Rainbow slipped free of the embrace and sat down. "Alright, AJ. Now we need to talk. I'm not complaining that you suddenly want to move to the next level and all." She raised a hoof. "That's kinda sweet actually, but, seriously girl, that was way over the top what you did to those fillies. They probably deserved some punishment, sure, but not that."
Applejack frowned, but she had named Rainbow as her right-hoof mare, which meant listening to her. She considered the action over again. They had done wrong, and she had punished them. She even gave them a chance to get off free if they just apologized! No, she was right to punish them... "What kinda punishment do ya think woulda been better?"
Rainbow rolled a hoof lightly. "A few good swats on the bottom, make them clean up the party by themselves afterwards, or rat on them to their parents. Ya know? Maybe some combination of the above. Banishing ponies should be the last thing we reach for when everything else doesn't work." She rubbed behind her head, quietly wondering how she managed to get into a conversation of why banishing a foal to another world may not be a good idea.
Applejack clucked her tongue. "Maybe yer right, sugarcube. Ah shoulda tried that before jumpin' ta such extremes..." She smiled brightly. "This is why Ah'm glad ta have ya right here, beside me." Rainbow was about to comment when Applejack went in for a new kiss that kept the both of them silent for a time. "Ah shoulda came clean long before today. We were both just wastin' time we coulda been spendin' togetha."
Rainbow looked all the more uncertain. She enjoyed Applejack's suddenly exposed romantic side, but this was clearly an influenced Applejack. Were her feelings real? Would she recoil in horror when she came around and then hate Rainbow for going along with it? Rainbow grunted in frustration, unsure what to do. "Applejack, please don't take this the wrong way, because I have your back, girl, always, but maybe you could put that thing down?" She pointed at the scythe.
Applejack turned her head to look at the scythe, looking as if she were just reminded it was there. "Oh, that thing ain't doin' nothin'. Here." She pulled it off her back and a thrill of power ran through her. The scythe felt somehow... better... in her snout than it had before, like a dear friend and eager ally. "See? Harmless. Severance here is just fer helpin' keep the law."
Rainbow tilted her head slowly. "It has a name?"
Applejack tilted her head. "'Course he does!" She slipped the scythe easily onto her back. "But we don't need him right now. Ponyville's safe and sound." She tapped her chin, looking thoughtful all of a sudden. "But ah just got a great idea!"
Rainbow swallowed softly before asking, "And that would be...?"
Applejack thrust a hoof towards the Everfree. "It's long past time we done took care of them varmints. Foals should be able to play by tha forest, or in tha trees without being harassed."
Rainbow spread her wings. "About that. Before we go do something else, bring back the fillies? You agreed it was a bit hasty, yeah?"
Applejack shook her head. "I can banish things, not recall them. Sorry."
Rainbow sagged. "Applejack... We have to help them. They don't deserve to die!"
Applejack reached out and set a hoof on Rainbow's shoulder. "Ah can see this means a lot to ya. Tell ya what, pick somepony and ah'll send them after tha brats and then they'll have somepony ta watch over them."
It was better than Rainbow thought she'd get, so she nodded. "Alright, if that's the best we got. How about me? I could protect them!"
Applejack shook her head emphatically. "Yer my second-in-command! Ah need you!"
Rainbow could see a desperate look in Applejack's eyes and decided she really was needed. Applejack seemed willing to listen to her, even when that crazy thing on her back suggested crazy things. "I won't leave you, AJ... Hmm..."
With their business concluded, Sonata was leading the way back towards the train station. "You know, if you had asked me a few years back what I'd do when I got back to Equestria, this would, like, not even be on the list." She glanced over her shoulder at Lex. "Life can really change someone, huh?"
He nodded. "It was only eighteen months ago, at least to me, that I was heading to the Crystal Empire in hopes of studying their Crystal Heart to refine the magical discipline I'd developed." He paused, thinking back on everything that had happened since then. He'd been thrown forward in time, lost his horn and replaced it with Sombra's, been sent to Everglow...and fallen in love. "I never could have predicted everything that's happened between then and now."
Sonata smiled gently. "I wouldn't change a bit, even the parts that were a complete bummer. The ending's just right." She let Lex catch up so she could bump against him and proceeded towards the train. A song came free of her as she went, simple but soothing in its expression of the joy she felt for her life as a whole, and the complicated path that had led her to that very moment, and the challenging path ahead of her that she was eager to start down.
Lex smiled again as he listened to her sing. He had always enjoyed the sound of her voice, but this was the first time he'd heard her singing, and it captivated him as thoroughly as any of her spells could have. The hopeful, happy tune reminded him again that, for everything he had gone through, it had turned out well in the end.
You failed to achieve your goals on your own, came the voiceless words into his mind. Glancing back, Lex could see his shadow trailing behind him. This is only because she accomplished what you could not.
Normally, the hateful words would have soured his good mood, but against the backdrop of Sonata's singing about her hope for the future - about her hope for their future - they were insignificant. It was true that Sonata had been instrumental in achieving this success, but somehow Lex didn't feel ashamed of that the way he would have in the past. Instead, the knowledge of what she'd done for him filled him with a warm feeling, and the fervent desire to let her know how much that meant to him.
Rubbing back against her, gently enough that he didn't disrupt her song, Lex could just make out the approaching train. Silently vowing that he'd do so, not just today but for the rest of his life, he watched as it - and their next adventure - sped closer.
Apple Bloom had gathered the Crusaders, including Sunflower, to the base of what once was their clubhouse. "Ah call this emergency meetin' of the Cutie Mark Crusaders ta order." She clopped a hoof against the tree. "Y'all saw what mah sister did, right?"
Sweetie Bloom raised a hoof. "She zapped Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon."
Scootaloo flared her wings. "To Everglow! They don't stand a chance! I mean, no offense Apple Bloom but they're earth ponies, without any, uh, training, at all. We at least taught ourselves some tricks before we went and we barely made it out."
Sunflower pointed at the big castle. "You said you came to Everglow from there. Why not go back and rescue them?"
Apple Bloom grinned and pointed at Sunflower. "Ah knew there was a reason we invited ya. That's exactly what we should do! Cutie Mark Crusaders Bully Rescuers!" The others echoed the war cry and the meeting came to an abrupt end as they galloped towards Twilight's castle, ready to save the two.
They didn't get past the front door. Spike glowered at the lot of them. "Twilight gave specific orders that none of you are allowed in here without her there to watch you."
Scootaloo pouted. "But Spike! It's important! Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon are in huge trouble and we have to save them. They're in Everglow right now, being tortured or killed or something."
Spike raised a brow. "How in Equestria did they get there?"
A hand grasped the door above Spike's head and Soft Mane stepped into view. "You can't get to Everglow from here," said the pony satyr. "Twilight had the rune destroyed after she learned how you all went to Everglow. She said it was too dangerous to leave intact."
Sweetie Belle sank in place. "But they're in real trouble... What can we do? I... I really think Silver Spoon wanted to be our friend..."
Apple Bloom tilted her head. "Really?"
Sweetie quickly nodded. "She looked so happy for just a moment before Diamond Tiara butted in. I was going to talk to her after the party, but then all this happened."
Spike shook his head. "I really wish I could help, girls, but none of us know how to get back to Everglow without that rune, and it's gone."
With heavy heads, the Crusaders withdrew from the castle.
Pinkie Pie suddenly appeared between Applejack and Rainbow Dash. "Found you! Now let me take this nasty thing away." She plucked the scythe only to drop it instantly, shaking her hooves. "Ow! That thing stings!"
Applejack frowned at Pinkie. "Didn't yer parents tell ya stealing is wrong?" She plucked up the scythe and put it back where it belong. "Whattaya need, Pinkie?"
Rainbow saw opportunity and smiled. "Pinkie, we need a hero."
Pinkie suddenly rose to her hind-legs and saluted sharply. "Pinkie Pie reporting for duty!"
Rainbow bobbed her head. "Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon need your help. Can you keep them safe on Everglow until we can fetch all three of you?"
Pinkie tilted her head with some confusion. Applejack nodded at Pinkie. "Ah was a bit rash sendin' them that way but ah can't pull them back. It would be right heroic of ya ta keep an eye on them."
Pinkie bobbed her head with understanding. "I'll do it! I can't let little fillies be all alone and afraid. I've been there. I can handle it."
With no hesitation, Applejack drew the scythe off her back and rent the fabric between Here and There, sending Pinkie Pie on her way with a 'Whee!'. "There, now they'll be fine."
Rainbow nodded slowly. "Good, now for the next part."
"Next part?" asked Applejack with a raised brow.
"You have to explain this to their parents."
Applejack let out a slow sigh before nodding, and they walked off to see justice be done. "Then we can get ta taming that forest?"
Rainbow smiled a little nervously. "Sure thing, AJ. But parents first, and you have to promise me not to punish them for being angry. They're going to be angry, and they should be. You just zapped their foals off to Celestia knows where!"
Applejack grunted with obvious annoyance. "Ah promise, sugarcube. We'll inform them polite like. Pinkie'll take care of 'em. She's a great foalsitter ya know."