The Other Side of the Rainboom

by Cajun

Denouement

Princess Luna smiled at all the smiling faces of Ponyville. She knew most of them smiled for Celestia and the ponies that returned the day, but she pushed the thought out of her mind. She had no reason to be jealous, and some ponies were smiling for her, she realized as two fillies put a flower necklace on the small alicorn. The alicorn smiled, the strange jealousy gone.
---
Twilight laughed as the colts and fillies ran through the streets of Ponyville without a care. Last week she may have barked art them for running like hooligans, but she could no longer feel mad at anypony, and she noticed that the other ponies seemed nicer to her. Even Ms. Atter had smiled at the purple unicorn.
---
“No you can’t make me go back!” Pinkie Pie yelled at an old brown pony.

“Pinkie, we need you at the farm.” Clyde tried to convince his daughter.

“No you don’t. You and the sisters will do just fine without me.” Pinkie said. “I’ve never belonged there, I’ve always known it. I belong here with my new friends!”

“I should have known you would leave us eventually.” her father sighed. “If you really want to leave us all behind.”

“Hey, I never said you had to stay, silly-willy! You can move to Ponyville! It’s so much fun here, right guys?” Pinkie shouted at the celebrating ponies. Clyde only smiled and walked back to his rocks.
---
“Oh Sweetie Belle, isn’t it just beautiful?”

“Uh, Rarity, you’ve said that four times now. We haven’t been able to see them for ten minutes.”

“Still.” The white unicorn sighed. “So, what did mom and dad say?”

“What do you mean what did they say? About you wasting your life away in a ditch?” Rarity gave her sister an angry glance. “Oh, the wasting your life making dresses thing. I think they said just don’t ruin yourself and live in a ditch again.” Rarity laughed at her sister.

“Promise.”
---
“So what are your plans after this Fluttershy?” Rainbow asked as she darted across the sky, admiring a view an earth pony would do anything for.

“I-I might stay here.” The yellow Pegasus stuttered. “With Rarity and Pinkie. There are so many little animals on the ground that could never reach Cloudsdale.” she said with a smile. “Besides, no one will miss me up there.”

“Yeah…” Rainbow said with a bit of sadness in her voice. “I don’t know what I’m gonna do yet. After all, there’s a great big world out there.”

“Just remember there will always be friends in Ponyville.” Fluttershy smiled.
---
An orange pony walked past a faded barn, following a beaten path she had not been down for years. Most of the apple trees were untouched, only a few had been harvested, and it wouldn’t be long before the apples started to rot. She thought she heard apples falling, but ignored it.

Applejack drew closer to her old house, which looked many times worse than she remembered it. She timidly knocked.

“Yeah? Who’s there! I’ll show you a thing er two about old ponies!” crackled an old mare.

“Granny?” Applejack yelled at the door. “It’s me.” The door swung open to reveal an aged green pony squinted at the visitor.

“Is it really you?” the old pony asked in disbelief.

“Of course it’s me, Granny.” Applejack said. “I’m home.”
---
Celestia thanked her subjects of Ponyville before following her Royal Guards just outside the city.

“Stay here.” Celestia said before disappearing in a burst of yellow light.

Twilight Sparkle retired to her small house as the party died down and the Princess left. They had managed to avoid too much attention for her and it friends, but she doubted it would last long. As if to qualify her fears, a flash of yellow light appeared in the middle of the room, revealing the tall white alicorn to Twilight Sparkle.

“Princess Celestia!” Twilight blurted before hastily bowing.

“It’s all right Twilight Sparkle. I am here for you. Due to your powerful magical talent, I am here to personally invite you to Canterlot to be my own personal student.”

Twilight’s jaw dropped. Apprentice to the Princess? It was something far beyond her dreams, learning with the most powerful being in Equestria, learning everything there was to know about magic…but….

“I’m sorry.” Twiliight said. “But I can’t leave. What I’ve learned this past few hours, who I’ve met, I…I,” Twilight struggled for the right words.

“I understand.” the Princess smiled. “I cannot tear you from your new friends. Stay safe and be strong, Twilight Sparkle.” A yellow blast filled the room and she was gone.

Comments

[Cajun]

Thank you to everyone who had the patience for my little story that erupted a lot larger than I thought.
Leaving this as incomplete because I have one more plot string left to cut...