//------------------------------//
// Epilogue 
// Story: Twilight's Star 
// by AlicornPriest 
//------------------------------//

In time, Twilight returned to where Rarity was patiently waiting. Rarity smiled. "So, how'd it go? Did you flub any of your lines?"

Twilight laughed. "No, not a one. It's... funny, but I'm starting to feel better. Like... like showing my younger self her star is like I'm... handing it off to her."

"I'm glad." It didn't matter that such reasoning made no sense to her. What mattered was that it made sense to Twilight.

There was a flash of light, and Twilight's cutie mark re-appeared on her side. Before either of them could comment on this new turn of events, they felt the wash of magical energy appear over both of them, and they returned to the present back in Ponyville, where the other four were waiting for them.

"Rarity! Twilight!" Pinkie Pie cried out. "You're back!"

"And Twilight, your cutie mark is back, too." Fluttershy gestured to Twilight's side. "How did you do it?"

"Yeah, Rarity? What was the super-duper-secret cure?"

"Nothing."

The other four looked at her askance. "Nothin'?" Applejack asked. "Are you sure?"

"Well, it was like Lady Venus said. All we had to do was rest, make Twilight feel comfortable, and let her know everything was okay."

"...Oh." Rainbow Dash huffed to herself. "No offense, but I thought you two were, like, running through a temple to find an ancient potion or something. 'Nothing' is a whole lot boring-er."

"I believe the correct form is 'more boring,' Rainbow," Twilight replied.

"...Glad to have ya back, Twi," said Applejack. One by one, they all descended into a group hug, with Rarity joining in last to hold them all together.

"Welp," said Applejack, once they'd had their fill of that, "Ah think Ah've had enough craziness for one day. Come 'n get me if'n Twilight's sanity tears to shreds again."

"You'll be the first to know," Twilight said with a chuckle. The other three made their excuses and left too, leaving just Rarity and Twilight in the castle.

Rarity began her apology, but Twilight cut her off with a fierce hug. "Thank you," she said. "For everything."

"No, you can't possibly--I only made everything worse!" Rarity protested.

"I know you were just trying to help. Besides," she added with another laugh, "I'm sure I would've done the exact same thing in your place."

"Celestia forbid," Rarity replied. "Well, I think I'll have to get to my beauty sleep, too."

"Goodnight, Rarity," said Twilight. "Sleep well."

"You too." She waved goodbye, then headed off down the path back to Carousel Boutique.

As she walked, she looked up to the sky. There, twinkling up above her, were the multitude of stars. She waved in the general direction of where she thought Polaris, Venus, Sirius, and Regulus were to give them her thanks. She also tried to look for her own star, but they weren't like they were up in the Sidereal Ballroom. Here, they all seemed identical. If she wanted to, she could probably go up there again and try to find her star; she still knew the Magick Luna had taught them. But after a moment's thought, she decided she didn't need to try. It was up there, and it was dancing with its pair. That was all she needed to know, and she was plenty fine with that.