Point of No Return

by Wild_Heart

Epilogue: Absolution

The portal closed behind Twilight and Dash, leaving them in the bright sunlight of home. "Hey... Uh... Was that right? Are we back?"

Twilight cast a glance around, absently grabbing her daughter out of mid-air with her magic as she answered Dash. "I... I think so. Let's find out!" She glanced back to the young alicorn. "As for you, you're not leaving my sight until I'm sure we're in the right place." The filly groaned, but remained on her mother's back, pouting, as the two mares trotted for Ponyville. It only took a glance to show that the town was as they left it, and with no castle of doom looming over it. Rainbow Dash let out a whoop, and flitted into the sky, doing a loop as she headed for her cloud-home. Twilight, however, kept the celebration to a minimum until she had the chance to re-enter her library, and was promptly pounced by Spike.

"TWILIGHT! There you are! We've been so worried!" The unicorn erked at how tightly the baby dragon's arms wrapped around her neck.

"Spike... Can't... Breath..."

"Oh, sorry!" He let go, and then hugged her chest. Twilight smiled and wrapped a fore-leg around him in return, laying her neck over his head.

"I'm very glad to see you too, Spike." After a moment, little Nyx spoke up from her back.

"Can I get down now, momma?"

Twilight hesitated a moment, considering. "Well, it could be another world that we vanished from... I might have to run a few tests, first."

As the filly protested, Spike grinned, not able to resist. "Hey, who's the girl?" Twilight gasped and her eyes went wide.

"Oh no! We have the wrong place! We need to get Dash now, an-" She stopped, looking confused when Spike fell over, laughing. "What's so-" Her expression fell as she got it. "Very funny, Spike. Okay, I need to go out for a little while. I'll be back soon. Nyx, you're staying with me."

"But moooomma...!" The filly whined, lowering her ears, but brightened up as Twilight set her down on the ground.

The mare lowered herself to Nyx's level, and smiled. "I just want to make sure you're alright. You can walk along with me if you want, but you are coming with me." Nyx returned the smile, then saluted.

"Okay, momma!"

Twilight gave a nod to Spike. "I'm really glad to see you again, Spike, but this is very important. Can you keep track of things without me for just a little longer?"

The baby dragon nodded quickly. "Sure! You can count on me!" But his grin left him as he thought of a question. "But... Uh... Where are you going?"

Twilight smiled, her cheeks a bit red, as she turned her gaze back to Spike. She answered just as her hooves brought her outside the library. "To see Pinkie. There's something we need to talk about." As she left towards Sugarcube Corner, however, her thoughts turned from her friend to the other Nyx. I wonder if she's going to be okay out there...

---

From the desk of the unicorn Daydream Glare, traveling Historian and sometimes resident of Ponyville, written for the benefit of Their Royal Highnesses (May Their reign last forever), the Elements of Harmony (May Their judgement never falter), and the Equestrian nation as a whole (May its Ponies prosper): A Brief Description Of The Lives and Events Leading After the Dark Queen's Reign.

The end of the Dark Queen's Reign, as the period was referred to in a the decades following, was not a happy, peaceful affair. No sane, rational pony could have possibly expected it to be. Even with the return of the Princesses, the economy suffered horribly, and many ponies lost their lives from sickness or malnutrition before proper supply lines could be established. A few villages and towns refused the supplies outright until Princess Celestia herself distributed them, believing the raising of the sun to be another of Nightmare Moon's tricks. The event also damaged the reputation of Princess Luna, as some ponies believed that she was once again responsible for the threat of eternal night, having never met the actual threat, a mare by the name of Nyx. I hope to clear the cobwebs of ignorance away and confront this misconception with truth.

However, I am getting ahead of myself, and I beg your forgiveness, dear readers, for my rambling ways once more. First, I shall deal with piecing together the fragments of history left behind in the wake of that period, in which the population of Equestria were more concerned with survival than penning the events for posterity. While I could not blame them, I yet still grumble on the difficulty of assembling even these meager notes. I thank, of course, the Elements of Harmony for their contributions, for without them I would surely have despaired in my efforts.

We shall begin with the history of Ponyville. As it was all but the only location in Equestria, aside from Canterlot, not utterly devastated by the Dark Queen's Reign, Ponyville took upon itself the duty of assisting other cities and towns that were not so lucky. Despite their many selfless sacrifices to their own prosperity, Ponyville quickly grew into the bustling metropolis we know it to be today. This was mainly not because of its growth in that desperate time, but because in the years following, it became the absolute center of the Equestrian economy. As for Sweet Apple Acres? Well! The very fact that it has now become the largest orchard in all our wondrous kingdom and its fare considered a national treasure should show more than I could ever write!

Next, the Elements of Harmony. As the summoned Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash had been sent back to their own world, there was need of both a new Element of Magic, and a new Element of Loyalty. A pony named Trixie Lulamoon, who was, in fact, a key member of the rebellion against Nightmare Moon, went on to be the new Element of Magic, and though not quite as powerful as her predecessor, she managed the job quite aptly, at least in the humble opinion of the very pony writing these words. As for the Element of Loyalty, a replacement was found in the most odd of places.

One of the soldiers on the field the night of the resistance's victory, named the Siege of Night's End, was in critical condition and near death when she was found by the Element of Kindness. Recognizing the young mare, she prioritized care for her, and it was not in the least bit a wasted effort. When questioned on how she possibly survived such a mortal wound (an arrow which punctured through a lung and just barely missed her heart
, the arrow only not finding that mark because of the uneven ground), her only comment was that she "Couldn't let Sweetie down by dying". It should come as no surprise that a pony whose primary motivation for survival was love and loyalty to her fiance would become the new Element of Loyalty. Scootaloo, as you all no doubt already know, eventually went on to lead a new team of Wonderbolts in her elder years, and is happily married to Sweetie Belle, sister of the Element of Generosity.

The Element of Magic and Honesty must be spoken of in the same breath, as they are inseparable. Few know of their marriage publicly, as the ceremony was a brief, simple event that only their closest friends and family were invited to, and afterwards they retired to Sweet Apple Acres for the rest of their lives, except in the few scattered events of crisis in which the Elements were required. When interviewed, Applejack stated that she had finally fully recovered from Rainbow Dash's death, finding closure in the safety of Equestria. Trixie only had to say that she had no doubt in her mind that the simple farm-mare who became her wife and savior of the world would focus on her more strongly. Trixie's arrogance has been noted before, and has not waned, as she claims to be, in her own words: "The most powerful unicorn alive". Which may indeed now be true, after Twilight Sparkle's untimely death.

Diamond Rarity expressed a great deal of grief in her part of supporting the Dark Queen's Reign, and nobly abandoned her dream of becoming Equestria's greatest fashion designer and member of the noble elite. She traveled from town to town, shelter to shelter, making clothes, blankets, and many other necessary items for the needy ponies whose lives were destroyed by Nightmare Moon's cruelty. However, do not feel saddened by her sacrifice, for in those selfless acts, she became famous and is forever immortalized as perhaps the sole reason why hundreds-Nay, thousands of ponies survived to receive proper aid. Appropriately for what she was, she is seen today as an icon, a symbol of the very virtue of Generosity.

The Element of Kindness herself, Fluttershy, also retired to Ponyville for a few years, but eventually couldn't bear the growth of the town into a city. Leaving with her friend, a zebra named Zecora that I am quite familiar with (and yet history has left untouched), Fluttershy found a new place in the world, and began a settlement there. While no pony has ever been able to find this village, it is known that from this nearly mythical place called Kindness's Respite, many gifted healers have hailed and all found great success as doctors and nurses in hospitals all over the world. To have lived in this well-hidden village is a sign itself of greatly envied skill, and though many have tried to falsely claim relation to gain temporary fame, the skills of true denizens of Kindness's Respite speak for themselves.

Pinkamena Diane Pie, the Element of Laughter, felt that Equestria simply could not hold her down, and, receiving an airship from Their Royal Highnesses, set off for parts unknown with a full crew (which had seemingly been drawn from nowhere). She always returned in times of crisis, claiming that she "already knew what was coming". Aside from that, she was never seen in our fair kingdom again. However, news constantly returned of her exploits, along with trinkets and trophies to prove them, and it should be noted that she found love again and remarried, though the name of her husband is lost to history entirely. No doubt he was completely overshadowed by the legend of his rather chaotic-natured wife.

For a final note: Those who worked willingly with Nightmare Moon were shown mercy for their acts, though were watched closely for suspicion of sedition amongst them. A few rebellions were swiftly put down by the military that was restored from the ranks of Applejack's resistance and defected members of the Dark Queen's armies, nonetheless.

Fletcher was known as a stallion of honor, despite his allegiance with Nightmare Moon, and he was given a full honorable burial by the newly established military of Equestria. His Rangers were spared and formed the Border Patrol that now watches the edges of our nation tirelessly. They are fearless in battle, and truly a terror to have as an enemy. None of Equestria's foes have ever successfully penetrated into our lands since their appointment to this duty, save for one failure when one got out.

The pony known only as Perfect Cut was never found, despite repeated combings of Midnight Castle's grounds. Blood that must have belonged to her led from her hideous torture chamber to the mines outside the palace, but there the trail was lost. While the authorities were very tense about this disappearance, Perfect Cut has not been seen since and no murders featuring her utter depravity have ever been reported. There is an ever growing bounty on her head, Dead or Alive, and the last that this humble historian heard, it had grown to 500,000 bits for bringing her to justice still alive.

Wild Heart was captured soon after the siege, and was sentenced to public service, being made to assist farmers in growing surpluses of food for the recovering Equestria. Though his abnormal powers left him along with Nightmare Moon's defeat, the stallion had quite the "green hoof", as it were. And, as it turned out, his coat and mane's colors were due to dyeing. His natural colors were a plain brown coat matching the bark of the average oak tree, but a rather vibrant shade of green for his mane. Despite his criminal reputation, many suitors, both stallion and mare, courted him, and all were turned away, as though Wild Heart had not much interest in romantic or even scandalous relationships. I cannot hazard a guess as to why.

Adagia was adopted, officially, by Fluttershy before she left to found her famous village. However, Adagia left Kindness's Respite as she grew into a mare, and became a Composer for the Royal Symphony, achieving great fame as a writer of musical scores. Her past was kept a closely guarded secret her entire life, and was not released until after her death. Though her relation to Nightmare Moon brought some small shame to her image among the nobility, it should be said that her music is still quite popular and valued throughout Equestria. Sadly, however, her music has never caught on in other nations.

The dragon Spike, who had served Nightmare Moon as her greatest knight, was taken back into the Royal Family with very little fanfare. However, one day, he took his leave of Canterlot after receiving a letter from Pinkamena, taking with him a great deal of ponies still showing signs of loyalty to Nightmare Moon, including the original Wonderbolts. This was marked as especially odd, as the Wonderbolts were tried in court for treason and found innocent on account of coercion into service. The borders were watched closely for this army, and yet despite the group's size it was never seen to cross any of Equestria's edges, instead simply vanishing as if into thin air. The Rangers were reprimanded for this failure, and their commander could only offer an emphatic shrug as to how such a force could have escaped. After inspection, it was shown that not even a single Ranger was missing, and so they were cleared of suspicion.

As for Nightmare Moon herself, the Elements of Harmony claimed that she had escaped them and fled to parts unknown. Strangely, Applejack was conspicuously absent from this debriefing because of "feather flu". When questioned on how an Earth Pony might have contracted a disease that only effects pegasi, Rarity was quoted as saying, "Don't worry about the details, dear. Would we lie to you, Princess?" When pressed, she mumbled under her breath something about one of Applejack's parents possibly being a pegasus.

Records show that the Element of Honesty's parents were, indeed, both Earth Ponies. So, unfortunately, the fate of Nightmare Moon will perhaps go forever unknown.

Now, for the explanation of the mare Nyx, and how she relates to Nightmare Moon...

*The document ends here, as Daydream Glare simply lost interest in the volume and moved on to his next work: A history of their Royal Highnesses, which was considered quite scandalous, and yet both Princesses have a copy in their personal collections.*

---

Spike tossed a fruit through the air, and it was caught in a haze of dark blue magic. "Hey, thought you might want something to eat before going out there." Nyx looked down at the fruit and frowned, raising a brow, and her head, to glare at the dragon.

"I detest bananas, Spike. You know this very well." Spike only snickered in return, and peeked out a window, whistling lowly. He ducked as the fruit sailed past him without even looking behind. "What? What is it?"

"You've got a big crowd out there, sis. And I mean, a big crowd. Sure you're up for this? It's like, broad daylight out there." He shot a worried look behind him to the alicorn, as she slowly rose from the dais she'd been laying on in a shrine dedicated to her. It was opulence she found distasteful, all things considered, but her followers had insisted on at least this.

"Well, of course, I am." She hefted a tiara onto her brow, sighing as she adjusted it with the help of a mirror. "This is ridiculous. All I did was start a town, faaaar from Equestria, where we could exist peacefully. And they've turned it into a blasted nation." She faltered, and quickly whipped around to the dragon, who was now the same size as her. "I can't do this, Spike. There's so many of them. Counting on me. What should I even say?!" She trotted to the window, carefully peeking out herself. "What if they want me to do... Queen things? I'm not a queen. I'm just... I just sit there! On that thing!" She pointed to the dais with a shaking hoof, then turned from the window, and plopped down onto the cushions lining the top of it. "You are right, Spike. It is far too bright. I shall stay here. And pout."

Spike rolled his eyes, and groaned. "I was KIDDING, Nyx. Get UP, they're waiting for you out there. Geez, you're such a crybaby..." The dragon stepped over to her makeshift bed, and began trying to pry the alicorn up from it, while she clung for dear life. "Seriously... You never would have... Been this worried about it... 10 years ago... AGH!" He stumbled back as a wing flicked out and knocked him off balance, making him crash into a bowl filled with water, which flipped over and of course landed on his head. "Ugh... Do we have to do this every single time?" He tossed the bowl aside, still dripping, and walked in front of her. He put his claws on her cheeks and lifted her head up. "Look. Those ponies out there? They love you. Okay? They don't love Queen Nyx, or Nightmare Moon. They're here because you're here for them, no matter what." He grinned as Nyx finally stood, taking a deep breath.

"Right. Yes." She stepped towards the balcony door, but hesitated a moment, looking back to Spike. "Are you sure they don't want me to conquer anything? You said that last time, and..."

"Well, Flicker is crazy. You know that. He probably even forgot he suggested conquering Prance in the first place. Get out there, I'm right behind you!"

Nyx took a deep breath, and opened the door, wincing a bit as the sunlight struck her face, her black coat shining in the light. As she walked out onto the balcony proper, there rose a cheer from the crowd below, and as Spike had said, it's throngs were almost countless. That cry of jubilation cheered her, as she reminded herself: These are not my subjects. I'm not their Queen, I'm their protector, as the other me said. She let out that breath, and smiled, another cheer coming up at that, and she stepped out fully, letting the sunlight strike the dark-blue shield that was her cutie mark. Nyx raised a hoof to silence the cheer, and looked down at all the ponies. She'd made it clear the balcony was higher than they only because she needed to be able for them all to see here on this annual gathering. When they all quieted down, she greeted them to begin her address.

"My faithful friends. Thank you all for coming..."

~~~

~Fin~

Comments

[Wild_Heart]

444824

Oh look what I just posted!

[Super]

Aww, that's a nice way to end things

[Sgt. Brony]

444872. I'm going to read it right now.

[Bubbler]

Wild Heart's balls.

[Sgt. Brony]

That was I interesting, some of it was what I was expecting but most of it was completely unexpected for me. But we finally have the cuitie mark resolved for adult Nyx.

So, any chance of writing a sequel?

[Wild_Heart]

445323

I try to keep ponyfied words and phrases out of the narrative, which led to that.

All I can say is "oops".

445385

Totally the reason for the lack of interest. :P

445451

Everything is completely resolved, aside from Perfect Cut's disappearance, and the document in the epilogue is hinted at to be written after most of the major players have passed away from old age. The endings might not have been happy for everyone, but there's closure. There's really nothing to write a sequel about.

But hey, I won't stop writing fics just because I finished this one!

[HeshieokFasla]

Ah, closure. Well done, Wild Heart. I'm looking forward to whatever else you can cook up.

[Bubbler]

447612
First of all, I understand the reason for that. Anybody, everybody, ect., work just as good as anypony, ect. But the hoof thing is king of a necessity.

Second, all I said was Wild Heart's balls. Problem with that, eunuch?

[Wild_Heart]

450061

Wild Heart in story and Wild Heart of author: Completely different.

Wild Heart that is author is gryphon, not pony. So nyah.

[Bubbler]

Wha?! I wasn't talking to the Wild Heart from the story?!
(a la Vader) Nooooooo! My life is a lie!

[Wild_Heart]

452396

And that's how the west was won.

[LittleStrongheartNyx]

[Wild_Heart]

508089

Cuz nobody likes Past Sins. My fic Dumb Luck has tons of comments!

[Wild_Heart]

712758

Love doesn't die easily, my friend.

[IDontKnowYouAnymore]

I don't know why, but I always imagine Michael Bay writing this. In a good way.

[G-AB Acid]

இڿڰۣ---

[Ra1nbowCrasH]

Odd. I have this story liked and read, and yet I don't recall reading it... Guess I'll have to read it again. I might be getting this confused with "The Night That Never Ended", though...

[onlyanorthernsong]

today I discovered this story actually got completed. fancy that. Guess i gotta read it.

[Alchemystudent]

If I have one complaint about this story, is that we never got to spend much time wth the villians. I would'e loved to see how they function and worked. Other than that, a fun and interesting story.

The first chapter for all of you to enjoy

[Ali della Morte]

Great story