//------------------------------//
// Epilogue 
// Story: the end of nightshade's reign 
// by Foolish hoominzez 
//------------------------------//

Canterlot, 977 years later...

A brown stallion hastily put a basket down on the steps of a Canterlot home, then galloped away to a blue police box. The police box soon dematerialized and vanished. The door of the home opened. A yellow mare with a shiny green mane stepped out, only to find the basket on her steps. Her purple eyes shined with curiosity. She opened the lid of the basket. A light blue unicorn filly was inside, sleeping soundly and covered by a cream-colored blanket. The filly's neon green mane was a bit messy. The mare gasped. "Wheatgrass! You have to come here right now! And I MEAN IT!" 

A dark green-yellow stallion appeared behind her. "Topaz Tulip, what's all the fuss abo- oh, oh my." 

Topaz Tulip beamed. "This... this is our new child! We'll finally be parents!" 

Wheatgrass picked up the basket and carried it inside. "She sorta looks like us, plus she's a unicorn just like both of us. Maybe she won't think she's adopted." 

Topaz nodded. "What should we name her? Oh, I can't believe I'm finally a mother..." 

Wheatgrass studied the sleeping filly carefully. "Well... flower names are popular in my family... how about Bluebell?" 

Topaz smiled beautifully. "Perfect! Oh, Wheatgrass, I can't believe it, I just can't believe it! I wonder how my brother and sister will react!"  

He sighed. "Right... can we trust them to keep their mouths shut?" 

"What do you mean? The only other child is Scarlet Quartz, and she's much too young..." 

Wheatgrass shook his head. "But your brother... he's such a bigmouth about... well, about everything." 

Topaz Tulip picked at the ground with her hoof. "True, Silk Hat doesn't exactly know how to keep secret, but-" 

The door flung open. "Sister, did I hear my name?" A snotty looking light brown unicorn stallion trotted inside. His greyish mane was perfectly groomed, as was his equally uppity wife and daughter's. The stallion's wife was holding her infant daughter and had a snotty look on her deep red face. 

If babies could be classified as uppity, then her daughter would fit it perfectly: a dark pink coat that complemented her mother's almost perfectly, an immaculate light red mane, and for some reason, the fanciest baby shoes in all of Canterlot. Or at least that's what it seemed. Topaz Tulip cringed. Wheatgrass cleared his throat. "Erm, this wasn't the best time for you to co-" 

"Nonsense! What's in that basket?" The stallion looked over at the basket and saw the filly. 

Topaz Tulip sighed. "In the name of Celestia, Silk Hat, I will personally murder you and mount your head on my wall if you dare even drop hints that our daughter was adopted!" 

Silk Hat and his wife were clearly taken aback by Topaz's behavior. "Err... what's her name?..." 

Wheatgrass smiled proudly. "Bluebell. Her name is Bluebell. And remember what my wife said..." Silk Hat nodded. 

His wife spoke up. "So, let me get this straight. You'll be LYING to your daughter? Well, that's just-" 

Topaz Tulip's eyes flared and she rushed over to Silk Hat's wife. "YOU LISTEN TO ME! MY DAUGHTER WILL NOT GROW UP AN OUTCAST! SO KEEP YOUR BIG, UGLY MOUTH SHUT, ROSE SHADOW!"  Rose Shadow seemed appalled. Topaz Tulip stepped back and sighed. 

"Well... I'm sorry. May I see the darling?" 

Wheatgrass nodded and picked up Bluebell, then gave her to Rose Shadow. For the first time, Bluebell opened her neon green eyes and looked around. She looked at her aunt. 

Bluebell blinked, then let out a piercing wail of disapproval.

********************************************************************************************                                                                                         THE END (for now...)