Slow, Love, Slow

Cadence pushed open the door to the nursery. Her mane and tail fluttering brightly in a unseen wind, her cutie mark practically glowing on her flank now, though it hadn't changed otherwise. She draped a masking spell over it as she entered so as not to disturb the foals present, or whelps, or . Well the babies. She saw who she was looking for quickly, as Chrysalis was leaning over Shin's crib, the soft giggling of the young Changeling easily heard from the small bed.

One of the cradles was empty as Dawn had been returned to Luna and Jer'rahd while everything else was still being settled. Talon was awake and clinging to the edge of his crib, wings fluttering as he looked up at Cadence when she trotted in. A clear look of disappointment on the little Hippogryph's face as he saw it wasn't his mother. Dusty would be here in a short time to make sure her son went to sleep. The Griffoness was the only one who could get the energetic little creature to go to bed properly. The one day she hadn't been around the foal stayed up until he collapsed with exhaustion and was quite cranky the next day.

The Griffoness would be here soon, though there was some rather ugly business to take care of first.

Cadence lifted her head to the darkness that covered the ceiling of the room, a intentional flutter of leathery wings told her that at least Talia was up there. A glance behind her at the holes still in the floor made her worry about whether the mare should still be in charge of Elusive's protection detail, though she wasn't about to argue with the Half Dragon about it. Still at least the doors were fixed.

“Crystal. It was my name first.” The changeling sighs pulling away from the small cradle looking down at the Changeling god within as he struggles to keep his eyes open. She had taken a differing form, one of a simple black furred and green unicorn, Cadence expected it was how she looked before Star swirl had changed her so long ago.

“Now?.... Now nothing.... I just wait for Luna to let Locust's personality free and I'm gone.... like I was never here to begin with save in her memories.”

“Don't, just listen, don't feel sorry for me or anything. I did a lot of bad things whether they were caused by a curse or not. I have a number of regrets, but a number of things I'm proud of too. Aside from that dragon in Kaisur I'm probably the oldest living thing thing on the planet right now. I've seen things and done things that one couldn't even begin to write a saga about. Shin's going to know all of it. All he has to do is look in the Hive's memories and he'll see everything his mothers ever done, good and bad.”

“Dying? No. I've done that a few times, and I've felt like it even more than that. What terrifies me is what Shin might think of me when he grows up. I don't want him to think his mother only cared about revenge, or his father only cared about his wife over him. Had things not happened the way they did he would have seen that. But I suppose that's not the point now.” Crystal leans down in the basket kissing the little changeling god on the forehead as he finally couldn't keep his eyes open.

“I'm older than Discord by a few thousand years, and older than Tirek by at least a score, that monster can have the title of oldest bastard however. I've buried more friends, family, and lovers than I care to admit. I've built kingdoms from nothing, destroyed civilizations, and over saw the country and other parts of Equss for centuries. I've killed gods, created new races, and been the extinction of others. I've ruled several Empires and seen them all fall, only to rise again. I've fought wars, brought about unification, and pitted brother against brother. The only thing left for me to have done was to bear a child with my Solomon.... and I've done that now too. I wish I could raise him, but I'm sure there's a better mare to do that.” Crystal lifts her head looking at Cadence who looks away from the Changeling.

“Don't give me that. I already adopted him after the first time I thought you were dead.” Cadence huffs.

The creak of the door snapped both their attentions to the entrance of the room and the dark alicorn stepping through them. She wore a flat expression on her face nodding to Cadence then looking at Crystal.

“It's time.” Luna states, her voice cold though tinged with the sound of regret, behind her Cadence could hear the tolling of the bell tower in the center of the city signaling seven-o-clock.

Crystal paused looking down at Shin, the dark unicorn mare still in a form that Cadence didn't recognize, but Luna did. It was the one the former Changeling Queen was born in as a pony.

The mare gasps a little tears streaming from her eyes as the bell began to toll it's last.

“I don't want to go.....” Crystal whimpers, looking down at her sleeping son.

Luna lifts the fallen Changeling mare from the ground with her magic floating her to the door and letting a pair of Guards there carry her to her room. She would wake up in the morning recalling who she was, the first of the drones to regain her memories.

“Couldn't..... couldn't we have given her more time?” Cadence asked hesitantly moving over between Shin and her own daughter looking down as her filly Glimmer slept peacefully, while Shin seemed troubled and was trying to cry in his sleep.

“No. She had more time than any one else ever has before. She died with her loved ones and is going to meet those she most cared for. Friends and family that have waited a long time for her to return to them. That we all could be as lucky to have such an end.” Luna sighs. “If I let her have more time she would be stealing the time from a mare that she had already stolen so much from. Locust was a maternity nurse in Canterlot. Her real name is Bassinet, she has two children and a husband who have thought her dead for the last few years. I would not rob one mother of her family just to give more time to another who should have already been long dead.”

“So. Do you really think she was a bad pony?” Cadence blinks. “Everything she did?”

“I have asked that of myself quite often. My own history perhaps makes me see things that are not there. Good that doesn't exist in some places. I know all of her history. I know what she did wrong and what she did right. I could tell you what you think you want to hear, or I could simply point out that for the last year she has done everything in her power to make sure her son was well cared for and loved, no matter how much it hurt her to do so as some one else. That should be enough of an answer for you.”

“Anyway Dusty's here and pacing the hall, she's going back to get her husband in the morning, I think it's time to let her in.” Luna sighed lifting her head up, looking at the magical darkness above, her eyes narrowing.

Applebloom flailed laughing, as her brother gripped her in a bone crushing hug. Applejack barely waited for Big Mac to let her down before she was doing the same. Granny Smith chuckled at the display having arrived two days before, along with the rather agitated Griffon that had been sent to find her, and then had the displeasure of escorting the crotchy mare back to White Tail.

“How did ah become tha short one of that family?” Applejack mutters looking up at her two siblings towering over her.

The group stood not far away from the Demon of Dullahan MKII, which was moored in the clear area made by Sweetiebelle, next to the still wrecked Storm Cloud. The wrecked ship actually looked like a ship again, though the Demon had to bring a new set of air bags. The crew had gotten one engine working so the craft could limp it's way home, hopefully. This was something of a relief to the Elk in the area as the engines the repair crews were working on often caught fire or caught something else on fire.

Currently Dusty was yelling at Breezy and chasing after him. The pegasus was taking the whole thing in stride and was taunting his wife as the injured female chased him, barely staying ahead of the Griffoness's attempts to throttle him.

Applebloom chuckles a little at AJ's comment, noting a few new scars on her sister and brother, just as they were noticing her new leg, her own scars and the cutie mark she bore.

“Not really. I mean ah got a feeling, and tha spirits tell me a couple of things, but ah ain't sure what it is....” Apple Bloom admits. “ Was Fluttershy coming?”

“Huh? Nah she's checking up on tha New Canterlot and tha farm. There's a whole buncha folks from Cloudsdale that'll need a place to stay for a while.” Applejack states.”Yah ken see her when yah get back home.”

Applebloom flinched a little at that and Granny frowned, having already been through this.

“Ah ain't coming back Applejack.... least not fer a while, and not in no permanent sense.” Applebloom mutters.

“Ah got too much tah do here. Ah'm kinda gonna take over as the Elk's adviser maybe even leader soon as Elder Lololog retires. Ah got a lot tah learn before ah ken do that. And ah likely got tah boot a couple of tha more stubborn ones in tha head a few more times before they git the hint ah ain't going any where.” Applebloom snorts, wondering if Dances in Flame had gotten out of the tree she threw into yet. That fool was rude, arrogant, and kept trying to run her off. She'd half a mind to stick around even if she hadn't planned to do so, just to spite him.

“No yah don't. Yah got Dash and Shy and tha foals. Spect yer gonna take care of that twins now too.....” Applebloom sighs.” Ah don't see Fluttershy letting any one else take care of those two fluff balls.”

“Err we hadn't talked about that yet... but ah ken see you're right..... Not sure about Rhynthia though, she's a might unsettling.” Applejack admits. “ But still...”

“Yeah, ah suppose that's true....” Applejack sighs, looking up at the rather dejected Big Mac. “Just ain't exactly easy tah think about it.”

“It'll get easier. It always does. Ain't like yer saying goodbye fer good, Ah spect this little part of Equss is gonna get a lot busier soon any way.” Granny Smith interrupts. “Now all of yah quit being mopey and Big Mac quit yer crying like a baby, let tha mare show yah around. This place is pretty big.... Sides ah need tah git back tah that Lololog doe. Ah'm teaching her tah play cards, she owes me twenty bits already.”

[ New Canterlot, Red Light District, ten days after the Defeat of Tirek, early Evening]

“Luna are you sure this is the right direction?” Bleu asks looking around at the signs for clubs and bars and other shady places.

“I was unaware that this part of Canterlot even existed.....” Luna comments as she trots along side Jer'rahd and Starfall, her horn glowing. “ And yes it is the amulet is pulling this way, Rhede's shard is some where in this part of town.”

“Given how spread out Canterlot Castle was after that explosions, I'm surprised it's not in the Zebra Lands,” Jer'rahd states, his tail whipping behind him.

The group of them had retrieved Velkorn's piece of Jer'rahd's grandfathers sword, and Luna currently wore it around her neck. She was curious as to if Rhede's piece had survived and had cast a small finding spell just to check. She was rather surprised to find that the piece still did in fact exist and was still in New Canterlot.

The remaining Beasts of the Moon had set out to recover it, expecting to need to sift tons of rubble to get to it, and perhaps even find Rhede's remains, though the spell had led them here instead.

Most of New Canterlot was still intact. There was some flood damage and a number of wrecked buildings, though most of the damage seemed confined to the Castle, which for the most part wasn't even there any more past a few stubborn walls an a few sections of the basement around the edges of the property and the heavily spelled and protected Garden. Most of the damage to the rest of the city was the result of debris from the explosion at the castle and several tons of stone needed to be removed from as far off as the edge of Sweet Apple Acres.

The red light District was in the south side of New Canterlot hidden in a back corner within the cities walls, though rather close to the stairs leading to Ponyville. Jer'rahd had been glad to see the memorial arch was still intact.

The small group turned another corner following Luna. They were greeted to the sight of a place called ' The Bunny Ranch'. The building was mostly old brick and fancy trim, though the most noticeable thing about the place was the large sign. The sign was of little more than a scantily clad unicorn mare with a tight corset, fishnet stockings, and a pair of fake rabbit ears, with her tail done up like a bunnies puff. Her cutie mark was a blue heart and she vaguely resembled Cadence if the pegicorn had been a little plumper. The work crews had gotten most of the lights in the city running again so the whole area was lit up , even if the streets were all empty still. Despite that knowledge the glowing pink mare was a bit jarring in the other wise somber atmosphere of an empty city.

Starfall tilts her head looking at the sign, muttering something about seeing if they sold those costumes before Luna spoke up.

The group splits up starting to look around, though Starfall was the first to spot it. The mare had taken another look at the sign and noticed something that she flew up to investigate.

“Oh you have got to be kidding me.” Starfall shouts, hovering in the air before the giant pink sign.

“What is it?” Bleu asks “.... Wait is that?” The little dragon flutters up as well.

Jer'rahd and Luna walk over to stand under where the pair were, noting the small impact point in the sign, and the shard of glinting metal embedded right in the scantily clad mare's flank.

“There are buildings in the way!? How did the shard fly across the city and dodge all those buildings, just to slap into a mares ass?!?” Luna growls clearly irritated and the sheer impossibility.

Button tightened the headband looking out the door before darting forward and diving into a trash can. He lifted the lid slightly and glanced around shiftily before slipping out of the trash can and into a bush.
The bush was pulled up by the roots and carried along to conceal the pony for a bit before it's plopped back into the ground on the other side of the street and a cardboard box shuffled from behind it working it's way further down the street.

The hidden pony yelps a bright red exclamation point appearing over his head with a sharp synthesizer riff. He burst out of the box and tried to gallop away before he felt the pull of magic on his tail stopping him dead before it pulled him back. He scrambled harder, hooves scraping on the crystal road as he was drug back, his body tensed as a foreleg draped over his shoulders partially wrapping around his neck.

“ Been avoiding me Mash, what gives?” Vinyl asks casually, though he could feel the mares leg tighten around his neck.

“Sure..... so then... where's my system?” Vinyl demands looking at the younger colt over the top of her glasses. “ I know you used it, I heard it …. it sounded glorious. “

“It's fused and melted to the front of a griffon ship after blasting the fool out of Tirek ain't it?”

“It's perfectly fine but locked in a secret government vault.......... wait what?” Button gasps. “ Who told you that?”

“Bleu and a couple of musically inclined Changelings yer filly introduced me too.” Vinyl grins. “ Cool thing is I already knew Carol, I jammed with her a few times before tha war. Never knew she was a bug though, mares got a set of pipes too.”

“Yeah... sorry about that boss mare.... I know I promised to bring it back......”

“ Umm you know. Like they do in really tall buildings they don't have a thirteenth floor, we shouldn't have a thirteenth notch. It was ummm, suggested to me, by someone... it's kinda a luck thing I guess.” Button muttered.”Umm, though if it's not cause I broke your gear, then why are you choking me?”

“Duh... cause you played the show of a lifetime and I know you. You recorded it.” Vinyl smirks. “ I wanna hear that thing!”

[ Sweet Apple Acres, edge of the North Orchard, Twelve days after the defeat of Tirek, Morning.]

He would rather be any where doing anything else, anything else at all, even swimming in the ocean.

Big Mac shifts a little, lowering his side of the coffin, Jer'rahd did the same his magic stabilizing the nearly empty box, the two necklaces hanging around his throat clink together, his piece of his grandfather's sword and Rhede's.

There wasn't anything in the coffin but a leg, after days of scouring the rubble it was a safe bet that they were not going to find anything else of his brother in the castles remains.

The pair of them lowered the coffin in to the grave as on the other side of him, Zecora and Applejack did the same with Velkorn's coffin.

The two of them were being laid to rest in the Pelt family graveyard at the edge of the north field. Near the place Jer'rahd had first cleared out when he was freed of stone. Jer'rahd wasn't sure where Ma Pelt was buried, and there were no records her final rest in any of the Apple family records, but Jer'rahd knew Rhede's father and sister were buried here, and that was enough.

He lifted his head after a last glance at the closed casket. Neither of them were in any shape to be viewed. A leg and a charred corpse, he doubted he could have looked at either of them anyway.

A picture of the pair of them was ringed in flowers and placed above the grave next to the new double headstone.

The name Pelt was etched across the top of the head stone along with the words 'Here lies', before the two engravings for each of them were carved underneath.

~ Rhederic Pelt~
~3732 AD- 1011 ANM~
~Loving Father and Husband~
~Bearer of the Element of Generosity~
~ Hero of Equestria ~
~We shall never see his like again.

There had been some issue about where Velkorn was going to be laid to rest, with her being their first Queen, the Zebra's wished to entomb her body in the Zebra lands.

There was an even bigger fuss made when Jer'rahd made it quite clear that he would ensure that there would be no Zebra land's left to bury a body if they so much as even attempted to move her away from Rhede.

In the end cooler heads prevailed as it was brought up that Velkorn had done everything she could to distance herself from the Zebralands as a whole and burying her someplace she didn't want to be would be thought of as a insult rather than an honor.

It also didn't hurt that both Luna and Bleu agreed with Jer'rahd about the removal of half a continent being a reasonable response.

~Velkorn Pelt~
~3730 AD- 1011ANM~
~Loving Mother and Wife~
~First Queen of the Zebra Lands~
~Bearer of the Element of Compassion~
~Mother of Modern Medicine~
~The lives she helped to save are countless~

Jer'rahd moved back as the coffins were settled in place, joining the rather sizable collection of ponies and other creatures that had gathered for the funeral. A number of them were ambassadors, ten times that many were Apples. Fluttershy had the twins, Wolf and Fox with her, though neither seemed to know what was going one and were quiet aside from the occasional whimper, catching onto every one elses sadness. Bleu, Spike, Peach Blossom and Starfall were all in attendance as well as Rainbow Dash. A sizable number of Equestria ambassadors were also in attendance. Jer'rahd suspected both Discord and Pinkie Pie were there some where, though he hadn't bothered to do more than glance around once at the sizable crowd.

Grannysmith was overseeing the last words, though Jer'rahd barely heard anything she said , he was sure it was fitting. Applebloom had come back for the funeral and a small gathering of Elk had come with her though they were keeping their distance from everyone in the forest. Pip, orange, Berry and Brush were also present though they were staying near Applebloom, letting Jer'rahd and Luna remain apart.

Celestia and Twilight were there, though neither of them were back to normal yet either. Jer'rahd laid his his head against Luna's side and the larger mare draped her wing over his back. Dawn and Rhynthia both were there and were resting in saddle bags on Luna's sides. Dawn was fidgeting, but was unusually quiet. Rhynthia had her head poked up out of the saddlebag and was watching everything. A few of the Zebra Lands ambassadors had noticed her and were staring at the Zebra godling more than the burial ceremony but they said anything about her.

In the end Jer'rahd had to leave after the first thud of dirt atop the coffins sounded in the air. Luna followed with him. Dawn struggled to get out of her bag and grab at Jer'rahd gasping and crying out before Jer'rahd pulled her out of the bag and let her grab onto his mane laying across his back, comforted by his daughter's grip.

“Terrible day for rain.....” mutters Jer'rahd, his head lowered tot he ground.

Luna glances up at the clear sky, then back to Jer'rahd as he trudged along, his head low a trail of droplets soaking into the earth under him..

Luna shifts uneasily on her chair, glancing down at the pair of fillies she had in the pair of cribs on either side of her. She wasn't comfortable with them being here, nor with the looks she was getting from some of the other ambassadors. Particularly the Zebra one who seemed to alternate his glares between the new Changeling Queen, and the crib next to her that held a Zebra god. Luna was going to make certain to keep and eye out, as it might be an issue at a later date.

Still the foals were both being very quiet. Dawn because she had worn herself out climbing over Jer'rahd and had dozed off and Rhynthia because she barely ever made any noise.

The little zebra filly was an enigma thus far. Physically she was very healthy for one born as premature as she was from a mother who was for all purposes already dead, mentally Luna could see nothing wrong with her dreams either. They were still the same shapeless mass of colors and noises like all newborns, she was also incredibly fuzzy and ridiculously cute.

The current consensus was that she and Jer'rahd were going to adopt Rhynthia and let the twins stay with Applejack and Fluttershy. Not for any doubt that they couldn't take care of her, but no one knew what sort of power the little foal would have and it was better to keep her some place where it could easily be countered if it turned out to be dangerous.

Celestia sat on the other side of her, still an earth pony, but given her status she still had a say in the goings on in this emergency meeting of the Race's of Equss. Luna had always thought it a stupid name and a rather stupid event. A meeting of all the major powers in the world every five years, or anytime there was a significant event. It was primarily used to set up various trade agreements and to bitch about things. Still Luna knew in the past when it was put together by Crystal and Starswirl it had been a great idea. Back then the gathering had taken place in a different capitol every time though in later years a small Equestrian Town on the edge of the Zebralands had been used as it was approximately the same distance from all the major capitols.

Admission to the Council required the race in question needed to have a God, or have had a God of their kind, and then be recognized as a member by the majority of the others. This years meeting was likely going to have been to discuss the inclusion of the Half Dragons as their own race, but with the attack from Tirek on pretty much every one, the Council meeting was jumped up by two years. They had all been informed of the meeting as soon as Tirek was defeated, but the last of them had only arrived that morning.

Her sister had a small foal carriage with her as well that held Elusive. Twilight had mentioned wanting to care for Elusive and Celestia had simply agreed without much consideration. Given the state of Twilight and Jer'rahd all of the foals were with the calmer member of the adopted couples. Which said quite a bit given Celestia's state of mind. Though Luna had to admit despite the raw anger she felt, her sister appeared calm and collected on the outside, having re-donned her politics face.

Of course wherever Elusive was, Talia and Elecktra were not far behind, although this time they were joined by Talia's husband, one of the few remaining half dragon ambassador, a wingless white half dragon named Windswept, and a large black winged half dragon, who was Elecktra's husband, Swallowtail.

There was some confusion among the half dragons as to why Celestia and Twilight wished to adopt Elusive. Though after consideration, no one really expected the vacation prone Reignolds to be up for taking care of another foal, let alone a godling, when they were just now at the point where Sweetiebelle was going to go off on her own. Given that Elusive too would have an unknown power, most considered it best to keep him some where relatively safe. And given what they had all seen the Equestrian Royal Family do, no one could think of safer.

Also no one could get up with the the Reignolds, which was delaying Lion Heart and Rarity's funeral, though Sweetiebelle claimed it was normal, yet annoying.

Across the table from that group sat Princess Cadence and Shining Armor. Between the pair of them they had Shin and Glimmer in little baskets, though Glimmer's basket was covered due to all the half dragons about. Cadence was still learning about how to control the sun, though for the moment she had at least gained control of her mane, though it still flared up when she was agitated, something Celestia had not even known would happen.

At the other end of the table sat Empress Dust Devil Talon, and her husband Regent Breezy Mist. Breezy wore a side saddle like Luna that had a very curious Hippogryph poking his nose out of it as the adults talked over the table piled high with maps and reports.

There were a few others, a Diamond Dog ambassador that Luna recognized as Tunnel Rat, one of the few remaining Harpy leaders, a River Pony leader from the waters around Gallopagos, and Spike in a smaller form. Pinkie Pie, Bleu, and Discord had pretty much jumped Jer'rahd and Twilight and they were off doing something that would likely need a Potential Disaster Rating of at least three.

“...... if I had known it was bring your pup to work day I would have brought mine and Jynx's litter.” Tunnel Rat chuckles speaking with the Harpy ambassador.

“So the reports are finally all in.” Shining Armor states flatly, cutting through the chatter in the room.

“Pretty bad. Fortunately it doesn't seem he crossed the ocean to any of the smaller continents on the other side of Equss. We do have a number of reports of strange shouts from pretty much all of the cities still affiliated with Equestria, but other wise none of them saw Tirek.” Shining reads off the paper before him.

“Cloudsdale and Gallopagos were far from the only places wiped off the maps. At least seven major cities in the Zebra lands, fourteen in the Diamond Dog territories.” Shining Trails off. “ There are at least four confirmed dead Diamond Dog Gods, and the last two are unaccounted for, though they may have dug deep.”

“Iron Tooth, Pyrite Ear, Geode, Rexian,and Butch. All gone.”Tunnel Rat snorts. “ Steel Trap and Princess Puffy Tail missing. Close to twenty two thousand dogs dead. Easily sixty plus warrens and villages lost. Your data is old.”

“About six to seven thousand. The numbers are a bit sketchy as some of the smaller villages have yet to be checked and we have found a number that were only in comas and had woken up, but had died later of exposure as they fell into a fugue state and didn't tend to them selves.” The zebra ambassador states. “ In truth I believe we got lucky that none of our major settlements were hit along the southern cost line.”

“The same can be said of the River Ponies.”The lime green river pony stallion ambassador states from the steel tub of water he was in. “ Aside from the four settlements around Gallopagos, none of our major cities were touched. We have a confirmed loss of only three thousand or so. The Sea ponies have reported in only one trade settlement was destroyed with a population of around three hundred.”

“The Dragons have only lost about eighty or ninety of our number. The isolationism we subject ourselves too natural kept Tirek from attacking great amounts of us at one time, and most of those that were lost did so in the battle of the Crystal Empire.” Spike adds in.

“I do envy you all.” Dusty sighs resting her beak in her claws.”Only one Griffon settlement in the far far north was untouched. The entire species of Griffons now numbers at around twenty thousand, and that's if we count the eggs and the cross breeds. There are no Griffon Gods left that any one can find. Save Talon here. But again, that's counting half breeds”

“Harpies are the same.” The Harpy ambassador spoke. Until it did Luna was under the impression that the bat like creature was female, though it's deep rumbling voice spoke other wise. “As far as we can tell we maybe have two thousand left alive. All of our settlements are gone. I also speak for the Minotaur race in stating that their number are close to the same, though they still have two settlements left that they know of. One of our joint settlements is not responding so we are unsure if they are still there. We do know however that the only Minotaur God has survived.”

“Equestria has lost twenty three settlements including our primary weather factory and Capitol.” Luna mutters. “Our death toll is currently tallied near thirty thousand. We have an additional thirty or forty thousand that will need therapy or some sort of help before they can be considered recovered. The Changeling race has lost four hundred and thirty of their remaining five thousand member population. We will be losing approximately two hundred more before I wake the drones. They will need help adjusting to what has happened to them so it will take some time.”

“The Kirin have lost their only primary settlement as well as almost half their total population.” The half dragon Windswept stated getting a few odd looks from every one.” Ahh yes I suppose that has not been addressed yet. The remaining leaders of the half dragons has agreed to a proper name for our kind. We have taken Lord LionHeart's birth name as the name of our species. We are the Kirin.”

“The Dragon nation also sees and recognizes the Kirin as their own race.” Spike adds.

“The Changeling race sees and recognizes the Kirin as their own peoples.” Luna adds.

“The changeling race has not been recognized as such and thus cannot vote as such.” The Harpy ambassador snaps sharply.

“The Griffon race recognizes the Kirin.” Dusty snaps back. “ We'd recognize the bugs too if you'd shut up.”

Luna sighs as the two start shouting at each other, clearly Griffons and Harpies still had a long way to go before they would tolerate each other.

“The River Ponies recognize the Kirin as their own race.” The river pony states, yelling over the bickering birds.

“Diamond Dogs also recognize the Kirin.” Tunnel Rat adds. “They have survived a great deal in this and deserve such recognition.”

“Majority recognized. The Kirin are welcome to the council.” The Zebra ambassador states slamming a hoof down on the table for attention. “I am sorry Princess Luna but we do not yet recognize the Changelings. Even with Shin their numbers are too few and many of them are not originally of the species. It will require further discussion at another time.”

“That is understood. Until such a time as they are recognized might they allowed to remain in the Crystal Empire?” Luna asks.

“Permission granted.” Cadence states. “ Though I would ask that you wait until the ponies who Tirek had claimed are finished with their therapy before awaking the drones, likely they too will need some help.”

“The Kirin as well would like to extend a claw to the Changelings, Griffons, and Harpies. There is quite a lot of rebuilding to be done in Gallopagos, but the four of us working together could make a home for all of us”

“I thank you for the offer ambassador , but the Griffons have already struck a deal with the Crystal Empire and the Dragons for some of the mountains on the dividing range between their lands. “ Breezy butts in. ”We are also in … heated, negotiations in response to the land often contested between Griffons and Harpies. With so few of us left it's likely time to settle the conflict for good.”

“I will see which ones might wish to travel to Gallopagos to help, I will not force any of the Changelings to do something they do not wish. That has been done to them far too often as it is.” Luna adds in. There will also be some that will wish to return to their own kind. I will be ensuring that there is no taint of Chrysalis in them , though it will be up to all of you to deal with any lingering hatred towards them. The ones who would be returning are as much victims in this as any one that the Changelings harmed.”

“Agreed.” The Zebra ambassador states. “I suppose now we need to go into the logistics and readjustments of the trade agreements given the current state of things.”

[Sweet Apple Acres, edge of the North Orchard Two weeks after the defeat of Tirek]

“......... So that's everything then. All that's happened up to this point. If you see Rhede and Velkorn... Buck... if they're listening too tell them I'm sorry...... Lionheart and Rarity as well. Luna and I will take care of Rhynthia and Elusive for them.... Or Celestia will. There's still some debate on that one. Applejack and Fluttershy are going to take care of the twins. They were willing to take care of Rhynthia as well but we both know those two might have a bit of issue raising a Godling......”

Jer'rahd continues to talk, laying in the middle of four graves in the shade of an old tree. The small plot had been cleaned up and a number of grave stones restored from memory, though most were blank as Jer'rahd had never recalled who was buried in the plots save the four of them under the tree. Two new graves had been dug and filled in along the edge of the plot though there was only one body and a tattered black leg to fill the plot with. There was a very long list of names of those that Tirek had killed or had died before any one could find them while they were comatose.

A number of ponies had held out hope that since they only found Rhede's leg that he was still alive some where. Jer'rahd and a number of others knew better however, they had watched his death and knew there was nothing left of him to find.

The faint flap of leathery wings caused Jer'rahd to look back as Bleu shifted herself on the edge of the graveyard. She had been out here with him quite a few times, just as he had been with her to Platinum's grave. After the War of Gods the pair of them had been to a number of places and found graves and family of those they knew before their time in stone. Platinum's grave and the monument to those lost in Dullahan were first among those. The former had fallen into disrepair, the latter was in a museum having been dredged out of the sea where Dullahan had sunk after Nightmare Night. The museum's curator was ecstatic that Jer'rahd could identify every name that time and weather had removed from the stone. He was slightly less ecstatic to hear the story behind the stone.

But that was ten years ago. Right now he was focused on the present. He was angrier than he had ever been in his life. At Tirek, and at himself. He had been one of the first gods if not the first to be taken by the monster. And he got to ride along in the back seat watching everything the monster had done from that point on.

It became even worse when Tirek entered the mirror pond, because Jer'rahd's mind had been split along with the clones and his power and he had seen everything. Every atrocity they committed, every heroic action done to stop Tirek whether it succeeded or not.

It took everything he had not to go straight for the tree and rip the monster from it and pull him apart bit by bit over a thousand years. The only thing stopping him was that Applebloom was connected to the tree, anything he did to it, hurt her.

But despite Applebloom likely having a longer life expectancy due to what happened, she was not a god, nor was she immortal. When she finally did pass, Tirek was fair game again.

His anger was one reason Bleu was staying around him, despite her having other things to do with the Dragon Empire. She was to make sure he didn't do anything stupid. Despite his cutting loose as the beast he still had quite a lot of rage to work out still.

If Bleu wasn't with him it was Starfall or Luna, sometimes it was even just Dawn. The little foal had a calming effect on him better than anything else. He was still terrified of hurting her or scaring her, though it didn't seem that there would be much that could scare the newborn. All she did was eat sleep, cry and cling to and bite anything that she could. Also she occasionally threw up on him still.

The sound of heavy wings and a loud thud announced some one elses arrival. He didn't need to look back to see who it was. Bleu's soft coo was a sure indication that it was Spike. And if Spike was here, the pony he was watching was as well.

As far as he knew she was only one aside from Zecora/ Sunshine who had seen what he had while trapped inside Tirek. And possibly the only one who could do nothing but dwell on it. Zecora/ Sunshine had some how either shrugged off or was dealing with what happened to her better than the pair of them were, though she was staying some where in New Canterlot , rather than going home.

Twilight had returned much as he had and only the fact that both her parents and Celestia were present to calm her down kept her from going after Tirek when she recovered from her break down. Out of every one Jer'rahd felt she was the only one who really knew how he felt, and she seemed to think the same. The pair of them had both been put under watch by Princess Luna, Princess Celestia, AND Princess Cadence. Their draconic partners were the only ones willing and able to set aside everything else to keep close to them for long periods of time.

Spike had issues he had to deal with the Dragons, though evidently one of them named Ice was more than content to keep the others in line while he was away. Still Spike and Twilight had made a few trips to the new Cindervale. They had almost caused a international incident when Sparkle lost it and beat the crap out of some dragon or another for something he said. Jer'rahd didn't know the full details of what happened, but he could guess.

His new form had bothered him at first and there were still plenty of issues. He was a little more used to it and had found that the less he thought about trying to position his elongated limbs or the thick serpentine tail he now sported the easier it was.

He hadn't gotten a chance to train with it yet, but he was looking forward to trying it out. Still despite it being odd he almost felt like this was the body he had grown up in.

His fur was still gray though there was a bit less of it particularly around his muzzle and his legs. orange scales covered his limbs and around his muzzle. His face was further elongated and his mane now ran fully down his back following his spine and tail until it ended in a tuft at the very tip of the serpentine length. His hooves had changed shape as well becoming almost cloven and having three points like a W instead of the usual horse shoe shape of a U like normal ponies.

There were other things as well, his breath some times came out as fire or smoke and his teeth were the sharp points of a meat eaters, despite this his diet was still the same as a ponies, he had had one griffon made dish with meat and it made him ill. Of course it was not all bad, but the reason it wasn't all bad was only of importance to him, and Luna of course. Though it was something else he had yet to try out.

As he rose from the ground he gave himself a shake to clear off and dirt of leaves that had collected while he was laying there.

“Unsurprisingly fashionable. There was nothing left of either of them to bury so it was mostly a ceremony for show. Sweetiebelle sang and I'm pretty sure the whole damn island cried. It was just as Rarity would have wanted it.” Twilight comments flatly.

“But not when of course.” Jer'rahd sighs. “Still I'm sure the drama queen in her loved the idea of a tragic young death ….”

“I'll go to pay my last respects sooner or later, for now I've had more funeral's than I can take.”

“So what now? You've dealt with more crap like this than I have how the heck do you cope?”

“I'm standing in a graveyard talking to my parents and grandparents who have all been dead over a thousand years. I force monuments to the fallen to be built either through intimidation, rank, political standing, or simply doing it myself. I go on rampages that thin the forest of dangerous creatures and even slightly annoying ones. What part of any of that shows any sign of coping with loss?”

“Good point.” Twilight states sitting down with a sigh.” And we're partially to blame this time.”

“No I'm to blame, you fought, and quite well in fact. I was blind sided because my ego thought there was nothing that I couldn't handle. And everyone paid for that.” Jer'rahd growls.

“It's not like either of us knew anything about him, we had nothing to say that he even existed.” Twilight placates. ”I should have done better.”

“Chrysalis knew he existed and she was hiding out for years and could have told some one.” Jer'rahd grumbles.

“Would any of us have believed her?” Twilight sighs. “Lets face it we can't deal with things we don't even know about. It's not like we can just open a book and see a list of all the evil monsters that might threaten Equss............” Twilight trails off blinking as Jer'rahd stared at her.

The two of them turned as one and looked back at the pair of Dragons behind them, particularly Spike.
The drake was doing his best to look annoyed that Bleu had pressed herself against him. Bleu was rather subdued for once and was just leaning on him, which likely confused Spike further.

“Would it even work?” Jer'rahd asked staring at the purple dragon. “Seriously?”

“He got a book that my mom was writing while she was writing it.” Twilight mutters. “ I'm not sure the limit, but he also supposedly grabbed one of the Books of Orbsah. I don't see why this wouldn't work.”

“So do you want to write the hit list next year or should I?” Jer'rahd grinned, baring a large set of fangs and sharp very unponylike teeth. “I already have a title.”

Stories in Stone, Lost Empire

by TDR

Slow, Love, Slow [40]