Epilogue: Reunion
Applebloom downed the rest of her drink, still processing what she had been told, the three of them sitting at the now vacant bar. So much happened while she was gone, she could barely believe it.
“So...” Midnight began. “Are you coming home, or do you want to stay here a little longer? We'd understand if you need a vacation.”
“No, Ah wanna come home,” AB assured. “Ah'm just... Ah don't know. Ah was just so stupid. First, Ah let that monster hurt you, and then Ah just run away like a scared little filly.” Applebloom sighed. “Ah messed up so bad.”
“Then learn from it,” Twilight stated, firmly. “Failures are only really failures if you don't learn anything. Otherwise, it's just a lesson.”
“Ain't that one of Confusing Proverb's lines?”
Twilight closed her eyes and held up one hoof, saying in her best impression of the old philosopher, “'Confusing say; failure is merely a lesson in success'.”
The three shared a chuckle at that.
“So...” Twilight continued after a brief silence. “Now that you're all caught up, I was wanting to talk to you about your feelings for Midnight.”
Applebloom tensed up at that. “Oh... um... Well, funny thing, there. After Nightshade left, Ah stopped thinkin' that way. Just see Midnight as a friend now. No romantic feelin's here, no more. Yeah, so y'all ain't gotta worry 'bout me no more. Ah won't be botherin' ya.”
Twilight snorted in amusement. “I think you might even be a worse liar than Applejack.”
Bloom groaned. “Fine, yeah, Ah still like him, but Ah mean it when Ah say y'all ain't gotta worry 'bout me pesterin' ya. Granny always said, if'n you love somethin' sometimes you gotta let it go, so that's what Ah'm doin'.”
Twilight thought about that for a bit before speaking. “To be honest, I'm actually happy to hear that. It tells me your feelings are genuine.”
Applebloom looked at the unicorn in confusion.
Twilight continued, “Let me ask you this, though; how do you feel about me?”
“What do you mean?” Applebloom asked in confusion.
“A herd isn't just a stallion in a relationship with two mares, it's three ponies in a relationship with each other. If you joined us, you and I would be just as much together as you and Midnight. So, how do you feel about me?”
“Ah... Ah never thought 'bout that,” Applebloom pondered. “Ah mean, Ah can't say Ah feel the same way 'bout you as Ah do Midnight, but... Ah suppose it ain't too far fetched to think Ah could. Ah mean, Ah've never been attracted to a mare before, but Ah don't see why Ah couldn't be.”
Twilight nodded her head, eyes closed in thought for several seconds before continuing. “Alright, then. I'm going to give you a chance.”
Applebloom's jaw dropped. “Wh-what?”
“I'm going to give you one chance to prove to me that the obsessive, pushy mare you were was the influence of Nightshade. However, I'm setting some ground rules. First, if I say it's over, that's it. You move on and find another, no arguments. Second, you and I need to work. If we can't have the same feelings for each other as we do for Midnight, it's not going to work out.
“You're a good mare, Applebloom, and I can honestly see myself falling in love with you. Can you say the same?”
Applebloom went silent, thinking. Could she love Twilight? It was weird, thinking about one of her sister's friends like that, but...
“Ah don't know,” Applebloom answered honestly. “Maybe?”
Twilight smiled. “Then how about we find out? We'll go on a couple dates, and see where it goes after that.”
Applebloom's face broke out in a smile that Pinkie would be proud of, leaning over to wrap Twilight in a hug.
“Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you! You have no idea how much this means to me!”
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
The following afternoon, the three arrived back home, via train. Midnight, still recovering from his ordeal, went home for a much needed nap, while the others went to Sweet Apple Acres. When they arrived, they were greeted with the expected 'welcome home' party. It was an interesting sight to see not only several dozen ponies, but also a dozen changelings, undisguised, attending. One, though, with her curly mane and glasses, stood out.
“Wait... Twist? You've been a changeling this whole time?” Applebloom asked.
“Yeah, thorry I never thaid anything,” replied Twist, offering a bag of candy. “Mom thaid I couldn't.”
“That's alright, Ah understand. A lot'a ponies are still scared of you guys.” Applebloom took the offered piece licorice candy, savoring the wonderful flavor. It had been so long, she had forgotten how great her sweets were. “Man, Ah missed these... wait.” A sudden thought came to AB. “Hey... When you said the special ingredient in your candy is 'love'...”
“Yeah, I inject love energy in the thweets when I'm micthing them.”
“Wow... Ah never woulda guessed. And we were best... friends.” Applebloom's smile fell as a thought crossed her mind. “You know, Ah should apologize,” Applebloom said. “You used to be my best friend, and Ah abandoned you just cause you got your cutie mark. Some friend Ah was.”
“No, I thould apologith. I thouldn't of given mythelf cutie mark without you. I wath just tho tired of the bullying.”
Applebloom smiled, “So we both messed up. What 'ya say we let that go and just be friends again?”
“I'd love that.”
Applejack watched her sister reunite and make up with her old friend, a loving smile on her face.
“Ah'm glad she's takin' the whole changelin' thing in stride.”
“Well, she's always been an open minded pony,” Twilight added.
“You realize how weird it is, you decidin' to date mah sister?”
“About as weird as it would be if you started dating Spike.”
“Eeyup. Ah'd say, 'don't break her heart' but Ah'm guessin' you might have to, if it don't work out.”
“If it makes you feel better, if it comes to that, I'll do it as gently as I can.”
“Ya better.”
They decided to leave the two old friends to reconcile and headed off towards the refreshments.
“Thanks for goin' to get her, Twi, and for givin' her a chance,” Applejack said. “Just promise me one thing, actually give her a chance. I know you're still weird 'bout herds, but don't go into this thinkin' it ain't gonna work.”
Twilight smiled. “Honestly, I'm hoping it does. If it does, we'll be Apples, meaning you and Pinkie will be family, and since Spike and Sweetie Belle are married, Rarity's family by extension. That means we just need to find a way to get Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy in on it.”
Applejack stopped in her tracks, shocked for half a second before erupting in laughter.
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
Meanwhile, in a dark cavern, lit by arcane globes of light, two figures discussed a very important procedure.
“It's a complicated process,” Nag-Ta told Nightshade. “And unfortunately, until it's complete, you will be trapped.”
Nightshade bit her lip in thought. “It's just for a little bit, right?”
“Of course, my dear,” the demonic coyote assured with a sweet smile. “But you have to agree to it. I can't make this decision for you.”
The ghost filly eyed the dog's wicked looking claw as he extended it out. “And the thing's just a monster, right?”
“Yes, it takes a form similar to a pony so it can lure others to devour them.”
“Mmm... Okay. So long as you promise.” Nightshade extended her hoof.
Nag-Ta took her hoof, wrapping his black claw around the tiny appendage. Suddenly, her world turned inside out, sending an excruciating... sensation through her body. It wasn't pain. She hadn't felt pain in since she died, even when she was in Luna's and Applebloom's bodies. She felt that pain was being inflicted, but didn't actually experience it. This, however, made her wish she could again. It was like her very essence was being torn apart.
And then, nothing. No sense of time, space, or even being, only that she existed.
It could have been an hour, it could have been years, she couldn't tell, but at some point, consciousness began to return. It was like waking up when you hadn't even gone to sleep.
Her eyes slowly opened, raising a hoof to her throbbing head.
“Pain?” Nightshade uttered in confusion. “I'm... hurting...”
“Yes, it's a side effect of the process, I'm afraid.”
Nightshade looked around, taking in her surroundings as she searched out the speaker. They were in a house, nick-knacks and photos strewn about the modest living room of what looked like a log cabin. Her eyes landed on the strange, but kindly diamond dog.
“I actually hurt! It worked!” her voice came out, much deeper and smoother than her former. “I... I'm alive again!”
She looked around the house, searching for something to see herself with. Her eyes landed on a mirror that had been knocked on the floor in an apparent struggle. Levitating it to herself, she gazed at her new appearance. She certainly looked like a monster trying to be a pony, with hooves and an indigo mane. The dragon-like wings made her wonder if the eyes were hers or the monster's. Her hoof clicked against something on her chest she didn't see before. A stone, as black as her coat jutted a few inches from her barrel.
“Where are we?” Nightshade asked as she continued checking herself out.
“In the creature's home,” said the dog.
“Home?” Nightshade asked in confusion. “You mean, it ate the pony that lived here?!”
Nag-Ta laughed a sadistic laugh. “No, she built it herself when she moved here.”
Nightshade looked at the dog as if he had grown another head. “But that means it was smart, but still ate ponies?! How awful.”
“Actually, she only hunted wild animals in the Everfree. She was the local wood cutter.”
Nightshade stared at Nag-Ta, mouth agape. “B-but... you said... She ate ponies!”
“Did I?” Nag-Ta said in mock confusion.
“You lied!” Nightshade leaped at the dog, only for him to raise his clawed paw and stop her in her in midair. Blood red lightning arced through her body. She screamed in agony until Nag-Ta released her, letting her collapse to the ground.
“Do you see this?” the demon dog asked, kneeling down beside her prone form and tapping on the black stone in her chest. “This is your anchor. It ties you to me, as well as this body. So long as this remains, you will do as I command. However if it's removed, your body will rapidly deteriorate and you will be dead within days, maybe a week if you're strong enough. Oh, but that's not all. You see, you are now truly alive. Meaning, if you die, after all the terrible things you've done, it's the Nether for you.
“You are mine, now. You will do what I tell you, when I tell you. However, I am not without generosity. If you serve me well, I will try to keep your little pony friend alive.”
Nightshade could only stare in horror. She had been tricked. Fooled into giving consent to another to use her for their own purpose, only to be betrayed. The irony was not lost on her.
“For your first task,” Nag-Ta said with a malicious grin. “I need you to find someone for me. According to my associate, you'll find him deep beneath Canterlot Castle, in the old crystal mines.”