//------------------------------// // Epilogue - Twilight's Gifts // Story: Puny Purple Pony: From Padded to Proud // by Autum Breeze //------------------------------// Epilogue Twilight’s Gifts ___________________________________________________________ “Where exactly are we going, Twilight?” Celestia asked as she followed the purple pony down a hallway. The hospital staff were not surprised by Twilight’s arrival, in fact that were quite used to it by now, several nurses and even patients would wave, offering hellos as she went by. Nor was it the white Alicorn the size of Princess Luna walking alongside her. No, what caused everypony to stop whatever they were doing and stare were the two unicorns following behind the Alicorns, one alabaster mare with three purple stars for her Cutie Mark, to be precise. “Um, Twilight?” Twilight Velvet asked as she noticed all the gaping mouths from the ponies staring. “Hm?” the purple mare replied, glancing over her shoulder. “Why are all the ponies here staring at your father and I as if we have two heads or something?” Velvet asked, not liking the looks they were getting. Twilight’s expression saddened a little as she looked away. “Because, in this world, you’re both dead.” The two unicorns froze in place for a moment, before hurrying to catch up, uncertain looks on their faces. “Um, honey, what do you mean?” Night Light asked. Twilight sighed. “A few months back, some rogue Griffins attacked Trottingham as a way of showing their views of mine and Luna’s taking rule. A number of ponies were injured, and two were fatal. Both were unicorns. You two.” Velvet and Night Light looked to each other in shock. The idea that their alternate selves had died was not something they’d anticipated when they’d arrived in Ponyville to find their daughter (now as tall as Celestia) waiting for them, only to ask them to follow her into the world she’d been living in because she needed to show them something. Twilight said nothing and continued leading them down the halls until they stopped in front of a ward Twilight had frequented quite a lot during the last couple months. The Pre-Development Ward. As Twilight walked in Nurse Redheart was checking on one of the orbs. She glanced at Twilight and smiled, before her eyes widened at the sight of Velvet. Twilight merely shook her head. “The other world’s.” Nurse Redheart’s face eased and she nodded, understanding and returned to her work. Twilight led the Alicorn and unicorns over to a purple orb containing a small filly. The other three gasped when they saw the wings and horn. Twilight nodded. “This filly is this world’s Twilight Sparkle. Since her mother died, because our energies are almost identical, being the same pony, I’ve been keeping her alive and through her development.” “I... wow,” Night Light said, not able to think of anything else to say. “As I am now this Equestria’s Regent of the Sun, I must remain to continue moving the sun on its course. That is why,” Twilight turned to the three others, “I have brought you here. I want this Twilight to be taken to your world and raised there, so she won’t be living in my shadow all her life. The last thing I want is for her to resent how she would always be compared to me. So, will you take her?” Velvet and Night Light looked at each other for a moment, completely speechless, before they glanced to Celestia. The white Alicorn had a mournful expression on her face and a faint light in her eyes. Velvet knew this light. Closing her eyes, she smiled, walked over to Twilight and pulled her into a hug. It required Twilight to lean down, her being the size of Celestia when she was in her own kingdom, but the intention was still felt. “Oh, my little Twily,” Velvet sighed, holding her daughter close, before looking into her eyes. “We can’t thank you enough for the offer. But, the thing is, we already had you as our daughter. Even though it wouldn’t be trying to replacing you, we feel it would be in some way like that is what we’d be doing.” “Thank you, honey,” Night Light said to his daughter, nodding. “We’re very touched, but I think there’s another pony here who deserves her more than us.” He and his wife looked to Celestia, who took a step back when she realized what they were saying. “What? But—?” Celestia tried to say, looking uncertain. Velvet moved away from Twilight, her smile warm and knowing. “Princess, we know how you feel about our daughter, like she was your own. Now you have a chance to truly have your own daughter.” “But, I—” Celestia stammered, though there was a hope in her eyes the counteracted her words, “We’ve already had one daughter, princess,” Night Light chuckled, walking over to his wife and smiling up at the purple mare. “We’ve watched her grow up and we’re very proud of her. But we’ve been with her since her foalhood, not just her fillyhood. We want you to raise this foal as your own.” Celestia stood, speechless for several moments. She looked from Twilight’s parents, to Twilight, to the foal in the sphere. She opened and closed her mouth several times, unable to think of what to say. After a while, though, a small, warm smile came to have lips as tears trickled down her cheeks. She leaned down and hugged both the unicorns, whispering, “Thank you.” She then stood and looked to the mare who had been like a daughter to her and pulled her into a hug as well. “Thank you, Twilihgt,” she whispered, her tears dampening Twilight’s coat a little. “Thank you so much.” Twilight returned the hug, her eyes closed. “You’re welcome, Celestia.” ___________________________________________________________ “Thing’s sure ain’t gonna be the same back home after this,” Applejack said as she and the others stood in front of the mirror in the throne room. Held within her right foreleg, Celestia had a small Alicorn foal with a lavender coat and a purple mane and tail with a streak of pink down the middle of both. Pinkie Pie and Cheese had almost burst into a “Congratulations, Princess Celestia On Becoming A Mommy” party the moment they’d seen the little foal, but Twilight had managed to keep the two of them from doing so with Scootaloo and Rainbow’s help. Twilight nodded to Applejack’s statement, then looked to Celestia and little Starlight Glimmer. Since she was going to technically be raised differently from Twilight herself, Celestia had chosen to call her foal her new name instead of Twilight Sparkle. “You’ll keep in touch, right egghead?” Rainbow winked at the (despite sizes becoming normal between both worlds) much taller pony. Twilight grinned. “Try and stop me.” “C-can I stay with you, Twi?” Spike asked. He had been anxious all day after learning Twilight was staying in the Big Ponies world and was wondering if he’d have to live away from her now. Twilight gave him a warm smile and leaned down to nuzzle him. “Of course, Spike. Like I’d ever leave my own son on his own.” “Son?” Twilight’s niece and little sister looked to her with confusion, glancing between the dragon (who’s cheeks had turned bright red at the word) and Alicorn. Twilight nodded, pulling Spike in close with a wing. “I hatched Spike from his egg and I was the first thing he saw. That makes me his mother.” “So... I’m still a filly, but I’m already an aunt?” Sunset asked, frowning. Spike took notice and folded his arms, grinning. “Yep. But I’m still older than you. Twilight’s raised me since she was younger than you.” Twilight couldn’t help chuckling as Sunset puffed out her cheeks as she glared at her now nephew. Twilight’s parent came over, intending to say goodbye to their daughter. However, at the sight of them, Sunset hurried behind the Alicorn, looking unsure. Twilight sighed, leaned back and coerced the filly out from her hiding spot. Sunset shuffled out, then looked up at the two unicorns, unsure of what to do. She glanced back at Twilight, who smiled warmly and nodded. Sunset ran forward and hugged Velvet’s barrel crying, “Mama!” Velvet looked a little surprised, before glancing to Twilight. “Would you mind looking after her?” she asked, walking over and stroking Sunset’s mane gently. “When she heard about you two, she broke down in tears. She thought she’d gotten a second chance, but that I might not let her have it and keep her here.” She looked to her parents. “Would you?” They glanced at each other, before Velvet wrapped her forelegs around the crying filly and held her close. “Of course. We’d love to.” Twilight nodded, then turned to Celestia, who was speaking with both Cadance’s. “Will you two excuse me for a moment? I need to speak with my former teacher about something.” Both unicorns nodded, hugged their first daughter, then went over, Velvet carrying an at-peace Sunset on her back, to the previously mentioned Earth Ponies. “Thank you for looking after our little Twily,” Velvet said, giving Fresh a hug. “We don’t think she could’ve been in or be in better hooves,” Night Light agreed, shaking Pitch’s hoof. Velvet pulled back, smiling at Fresh. “She’s your daughter now just as much as she is ours.” Fresh wiped a few tears from her eyes. “Ah can’ tell ya what that means t’ me.” Pitch nodded. “We honestly can’t see our lives any way without Twilight anymore. Thank ye, fer understandin’. An’ don’ worry ’bout with Sunny, here,” he ruffled the little filly’s mane, to which she squealed. “We understand. In all honesty, we couldn’t be her parents, no matter how hard we tried. Only Twi was able ta keep ’er happy.” The two adult unicorns nodded, then turned and headed for the portal, though not before Sunset called out, “Thank you Mr. Pitchfork. Thank you, Mrs Fresh Veggies. It was nice staying with you.” ___________________________________________________________ “You’re sure about all this?” Celestia asked Twilight as she and Cadance watched the younger Cadance nuzzle against Twilight’s foreleg. Twilight nodded. “I’m sure. This is for the best. I hope you won’t mind teaching Sunset like you did me, by the way? I know you won’t form the same kind of bond, but...” Celestia nodded. “I’d be honoured to take her as my new personal student, Twilight.” Her expression became a little sad. “I just hope I don’t make the same mistake as I did before.” Twilight shook her head. “I know you won’t, Celestia. And I hope everything goes well with Glimmer.” She couldn’t help but smile as said foal yawned and snuggled a little deeper into Celestia’s fur. Then she grinned sheepishly. “Just... don’t try everything you did with me. She’s been willing to learn from me and enjoying the lessons, but now that she’s got her mom and dad back...” Celestia nodded. “I know, Twilight. I understand.” She then looked to Twilight’s Luna. “I am glad I met you, Luna.” The darker Alicorn nodded back. “And I, Celestia. It was good seeing you again. I mean... you know...” Celestia chuckled, before turning to the room and calling out, “Come, my little ponies. It’s time we returned to our own world.” With that, everypony followed her through the mirror, Twilight letting her friends know that they were welcome to visit anytime. The last to go through were Night Light, Velvet and Sunset. Just before the mare went through the portal, Sunset looked over at Twilight. “Thank you, BSBFF,” she smiled, a tiny bit of sadness in her eyes. “I’ll see you again, soon?” Twilight nodded. “You can count on it, LSBFF.” With that, Velvet passed trhough the mirror, following her husband. Once the mirror had stopped rippling, Spike turned to Twilight. “If Sunset’s your LSBFF, what’s Glimmer?” Twilight grinned. “LLSBFF. Littlest Little Sister Best Friend Forever.” Spike and Scootaloo managed a simultaneous eye roll, before Twilight looked to the windows. “I think it’s time to raise the moon, Luna.” The taller Alicorn nodded and they both went up to the balcony. Their horns glowed and the two orbs moved up and down respective to each other, until the moon hung in the night sky, shining down on them all. Twilight yawned and turned to Spike, Cadance and Shining Armour (the who had remained with Twilight because, though he wanted to protect his little sister, he trusted Twilight’s judgement to leave her with her parents and hadn’t gone with them because he knew it would have been awkward), each of whom followed her motion without fail. “It’s been a long day,” the lavender mare said, turning to her Earth Pony parents. “Would you two like to sleep in the castle tonight? We have the rooms.” Both looked to each other, then smiled. Once everypony else was in bed, Twilight went to her person chambers (which they’d found earlier that day due to it being marked by her Cutie Marks), followed by Spike and Cadance. Spike settled into one of the two beds in the room, snuggling into the blankets and was asleep in moments. Twilight got into bed, followed by Cadance. Despite her age, Cadance still preferred sleeping with her aunt. Twilight didn’t object to it for now, but, in a year or two, she would have to insist Cadance start sleeping in her own room (even though she loved snuggling up with her little niece). Cadance snuggled against her aunt and fell asleep within minutes. Twilight followed suite, knowing that her whole life was now far greater than she could’ve expected. She had come a long way from that day she’d become Celestia’s personal student. She was a mother, an aunt, a princess ruling alongside her BSBFF, had two little sisters, a little brother, two sets of loving parents and had so many friends. And as she felt her sister’s gentle touch as she began her duty of watching over the dreams of their subjects, Twilight thought life couldn’t be better. And, with the two worlds now united, she was right.