Insurgence

by Rose Quill

Back to Normal Life

Oxygen Rush steered the boat back up to the dock, slowing it's mana turbine to coast into the slip. As we climbed out. Twilight couldn’t help but stare in awe at the boat, Hydro Star and it's state of the art magically charged engine. A small stream of magic from any pony would be channelled into a turbine propeller that moved the vessel even on windless days like today.

I sighed as I settled my bags over my withers, loking back at the distant island villa we had spent two weeks in.

"Don’t want to leave, do you?" the mare that had created the ship's unique engine asked softly, a faint accent tinging her words.

I shook my head. "It's peaceful here," I murmured. "We've had little enough of that lately."

"Well, begging Your Majesties pardon," Oxygen Rush said, a hint of nervousness underneath. "We'd be happy to host you again, anytime."

I smiled at the pony. "I'll keep that in mind," I said with a wink. "If you stop calling me Your Majesty. My name is Sunset."

The mare smiled. "Fair enough," she said, returning her focus to the Hydro Star and checking it's moorings. "Sunset."

As I caught up to my wife, I smiled.

"One down," Twilight smirked.

"Only a nation to go," I smirked. We both paused and looked back on the Hello Tropics resort, it's white sand sparkling. Memories flowed through our bond, and we leaned into each other a little, her being careful of my wings. As we turned and headed for the train station she glanced at me.

"When are you going to learn how to properly preen those things?"

---

"Sunset, Twilight!" Fluttershy called out as we crested through the portal, bearing our pair of small suitcases. "Welcome back!"

Spike ran up to us and leaped into Twilight's outstretched arms. "Did ya bring me home anything?" he asked.

I reached over and ruffled the fur on his head as we laughed. "Let us at least get home, Spike, ok?"

Fluttershy took a spot next to Twilight as we walked. "Tell me everything," she breathed.

Twilight blushed a little. "Everything?"

Fluttershy flashed bright red. "No, no no no! I mean, the island! What was it like? Did it have any interesting animals on it?"

"There were some interesting nests of some tropical songbirds and a few storks regularly made it their port of call," the scientist said, adjusting her glasses as we walked, Spike having dozed off in his mistresses arms.

As we walked, she caught us up on everything that had happened while we were gone, staying through dinner where we were joined by the rest of the girls save Pinkie and the Sirens. It was almost as though we had never left, for all that was the same.

Later that night, as we headed to bed, Twilight leaned over and whispered in my ear.

"We still have to figure out which of us is changing our last name, you know."

I giggled. "In the morning," I said, kissing her and snuggling in to sleep.

It's so good to be home, where things make sense.