Rather than waiting the time it takes to fly home, Mindy and Sunset get us home instantly. As the teleportation field fades, I rush into the house. A few minutes inside, and I rush out, winging my way to the hospital. Before too long, I’m standing at a closed door. I move my ear to the door, hearing nothing.
“Dad.” Comes a quiet voice.
I turn and accept a hug from my daughter.
She gulps a few times, “Mama Irony was in really bad shape, I got her to the hospital first thing.”
I smile, “You did awesome, Hannah.”
“Dr. Ray is with her now, doing an involved healing weave, she said. She will open the door when she’s done.”
I sigh, and let my oldest daughter lead me to the waiting room. After a few minutes, the rest of the herd shows up, Mischief is passed over to me, and I amuse both her and myself, playing with her. Young pegasi need their wings exercised, we have a few games that I remember from Equestria that help. After a while, I’ve got Zeddicus with Mischief, those two play together all the time, though Moon Shadow’s little twins join after a while. And I’m bouncing around, entertaining a total of six foals when Dot and Cloud Burst come over. Two almost five year olds and four two and a half year olds. I’m on my back, with toddlers all over me when Dr. Ray comes in.
Her ears are down, her head is low, I extricate myself from the kids and move over to him. She sighs, “I’ve healed her body, Dust. I can’t regrow her eye, we’ll have to get her an eye patch. She’s been through hell.”
I cock my head to the side, “You said her body, what about her mind?”
“Well, my delving shows she’s got a lot of problems that I can’t fix. She flinches at the smallest sound, her heart rate is staying elevated, and she’s got adrenaline pumping through her system constantly. She should be resting, but I’ve actually had to sedate her. I know she needs a good cry, probably several. She needs her family, I’m glad you guys came home. I can see in her eyes, she’s happy to see me, but she’s scared. I think she thinks she’s going to be taken back any minute. The tension in her is so strong. I’m not certain what to do there.”
I move forward and give Ray a hug, “Can we see her?”
She sighs, “I think that would be best, she needs to feel safe. I didn’t give her much, she’s not sleeping, but she’s in a light twilight state.” Her horn lights, and Zeddicus floats away from the other foals, “I think she misses Zed, and I know he’s missed her. All the foals would be too much, but she needs Zed.”
I move over and get Mischief on my back, Ray volunteers for kid duty for the rest, I walk sedately to Irony’s room, the rest of the herd with me, Helen puts a hand on the door. After a moment and a deep breath, she opens the door. I get my first view of Irony. She’s lying in the hospital bed, her eyes are closed. My wings hop me into the bed, I land gently though, my slight movement on the bed causes her eyes to jerk open, and she sits up from the reclined position quickly. She looks at me and breathes a sigh of relief. I come forward and kiss her, the kiss goes on until I hear a giggle from my back, I look back at Mischief, she launches off of me into Irony’s arms with a scream. Her scream is mirrored by Zed, he’s reaching for his mommy. He’s brought forward in Mindy’s magic, and he latches on to Irony. Tears leak down from her one eye as she hugs the foals.
“My little Zed.” She murmurs as she hugs the earth pony colt tightly. She looks at Sunset, and at me, “Thank you, loves.”
“Irony, we needed you back.” I say, settling in on the foot of her bed.
“Thank you, love. I’m so sorry.”
My ears fall, “Sorry? For what?”
She sniffles a bit, “I tried to kill you, when you tried to save me before, you said you had forgiven me, but I have to say it. I was wrong, and I knew I was wrong when I was swinging my mace. I was reacting to my emotions. Rage, and grief, I didn’t even think to find out exactly why. I didn’t care at that moment, and I’m sorry.”
I smile, “I should have been more clear in trying to explain. As I said before, you are forgiven, don’t dwell on it.”
Her ears fall, she looks at the two foals in her lap, then up at me, emotions struggling across her face, “I did dwell on it, for months, until you found me the first time.”
I smile, “Love, it’s been hell trying to find you.”
Another form crawls up into the bed with Irony and I, Moon Shadow’s magic grips the foals and pulls them away enough to get room for her, she lies down as Irony brings an arm around her, to hold her. The foals settle back onto Irony’s broad chest with her. Moon Shadow doesn’t move forward for a kiss, she just lies there. After a moment her body shudders in a sob. “Oh, Irony.” She moans.
Irony kisses the top of her head, “I missed you, love. I saw you trying to find me in my dreams, I dreamed of you a lot.”
Moon giggles through her tears, “I found your dreams a lot, but that clone put some kind of spell around your dreams, preventing me from fully entering.”
Irony sighs, “She didn’t let me sleep a lot.”
I growl, “I hope she’s dead.”
Irony flinches, “Part of me agrees with you, Dust. I don’t like killing, but in her case, I’d like to put my mace through her skull.”
I smile, “That would be too good for her.”
Irony nods, “You must have gotten a good hit on her with your magic, Dust. She required healing after that last fight. And she said that humans don’t have magic, how did that girl have magic. That made me smile, because Hannah must have surprised her.”
Sunset moves up, her forehooves on the bed, “Hannah is surprising everypony with her strength. I think one on one, Hannah and the clone would be at a standstill. With Moon Shadow linking with me, we had her stalemated, but I’m almost scared of how strong your daughter has become.”
I smile, “When it comes to Hannah, you don’t need to be scared, she’s smart, and has a very good heart. She has an amazing amount of power, But she wouldn’t do anything to hurt anypony. Though you mess with her family, all bets are off.”
That gets a giggle from me, “She’s a lot like me.”
She nods.
I look at Irony, “How long till we can get you home?”
Her ears fall, “Ray wants me to stay for a few days. Observation, she says.” She scrunches her muzzle, then looks at Sunset, “When did Ray get rule 63ed?”
Sunset giggles, “A few months ago.”
Irony cocks her head to the side, her ears still down.
Sunset giggles in response to the unasked question.
I smile as I use my wings to grab Mischief, and I hop off the bed, “You’ll have to ask Mindy about that, Irony. I’ll be back tomorrow, but first, you need to catch up with the entire family. I’ve got to talk to some humans, and see if anything survived the attack.”
I get to the door, looking back at Irony, “Love, I am so happy to have you home.”
She smiles, but it doesn’t touch her eyes, “I am too.”
I leave the room, I’ve never seen a pony so scared in my life. I need to make sure that the clone is dead. I’m not going to let her be taken away, no matter what.
***Dubuqe Iowa, May 31, 2025, portal complex***
Two unicorn Royal Guard are flanking the lone human, his hands are manacled in front of him. He was granted permission to wear his uniform for this. His face is the one of a man looking at the gallows. In front of him is a midnight blue alicorn.
Luna looks around at the portal room. A helicopter landed recently, going to take some ponies turned humans around, the arrangements have been made two and a half years earlier. A marriage would be happening during the opening of the portal. That thought makes Luna smile, in a few minutes, the portal would open. She turns and glares at the human.
“Admiral Volker, I passed sentence on you, and now I will accompany you through the portal.”
“Wow, I get the royal treatment.”
Luna smirks at him, “Oh, don’t puff up that head of yours, I’ve wanted to go home, and I’ve been able to wrap up my affairs in this world so I can. I ache to get back home, I miss my sister, we’ve been so long apart.” She grins, “And I must inform the ponies as to the extent of your crimes.”
“So I can be imprisoned in Equestria.” He says, a grimace on his face.
She smiles, “Actually, no. They are being informed only for the fact that you are barred from ever returning. You will be given money, you will be given supplies, and the choice of where to live. You will live out the remainder of your life, in peace, in Equestria. We are not cruel, Mr. Volker.”
“It would have been better had you killed me.”
Luna snorts, “Equestria does not believe in the death penalty, Mr. Volker. You will not be molested by the ponies. The only ones that will know will be the staff of the portal, who are Royal Guards, and my sister. You will have many years to live in my world. And perhaps will be able to find out what life was like for those you ordered killed.”
He sighs, “I am a prisoner, and when I leave this world, I will be a martyr, for following orders.”
She bends her head down to him, “Perhaps your world would be better off if some humans had chosen to not follow their orders.” The alicorn of the night turns away from the human.
The digital clock in the portal room clicks over to midnight, and Luna’s wings involuntarily extend, she can feel the magic of the portal as it once again wakes. She steps forward, “It is time.” Her horn lights, and his restraints fall to the floor, she steps through.
The guards push him to the portal, and he walks through under his own power.
In the portal complex in Equestria, an aquamarine pegasus lands on four hooves, he shakes his two tone blue mane looking at his new body. He tentatively extends his wings. Three golden waves on his flank indicate the ocean he’s loved all his life.
“You will be taught to use those.” Princess Luna turns to the other alicorn standing in the large room. Princess Luna moves over to talk to the white alicorn, with her flowing pastel mane. He stands patiently until Princess Celestia steps forward to him.
“Welcome to Equestria, I am sorry to hear of the circumstances of your arrival. But as your punishment is to be banished to our world, we will accommodate you as best as possible. Princess Luna has informed me you have a daughter that turned in your world and came through the portal. I can arrange to have her brought to you.”
He growls, “She stopped being my daughter when she turned into one of you freaks.”
Celestia smiles, “Perhaps if you spend some time as one of us freaks, you’ll find your mind changes.” This gets a snort from him, “In any case, come with me, we will arrange housing and you can find out how you want to join our world.”
His ears fall, and his head is low as he follows the alicorns from the room as more ponies arrive through the portal. He notices out of the corner of his eye, a white unicorn with an indigo mane along with a large white stallion unicorn with a two tone blue mane heading towards the portal.
***
The portal is closing in a matter of hours, my family didn’t go this time. No need. Though at times, I want to leave all of this behind, and go back to my life in Equestria. Things were simpler then. And if I have my herd with me, it would all be good. But I have a good life here, Irony is back, she’s physically recovered, but we’ve had to deal with nightly nightmares, Moon Shadow has been her near constant companion in the dream, helping her work through things. They’ve even pulled me into the dream a couple of times. I know some of what’s been done to the big mare, and I still get chills, the clone was absolutely twisted. Though infrared satellite passes over the complex in Canada has shown nothing, the US Military is considering it a kill, and I sincerely hope they are right. I don’t want to have to deal with her again, if we do, there is only one option, and I hate that option.
I’m in my office, sorting through the mail, along with the typical mail a household receives, I’ve been astounded. I get actual fan mail. At least one a day, sometimes a stack comes through. Mindy has said because I’m the public face of the ponies, but I don’t know. Today there is just one, I look at the hand written address, a childlike scrawl, it makes me smile, even little kids are loving ponies, enough to take the time to actually write out a letter. I grab the letter opener and fit its strap over my hoof, and a quick swipe has the paper on the desk, I open it.
Dear Mrs. Lightning Dust
I know you are very busy being the leader of all the ponies in the world but I really need your help. I wouldn't be here now if it wasn't for a pink unicorn that the Make a Wish Foundation sent me.
Please misses Dust, I was just 4 years old the doctors said I had leukemia. The doctors told mom they didn't think I'd survive and she cried so hard every night. I wrote to make a wish and asked them only to send me a unicorn. I just knew they were real and believed with all my heart. On June 10th 2020 they came through for me and sent me one just before my treatment. He was the kindest and gentlest unicorn I ever saw. He told me I had to be strong for my mommy and for others.
He said his name was Star Crossed but told me he couldn't stay with me though. He said there were so few unicorns and so many little girls in need. That if he stayed with me, another girl’s wish might go unanswered.
If I could be a unicorn I could help out other little girls too, please miss dust, can you teach me how to be a good unicorn? Teach me so I could share the gift with others?
Love,
Lilly
A drop falls on the paper, causing me to jerk, I swipe a fetlock over my eyes, this has me crying? No, can’t be. I set the letter down and read it again.
“Hi Dust, what do you have there?”
I look up and sniffle. Moon Shadow smiles and comes fully into my office. Her magic floats the letter off my desk. I watch her face as she reads, first she smiles, then her expression turns into a thoughtful frown.
“I don’t know where the humans get that silly idea.”
She lowers the letter a bit, looking at me.
I continue, “Me being the leader of all the ponies, that is.”
She giggles, and continues reading. “Has the Make a Wish foundation contacted you, Dust?”
I nod, “Oh yes, in the last couple of years, I think. We’ve gotten quite a few requests, and most of the time, a performance by pegasi, or unicorns to do magic, along with simple visits to children who’ve asked. We’ve even had a few take tours of New Beginnings, along with a cloud walking spell, and touring Rim of the Sky. Some unicorn doctors have healed the ones they can. But some diseases are beyond most healers here.”
She nods, “I thought Leukemia was something that the unicorn Doctors haven’t been able to cure.”
I shrug my wings, “That’s the case, as far as I know.”
Moon Shadow sets the letter down, and a pen floats up, then circles the date. “One thing that concerns me, June 10th, 2020. That was right after the portal closed, the very first time.”
I shrug my wings again, “Yeah…”
She looks at me seriously, “Dust, at that time, the Make a Wish Foundation had no clue we even existed. And that name looks familiar.” She taps a hoof on her chin in thought, her horn alights and she brings the letter to her again.
“A pink unicorn, hmmm.” The envelope floats to her, she looks at the address, “Jamestown, Wisconsin. That’s very close to Dubuque.”
“So, it was near the portal.”
She nods, “I remember Sugarberry telling me about something. Twilight Velvet had taken in a couple of foals that were Canadian as humans. And just after the portal closed, she had gotten them out of holding. Well, long story short, ICE came up, wanting to take them into custody.”
That gets a low whistle from me, “And mama bear came out.”
She nods, “She produced a magical blast that turned every human within a couple hundred yards into a pony, the closest to her were turned for I think three days or so. Guess who was close to her when she blew up?”
I think about it for a second, then my ears fall, “Henry?”
She nods, “And what is his pony form?”
I have to giggle, “A fluffy pink unicorn.”
She nods, “And June 10th sounds like a day or two after that happened.”
I shake my head so hard my ears flop, “So, you are saying, the Ranger medic, who just worked on Ray when we got him back, the same human who’s been with Twilight Velvet in many of her missions, cured a child of cancer?”
She nods, “That’s what it looks like.”
I sigh, “Remarkable.”
She nods, “His cutie mark, a red cross on a large white star, around the large star is several smaller white stars. It’s the magic of trust and healing, Dust. He is a natural healer.” She chuckles, “They are even more rare than speedsters or level five unicorns.”
I put my head down on the desk, “And he gave that up?”
“He wasn’t very pleased with his color scheme, Dust. Not very many stallions are pink. And a lot of ponies that grew up as humans watched the show and were active in the fandom. He heard the fluffy pink unicorn dancing on rainbows too many times.”
I slam a hoof into the desk, “Oh come on.”
She nods, “Exactly.”
I sigh, “I think we need to have a talk with him, next time we see him. His abilities are amazing, he needs to help heal.”
She touches the letter, “Are you going to respond to your fan mail, Dust?”
I sigh again, “Of course.” A hand written response to a hand written letter, well, I’ll be holding my pen in my mouth, but it’s the same idea. I pull out a sheet of paper, and grab a pen.
Dear Lilly,
Thank you for your letter. I love getting mail. Though I’m not the leader of all the ponies, I’m just a pony. I’ve talked with my family, and we think we know where Star Crossed is. And when I see him again, I’ll let him know what happened.
I’m sorry to say, even Sunset Shimmer, the most powerful unicorn that I know, can’t turn you into a unicorn. And unicorns that can cure such horrible diseases are very few. But ponies do try to help where we can. All over the U.S. pony healers have helped where they could at hospitals. I’m so glad to hear that he was able to help with your leukemia. If you want, you can come out to New Beginnings sometime, and meet some of the ponies here.
Warmest Wishes,
Lightning Dust
I look at the letter and smile, then I pull out an envelope and put the letter in, copying the address and putting on a couple of stamps. I look at the envelope her letter came in. All it was addressed was to Lightning Dust, in New Beginnings, Montana. I hope she likes my response.
There is a soft knock at the door, Fleetfoot is standing there.
“Lightning Dust, are you ready for your speech?”
I sigh, and nod.
***
A little over two years ago, at the behest of many ponies in the guard, and with the help of Mayor Mare and some members of the US Military, we have established a Wonderbolt training academy here on Earth. I was asked to be an instructor, as a former Wonderbolt myself. Though I did decline. I was, however, asked to speak to the first graduating class. Brand new Wonderbolts and Wonderbolt reservists. New Beginnings would have a team, so would the other two pony colonies. And to add to that, the New Beginnings team would be training, and performing with the US Navy Blue Angels on occasion. Pegasus ponies along with F-18 fighters, flying in formation and doing aerial shows. Mindy had pushed me into that. Saying that having humans watch the Wonderbolts would be helpful for our cause of being accepted. And now, a little over two years later, the first teams would be graduating. I get up to follow Fleetfoot.
Soon we are at Rim of the Sky, the guard pegasi training ground has thousands of ponies, and quite a few humans have had the cloud walking spell cast on them as they join the other ponies on the clouds that have been shaped into bleachers. I end up back stage, looking at the others that will be speaking. I’m apparently the keynote speaker. Mindy and Moon Shadow have both been telling me to work on my speech, and I’ve thought about it. But I think I know what to say. I pace back and forth while the others are talking and after what seems like forever, a pegasus comes up to me, gesturing for me to take my place at the podium.
As I become visible, the crowd starts screaming, clouds aren’t conducive to stomping, which how ponies usually applaud, but the screams cause my ears to fall. I finally make it to the podium, I rear onto my hind hooves and place my forehooves on the podium. I look out at the crowd, there is a good ten thousand ponies and humans here. Mostly pegasi.
I sigh, and look down at the ponies this is all about. Three dozen in the full Wonderbolts uniforms. Another hundred or so in the Wonderbolts reservist uniforms. I smile at the pegasi standing proudly at attention. I look up, three flags are waving in the breeze. Old Glory, the American flag, the flag of the two pony sisters, and the Wonderbolts flag. I wave a hoof and the screaming dies down slowly.
“Good Afternoon.” I look again at the graduates, “It’s a little different than on the TV show, isn’t it?”
Titters of laughter from the assembled.
“Thirty years ago, Discord attacked the ponies, sending us to earth as humans for twenty five years. And finally, his curse faded.” I smile, “And we’ve made lives on our new home world. We found each other, we found friends, we found families. And now, we have made communities to live in. We’ve reestablished the guard, but we found we needed something. Something important, the Wonderbolts.”
Once again, the applause swells, I listen as it slowly dies down, “We spent a long time figuring out how to rebuild, from our scattered memories, we were able to find ponies that could teach, some ponies that could learn. And we’ve succeeded. Some of you will stay here, and provide morale support as Wonderbolts, and others will go to the other colonies we have all through the nation. One thing I implore all of you, remember the oath you made when you joined. It is really that important.”
***Sunset Shimmer***
Irony is working on the weight set at Dust’s house. Two hundred pounds, thirty reps per set, and she’s on her fifth set.
“Okay, time for the speed bag.” Ray says. Irony sighs and stands up, she moves over to the small bag hanging on the wall. She hits it once, then starts to get into a rhythm. Then she misses, she reaches out and stops the bag and starts again. Once again she gets it going, then loses the rhythm once again. She growls and tries a third time, with the same result. She swings hard at the bag and misses, putting a hole in the wall with her fist. She growls.
I smile and light my horn, fixing the drywall, though the sound of my magic causes the large earth pony to jump.
She turns and looks at me, “Sunset, why am I so scared all the time? You used magic and I want to cry.”
I sigh, “Irony, magic can only go so far to heal. You are fine physically. You’ve just proved it.”
She growls, “I used to not have a problem with the speed bag.”
Ray comes forward, “Irony, you’ve lost an eye. Your depth perception will take time to be retrained, and it will never be the way it was before.”
She growls. I stand on my hind hooves and give the mare a hug, “Irony, we are doing our best to help you. Why don’t you relax back onto four hooves?”
She growls again, “I prefer this way.” She grabs a towel and throws it over her shoulder and walks from the room.
Ray looks at me, “Sunset, I can see that Moon Shadow has helped her, but she’s showing signs of severe PTSD, and I don’t have any magic that can fix that.”
I sigh, “Same here, Dr. Ray.” I look at the door that Irony just exited, I feel tears starting to form, how can we help her?