//------------------------------//
// Epilogue 
// Story: Flying to the Future 
// by moguera 
//------------------------------//

Epilogue:

Dawn Lightwing stared at his reflection in the mirror, wondering why he was even in this room.  It wasn't as though he needed any more grooming than what he'd already done beforehoof.  He supposed it was mostly for the sake of keeping him safely out of the way until preparations for the ceremony were complete.  Still, he couldn't imagine a worse place to confine a pony as he was about to take one of the most important steps in his life.  Isolating him in this tiny room instilled a feeling of claustrophobia that only served to magnify anxiety.  Years of training kept him calm and relaxed, but he could easily understand why some ponies could lose their nerve if they were kept in a room like this.
The door opened behind him and Dawn found himself smiling as his mother walked in.  Fluttershy still had yet to change much over the years, aging with the kind of grace and ease that left Rarity flabbergasted with jealousy.  The wrinkles at the corners of her eyes and on her cheeks were a little deeper, her mane was slightly paler than he remembered the first day he'd ever encountered her, but, all in all, Fluttershy still remained the same pony who had taken Dawn in, given him a home and a family of his own.
"How are things going out there?" asked Dawn.
"Twilight says they're almost ready for you and Scootaloo," said Fluttershy, sidling up next to him and planting a kiss on his cheek.  "I'm so proud of you," she said in a whisper as she leaned up against him, a gesture Dawn was happy to return.
"Thank you," said Dawn.
"Are you nervous?" asked Fluttershy.  "I know you and Scootaloo talked a lot before deciding, but..."
"We'll be fine," said Dawn.  "We're absolutely certain about this."
"That's good," said Fluttershy.
"Are you worried?" asked Dawn.
"Of course I am," said Fluttershy.  "As long as you're my son, which will be always, I'll always worry about you, Scootaloo too.  And this is something you used to be so unsure about."
"Thank you," said Dawn.
"Although," said Fluttershy, "I think Princess Celestia's the most anxious.  She said all the times she's performed this ceremony, she's never had such a large audience before."
"I guess there are quite a few precedents being set," noted Dawn.  "How's Scootaloo doing?"
"Melon says that Scootaloo's doing just fine.  She has Larksong to keep her company."
Dawn grinned.  "That's good.  I still don't get why they're keeping us separate.  It's not like they can claim it's tradition."
Fluttershy giggled.  "Well, Princess Celestia did say she wanted you two to reflect separately on your decision."
"And yet she lets all of you come and visit us as you wish," Dawn pointed out.
Fluttershy shrugged.  "That's just what she said.  Maybe she has other reasons."
Dawn nodded and turned back to the mirror.  Fluttershy raised a hoof and gently stroked it along his mane.  "You'll be fine," she said, "you and Scootaloo both, so long as you have each other."
Dawn nodded and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath before letting it out, letting the exhalation carry all his concerns and worries out of him, dispersing them in the air.  His mother's presence by his side carried a reassuring warmth to it that almost lulled him to sleep.  She stayed with him, saying nothing more, the two of them needing no more words between them as the time seemed to slip away until, finally, Caramel knocked at the frame of the door.
"They're ready," he said.
Dawn smiled and nodded at him.  Fluttershy planted another kiss on his cheek before heading out with her husband.  Dawn took one more deep breath and walked out on his own.  By all rights, he should have been grateful that he didn't need to wear anything.  But having a suit with a collar and maybe a tie to fiddle with would have been nice, giving him something to fidget over.
As he came out of his room, his eyes met Scootaloo's across from him.  As usual, Dawn felt his breath catch in his throat at the sight of her as her glimmering eyes met his own and her face blossomed into a smile that was equal parts affectionate and mischievous.  They met outside the doors of Luna's audience chamber with a kiss, gently nuzzling each other and taking a moment to simply wrap themselves up in their own little world briefly before turning their concerns to the larger one beyond.
"Hey," he said.
"Hey yourself," she retorted.  "You ready for this?"
"As I'll ever be," said Dawn.
"Let's do it then," she said.
Together, they opened the doors and stepped into the soft lighting of Luna's audience chamber, the dark, granite walls seeming to absorb most of the light cast off by the torches and chandeliers, giving the room a cavelike ambiance that was warm and comforting, like a thick, downy comforter on a cold winter's night.  Just being in the room was generally enough to make a pony's eyes droop, which made staying on alert an exercise in discipline, something they both needed for what they were about to undertake.
Ahead of them, Celestia and Luna awaited on the dais, dressed in their full regalia.  Twilight Sparkle, wearing magenta armor crafted from the arcanasteel ring she wore, stood a little to Celestia's left and behind, more of an observer than a participant.  Beside her waited Arkenstone, his posture so relaxed that, combined with his perpetually closed eyes, one could imagine that he'd fallen asleep standing up.  Straining his ears, Dawn swore he heard something that sounded faintly like snoring coming from the blind stallion and wondered if he actually had.
Fluttershy and Caramel waited off to the right of the room from where Dawn and Scootaloo had entered.  With them stood Larksong, now well through her time at Ponyville Elementary.  Even at this fairly young age, she was already showing the full measure of her mother's genes, somewhat taller than most other ponies her age, but with a slender, graceful build, and a rich, flowing auburn mane and tail.  His heart swelled with pride as he saw the image on her flank, a pink lightning bolt topped with the head of a microphone.  Larksong had been amazingly quick to discover her passion, as she realized she absolutely loved singing, which was supported by her clear, lilting voice, another thing she'd inherited from her mother.
Her talent, combined with her warm, friendly, and caring personality had made her one of the most popular ponies in class, a popularity that, Dawn was amazed to note, never seemed to go to her head as she used her position to promote one of the most harmonious and well-behaved classes that Cheerilee had ever had the pleasure to teach.
Between Caramel's forelegs stood Pepita with his green coat and dark-green mane, watching everything with alert interest.  Ever curious and inquisitive, Pepita was remarkably quiet and observant for a colt his age, always investigating something or other, usually something that involved food.  He'd grown into the habit of experimenting with his food at dinner, mashing different parts of the meal together on the plate before trying them, which didn't always turn out for the best.  Still, Caramel was already excited for the day when Pepita would be old enough to try his hoof at cooking.
Beside Dawn's family stood Scootaloo's mother, watching with tears in her eyes as Scootaloo and Dawn made their way into the the room.  Though he was nowhere to be seen, Dawn was certain that her boyfriend, the strange and mercurial draconequess, was somewhere close by.  Both Dawn and Scootaloo had worried that Discord would ultimately grow tired of a relationship with a single pony, yet the mismatched couple showed no signs of growing apart.
Beside Melon was Rainbow Dash, standing tall with her husband.  Rainbow was dressed in her Wonderbolt mail, beaming at her honorary little sister as Scootaloo came past.  Rainbow wore her mane surprisingly long these days.  Like Fluttershy, she showed few real signs of aging.  Her performance as a Wonderbolt had yet to flag in the slightest.
Next to Rainbow and Soarin' were Rumble and Sweetie Belle, both grinning in excitement.  Their project, opening a home for traumatized orphans in Ponyville, had been a resounding success and the Ministry of Welfare was already planning opening additional homes in other towns across Equestria.  Together, the two of them had changed the lives of numerous foals for the better, placing them in a loving, caring environment where their wounds, both physical and mental, could be healed and they could grow up to live full and productive lives.
Down from them was Rumble's family.  Cloud Chaser and Thunderlane shifted slightly uncomfortably, clearly wondering if they should be here.  Compared to them, Flitter and her husband, Storm Front were considerably more settled.  Storm's stance was a little lopsided, courtesy of his leg brace.  Despite that, he looked comfortable and at ease, which made Dawn glad, worried that the trip might have been a bit too much, given Storm's physical state, as he'd never fully recovered from the battle that had essentially crippled him several years ago.
On the left side of the room were Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Applejack, accompanied by their respective spouses.  Applejack even cradled the small bundle that was her recently-born daughter.  Beside them stood Big Macintosh, Ditzy Doo, Dinky, along with Ditzy and Mac's new son, a year younger than Pepita.  All of them were watching with excited smiles on their faces.
Next to them were Spike and Apple Bloom, both waiting eagerly.  Now that she’d finished her apprenticeship, Bloom had become a highly-sought after craftsmare, building everything from furniture pieces to entire buildings.  Surprisingly, her expertise was especially sought after by ponies seeking to rebuild towns that had suffered from natural disasters, jobs that Bloom often took without regard for pay, though she was sufficiently successful that it didn’t cause her any financial issues.  She had even built a new home for her and Spike on the edge of Sweet Apple Acres nearest Ponyville, allowing Bloom to continue her business and help her family with the farm, while Spike had no issues acting as Twilight’s assistant.
After them were Cadance and Shining Armor, both watching with proud smiles as they divided their attention between the ceremony and attending to their own foal, who looked ready to rush off exploring the chamber the moment she had an opportunity.
Behind everypony on the left side, Dawn could make out Perlin as he hung in the background, accompanied by Coco Pommel.  Perlin was clearly somewhat uncomfortable to be here.  But Dawn counted him as a friend now and somepony he wanted to have with him on this day.  Dawn's eyes met Perlin's and Dawn gave him a small nod, which Perlin returned.
Dawn and Scootaloo continued, making their way up the center of the room to the dais.  Celestia and Luna stared down at them, their faces stern and resolute.  Dawn and Scootaloo came to a stop right at the edge of the raised platform and looked up at the diarchs of Equestria, meeting their gazes firmly.  Neither member of the couple bowed or offered a single gesture of deference.
Celestia took a deep breath before beginning.  "Dawn Lightwing, Scootaloo...On this day, you shall enter into a secret and sacred pact, promising to live your lives for the sake of Equestria, devoting yourselves to serving and protecting our ponies and standing against injustice throughout the world.  As the sun illuminates the day and the stars guide us through the night, you shall exist to illuminate and enlighten the world.  Your strength does not exist for yourselves, but for others."
Luna picked up where Celestia left off.  "By agreeing to this pact and entering this sacred Order, you shall be devoting your lives to the application of strength with wisdom, to know when not to use your strength as much a when to use it.  You stand before us as subjects now.  But, when we are finished, you shall stand beside us as equals, with the same power and authority accorded to us.  Once again, such authority is entrusted only to those deemed to possess the wisdom not to exercise it without the utmost need."
"Lower your heads," said Celestia.
Dawn and Scootaloo did as they were bidden, lowering their heads in a slight dip towards the ground, closing their eyes.
“Do you swear,” asked Celestia, “to embrace the path of humility, to humble yourselves as equal to the lowest, so that you might be their champion?”
“I do,” said Dawn and Scootaloo in unison.
Now it was Luna’s turn.  “Do you swear to hold in your hearts compassion for all, to seek not to be served, but to serve?”
“I do,” replied Dawn and Scootaloo.
Celestia spoke next.  “Do you swear to wield your power for the sake of others, to put their needs ahead of your own?”
“I do,” they answered.
Luna spoke once again.  “Do you swear to do right, whatever that requires of you, even if it requires that, one day, you turn your strength against us?”
“I do.”
Celestia and Luna spoke in unison.  “Then, by the authority vested in us, we hereby sever the ties that bind you to us as subjects and welcome you into the Celestial Order of Knights.”  Magic, sunny-yellow from Celestia’s horn and silver, tinted with blue, from Luna’s, streamed out from their horns, merging together above their heads until a pair of beams stretched down to touch the bowed foreheads of Dawn and Scootaloo.  A faint sizzle was heard as the hairs of their coats at the base of their manes was burned away and the flesh beneath it lightly singed.  The brand would fade fairly quickly as the skin healed.  But, for the time being, the starburst-shaped marks on their foreheads stood out, starkly visible.
“Rise, Sir Dawn Lightwing,” said Celestia.
“Rise, Dame Scootaloo,” said Luna.
Dawn and Scootaloo raised their heads and once again met the gazes of the two Princesses.
“Welcome to the Celestial Order,” said Celestia.
“May you live and serve well,” added Luna.
“Now turn and show your loved ones,” added Celestia with a warm smile.
Dawn and Scootaloo turned and were greeted by cheers.



The party that followed was no Royal Wedding, but it definitely served their purposes.  The fact that the ceremony was secret (for a given value of secret, considering the number of ponies that had been invited) meant that it was naturally a small and relatively quiet affair.  As the ponies of the hour, Dawn and Scootaloo were at the center of the festivities, their friends and family swarming around them and congratulating them.  It was only after a couple of hours that the rest of the guests grew absorbed in enjoying themselves that Scootaloo and Dawn finally had the chance to excuse themselves to a quiet balcony that overlooked the Palace gardens.
“So we did it,” said Scootaloo softly.
“So we did,” agreed Dawn.
Scootaloo leaned against him and giggled.  “After all this, after everything we’ve been through, I kinda wonder what’s left for us.  I mean, we’ll still have our duties as Knights.  You have your flight school.  I’ve got my weather work.  But…I guess…I wonder where we go from here.”
Dawn shrugged.  “Well, we could always get married.”
Scootaloo flinched and pulled away so that she could stare at him.  “What?”
“We could always get married,” Dawn repeated, giving her a teasing smile.  “Being your coltfriend is an adventure in and of itself.  I can’t even begin to imagine what it’ll be like being your husband.”
“Oh yeah?” asked Scootaloo, mock-glaring at him.  “Well, I ain’t proposing to you, bucko.  If you wanna get married, you’re gonna have to ask me.”
“I’m not so sure,” said Dawn.  “I think I can wait you out.”
“Try me,” said Scootaloo.
Dawn opened his mouth to answer before hesitating.  “Wait a minute,” he said.  “Are we making this a competition over who can make who propose?”
Scootaloo opened her mouth to retort, but also hesitated.  “Yeah, when you put it like that, it does sound kind of silly.”
“There’s no need to rush or hesitate,” said Dawn, leaning in and nuzzling her cheek.  “We’ll do it in our own time, like we always have.”
“Yeah,” agreed Scootaloo, returning the gesture.  “I know we’ll do it someday.  After all, you’re the most wonderful, amazing coltfriend a mare could ask for.”
“And I’m still yours,” said Dawn, drawing his lips up past her cheek.
“Yeah,” agreed Scootaloo, moving her own lips to meet his.  “Always mine.”  Their lips met and the two of them lost themselves in a deep kiss as the moon shined bright overhead.

The End