Many moons later…
I was sitting outside, in a field of moonflowers, which made it seem as if I was sitting in a field of almost pure white. Here and there you could make out the ground underneath them, and the expanse of the field was occasionally broken by the large apple trees that dotted the landscape. It was warm outside, the moon was full, and the whole world seemed to have fallen silent.
So much had happened. Applejack and I, of course, are still together, though our relationship has now progressed far beyond the mere high school sweethearts we once were. She recently got back with Apple Bloom from the rodeo in Appleloosa, where they had something of an adventure. I still live with the Apples and help on the farm. I still look after Apple Bloom when I can, and Big Mac and I are still close friends. Granny Smith is still with us too, as is Winona.
I have the occasional magic lesson with Twilight, though now I am far closer to her level of understanding. She even sometimes asks to bounce ideas off me for spells she is working on.
I also of course, drop by to see the other girls whenever I have a chance to. I have to go and see Rarity soon. Applejack and I have been invited to this year’s Grand Galloping Gala; I’m tagging along as her plus one. Ponyville’s fashion expert is going to give me some advice on styling and so forth. I thought I might dye my mane perhaps, maybe go for a silver colour to give me some maturity.
Then, of course, there is my little sister, Lizzie. Like me, she has managed to find love in this new world. She and Dewdrop have been going out for a couple of months now. With both mine and my father’s blessing I might add; I like the guy, he’s certainly no Flash Sentry. She managed to get Dewdrop a spot on the patrol, just as Dash had done for her, and the pair now regularly manage weather patterns around Ponyville. They aren’t living together yet; Lizzie is still living with Fluttershy, whilst Dewdrop is saving up for a larger house. They are both doing well; Lizzie even met Spitfire not so long ago when she went with Dash to see her train with the other Wonderbolt reservists.
My old man still has his job as Celestia’s legal advisor, though sometimes I think his remit may have come to extend a bit further. He’s presided over a couple of criminal cases since Trixie’s trial, as well as helping out with the search for the elusive Starlight Glimmer. He’s also still good friends with Discord, who has now completely reverted to his usual self, though he doesn’t annoy me quite as often now. Dad continues to commute every day up to Canterlot and comes back home at night. I still see him whenever I get the chance, often my mother will send him to fetch stuff from the market, and we will have a chance to talk.
And speaking of my mother, she’s been going steady at the elementary school. Cheerilee and her have been talking about creating a second class in the school to make the workload and student numbers easier to manage. And also possibly as a way to keep Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, and the Crusaders apart. There haven’t been any major incidents, but occasionally Apple Bloom comes home a little annoyed. Dinky has continued to impress everypony, even Time Turner, with her affinity for knowledge. The old Timelord has even begun to teach Derpy a little about his own various experiments; last I heard the two of them were working on a new kind of firework.
Finally, I suppose I ought to mention Strong Shield. After just under two months off, he was reinstated and cleared as fit for duty. He was more than happy to be back yelling at the new recruits. He and I write to each other every now and then. Hopefully, I’ll be able to see him at the Gala.
I smiled as I looked out over the landscape. Equestria does indeed have flowers that bloom only at night. But I know for a fact that it does not possess the moonflowers you would find on Earth. In something that has become quite a familiar sensation to me, I felt a presence at my side, and the world around me solidified as my dreaming mind became lucid.
“Hello, Blade Star,” Luna said as she settled down beside me.
“Good evening, Luna,” I replied, touching the brim of my hat in a half-hearted formality.
“I thought that it had been long enough since we last spoke. How have you been?” she asked.
“Oh, ya know, gettin’ by. Ah thought Ah might come here to relax a little. Ah’d forgotten just how tough things can get come Applebuck Season.” Luna’s ears perked up.
“If I recall correctly, it was just before Applebuck Season when you arrived here.”
“Yep,” I replied contentedly. “Another year gone, Luna. Our first in Equestria.” I laughed a little to myself.
“Something amusing?” Luna enquired as she used her magic to correct a couple of mistakes I had made in rendering the night sky.
“Ah was just thinkin’ is all. How much things have changed over the year.” I felt a comforting wing rest itself on my back.
“Indeed, Blade Star. You have matured into a fine young gentlecolt. So strange to think that when we first met, you were a wannabe guardsman, and something of a fanatic towards me, who only saw his stay in Equestria as a temporary thing.” I cringed inwardly and facehoofed. If I could go back in time (again), I would definitely need to knock some sense into, or failing that, six bells out of, my past self.
“Yeah, Ah was a bit of an idiot when Ah first got here,” I admitted as my vision stabilised and I steadied myself. “Readin’ too many of those damn stories.” I still, to this day, cringe and lie awake at night as a consequence of my actions in those early days.
“Still, you have learned many lessons have you not?” the princess continued, relenting a little. “I recall you were, for a day or two, the talk of the town in Canterlot’s fashion circles after your time with Rarity. And there was that ‘incident’ with that reporter, of course.” Now that was a good memory; my hoof hurt like Tartarus at the time though.
“Hay, it was that night Rarity talked some sense into me an’ got me to realise how much AJ liked me.”
“And yet you still managed to avoid that issue for what, three months?”
“In my defence, Ah’d never had something like that happen before. We’ve both still learning as we go, regardless of what your adoptive niece says. But Ah will admit, bein’ in Equestria has allowed me to open up a bit more. Ah can’t say the same thing would’ve happened back on Earth.”
“And then of course,” Luna went on. “There was your experience with one my sister’s guards; Captain Strong Shield, correct?”
“Now he, Luna, has taught me a lot. And Ah don’t just mean all the protection magic either. Whether he meant to or not, he made me realise how prejudiced Ah could be; another left over from Earth.” I snorted irritably.
“That is not necessarily so, Blade Star. Equestria may be peaceful, but it is not without its inequalities. Your willingness to step back and evaluate yourself is most admirable. Between you and me, even my sister was initially livid when she heard of her guard’s true nature.” Now that was a scarce event. I had thought only Discord could really annoy the usually composed Celestia. But, given her experience with them, it was understandable that she too might harbour some irrational anger.
“You know, Ah reckon it was the idea of Applejack seein’ me like that, which convinced me to drop it. Ah liked her back then, and Ah sure as hay knew she liked me. Ah couldn’t stand to imagine what she’d think of me. It all pushed me toward love instead of hate.”
“I believe Cadence had something of a role in your final acceptance though, did she not?” I shot Luna a faux-angered look. I still can’t stand Equestria’s Cupid for love nor money.
“Perhaps,” I admitted, a little sullenly. “Though sometimes Ah reckon Discord had just as much a hoof in it as anypony else. And, of course, as if that weren’t enough, come April Fools, Ah end up with wings.” Luna burst out into laughter again.
“Yes, Discord told me about that. I am surprised you didn’t elect to keep them. It has been a long time since there has been a male alicorn after all. Who knows, perhaps we might have even made you a prince?” I could quite easily tell she was humouring me; royalty was not something I desired anyway.
“And it wasn’t a week or so later you kindly agreed to link up Applejack’s dream with mine for our little getaway. That was pretty much what sealed the deal after all.”
“Yes, just as you let love into your life, you also made a final peace with its counterpart. Whilst I have always distrusted time travel spells, it certainly brought home the seriousness of your feelings.” I nodded, remembering what I had done in Canterlot, a few years before I arrived in Equestria. That was something that would stay with me for a long time.
“And then there was the family reunion, and after that, the celebration. So, we find ourselves here.”
“Indeed, Blade Star,” Luna replied. “You have had many adventures, of sorts, over this past year. Tell me, what have you taken from it all?” I smiled as I thought to myself. I had learned so much, it was difficult to sum it all up in… I looked over to Luna, who was smirking to herself, as I realised what she was asking.
“Princess Luna,” I said, smiling slyly. “You want a friendship report, don’t you.” The wise lunar diarch smiled.
“It is something you have wanted to do since you got here, is it not?” she replied. I wondered how long she had been sitting on that one. She was right though. On occasion I had written one or two back on Earth. I thought for a moment, about how best to sum everything up.
Furrowing my brow, I tried to think of something. With all I've done and with what the people and ponies around me have done, what one thing have I learned from it? I thought of my family, the changelings, the ponies I knew from the show and the ones I've come to meet here. Then the image my family with the Apples all gathered around that campfire came into my mind. I saw my sister playing with Apple Bloom and Winona, Big Mac and Granny talking to my parents back at the farmhouse, and Applejack smiling as she looked my way when I first came back from Canterlot. With that I began my first report. From some unknown location, the familiar clarinet solo began to play.
"Ah've learned that simplicity is one of life's biggest accomplishments. As nice as it is to have a goal and strive for something great, simplicity is by far the greatest of all. It's a sign that you've done what you can, that there are no more great challenges, that you're finally done. When life becomes simple, you can feel proud of that fact and relax. 'Cause that’s it; ya did it."
"Hmm,” Luna replied, placing a hoof to her chin on thought. “I was expecting something more along the lines of 'revenge and grudges corrupt' or 'life in a new world can be a good thing' or perhaps 'new experience can be a catalyst for improving yourself'." I pushed my Stetson a little way back on my head
"Well, Ah thought of those as well, and Ah reckon Ah’ve learned those lessons too. But those can be learned along the way. You can't understand simplicity until the end."
“So, this is the end of your adventure then?” Luna asked me. I smiled and shook my head.
“No, this is not the end, Luna. This is just the beginning.”