Act III Epilogue: Life Goes On
Rainbow, Scootaloo, and Fluttershy sat around a corner table at Sugar Cube Corner, watching a very hungry Rarity destroy a hearty breakfast. It was a rare – and somewhat frightening – sight to see the normally upscale mare throw out all manners. Soon enough, the white mare was satisfied and let out a content sigh before noticing the looks she was getting.
“Oh... My apologies. I don't know what came over me.”
Fluttershy giggled and said, “It's alright, Rarity. We understand.”
“Still, a lady should never forget her manners.”
“Oh yeah, I almost forgot. Me and Storm got engaged,” Scootaloo said nonchalantly.
“Uh... what?” Rainbow asked, blankly.
“Oh my, congratulations! Details!” Rarity's eyes sparkled with excitement.
“Well...”
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
Yesterday afternoon...
Scootaloo laid on a grassy hill, her head on Storm's chest as he stroked her mane.
“Hey, Scoots,” He began. “You wanna get married?”
The filly gave a shrug, “Sure.”
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
The silence that followed was palpable.
“What?!” Rarity yelled. “That's it?! He didn't even bring flowers?!”
“I think it's sweet,” Fluttershy said. “He knows Scootaloo doesn't like things like that. I bet he wanted to do something big, but didn't for her sake.”
“Oh... I never thought of it like that,” Rarity admitted.
“My kid's getting married and I don’t even have a special somepony...” Rainbow said, her gaze a million miles away.
“Hey, mom!” Scootaloo puncher the older pegasus lightly on the shoulder, bringing her back to reality. “Welcome back to Equestria. I gotta go. It's my turn to take the Crusaders out.”
“Oh, yeah. I'll see you at home later.”
“Alright you two,” Scoots called. “I know you’re listening. Come on.”
“Yeah!” Pound and Pumpkin both cheered as they came barreling out of the kitchen, capes fluttering behind as they followed their chaperone out.
“We really should be going as well,” Rarity said. “Help me up, if you will, Rainbow.”
“Oh, right.” The colorful pegasus zipped around to her friends side, offering a hoof.
After a bit of maneuvering, Rarity was on her hooves. “Oh, how do other mares do this?”
Fluttershy gave a comforting smile. “Well, think of it like this, you'll only be carrying the little angel for another four months. If you decided on a foal, you would still have eight.”
“See you later Mr Cake!” Rainbow called back to the kitchen as they left the bakery. “So anyway. Why did you decide to have a pup? Wouldn't a foal be easier?”
“Yes, but I feel it is unfair to Virgil,” Rarity explained. “He's the last true member of his clan. This way, his clan can live on, perhaps even grow strong again.”
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
“Good. Now focus the runes through the seal, and release,” Midnight instructed.
A shard of light launched from Twilight's hoof, chasing a clay target carried by Wing Nut. The golem rolled, twisted and flipped, trying to avoid the shot, but it found its target. The light struck the target, blasting it it pieces.
“Yay, mommy!” Aurora cheered. “You did it!”
“Yes she did,” Midnight said with a smile.
“Why is this so much harder than unicorn magic?” the mare asked, a little frustrated. “It's never taken me three months to figure out a spell.”
“It's just too different. It relies on will and intent as opposed to algorithms and formulas,” Midnight explained.
“It's an art, not a science,” Aurora echoed what her father had said on multiple occasions. “Besides, it wouldn't be fair if you’re best at daddy's magic, too.”
“That’s true.” Midnight laughed. “Who's up for a celebratory lunch?”
“Oh, oh, me, me, me!” Aurora bounced up and down, raising her hoof. “Can Uncle Jacob come?”
“We'll see if he wants to,” Twilight said.
“Yay!” the little filly cheered as she ran out the door, followed closely by her mother, hollering for her to slow down.
Midnight stepped out into the chilly air. Winter was approaching, but it wasn't cold enough to break out the winter wear, much to his disappointment. He loved how sexy Twilight was in her winter saddle.
The family made their way through town to the workshop, hoping Jacob was in. The walking conversation was mostly about school and how well it was going for Aurora. Apparently, there’s a couple new students in her class. Eventually, they arrived and Midnight opened the door, leting his wife and child in.
“Mmm,” came a voice from upstairs.
Midnight and Twilight froze instinctively.
“Was that Pinkie?” Twilight asked.
Midnight laughed. “I guess she just couldn't go without one of Jacob's massages.”
The stallion made his way up the stairs as Twi and Aurora waited by the door. Pinkie's moans suddenly grew louder as Midnight came running downstairs, his face beet red.
“Time to go,” he said quickly.
Twilight gave him a perplexed look. “Wait, are they-”
“I'm cumming!” Pinkie cried out.
Aurora was wrapped in a lavender aura as they ran out of the shop.
“Wait! Auntie Pinkie said she wants to come!”
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Rarity laid in the hospital bed, Virgil on one side, Fluttershy on the other, waiting for the doctor to return. Rainbow, meanwhile, was laying across a chair, reading the latest Iron Mare comic.
“Oh, I wish the doctor would hurry,” Rarity said. “I don't want to keep you longer than you need to be.”
“Filthy understands, love,” Virgil assured. “He is a father, after all.”
“Yes, but-”
“Sorry to keep you waiting,” Nurse Redheart said as she came in the room.
“Hey, Red,” Rainbow greeted. “What are you doing here?”
“I just finished with my last patient and decided I'd deliver this news personally,” replied the nurse. “Sorry it took a while, but they needed to make sure the test results were right.”
“Why? Is something the matter?” Rarity asked, worry in her voice.
Redheart rubbed the back of her neck. “Well, it depends on perspective. I take it Twilight cast the compatibility spell?”
“You know she did, Red,” Rainbow said, her comic forgotten and worry for her friend obvious on her face. “She did it before we left medical after the battle.”
Redheart sighed. “You know how the spell works, right?” Everyone, even Rainbow nodded. It was something every mare learns in school, after all. “Well, when an exceptionally powerful, but inexperienced unicorn casts it, it can be... more effective than intended.”
“Is... Is there something wrong with my child?” Rarity asked, tears forming in her eyes.
“No, no, no! They're fine.”
Rarity sighed with relief before something clicked, “They?”
Redheart chewed her lip a moment before saying, “Yes, 'they'. The spell aligned your reproductive system a little too much towards that of a diamond dog... Rarity... You're having a litter of three.”
Rarity stared at her medically inclined friend for a moment before letting out a chuckle and fainting.
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
Midnight munched on his hay fries, listening to his little girl recount their latest crusading exploits. Apparently they welcomed yet another member into their fold. He was the fifth in the past three months. Likely a result of word getting out that Aurora saved the town.
As Aurora talked about exploding taffy pulls, he had to admire her. Sure, she was affected by the horrific events that played out three months prior. She would still wake up screaming about 'the monster' coming to get her, but that was about it. She soldiered on, without care or worry, not letting it slow her down. She was strong, that was for sure.
“-and then he gave Tulip a kiss, so now she has cooties,” the child finished.
“Oh, how horrible,” Twilight said, laughing.
“Cooties is no laughing matter,” Aurora insisted. “It makes you icky, and gross, and makes you want to kiss boys.”
“It makes you want to kiss boys?” Midnight inquired. “But you said you get it from kissing boys.”
The filly sighed. “It’s a downward spiral,”
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
Rose Petal made her way home, humming a happy tune. It was a beautiful day, the Haybury Weather patrol doing as impeccable a job as always. A perfect day for shopping.
The earth pony glanced back at the large bag of dog food to ensure it wasn’t shifting too much. It was a strange thing, the day before, to just find a big dog on her porch, but it seemed friendly and little Lilly had taken a liking to it. The big, pleading, filly eyes had been too much, so they compromised. They would keep him until they found its owner.
She opened her door and walked in, placing her saddlebags and the dog food by the door.
“I’m home!” she called. “Lilly?”
The lack of an answer was concerning, but she doubted it was anything less than a game she was playing. Rose made her way through the house to her daughter’s playroom and walked in.
“Honey, I got the-”
Her eyes slowly widened as she took in the sight that greeted her. Her daughter... or, she assumed it was, despite her skin being nowhere in sight, was hanging from the middle of the ceiling by puppet strings. A look of torment plagued her lifeless eyes.
Rose let out a horrified scream.
“Oh, I hope you don’t mind,” said a deep, silky voice behind her. “It got a little chilly
Rose spun around to see the dog, standing on its hind legs with a mocking smirk and a fur cloak around his shoulders. He grabbed the cloak and lifted it, showing it off.
“Do you like it? I thought such a pretty child would make a lovely garment. And as a bonus, as I was skinning her, reveling in her pained screams,” He lifted his left fore paw, showing a wicked black, metal claw covering it, “this appeared! I’m not sure what it really is, but I can feel the dark magic seething from it. Let’s see what it does, shall we?”
The dark claw buried itself into the mare’s chest. Rose’s scream built as it she began convulsing, her flesh seeming to shrivel, as if being drained of life, as the dog felt energy flowing into him. He pulled the claw from his victim and looked down at her in fascination. Her body looked like it had been that of a one-hundred year old that was mummified... yet he could still feel her suffering.
“Oh my,” he said as he looked at the claw. “I believe I have a new favorite toy.”
The evil coyote turned and walked out the door, setting the house ablaze with hellfire as he left.
“Don’t worry, father. I will teach you suffering, too... and I’ll add that lovely little girl of yours to my new cloak.”