Epilogue, Part 1 of 8
The room was dark in the early morning hours as the changeling’s eyes opened. His instinct was to continue sleeping, as he had no love for being up before the sun. However, the grogginess quickly faded and his mind sharpened as he realized that this chance awakening would provide a singular opportunity which he may never again receive.
Slowly, cautiously, Ash Eater slithered out of his bed. He gently took his weight from the mattress to avert the creaking of the springs. It seemed to take minutes to go from laying to standing, but he completed the task without making so much as the slightest sound.
His eyes were accustomed to the low light, a gift of his species. Stealthily, he padded on three legs in search of an appropriate weapon. The kitchen seemed the most likely place to find something that would be both available and effective to the task at hoof.
He had dreamed of this moment a hundred times over, but chance had never afforded him the right moment to pull it off up to this point. This was the hour when his patience would reap reward.
Having retrieved what he needed, Ash Eater skulked into position and stood over his captor. Her lavender eyes hidden by sound sleep, the mare into whose custody he had been remanded was not prepared to defend herself. The changeling savored the moment, watching the pegasus’ orange coat in the darkness as her chest rose and fell with each breath.
Blankets had been kicked down, only covering her lower half. Her long magenta mane looked rather cheerful even enveloped in shadow. He was not fool enough to waste this moment. She had never been so careless to leave herself helpless before; this fortuity would likely never come again. Ash Eater’s muscles tensed as he prepared to strike.
…
Sharp stabbing pain ripped Scootaloo from her sleep. Her face and neck bore the brunt of the assault. She flailed her legs wildly, striking only air as she fecklessly attempted to defend herself. Pressing farther out, her hind legs twisted up in the sheets, she tumbled from her bed, crashinghead-first into a heap on the floor.
Ash Eater roared with laughter from a respectable distance across their hotel room as her hindquarters disentangled and followed the front half down. He blinded her by turning on the light; as confusion fleeted, it took Scootaloo a moment to get her bearings.
The changeling held an empty bucket, the source of her attack. Ice cubes were scattered across her bed and the carpet, and the mare herself shivered for the frigid water with which she had been soaked.
The shock of it all quickly melted into resolve. Incapable of allowing such a challenge to go unanswered, the mare sprang to her hooves to respond in kind.
“That’s it!” she shouted, vaulting toward her assailant.
Ash Eater tossed the bucket aside and braced himself as Scootaloo collided into him.
He had lowered his stance to gain stability, but she pressed hard, the pair staggering into a table against the wall. The lamp toppled over, falling to the floor. He pivoted and pressed. Light on her feet, Scootaloo backed up, overturning a chair.
She dropped a little using his momentum to draw him forward and managed to get underneath and leverage him into the air, dropping him onto the soaked bed. He grabbed her mane, pulling her down as each wrestled for dominance.
The pair ran out of space and plunged to the floor, knocking the bedside table over and still wrestling around until Scootaloo managed to get the changeling secured with a joint lock. She felt herself grin as her heart pounded from the effort. Ash Eater grunted as he tried to wriggle free, unsuccessfully.
“Say it!” she commanded.
He tried squirming a different way, and she applied pressure to the joint.
“Yield!” he squealed in pain. “I yield, I yield! You win!”
She eased off, but held him there a moment longer. Satisfied, the mare let the changeling up. They straightened themselves before she spoke again.
“Come on, Ashy,” she taunted her friend, “you should have known better than to wake me in a surprise attack without a better follow-through.”
He smirked at her, “It was worth it.”
Loud knocking on the door startled the pair. Scootaloo became suddenly aware of the destruction they had levied against their hotel room. A look from her was all it took to get Ash Eater moving. He quickly straightened the room as best he could while she padded to the door.
“Whut in tarnation is goin’ on in thar?” the innkeeper shouted.
Scootaloo opened the door, immediately drawing the ire of the stallion who pushed past her, a look of alarm combined with disdain on his face.
“You two best explain yawrselfs!”
“I had to use the restroom,” Scootaloo began. “It was dark, and I tripped against the table.”
The dark gray stallion’s ice blue eyes noticed the soaked bedsheets.
“That was me,” Ash Eater offered. “I was thirsty, and it’s warm in here, so I went to get a glass of ice water. I tripped on the the bedside table, and knocked over the chair, and spilled everything.”
The innkeeper raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying their quickly concocted story.
“Nawt one mawre time, nawh, ya hear? Ponies is sleepin’. An ah expect this tuh be cleaned up befawre you leave.”
“Yes, sir,” the sheepish pair said in unison.
Once he was away and the door shut, Scootaloo looked at Ash Eater. The grin on his face echoed the juvenile feelings she had about the situation. The mischievous duo burst into laughter.
They began straightening up the mess they had caused. Scootaloo was relieved that the lamp, somehow, had not broken in the fall. Though they picked up the ice that hand’t melted, enough water had been thrown about to effectively soak into the mattress and carpet. A towel was employed to sufficiently dry the pegasus.
The changeling laid down on his bed as they completed the work, a look of weariness on his face. Scootaloo checked the clock and realized that the sun would be up shortly, though it was too early for breakfast to be served or for them to officially check out. She decided to tease her companion.
“And just what do you think you’re doing?”
Without opening his eyes, he answered, “Pranks are one thing, but the sun is not up, and neither am I.”
“Yeah, well, just one or two problems with that.”
He opened one eye and looked at her warily.
“You woke me up before breakfast, and you know I wanted to get to Ponyville early. And besides that, you soaked my bed. So, unless you’re willing to surrender yours, we might as well be up.”
“On the other hoof, I could just move over,” the changeling replied with a wink. “Plenty of room here for two.”
“In your dreams, cupcake.”
Ash Eater frowned.
“Come on,” Scootaloo smirked, “Let’s head out to the heights. That’s why we came down here anyway. Then we’ll come back, get breakfast and check out. Then we can be to Ponyville well before midmorning.”
The changeling groaned as he got up onto his three hooves and padded into the restroom to officially awaken. The duo completed their morning necessities and headed out into the darkness, the stars above twinkling brightly, and the sliver of the moon lighting their way.
They didn’t fly, but opted to walk out to the heights. The distance was not far, and each was happy to rest their wings. They had flown down the day before, and would be flying to Ponyville in a few short hours. Scootaloo was not out of shape by any means, but she had been far more suited to those long flights in her EUP days.
The pre-dawn air was moist, and both of the travelers were sweating as they walked out toward their destination. Memories began coming back to the mare as they crossed the rough ground that sloped sharply upward at the edge of the heights. Still refusing to fly, they climbed with little difficulty, but Scootaloo’s legs burned a bit from the exertion.
As they walked toward the hill, just a few hundred yards away, the days and nights she’d spent here came back, almost as fresh as when she had lived them. The fighting, the maneuvering, and digging in. Everything had seemed to be going so well just before it all fell apart. It was a wonder any of them had survived. Those dark days that followed almost seemed more like nightmares than memories. No sleep, no food, only hacking and slashing and the ever-present specter death.
Light was beginning to decorate the horizon behind them as they strode up the small hill that had once been the command center for the entire Assault Corps. It was the same place where Sparklefly, Brax, and Masher had all been killed. The mare’s heart pounded, and each step became heavier than the last.
As they crested the incline, a large stone of granite lay before them. It was as tall as Scootaloo, and easily as wide as four ponies standing abreast each other. Ash Eater had fallen behind as the pegasus drew close.
The mare took in the highly polished but plain stone that lay before her, illuminated by the rising sun. Her eyes scanned across the words which had been carved deep into the surface with a deliberate and clean print.
‘On this spot, during the last great campaign of the Timberwolf War, the EUP command center was taken out in a surprise attack by changeling forces, who had also suffered significant losses to their leadership in the days preceding the ambush. Though the battle at Apple Loosa was an unquestionable defeat for the EUP, it set off a chain of events that saw every battle lost until the final confrontation at Ponyville, where the overwhelming victory for EUP forces heralded the coming end of the war. This monument honors those brave soldiers who lost their lives here.’
Below the larger text was a list of names. Scootaloo had to come and see for herself if what she had been told were true. As she scanned the names of the generals and officers that lost their lives during that ambush, she felt herself frown. Checking across the carved work again, she confirmed what she’d suspected. Sparklefly’s name was not listed.
The mare felt herself sigh. The stories still pervaded, mostly spread by civilians, that Sparklefly had been seen in Cloudsdale after the defeat of the Assault Corps at Apple Loosa. Duster’s trickery had been so effective that it was now common knowledge that she had died defending Ponyville.
Scootaloo supposed it sounded a bit more glorious to have been killed in one-on-one combat with a changeling commander or to have ridden Cloudsdale down to destroy the enemy in the final battle that decided the war, but she couldn’t help but feel saddened by the misunderstanding. It was as if everypony else was satisfied with the image of Sparklefly that they’d known, most of which was just propaganda. They never knew or loved her for who she actually had been.
Scootaloo stood silently for a while, just staring at the names until they blurred together and became incomprehensible. Her companion didn’t make a sound the entire time. When Scootaloo turned to face him, the look of discomfort on his face was obvious. His blue eyes locked with hers; he didn’t look away. It revived a question in her mind.
The pegasus had long wondered about many things that had happened during the war, but many of them she had already asked about long ago. Still, a lone query remained. Her own curiosity had plagued the mare long enough. She felt it was time to have an answer.
Scootaloo took a deep breath, “I want to ask you something.”
The other tilted his head at her curiously. She didn’t want to upset him, though the question likely would. The pegasus did her best to keep as calm a tone as possible.
“When we met on the field that time, before the battle while I was leading my force back toward Ponyville, you told me…”
She hesitated as she searched for the correct words. Ash Eater’s expression contorted with what passed for a mix of fear and shame. The mare pressed on.
“You told me that Sparklefly was the only pony, the only mare you’d… been with… But, she told me that you stopped short of that… violation. What really happened that day in the caves?”
The changeling shifted uneasily, looking down at the dirt as if in thought. The mare waited in silence for his answer, making sure to guard her expression to not make him any more uncomfortable than necessary. He looked back up and held Scootaloo’s gaze.
…
Ash Eater took a minute as he stared back at the inquisitive mare, trying to ignore the knot that had tightened his stomach. He slowly took in a deep breath. His past deeds flitted through his mind, bringing with them the shame that always overwhelmed him when he remembered.
Up until the moment when Scootaloo had faced him that day, he’d had no doubts or reservations about the cause to which he had committed himself. Anything they had to do was acceptable if it meant victory. He’d stood there and issued every ounce of venom he could muster. She’d said she forgave him. At the moment, he didn’t think much of it. He didn’t have anything to be sorry about. If anything, he was angry at her words. How dare she presume to sit in judgement over him?
After he was wounded and captured, that moment wouldn’t leave him. It replayed over and over in his mind. He’d needed a distraction, but time to think was the one thing he had. After she had visited him, and he’d spit in her face, her reactions had given him pause. It all went back to that day on the battlefield. That was the moment when he first realized that ponies were not the bloodthirsty evil that he had been conditioned to think they were. That was when he began to question everything he had ever done.
In the time that had since passed, he’d begun to feel a great swell of guilt fo many things he had done for his people. Many of those things weighed heavily on him still:befriending and then killing Nimba might have been the worst, trying to hunt down every member of that squad, the interrogations and torture to which he had subjected countless ponies, and that day in the cave with Sparklefly…
He took a breath, “You have never asked me about that. After all this time, why now?”
The pegasus shrugged and considered her response. Ash Eater’s heart was pounding. He didn’t want to talk about this. He wished he’d remembered to bring some water.
Scootaloo finally spoke, “I guess, that... now is the first time... we have come to a place where I can believe you, whatever you say. I just… I hope that you trust me enough to give me the truth.”
His heart felt heavy. He’d rather be anywhere but in the moment where he found himself. How could he tell her everything? The days of the pair being civil to each other only because of orders was long past. As much as it had surprised him when it first happened, he had come to really think of Scootaloo as a friend. He didn’t want to deceive her because he knew it would ruin what they’d built. Giving the truth bore a chance of the same outcome.
Ash Eater felt himself take another deep breath as he hardened his resolve to simply be honest. He owed her that much, come what may.
It was as if someone else was speaking when he answered, “She… Sparklefly told you… the truth. I lied to you that day on the battlefield. She gave me the information I was asking for before… I did... before I went through with it.”
He couldn’t help the feeling that there would be a follow up question, the one he dreaded. The changeling felt prickly all over as he waited for it. She nodded, but still seemed bothered as she spoke. He braced himself.
“If she hadn’t talked, would you have… would you really have done that to her?”
The changeling almost took a step back as the ramifications of the question were considered. As much as he’d been trying to prepare for it over the years, the asking still hit him like a sledge hammer. He recalled the dark place he’d been, the mindset that had been drilled into him and all of his comrades in arms. Anything for victory. There was no crime that they could commit in pursuit of their goals to punish the ponies and rule Equestria.
He looked back up at the lavender eyes that waited for an answer. Within himself, Ash Eater knew how far he’d been willing to go to secure a future for his people. He’d considered the ponies nothing more than food, a lesser form of life to use as he saw fit and discard. Anything for victory. It filled him with great shame.
He let his gaze fall to his hooves. Slowly, he nodded.
“Yeah... I…” he forced himself to speak, “I’m afraid I would have…”
The words tasted bitter coming out of his mouth. He longed for something he could say to make it better, to set it right somehow. Those mistakes could not be undone.
The silence that met him was somewhat unnerving as the moment stretched on. Ash Eater felt the need to add a final thought.
He looked back up, “I know it’s not worth much, but I’m glad I didn’t.”
The changeling was surprised to see neither hate or judgement in her visage, but only sorrow and perhaps pity. She nodded, wiping a tear from her face and turning away.
Ash Eater felt his own vision beginning to blur. He hated himself for what he’d been, for what his own people had told him to be. He would never have believed that he’d be friends with a pony, but it sorely vexed his spirit that he’d hurt Scootaloo.
The changeling turned on his three legs to face the sunrise. The fire that lit the morning seemed overly cheerful in the face of what heavy things had just been discussed. The tears that had formed in his eyes turned the spectacle into glowing colored blobs of oranges and purples.
“Well, here’s the thing,” Scootaloo spoke softly but deliberately, “Sparklefly only told me, and I never told anypony else. I guess, at first, I didn’t want to add that to anypony’s memory of her, you know? And then we were assigned together by Princess Twilight. If I had mentioned it then, some mob would have murdered you by now.”
That thought made Ash Eater shudder. A large crowd of angry ponies was one of his few actual fears. Though, on some level, he felt as if that sort of violent end might be what he deserved. He didn’t really believe that; at least, he didn’t want to, but the dark thoughts plagued him from time to time.
She continued, “But now… As crazy at it is, you’re my friend. I can see that this is tearing you up inside. I’m sorry for that, but… I just… I needed to know… Sparklefly chose to forgive you, and so have I.”
Ash Eater turned back to face the mare who was looking at him, her face wet and glistening in the sunlight. She made what passed for a smile as she continued speaking.
“I didn’t make that decision for her. I did it for me… and for you. Though, for your own safety, I think we should never talk about this again… At some point, you’ll have to let the past go too. I appreciate how you feel about it, but you can’t punish yourself forever.”
Warmth filled Ash Eater’s heart at the words Scootaloo spoke. She turned away, casting her gaze once more upon the granite monument they had come to see. The changeling dried his eyes and read the memorial. He found it appropriate, though he was a little surprised how delicately it mentioned the forces in play without casting condemnation on the changelings. It was again the mare that broke the silence.
“We’ll need to get going soon if we want to get back to Ponyville in time.”
A phantom pain reverberated from Ash Eater’s missing limb. The thought of a long distance flight didn’t appeal to him any more than being up so early. Really, he was just relieved that they had made it through the conversation. He’d been terrified that it would tear the two of them apart, but it seemed that they were going to be okay.
He decided from her tone that it was time to put those things behind them for now. That would be easier than putting it behind himself. In order to lift their conversation, he attempted a deflection.
“Flying early… I still hate mornings,” he feigned grumpiness.
"Deal with it, curry puff,” Scootaloo teased.
"Har, har," he sneered back at her.
They turned and walked back toward Apple Loosa to check out of their hotel. It was a funny thing to long for approval from someone he had once considered an enemy. The teasing actually put him at ease. It let him know that despite his past, she still accepted him. That was more important to Ash Eater than he would have ever thought possible.
Here is the beginning of the promised epilogue... Though it is a bit lengthy for an epilogue... I kind of figured that since we're nearly a half a million words already... it would be okay to take my time on this and make sure I touched on everything I wanted to. 
If you enjoyed this tale... and I hope you did if you've come this far with me, please don't forget to hit that thumbsup/like button to help out my ratio. I feel silly even mentioning such a thing, but... hey, I didn't beg for likes all this time so... 
So, as you see, 8 parts of epilogue... but we will only get each point of view once. So, this is the last of Ash Eater's and Scootaloo's respective perspectives that you'll get. I have already had a ton of ideas for how their relationship develops to this point... but initially didn't plan on writing such, which is why I skipped some years between the last chapter and the epilogue... whether those actually ever happen.... who could say? 
If they do... it'll probably be in the form of shorter complete sequels so I don't get sucked into a massive story like this one has done... it's been nearly 3 years on this. It's been such fun that I definitely plan to continue writing for the foreseeable future. 
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wait so we dont get to see the years leading up to this moment?
If these two get together I will shoot myself
8864265
Hahaha! Not to worry. Just friends. There will be no shipping of OC's with canon characters in my fics.
8864236
Maybe.... if I write sequels... they will span the time between the last chapter and the epilogue... if I write them.
Once enemies now friends. The laments of war veterans.
8864328
Oddly enough... I wrote Ashy into this story with absolutely no plan for him. He was just facilitating a need to have a spy in the group. For whatever reason... I let him live past that initial burst of action through the siege... once that happened, it occurred to me that I had to bring him back at some point... because... literature!
Having him reformed was also not originally part of the plan (once I made a plan), but it seemed to me an appropriate turn of events... considering the source material is all about friendship.
About time I finally finished reading this epilogue. Work sucks one's body dry
So it's nice to see an ever-after where Scoots and Ash Eater are friends finally, even if it seems like Scootaloo's gotten a little bit lazy and fat after the war was over (given her thoughts about not being as fit as when she was in the EUP). It only took a lot of bloodshed. I suppose she'll end up writing her memoirs sooner or later, including revealing all the truths about Sparklefly that have been lost to the propaganda.
Sooooo...foals, when?
8982151
BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! I know you're teasing... but for the record... there will be no Scoots Ash Eater ship coming from me. Those two are just friends.
I wouldn't exactly call her "fat"... at least, not to her face.
I had toyed with the idea that perhaps one of the survivors had been the "writer" of the story, but... I don't know... It never gained enough traction in my mind to make it a thing.
8864236
So I was doing some research and happened upon this comment again... while my previous answer was a maybe, I can now definitely say, yes you will get to see what led up to these events.
I am just finishing up the first draft of a sequel to The Last Cutie Mark Crusader that is about how Ashy and Scoots become friends. I don’t know when I will be posting it, but it is coming soon!