Cutie Mark Charity

by Such A Chlorbag

Epilogue

The princesses, along with Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash, walked through the large doors that sealed away the inner sanctum of Canterlot royalty. Once more they were met with a staircase jutting out underneath three tall stained glass windows. To their left they could see that the princesses were using the palace as a safe haven for the ponies of Canterlot, as a group of thousands of ponies filled the ball room as well as spreading out among the left wing of the palace, save for “off limit” rooms only allowed by royalty and high ranking ponies. The right wing of the palace was used as a makeshift hospital, with medical stations set up through the hallways and nurses and doctors walking about.

Twilight looked around in awe. “So this is where everypony went.”

Celestia nodded. “Yes, here or any other community centers throughout Canterlot. When my royal guard said they were losing the fight I tasked them with rounding up civilians instead. The military were on their way when you arrived, but… I’ve called them off now that we’ve removed the threat.”

Twilight looked to Rainbow with an “I-told-you-so” look on her face, and Rainbow nodded and accepted that Twilight had, in fact, told her so.

Luna gestured towards the medical wing. “Come. The soft-spoken Fluttershy is in need of your presence.”

The three ponies began to walk through the door when Rarity turned around to face the princesses. “Aren’t you coming?” she asked.

Celestia shook her head. “We’ve more… pressing matters to attend to. We’ll check on you in a while.” With that they turned around and headed down an opposite hallway.

Twilight, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash walked down the hallway that had cots and beds littered with injured strewn about. They looked in sorrow as they saw many cuts, broken bones, amputations, and even deaths.

“I do hope dear Fluttershy is okay” commented Rarity.

“I’m sure she’s fine” said Rainbow Dash, unsure herself. “She’s tougher than she looks.”

They rounded a corner and saw a room with “Fluttershy” printed on a sign hanging from the knob. Twilight opened the door and all three entered.

Fluttershy was lying on a bed pony-style with bandages wrapped around her torso, wings, and forehead. Pinkie Pie was right next to her stroking her hair, that is until she saw her friends enter the room; which made her leap into the air and run over to give them a bone crunching hug.

“Oh, I was so worried you guys!” she said. “Fluttershy getting hurt was enough. I don’t know what I would do if you three got hurt too. I’d have to eat so many buckets of ice cream! Mmmmm… Ice cream!”

Twilight, who was struggling to be set free, smiled at the pink pony. “We’re… ugh! Glad you’re safe too… Pinkie Pie! Now can you let us go?!”

“Oh… sorry.” Pinkie let them go and Twilight let out a sigh of relief. She smiled at Pinkie Pie and walked over to Fluttershy’s bed, as did Rarity. Rainbow Dash wrapped her arm around Pinkie Pie’s neck and brought her in for another hug before smirking and giving her a noogie. Pinkie smiled in return and they both walked over to Fluttershy’s bed.

Twilight lay her head on the end of Fluttershy’s bed and looked her in the eyes. “How are you feeling, Fluttershy?”

Fluttershy smiled at seeing her friends alright before sitting up in her bed. “Um… my wings are broken… and so are some of my ribs. The nice doctor gave me a lot of medicine so… I don’t hurt right now. But I’m really tired…” She lay her head back down and closed her eyes.

Twilight smiled and patted Fluttershy’s head. “It’s okay. You sleep for now. I think when we get home I might be able to help you heal a bit with one of my spells… if I can find it.” She turned back to her friends who backed away from Fluttershy’s bed and formed a circle for discussion. She looked at Pinkie Pie.

“And how are you feeling, Pinkie Pie?” she asked.

Pinkie Pie sighed. “Relieved. I was really worried Fluttershy was… well… and then leaving you guys out there was the last thing I wanted to do but… I needed to help her.”

Rarity put her hoof on her shoulder. “It’s fine dear. Fluttershy’s life was more important.”

Pinkie nodded. “Still… I would just die if I knew you guys got hurt because I left you all out there… left you for dead.”

“Psssh!” scoffed Rainbow Dash. “For dead? Sister, we had those monsters in the palm of our hooves!”

Twilight and Rarity glanced at her with raised brows.

“Uh… okay, so maybe it wasn’t that easy. But we did manage to kill two of ‘em before the princesses showed up for the last one.”

Pinkie gasped. “You killed two of them? How’dya do that?”

Rainbow raised her head high and puffed out her chest. “Well, with my awesome flying abilities I managed to knock one right outta the courtyard and into a building! Uh… didn’t you see that part?”

“Nope!” replied Pinkie Pie. “I had other stuff on my mind” she added, looking back at a sleeping Fluttershy.

Twilight looked at Rarity. “Then Rarity and I used our magic to kill the second one.”

Rarity nodded. “And I must say, Twilight, your magic is getting quite impressive.” Twilight blushed and Rarity turned to Pinkie Pie. “She managed to save my life twice and lifted a quarter of the royal staircase almost all by herself!”

Twilight giggled. “Well, I couldn’t have done it without you!”

Pinkie Pie tilted her head. “So what were those things anyway?”

“Well,” began Twilight, “my books have very similar things that are called gargoyles, but they’re not supposed to exist in real life.” She looked at a speculative Rainbow Dash. “But as Rainbow’s pointed out, that hasn’t stopped things from appearing before.” Rainbow smiled proudly.

Rarity chimed in. “I don’t care who or what they are, as long as they never return! They almost killed all of us, and I’m not sure I’ll be able to handle that again, let alone do it without ruining my hair!” She ran her hoof through her locks before tossing it back around her shoulder, causing everypony else to roll their eyes.

Twilight closed her eyes for a moment to think. “Let’s just be glad we’re all okay. Fluttershy will heal in time… and Canterlot will rebuild. I say we all stay here with Fluttershy for a while.”

The other three nodded in agreement, looking over at Fluttershy and noting how at peace she was, almost oblivious to what had been going on around her.

“Good” finished Twilight. “Although I can’t help but feel as if I’m missing something.”

The other ponies squinted and looked up into the air, deep in thought, before all returning their gaze to Twilight with a resounding “Nope!”

“Hmmm…” muttered Twilight. “Alright, well, let’s go bring back some food and make arrangements for the night!”

ooo

Somewhere in a dark Ponyville barn, a lone cupcake sat on a table with a lit candle sticking out of it, the only illumination in the room.

“Happy birthday to me

Happy birthday to me

Ah’m alone on mah birthday…

Nopony wants me…”

Applejack wiped a tear from her eye as she walked over to a shelf on the barn wall. A dusty photo rest there, which she picked up and brought over to the light. In the picture was a very young Applejack standing in front of two older ponies; one male, one female.

“Well guys… t’day’s the day. Exactly nine years since...” she trailed off. “Heh… and mah friends wonder why Ah don’t like mah birthday.” She looked at the light coming through the cracks in the barn door. “An’ where are they now, huh? Just like Ah thought… shoulda never got excited fer this stupid day…”

Applejack stood up and walked back over to the shelf, returning the photo to its resting place. “Ah try not to dwell too much on y’all bein’ gone, but… Apple Bloom talkin’ ‘bout ya got me thinkin’ again. Gosh, Ah know y’all’re proud o’ her, Ah can see it plain as day, even without y’all bein’ here. But… there’s one thing Ah’ve always wanted to ask ya if y’all were still here…”

She walked over to the candle and blew it out, drenching the room in darkness.

Are ya proud of me?

ooo

Princess Celestia and Princess Luna opened the door to a long descending spiral staircase. The walls were a mix of brick and mortar, and only torches lit the way down. The sisters began to walk down as Luna began conversation.

“Young Twilight Sparkle did exceptionally well today, did she not, sister?”

Celestia nodded. “She most certainly did. I’m becoming more proud of my little protégé every day.”

“Her magic seems to have been increasing as well.”

“I’ve noticed. She probably could have stopped that gargoyle without Rarity’s help.”

“Of course, you would not allow that, correct?”

“I’m… not sure. I would definitely like to see it.”

“We must first find the origins of those beasts, however.”

“That we shall.” The two met the bottom of the staircase and were greeted by a long corridor with prison cells filling the walls all of the way down. They walked down to the last cell and looked into it, greeting the two ponies that occupied it.

“Princess Celestia and Princess Luna… how joyful I am to see you both.”

Celestia looked down at the prisoners. “Fiesta Flair… Paco.”

The two prisoners emerged from the shadows, one a fiery maned mare and one a brown, greasy stallion, who was the first to speak up.

“Please, Princess Celestia, if we are being formal here, call me… Scorpan.”

Celestia raised an eyebrow. “Your fake name not good enough now?”

The stallion emitted a guttural laugh. “Well… a fake name is pointless in front of a princess. I’m sure you know who I am, mi belleza.”

“That’s exactly what I’m here to find out” said Celestia as she removed the bars from the cell.

Fiesta Flair tilted her head. “So what are you darlings doing in a dungeon like this, hm?”

Princess Luna furrowed her brow. “You do not call the royal princesses ‘darling’!”

“Oh, of course not, princesa! Just making conversation” Fiesta said with a sly smile on her face.

Celestia took control of the conversation. “Today Canterlot was attacked by three gargoyles. Would you two know anything about this?”

Fiesta and Scorpan looked at each other before turning back to the princesses.

“Of course not!” said Fiesta Flair. “We’re sitting here peacefully in prison. How could we have arranged for an attack on this beloved city?”

“Well,” began Celestia, “two months ago when you two attacked Twilight Sparkle, she sent me a letter saying that certain… possessions of ours would be in danger in the future. I have a feeling that this is what the creatures were looking for.”

Fiesta Flair’s face lit up. “Oh! Do you mean the Elements of Harmony, darling?”

Luna ignited her horn and used its magic to pick Fiesta Flair up and pin her to the wall, causing Scorpan to back into the opposite corner.

“Enough of these games!” shouted Luna. “Do you or do you not know of what transpired today?”

Fiesta Flair dropped the girly tone and laughed seductively. “Look, su majestad, I don’t have anything to do with any gargoyles. But there is one thing I do know… those Elements aren’t yours… and it won’t be forever before somepony comes in and decides to take them back…”

Celestia grinded her teeth. “What do you mean?”

“Heh. I mean that you two should watch yourself as you sleep at night… because Canterlot isn’t going to be safe forever…”

“And somepony is coming…”

Comments

[Sky Blue CMC]

FIRST! But in all seriosity, that AJ sad scene was touching, the Gargoyle battle intense, the cliffhanger suspending, and overall, "I LOVED IT... I mean, it was a'ight!"