Dusk sat up and clopped his forehooves together. He looked directly at Dust and smiled at her. "You can join us, Dust Kicker. You're a very resourceful person."
Sandra snorted with less enthusiasm. "Is that enough for love these days? We're not actually horses, let's decide our relationships just a tiny bit more rationally." She grunted and her thick tail slapped the ground. "Sorry, I'm feeling very grumpy today. Whatever's riding me is upset."
Cindy's smile fell. "Oh, we really should say hello to your other half. They've probably gotten used to Neon."
Neon raised a brow. "You could give it back. I wouldn't mind."
Dust Kicker rolled her eyes and fixed her eyes on me. "Is that what you were offering? I've been shoving you across a continent, biting at your tail and scowling at you, why would you even want me around now that you're free of me?"
I reached for Dust, but she shied away, refusing an ear scratching. "You were doing your job, and you turned away from it once it become clear it was wrong. That's more than a lot of people manage, both ways. You care about those under you, and those above you. If either of us start going nuts, I'll expect you to come for us with one of those blades of yours."
Dust snorted softly. "You say that too casually. Christ, are you saying you'll roll over and give me your belly to slice open?"
Dusk closed the distance, ears perked and his eyes shining with hope. "We're not going to give you a reason for that."
Dust put up a hoof and gently pushed Dusk away. "You're too transparent, unicorn boy."
Neon looked up at me, then over at Sandra. "Well, what do you plan to do with me then? Are you dragging me somewhere to be thrown in jail, or claiming me as some kind of concubine as a war trophy?" She wrinkled her nose. "I had a feeling your 'good for all' thing had a limit."
I reached for Neon, and she didn't retreat, so I pulled her close and rubbed over her cheeks. "Neon, how do you feel?"
Neon perked an ear. "How do I feel? What do you mean by that?"
I stroked over her back and her tail lifted a little. "You're clean. Your mind's free of outside influences, and you're not in charge of a nation, for better or worse. You're free to be you, for lack of better way to say that. How do you feel?"
Neon frowned a little. "That's a loaded question. I still think humans are going to be the death of us eventually." She sat up. "You've taken the helm, so, I don't know... I'm hoping a little that I was wrong, since if I was right, I'll just get to watch it all fall to shit from a new angle. If I was wrong, then I get to be remembered badly, but the world moves on, and I guess I can live with that."
Dust growled softly. "You deserve more than to just be embarrassed. You filled my head with lies, and I went along with it like a dumbass."
Sandra settled beside Dust. "You're still full of gift, you know."
Dust swiveled an ear at Sandra. "I guess there's no reason to hold onto it anymore... Does it hurt?"
Cindy tilted her head. "Depends on what we do with it. Physical alterations usually sting some, but it passes. Would you like a little stronger unicorn magic?"
Dusk nodded. "I have that, and some more output, um, as a stallion."
Dust burst into laughter. "No wonder you're so eager for me to lift my tail." She turned on Dusk and tapped his nose. "Get to know a girl first, boy. You don't even know what kind of music I like."
Neon pointed northwards. "That was a fair-sized group we broke up, but I doubt it was all we had. I know we had more than that. Shouldn't we be looking for them?"
Sandra lashed out her tongues, ensnaring Neon instantly by the barrel and plucking her from the ground with a squeak from the former ruler. "We're not quite done with you, I think."
I nodded. "You gave a few options. You're a bit dangerous to let go. You're clever and charismatic. You could get ponies following you again, even without the princess powers."
Neon kicked out a hindleg and scowled a little at Sandra. "So, jail then?"
Sandra tilted her head. "If you prefer that. We're working to make the world better, for real, without genocide. We're offering you a place beside us as we do so. We're going to protect humanity and, uh, equinity? Both of them, from each other if we have to."
Neon considered the offer as Dust gathered up a wad of dirt with her magic and sent it flying at the captive pony in an explosion of dust. "It's more than you deserve!"
Neon shook off much of the dust as she coughed. "That's not very kind, Dust Kicker, burying me in your namesake. You're just upset that you aren't being invited like this." She looked to me. "I'll join you. I want to see you heal this world, or fail. Either way will satisfy me."
Dust Kicker bore her teeth in an obvious fury before she suddenly grabbed Dusk in her magic and pulled him in, kissing him right on the lips. "I changed my mind, maybe I will join."
Dusk smiled at the exchange, brief as it was, but the expression faltered. "You just want to keep an eye on Neon, don't you?"
Dust chuckled softly. "Am I as transparent as you are?"
Sandra nodded as she set Neon down to the ground. "Afraid you are. Still, Dusk is clearly alright with the idea."
Dusk tilted his head. "Only if she is. I'm not a brainless stallion, or a desperate one. I kind of like you, Dust Kicker. You're strong-willed, smart, and... if you don't mind my saying, pretty. I'd like to get to know you better than we already have."
Dust nodded slowly. "Alright then, it's settled. I'm joining. I'll get to know you all, as peers this time, and keep an eye on her." She gave Neon a glare, which was ignored.
Neon circled around me and settled beside me. "Why didn't I get anything special when you took my gift?"
Sandra had an answer for that. She shook her head a little. "Your gift wasn't burned up, like we usually do. It's inside of me." She tapped her larger chest. "That's why I'm larger, and brightly colored."
Neon huffed softly. "So I get nothing? Figures."
Dust chuckled a little and looked amused. "What you deserve, if not worse. Fine, take it, and put some strength in my legs if that would be more efficient."
Sandra lifted Dust from the ground with her tongues, getting a fresh frown from Dust. "You'd better not do what Neon did or the deal's off."
"I promise," said Sandra as she placed Dust before me. I gently pet over Dust's ears and felt through her body for the gift. Nothing too special, perhaps a tiny bit stronger than average. I sent most of it towards the delicate organs that controlled her horn, while shunting the remainder into her legs and flank, enhancing her strength. She grunted against the pain of the changes, but was largely accepting of it, and soon was entirely clean of gift.
"Holy christ. I didn't even realise how much my brain was fogged this whole time." She frowned sharply. "We have to free more people of this as soon as possible."
Neon gave a slow nod. "I know what you mean... I... It gives me hope that maybe I was wrong."
Dust pointed at Neon. "You were wrong!" The hoof wavered in the air before being set down. Dust approached Neon, nose-to-nose. "Maybe I was wrong, a little, too. Let's work together for now. There's plenty of work to be done."
Sandra smiled at the moment between them. Her thought whispered between my ears, ~Our herd is full of interesting ponies. I'm proud to be the alpha female of it. And you? Are you happy to be the alpha male?~
I looked down at my decidedly female form, and considered my female voice. Everyone who didn't know my old human self just assumed female without hesitation. Only Sandra was left that referred to me as a man. I let out a slow sigh. "I think it's time I accepted what I am." All eyes looked up at me curiously. I put a hand on my curvy chest. "I am a girl, er, mare? Whatever, female, even if I do have the parts to play a guy."
Sandra giggled a little. "That's very big of you, but I still think of you as my boyfriend, and the father of my first child. Is that alright?"
The others were more confused. Dust raised a brow. "You were female already, under-cannon excluded."
Dusk nodded at Dust. "You're both, Will. It's new, and, uh, I guess we don't have good pronouns for it, but you have both, so why not be both?"
Neon smiled. "That's obvious. It's confusing to people, and William accepts being a leader means having to pay some attention to how others see you. So she is she, even if she has extra parts. Now, not to be rude, but we do have more area to cover before people get hurt?"
I rose up to my hooves. "Neon is right. You're both coming with us, and that's all we need to settle right this moment. We'll have plenty of time to hash out particulars later."
Sandra came up and bumped side to side against me. "One last thing. I formally declare William and Cindy as the alpha of our little gathering, and I gladly defer to the beta position."
Dust tilted her head a little. "We're not actually horses. We don't need to have alphas and betas and whatever like animals, you know."
Neon chuckled at Dust. "Humans are animals too, and if you think they don't get alphas and omegas? You're not looking hard enough." She smirked at the agitated looking unicorn. "You've always been an alpha, but you're bowing your head a little towards the peacemaker, hmm. It's a little confusing, isn't it? Don't worry, I know what you're going through."
"You know nothing of me!" hissed Dust Kicker before turning northward. "Let's go."
I spread a bubble over the group and focused on a hill I could see in the distance, hoping for a better view of things. "We may have to intercede while violence is already going on. Are you all ready to drop into the middle of a battlefield if need be and break things up?"
Dusk saluted sharply. "Whatever has to be done, Will."
Cindy laughed softly. "I guess I'll come along for the ride."
Neon and Dust nodded, and Sandra remained pressed against me, so we jumped, appearing at the top of the hill. Our work was only just beginning.