and her mother. The chestnut pony could only stand in shock. Her body didn't even have time to process the event, and stood there, dumbstruck by Dash's sudden appearance. "Every. Last. Bruise.". She stated, before she stood on her hind legs and pulled her hoof back. She then drove it into her brown cheek, fury, anger and righteousness flowing through her front leg. The force of the punch was brutal, and knocked the neglectful mother off of her feet and inside her house. The pony partially disappeared onto the darkness of her home, before Dash turned around to Scootaloo, who only stared at Dash as if she was some sort of guardian angel. Dash walked over to the little filly, a sad expression on her face as she stared into the bruise. She could see it reddening and swelling, and let out a small pained whimper as she caressed Scootaloo's face. A tear began to form in her eye, and she drew Scootaloo in a close hug. She could feel the little orange filly's hooves wrap around her waist, and rest her head just under her neck. "I love you sis,". Said Scootaloo quietly, her eyes closed as she held her sister. Dash only held on to Scootaloo tighter. She desperately wanted to take her as far away as possible from her horrible home... But she couldn't do that, not without the Royal Guard hunting her down and bringing her back. Not to mention, Dash would be locked away, giving her mother the last laugh. She could only hope that everything turned out alright for her, and do her best to comfort her when things got rough. Dash broke the hug before she looked directly into Scootaloo's eyes, the sunset reflected in her pupils. "I love you too," End of Book One Inspired by: The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask Melancholia, directed by Lars Von Trier And of course, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic