Starting Life Anew

by Frosty the Batty

Epilogue: Meeting the Desendants

Author's Note:

Slight warning: The epilogue chapters will be in a random order. It is up to you to decided what order they come in! Unless I really am not that good at leaving ambiguous endings...

“Hey Applejack!” I appear right behind the mare in the middle of her bucking an apple tree.

“Gah!” She was aiming for the tree. But she instead hit air and fell on her belly with a breathless ‘oof’.

“Damn, didn’t think I’d scare you that badly.” I chuckle.

“Wha- Ember!? The hay you givin’ me heart attack for!?” She glared up at me from under that hat of hers.

“Easy there cowgirl.” I snicker. “I just came by to say hello.” Then I smile knowingly. “And also answer a few questions you undoubtedly got for me.” I helped the mare up and she dusted herself off.

“Well, why would I got questions for you?” I keep my smile. And, while it did take longer than I expected, she remembered I was a brief part of the Apple Family history. More of an old legend than anything. “Oh yeah. Well come on then. Ah’m pretty sure the rest of the family got stuff to ask ya too.”

“Wouldn’t doubt that.” I nod and the apple mare lead me to an old farm-looking house. Good god is this the same one from all those years ago? Sure as hell looks like it. That’s really impressive if it is.

“Come on in partner!” Applejack called from within the home. Seems I was off in cloud nine again.

“Coming.” I ducked low under the door frame and enter the abode. It looks exactly like I last saw it over a thousand years ago. Except more furniture dotted the place. Atop some of the furniture some old brown-tinted pictures of, I’m assuming past generations, sat proudly displaying ponies in old timey clothing.

“Big Mac! Apple Bloom! Granny! Somepony’s here visitin’!” Applejack called out. A minute later a large red stallion with a half-cut apple cutie mark and a yellow filly with no cutie mark and a cute red bow in her hair came from upstairs. Both gawking at me. For reasons I possibly know.

But they, along with Applejack, just stood there. As if waiting for someone else.

I was about to ask what they’re all waiting for when very slow clopping came from the kitchen. Soon an old, old mare stepped out from the kitchen. She had bright green fur and a white mane and tail. Both done up in a bun.

*So that’s Granny Smith. Fitting.* I mentally comment.

“Who’s visiting Applejack?” The old mare asked. Before looking at me. Her squinted eyes pop out the sockets a little. “Well, ain't that fancy.” Granny’s eye returned to their rightful place and she smiled. “A pleasure to finally meet ‘cha.” I gently take her hoof in my hand. And give one hell of a hoof shake. “Ah knew my mama wasn’t lyin’ ‘bout ya.”

“A pleasure to meet the descendants of an old friend.” I reply. The other two ponies, Big Mac and Applebloom I assume. Stopped their gawking and tilted their heads to the side.

“Wait, so you're the big tall thing that Granny always talks about Mister?” The little filly asked.

“Well, that depends, did she describe me as a tall diamond dog?”

“Kinda...”

“Then that’s me.” I jab a thumb at myself.

*gasp* “But how!? That was a long time ago Mister!” I laugh a little.

“At first it was some curse that kept me alive. It was more of a gift from another old friend.”

“Would that happen to be Discord? Sounds like somethin’ he’d do.” Applejack pondered.

“Yes, it was actually. How’d you guess that?” I stared at the apple mare. Honestly really surprised she guessed that. She just shrugged.

“Lucky guess, Ah guess.” She smiled at her own little literary joke. I had to snort because I didn’t want to burst out laughing. That kind of joke rarely deserves more than a light ‘ha’.

“Lucky guess indeed.” I turn back to the filly with a smile. “But, as I was saying, the cursed kind of, died off when I did.” The ponies chose that moment to look down somberly. Though, there was a little respect for me in those faces. “Bah, don’t worry about it. But, now I think I’m basically living off magic or something.”

“What?” They all asked. Oh yeah, farm ponies. Hehe, funny.

“I mean. I think magic is keeping me alive. At this point all the years should’ve caught to me like they did when Tirek stole my magic.” The Apples nodded in understanding. “But, I’ll figure that out later. I came by today to see how the Apple Family has done over the past couple hundred years.” The ponies took the hint and began taking me around the orchard. They showed me all that they had. And to be honest, it was quite a lot. More than I expected anyway. And the best part?

They showed me how they make their famous Hard Apple Cider.

I would tell you, but I do have loyalty towards my friends. I prefer to keep it that way. But I can say it does involve a few simple machines. Nothing like those Flim Flam Brothers. As I was avidly told from the Apples.

Anyway, the Apples were showing me their recent addition to their orchard when I heard heavy flapping from above.

“Fuck me...” I mutter just as I cast a shield over the five of us. There was a firm thump and a gryphon slid down it in an awkward position. “Give me a minute.” Without waiting for a response I leave the shield. And take to the air. Waiting for the others. “Keep your eyes closed every pony.”

And just as the one who tried to pounce me get and take off. Five more gryphons joined their comrade.

*Assistance.* I call out to the hive while I face off with the gryphons.

“So what is it this time?” I asked.

“You will come with us this time, beast.” One of them growled.

“Oh, still about that huh? Y’know just because-” The one to very left choose that moment to try and pounce me.

I Inwardly laugh, they never learn.

I easily sidestep the pouncing gryphon and land a bone crushing punch to his abdomen. I felt a few things snap under the feathers before the gryphons is sent flying back to his comrades from the hit.

“Alright. No talking then.” Buzzing fills my ears. “Ah, perfect timing.” I glance behind and see five changelings with a yellow tint behind me. *Keep the ponies safe, don’t let any gryphon near them.*

*Yes master.* They respond. With the ponies not a problem I’m finally able to ‘play’ with these fuckers. I crack my and fingers, then motion with a hand to bring it on.

And brought it the fuck on they did.

All six gryphons came at me together. Two of them planning to claw my eyes out. The rest pulled out swords and daggers. Oh~ How much fun this is gonna be.

With a mighty flap of my wings I take to air just as the gryphons close in on me. Them crashing into each other, and consequently impaling each other, made me snicker. Before I noticed there were five on the ground.

Fuck.

I whip around just in time to see the sixth skewer me with his long sword. A triumphant smirk on his smug little beak. Which turned to horror when he saw I wasn’t going down.

“Thought you could take me down that easily?” I laugh despite the pain flaring up in my chest. “You thought wrong.” I shove the gryphon away, the sword staying lodged in my chest cavity since he lost his grip on in. And I took it into my own hand.

The gryphon only stayed stunned for a second. He pulled out another long sword, which is kinda small for me now that I look at it. Anyway, he belted a war cry, or screech depending at how you hear it, and lunged through the air. His berserker mode already activated.

I smiled and put a little sharpness enchantment on the sword. With an absolute fuckton of magic powering the spell. And waited. Waited for the right moment. Waited for him to get juuuust close enough to be within arms length.

Like a bug to a light. The gryphon practically charged at me in a blind fury. I just smirked and stayed still. Then I brought up the sword in a simple upward slash.

Ting! I sidestepped once again and the assaulting gryphon grinded himself to a halt a few yards away. He then looked himself over, looked at his sword. And grinned at me when he found nothing wrong with him, yet.

I raised both my brows and waited patiently. And my smirk turned into a smug grin when the top half of his sword fell to the ground. Then fell to the ground laughing when the bottom half of his body decided it had enough of being in the air, and made its home on the earth. All while a loud ‘splat’ sound.

When I managed to get up and not bring myself down laughing. I return my attention to the other gryphons. Three are dead, at the hand of their comrades weapons, and two that seemed to be recovering from the crash. I shake my head disappointedly.

*They never learn.* Two teleports and dead gryphons later the changelings I called are cleaning up the scene with great efficiency. I nod to them and they haul off the new fresh meat and turn to the ponies-

Big Mac kept his eyes open… Fuck…

The large red stallion had his eyes bulging out and directed right at me. I sigh and look down dejectedly.

“Big Mac...” I snap my fingers and noise cancellation bubble form around the others heads. “Before you do anything, let me explain.

Those gryphons that just tried to attack me come from an old family that I may have… destroyed royaly.” The stallion blanched. “But it was their fault, don't get me wrong.” I continued. “They started the whole thing when they tried to take me in as their pet.” His eyes raised in surprise.

“Whoa, really?” He said. He actually said something.

… I thought he was one of those strong, silent types. Well, maybe not entirely silent then.

“Yes, and it seems they got their version of the royal guard on my ass. Or at least some mercenary group.”

“But… why? And how do ya do it so… easily?” He ventured.

“Why is not important. But how? Well, let’s just say I’ve been alive for a long time for a reason. And it might be because I did represent a couple of the elements long ago.” At that his eye went wide again.

“... Really?”

“Oh hell yeah! Before I represented the elements of Loyalty and Kindness I was a prissy little bitch! But, back then Kindness did have another name...”

“... Uh. What was it?”

“Mercy.” I smile. A shiver went down Big Mac’s spine.

“Ah… ah see...”

“But don’t worry about it Mac. ‘Been awhile since I had that much fun.” Then I got really close to his face. “Oh, and one thing. Keep what happened here between you and me. I don’t need anybody worrying about little ol’ me. Alright? Take it as another family secret.” At the idea of keeping a secret that no one else would know, Big Mac nodded eagerly. “Good. Now let’s keep going.” A snap of the fingers later and they’re off showing me the rest of the orchard.

“Ember? What was all that about?” But, of course, right after Applejack asked the very question I didn’t want to answer.

“Nothing, thought I saw somethin’.” But that doesn’t mean I can’t lie to the new Bearer of the Element of Honesty. It was easy enough Lying to Celly about a lot of things back then… Ah, memories… Back then Honesty was Justice, Loyalty stayed the same, Laughter was Merriment. Generosity was almost the same as Mercy. But It was mixed with a little kindness.

And Magic… Aaah~ Magic was Power. And Celly, Moony and me were, and still are, next to Discord, the three most powerful beings on the planet.

Ane the gryphons think they can just take me out like foals play. There was a reason their golden idol went ‘missing’ all those centuries ago.

They’re the luckiest race on the planet since I’m so merciful.