Epilogue
The sun reflected off the cutie mark engraving on Pinkie Pie's tombstone. Twilight took a deep breath as she closed her eyes, picturing her friend's smiling face.
"I can't believe it's already been eight months," Twilight whispered. "I wish you were here with us to see how things have improved. It's Heart's Warming Eve today. We're going to have the traditional play in front of the Canterlot ruins, in remembrance of everything that happened. Cadance and my brother came all the way from the Crystal Empire for it. Even King Aurélien of Griffingard is on his way. I'm hoping that we can finally move past politics and treaties, and settle our differences peacefully." She sighed softly. "I could use your help on this one, but I think we'll be okay. According to Ambassador Kibitz, the population in High Roost wants a return to peaceful relations."
Twilight smiled gently before turning back toward her friends. Spike and Applejack were waiting a few paces behind, sitting in the green grass. It felt a bit strange to celebrate Hearth's Warming Eve in the warm summer sun, but the weather pegasi insisted it was necessary after the unnatural winter they all faced.
Applejack was respectfully holding her hat in one of her hooves. "You still visit her regularly?" she asked.
"Usually once a week," Twilight said with a nod. "Coming here helps me think."
"I'm just happy you finally calmed down," Spike said, hints of desperation in his voice. "You've been flipping out about today for weeks."
"I'm sure I wasn't this bad," Twilight said with a sheepish smile as they walked toward the cemetery exit.
Applejack put her hat back on. "You kinda were. Not that I blame you. I've been buried in work, too. Ain't easy, trying to get the town back in shape."
"You did a good job, 'Madam Mayor'," Twilight offered with a wink.
"You as well, 'Your Highness'," Applejack said, prompting the two mares to share a giggle.
They walked the rest of the way in silence as they left the cemetery. The site where the first battle of Ponyville had taken place had been converted into a massive graveyard, where ponies could pay their respect to the thousands who gave their lives during the conflict. Many of the graves were empty, as bodies couldn't always be found or safely recovered. Such was the case with the tombstones Twilight and her brother had erected in memory of their parents, who'd died in Canterlot. Twilight only hoped that their deaths had been painless.
"Well, are you ready?" Spike asked as they made their way toward the Palace of Harmony.
Twilight sighed. "As I'll ever be, I guess. King Aurélien did write about his desire for continued peace, and I think his visit might help put the past behind us."
"I just hope everypony feels the same," Applejack said with a frown. "Caramel has been complaining about this visit every day this week, and Rainbow Dash told me about a rumored assassination attempt."
Twilight nodded. "They got to the bottom of it. It was a small group of malcontents, led by a stallion named Pumpkin. I think he was a soldier for Princess Luna. He's been locked up in jail with the rest of his group."
"It'll be fine," Spike said. "Apart from a few crybabies, everypony is tired of fighting. Besides, it's Heart's Warming Eve. It's the one time of the year when everypony forgives each other."
"You're right, Spike," Twilight said as she smiled at her assistant and allowed him to jump on her back.
Twilight gulped as the formation of golden-armored griffon soldiers approached the castle. The last time she'd seen armed griffons, her homeland was being invaded. This time, however, they merely formed an honor guard. They surrounded a golden carriage, with four flyers waving Griffingard's flag.
"It'll be alright, darling," Rarity said as she placed a hoof on Twilight's shoulder. Rarity was standing next to Twilight, holding a small, sleeping foal in her leg. "When I went to Griffingard to negotiate the peace treaty, His Majesty was adamant of his desire to put all unpleasantness behind us."
Twilight nervously nodded. Rarity had volunteered to lead the diplomatic party to Griffingard, shortly after the cease-fire at Ponyville. It was she who negotiated the finer points of the arrangement, as well as assigned Kibitz as permanent ambassador in High Roost. Fancy Pants had been considered, but his role in the Manehattan conference fiasco prevented him from ever holding any position of power in Equestria. Like many ponies who committed war crimes, he was now serving a sentence. His role in helping Twilight take back the throne, however, granted him a comfortable house arrest rather than being locked in a cell like Boulderhoof and other such traitors.
"I'm glad you could come out today," Twilight said.
"Please, darling," Rarity said with a dismissive gesture. "I gave birth three weeks ago. I'm perfectly capable of walking on my own. Besides, little Tourmaline loves the fresh air."
Twilight smiled at the white-coated, blue-maned sleeping filly before taking a deep breath and facing the griffon procession as it stopped in front of the castle. Most of the population had gathered around the plaza, and scores of royal guards wearing the new royal purple armor diligently stood guard, ensuring the security of the visitors. Twilight couldn't keep herself from feeling pride at the state of Ponyville. The townsfolk not only managed to fix the town; they made it flourish. Larger construction projects had popped up all over Ponyville, backed by both Canterlot survivors and enterprising ponies wishing to bring their businesses closer to the new capital.
Twilight turned to make sure everypony was ready. Cadance smiled at her. She wore an elegant white dress, and crystals had been woven into her mane. Rarity was just as elegant, opting for a long blue dress with a matching one for her daughter. Even Applejack dressed for the occasion, wearing a short and practical yellow dress, although she still had her regular old hat on. Twilight adjusted her crown, earning herself a frown from Rarity.
The door to the carriage opened, and a dolled-up griffon servant helped a tall griffon sporting oiled white feathers and light gray fur off the vehicle. He wore a long, red coat that matched his auburn eyes, as well as a golden crown encrusted with a large variety of gems. The king walked toward Twilight. "His grace, King Aurélien of Griffingard, protector of Brayzil, keeper of the idol of High Roost," the same servant who opened the door proudly announced.
Twilight forced a smile and took a few steps forward. "Welcome to Equestria, Your Majesty," she said with a polite bow. "I am Princess Twilight Sparkle of Equestria. I wish to personally thank you for accepting my invitation. Hearth's Warming Eve is one of our most significant celebrations, where we remember the importance of friendship and harmony."
Aurélien bowed deeply. "It is my deepest honor to be part of such a meaningful occasion, Princess Twilight. I wish for both of our nations to finally return to peace."
"According to my friend Rarity, you've certainly shown such willingness," Twilight said. "The food you sent helped us in the months following the war, and the building materials you provided were instrumental in rebuilding Equestria. I also wanted to personally thank you for destroying King's End Tower, freeing the remaining pony prisoners, and honoring our promise of freeing the arimaspi trapped under the tower."
"I'm glad to see we could help make up for our mistakes," Aurélien said. "And I see that my old friend Princess Cadance is also here." He bowed his head toward her.
Cadance stepped forward and bowed as well. "It is a pleasure to see you again, Your Majesty. The Crystal Empire is just as dedicated to peace as Equestria and Griffingard."
Aurélien rose to his full height. He smiled hesitantly, and Twilight thought she heard a sigh of relief. "I'm certainly thankful that ponies can be so forgiving."
"Peace has to start with forgiveness," Cadance said.
"Indeed," Twilight said. "Which is why, as soon as the play is over, I will readjust the path of the Horseus Comet so it doesn't impact with High Roost. You've held your end of the bargain, Your Majesty, and I will do the same."
Aurélien bowed. "My people appreciate it, Your Highness."
Twilight smiled. "In the meantime, would you enjoy a tour of the Palace of Harmony? Unless you would prefer to see your quarters? You must be tired after such a long journey."
Aurélien nodded. "Indeed I am. However, I welcome your invitation and would love to see your castle. I have heard many tales of its beauty."
King Aurélien's visit took the better part of an hour, ending with the throne room. The king had opted to rest in his quarters before the play while Rarity and one of the griffon diplomats accompanying the king met to discuss a trade agreement.
Once the griffon delegation were all comfortably set in their quarters, Twilight finally found the time to enjoy a late afternoon flight in the skies above Ponyville. While Rarity and Rainbow Dash both insisted that she shouldn't fly around without a royal escort, Twilight often chose to sneak out on her own. The truth was that she had gotten used to her wings, and flying now ranked amongst her favorite activities.
She dodged a few clouds as she made her way to the edge of the town, where an outdoor stage had been built. As she ordered, it was in sight of the Canterlot ruins. After a lot of long discussions with her friends, Twilight decided that for the play to deliver its true meaning, everypony had to understand how badly they all forgot its message during the war.
Her gaze found its way down to the stands, where she spotted familiar faces. She lowered in altitude and smiled as she found Shining Armor sitting in the back seats with Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. They were watching Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo rehearse their part for the play. Rainbow now sported a shorter, more practical mane. She still sported an eyepatch, and had to wear a special steel brace on her crooked hind leg. Twilight landed next to them.
"So that's where you three have been hiding," Twilight said. "We missed you when King Aurélien arrived."
Rainbow rolled her eye. "I'm not going to pretend to like him, Twilight. We talked about this."
"I was hoping you'd at least try," Twilight said with a quiet sigh. "He really does seem sorry for everything that's happened."
"Not everything can be forgiven," Rainbow softly said as she averted her eye. Fluttershy placed a hoof on her shoulder.
"I don't think Rainbow's quite ready for that, Twilight," Fluttershy said. "To be honest, it's hard even for me to forgive the griffons, especially knowing the Bouviers weren't even punished for what they did."
"Don't get me started," Rainbow said with a groan.
"It was to be expected," Shining said. "They're too high profile, and they're still highly popular in Griffingard. Besides, it's not like they have any power left. From what Rarity told me, they've been 'encouraged' to retire to the countryside, most of their real influence stripped."
"It's just politics," Twilight said, shaking her head. "I don't like it much either, but then we wouldn't be any better than they are should we seek revenge." She sat down next to Fluttershy. "So, how's the play shaping up?"
"The fillies are certainly excited," Fluttershy said with a warm smile. "Although Scootaloo's still pretty quiet."
"She's been through a lot," Shining said.
Twilight smiled at the fillies, and Sweetie Belle waved at her. "Anyway, I hope you three are enjoying the day, at least?"
"Rainbow and I have been hammering out the defensive pact," Shining said. "The Crystal Assembly finally agreed to it. It took a bit of effort to convince them that it wouldn't make us vassals of Equestria." He groaned at the mention of the assembly. Twilight remembered her brother venting his frustration at their resistance in his letters.
"I know, we all talked about it," Twilight said with a light frown. "But I still have my doubts about this continued military buildup. It isn't what Equestria is about."
"I agree with you, Twilight," Fluttershy said.
"It's what we have to be now," Rainbow said after glaring at Fluttershy. "I really hope that you and Rarity manage to convince the griffons to play nice, but if the war taught us anything, it's that we can't just call everyone a friend and hope for the best. If diplomacy fails, we need to be ready."
Shining nodded. "I had a similar conversation with Cadance. We never hope for war, but we have to be ready for it. I'm sure King Aurélien promised you that the Lodge was dissolved, but I'm willing to bet they sacrificed their more public members so that the organization as a whole could hide for a few decades. I can guarantee we'll see them again in the future."
"Speaking of," Rainbow said. "Have you given any thought to my proposal?"
"I have," Twilight said, "and the answer is no. I'm sorry, but I can't release Soarin. He's responsible for the destruction of Canterlot, and I'd have a riot on my hooves if I set him free. The best I can do is continue to treat him well and let you visit him and ask him for advice."
"Alright," Rainbow said with a resigned sigh. "I figured I'd ask."
Twilight took a deep breath and smiled. "For now though, we finally have peace. I'm hoping you can find a way to enjoy it."
Rainbow smiled back. "I will, trust me. I can't wait to see Scootaloo play Commander Hurricane."
"I know she'll be great at it," Fluttershy said. "You should go spend some time with her, Rainbow. She looks up to you, and I know the two of you can still help one another."
"Maybe I'll do that," Rainbow said. She turned her attention to Shining.
"Go, have fun," Shining said. "We can worry about the defensive pact later."
Twilight smiled at her brother as Rainbow flew down to join the fillies. "Thanks. I may not agree with Rainbow's obsession with militarization, but at least it's keeping her busy. Fluttershy, thank you as well. I know Rainbow won't admit it in public, but I don't think she'd have recovered so well without your help."
Fluttershy smiled. "What are friends for?"
Traces of Moss had begun to appear over the stones that used to make up the city of Canterlot. Within a few years, vegetation would begin to take over. The plate that held the city had broken in three parts when it hit the ground. The biggest piece had flipped to its side, and most buildings it had once supported were now nothing more than a pile of rubble.
The castle had collided with the side of the mountain, causing a rock slide. It was half-buried in dirt and boulders. Most of the towers were broken, but two had survived. Unfortunately, looters had already gone through them.
Twilight landed on a flat stone on top of the rubble. While she knew the ruins to be unstable, she still felt the urge to visit them once in a while. She sat and took out a quill and parchment from her bag. I've been thinking about this for too long. I won't be able to move on until I do it.
She was considering what she wanted to write when she noticed something sticking out of the rubble. She took a few steps toward the object and raised an eyebrow as she recognized a familiar stone lion's paw. "Very funny, Discord."
The stone claw turned to flesh in a flash of light. It slithered out of the rubble as if it were a snake, and the rest of Discord's body appeared, now attached to it. "Very observant of you, Twilight. You get an A plus."
Twilight took a deep breath and returned her attention to her blank parchment. "I imagine it's useless to ask where you've been."
"Oh, you know me," Discord said as he floated in front of Twilight. "I'm just enjoying all this wonderful chaos while it lasts, before you manage to bring harmony back to Equestria."
"At least you haven't caused any mischief," Twilight said. She forced a smile and raised her head to face Discord. "By the way, I never thanked you for helping my friends rescue Rainbow and I."
"Oh, I just gave them a little nudge in the right direction. What kind of a friend would I be if I didn't help every now and then?"
"There's one thing I don't understand," Twilight continued as she nibbled on the tip of her quill. "You could have done so much more. I still don't fully understand how your powers work, but I'm sure you could have warned my friends about where I was being held. You could have prevented many deaths."
Discord shook his eagle claw. "Now now, you're a good enough student to know that cheating is wrong, Twilight. When's the last time Celestia solved all your problems for you?"
Twilight sighed and averted her eyes. "When she kept both the nobility and the griffons in check, and single-hoofedly kept the peace in Equestria."
"You see," Discord said as he summoned a glass of lemonade and sipped on it. "I'm just doing like I always do, being a good friend and helping you learn how to be a good princess. I think you've been doing well so far."
"If you wanted me to learn, you could have done it without so many ponies dying," Twilight said, using the severe tone she usually reserved for demanding nobles. She stared down Discord.
"I could have," Discord continued as he slowly floated away. "But then where would you be? Fighting off Blueblood for influence? Trying to figure out what Antoine wants? Harmony's more of your thing either way."
Twilight took a deep breath. "At least you haven't tried to keep the chaos going. That couldn't have been easy for you."
"Now now, you wound me," Discord said as he held on to his chest in a dramatic fashion. He disappeared in a flash and Twilight returned to her parchment. She was about to start writing when his voice resonated in her ear. "Who's to say I haven't?"
Twilight sighed and shook her head. "I don't think you have, Discord. For once, I think things will turn out fine." She dipped her quill and began writing.
Dear Princess Celestia,
The last few months have been the most demanding of my life. My friends and I have been busy rebuilding Equestria, all while mending friendships, conducting war tribunals, reorganizing the weather, and fixing our relationships with other nations.
As hard as it all have been, I can't even begin to contemplate the enormous task still ahead of me. Ponies from all over Equestria are vying for favors. The Canterlot nobility is demanding that the crown help fund the construction of extravagant mansions to replace the ones they lost, while Cloudsdale and Manehattan both insist on special privileges for their respective roles in the war. While we're growing crops once more, it will take time to replenish our stocks. Applejack has been working day in, day out, trying to properly ration Ponyville's food and get ponies to work the fields again.
While forced conscription is now a thing of the past, I couldn't demilitarize Equestria. I don't know if you would have approved, but I worry that Rainbow Dash may be right. We have to be careful going into the future. Maybe we've been arrogant in thinking that the entire world would so readily accept friendship and harmony. Maybe we've all taken your influence for granted. I honestly don't know. What I do know is that she's the right pony to make sure Equestria can defend itself. I hesitated in a crucial moment, and it may have caused Pinkie's death. I don't think Rainbow would have hesitated.
One thing I know for sure: I can't fill your role all by myself. I keep wondering if this is something you knew all along. You once pressured me to make some friends, and now these same friends are helping me rule all of Equestria. Fluttershy reminds us to remain kind and generous, and Rarity's political and diplomatic skills have proven invaluable. Applejack is still Ponyville's mayor, on top of handling Equestria's agricultural policies. Even Rainbow Dash's newfound military leadership is giving us strength and determination.
We all miss Pinkie Pie greatly. If the griffon Lodge thought that killing her would break our friendship, they were wrong. Her loss brought us closer, and I would like to believe that wherever she is now, she would approve of what we're doing. I hope you would approve as well.
I have learned a lot from you, Princess Celestia. I don't know what the future holds, but I think you prepared me for the challenges that lie ahead. This will be my final letter to you. You may rest now, knowing that even after everything that's happened, the magic of friendship is still alive.
Your faithful successor,
Twilight Sparkle
Stats
Page generated in 0.022 seconds
Total duration
637 users online
840,512 hits today, 2,280,440 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
I might have started from the later chapters, and not read all of those, but I still highly enjoyed what I read.
You know what the talk between Discord and Twilight was missing?
She should have told him something like "I remember you said Laughter was your favourite.". Just to drive home what Twilight herself lost, and maybe shake Discord out of his infuriating fake trickster mentor routine.
The way it's written, he seems completely unconcerned about anything, as far as I can tell. Is he smiling? Is he smiling ruefully? What's even going on with him? Did he turn back into a psychopath who doesn't care about any of them? You basically left his face blank, which is unusual for a being who revels in his own emotions.
Author, I give thee the title of "Bard" It is well deserved for the tale you have crafted.
8739046
You'd rethink that if you'd hear me sing, haha. Glad you enjoyed the story though.
Well...that’s it. That marks the end of Sunny Days...this was an awesome fix to read and I enjoyed every part of it. Amazing job Rora, amazing job
!
Now, for the alternative chapter
.
Holy... I don't know what to say. I admit stories like this aren't my usual cup of tea, but this is brilliant. I like how you presented the politcs, the morality and conflicts, both inner and outer, of everypony involved. It is a shame that this story isn't at least a little bit more well known. Also, I must say that I agree with Penalt. For a story like this you desereve the title of a Bard.
9363796
Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it. I always brushed off the story's limited popularity to something you mentioned. It's not everyone's cup of tea. Well, that and the beginning. Let's just say I'd write it differently if I were to start over today.
Finally I'm done! Now I can get back to reading something happier, like Fallout: Equestria.
God this was a journey, An amazing Journey. Every charector alone, every perspective, had an opinion that was understandable but also very flawed. The Motivations all complex. Soarin going from the cautious one to the violent war criminal who would destroy a city out of revenge, probably one of the stand out arcs.
9870684
Have fun reading boring disappointments!!!