Epilogue: In Which The Source Of Fluttershy's Financial Support Is Vaguely Implied
One Week Later
It was a beautiful morning in …
… um. The town.
With the ponies.
Above Town Square, Dash leaned back in her napping cloud, and stared at the beautiful sky with a big ol' beautiful grin. The sky that she would soon be managing, according to the offer letter she was hugging to her chest. [8] Granted, a weather gig wouldn't be half as cool as chasing off villains, but it was a pretty sweet consolation prize for suddenly no longer having a job with the … uh … the town's City Watch.
[8] "P.S.: Please pass along our gratitude to whoever finally bought you that pencil."
"Carrot," she said, loading some fresher (metaphorical) coffee grounds into her (mental) filter, "why does it feel like I'm forgetting something?"
Carrot shrugged. "Can't rightly say, Rainbow. After all, there's a lot of … um … this place … to forget."
"Yeah. This place." Dash worked its name around her mouth like a dislodged tooth she was trying not to swallow. "The town ... with the ponies."
Carrot thought for a moment. "Are we forgetting the town's name?"
Dash snorted. "You, forget something basic like that?"
"Point," Carrot said. "But otherwise, I should be able to tell you, since ... this place ... has to have a name. Everything does."
"Not the —"
"Aglets."
"Come on, you didn't even know what I was going to say."
Carrot cleared her throat and imitated Dash's rough, high voice. " 'Not the solid bits at the end of your hoof-laces.' "
Dash glanced away and pouted. "Not necessarily."
Carrot tapped her chin, her mind already elsewhere. "Many towns are named after nearby geographic features. Orchardburg? Edge-of-Everfree?"
Dash sighed and flopped back on her cloud. "Those don't sound right." She shrugged. "Maybe the town's name was stolen?"
"Don't be silly, Rainbow. Even by … this place's … admittedly ridiculous standards —"
"Weren't my fault," an oddly ugly stranger muttered, a blissful smile on his face as he walked past them.
Carrot glanced at the stranger as he passed, then returned her dubious stare to Dash. "As I was saying, stealing an entire town's name is the sort of insanity best saved for Miss Lyra's corkboard."
"I know it sounds crazy, but hear me out — if someone could steal names, maybe they could also steal memories of being able to steal names, and they're walking among us right now."
Carrot slowly raised one eyebrow.
Rainbow sighed. "Okay, yeah, that sounds crazier than I thought it would."
"Right. Monster Valley? Canterlot's Asterisk?" Carrot frowned. "Or perhaps I'm thinking of this the wrong way. Modern Equestrian settlements' names are preferentially geographical and/or pun-related per CC 1 Sec. 1 p. 1, but early Equestrian settlements often were named by and for their founding Earthers, so it might be 'Apples, And More Ponies' or something equally profoundly uncreative —"
Dash lunged in and clamped her hooves over Carrot's mouth.
"Tartarus, Carrot, you don't have to be racist about it," Dash hissed. "Look, let's just call it 'Ponyville' or something."
Carrot's muzzle flushed a deep red, and she glanced around the fortuitously empty Town Square. "On further consideration," she said with a note of relief, "I am perfectly willing to accept 'Ponyville' to avoid the possibility of sticking my hoof in my mouth in mixed company."
"Works for me!" a voice of elemental cheerfulness said from directly behind her ear. "And since I'm the Ponyville shadow government now that makes it all official!"
Carrot jumped. Then whirled around into a bouncing pink face, a "First Annual Happy-So-Many-Things-That-This-Banner's-In-Danger-Of-Violating-Both-The-Length-And-Hyphenatio" banner with a little cardboard "n-Rules Party!" taped onto the end, a table of fresh baked goods, and a cheering crowd.
Dash blinked slowly — not at the instant celebration, but at Pinkie herself. "You're the what now?"
"I'm the Partician!" If Pinkie's pronking could have been hooked up to a generator, it would have melted the metal. "I'm the Partician, I'm the Partician!"
Carrot laughed, extracting herself from a very energetic hug. "Congratulations on the promotion! … Ah, but if I might ask, Miss Pie, what happened to Lady Vetinari?"
"Oh, Fluttershy?" Pinkie said. "She always hated the job. So she retired, just like she always said she would once the crime problem got brought under control! And she's building a Home for Wayward Animals where the City Watch building used to be!"
Carrot took off her Watch helmet and bowed her head for a moment of silence. "At least," she said afterward, "we can be grateful that Headquarters was the only casualty of the Tiny Alligator Attack of 998."
"And you can be grateful that you cashed out your 'This Week' bet at a tidy profit," Dash grumbled. "I lost my shirt on 'Never.' I'm gonna have to get a job with, like, the Wonderbolts to pay off my gambling debts."
"Actually, most of my proceeds are spoken for," Carrot said. "Lady Vetinari suggested to me that I fund the growth of a new library tree with my windfall. It would be a useful and indisputably permanent piece of philanthropy for a town still educating its foals in a one-room schoolhouse. Not to mention, that way I can return the book that's keeping me here."
Dash gave her the full lost-kitten treatment. Quivering jaw. Huge eyes.
Carrot laughed and nuzzled her friend. "But, you know, I don't have to leave just because that's over with. Ponyville is rather growing on me."
"Eeeeeeee," Dash vibrated, happily nuzzling back.
"Get a room, Reginald!" Lyra reflexively shouted as she and Bongua passed by, leaning against each other and grinning stupidly.
"Reggie an' Sally scarpered, luvvie," Bongua said. "If'n 'ey weren't a figment of our imaginations to begin with. That's really Carrot, it is."
"You and your 'figments'." Lyra rolled her eyes. "C'mon, Bon Bon, you know I can't add these alleged 'changelings' to the corkboard. I've run out of room."
"Mmm," Bongua murmured, nuzzling Lyra's neck. "Call me 'Bon Bon' again."
Meanwhile, in the shadows nearby, Dobby quietly slunk up to a smiling ex-Partician and a quiet, sober striped figure.
"They did just what you planned they'd do," the zebra murmured. "A pity that your work is through."
Fluttershy smiled enigmatically. "I retired from party planning, just as you retired from leading the Watch. But one such as I will never stop helping the town from the background — not while I continue drawing breath. And I know your heart, Rhymes. Despite the constant abuse you took, you can't tell me you don't feel the same."
Rhymes slowly nodded, then let a wry smile grow on her lips. "It may be true that disrespect can't stop me playing civic architect. But on one point, I must inject, your claim is wholly incorrect."
Fluttershy tilted her head. "What do you mean, old friend?"
The zebra tsked. "Zecora's script is yet unread. But Captain Rhymes? Unmourned and dead." She turned toward Dobby and gave him a solemn nod.
Dobby winked. "Yer welcome, cap," he said, and gave her one final salute before everypony's memories of Captain Rhymes fell off the back of the wagon.
And all was right with the town of …
… "Ponyville".
Ugh. Yeah. Ponyville, I guess.
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Hey, this was pretty good.
I’m going to watch this Horizon kid. I think he could be going places.
So if Rincewind ever made an appearance, would it be Trixie?
That's certainly one way to make this a prequel to the show. While some of this is downright cute, part of me can't get past the reality-warping demigod that is Dobby. In fact, are we sure he isn't a god? If everyone believes you did it, does that count as belief?
Eh, whatever. Thank you for story and epilogue both.
Next on Dobby's list: stealing all recollection of some of Equestria's greatest evils-in-a-can, outside of Nightmare Night and a certain book.
...at least he gave you back all those upvotes, eh?
This epilogue makes the story a hundred times cuter. That was just adorable, specially the Carrot-Rainbow shipping.
I'd love to see more on this equestria, though. Those changes to the characters are too awesome to let go. So worth the favorite.
8791107
Nah, it's Twilight. Trixie is not heroic enough to pull a Rincewind.
8791219
But on another hand, Rincewind isn't really heroic enough to pull a Rincewind either.
Huh. Not sure how I feel about the epilogue feeding this all into the main timeline.
Loved the story overall, though.
"You have to admit… my plan is sheer elegance in its draconian complexity."
8791219
Or particularly good at magic, either, and has some of the worst luck. That's why I asked if it was Trixie.
...Rincewind isn't heroic.
8792119
Really if you wanted a Rincewind you could do worse than Sunburst. Rincewind did graduate, after all, and he's quite knowledgeable about magic, particularly in the productive ways to run, plead, or cower from various manifestations.
...And then they all agreed never to speak of this again.
Actually, if Dash and Carrot forgot the name of the town, maybe they eventually forgot about the city watch and Capt. Rhymes. It makes me wonder if another Memory Stone exists in Equestria, and if a certain equine named Dobby has it.
Anyway, congratulations on winning the contest!
Okay, this is great.
This ending totally clears up my hesitation with faving the story.
It's also a pretty good setup for more of this kind of Pratchettian ponestuff...
8793855
Hate to break it to you, but even as good as this fic is (congrats on that, author), it doesn't even scratch Discworld. I recommend the Guards novels as an intro, they're my favourites, with Night Watch being right up there as flat-out one of my favourite novels of all. However, the Rincewind books and Witch series can reach your feels too.
The epilogue was kind of...
Er... Uh... *looks under the wagon, pulls out a crumpled piece of paper and reads it aloud* Surreal, yeah.
This is beautiful .
Neat
...
Horizon, you magnificent bastard.
You turned a seemingly random crossover into a prequel!
I honestly don't think I've seen that done before. Or at least not this well.
Sweet.
I've reviewed your story HERE
The EQD post does not link to this story. It links only to the title picture.
8828482
Thanks for the heads-up. I'll ask them to fix it.
8828537
Also, do you like disturbing dubcon changeling stories that skirt the line between T and M which may or may not be published by a wolf soon?
Ah, nevermind.
Well, thats one way of getting out of writing a whole collection of 40 plus books.
Could be worse, could be having to write 208 episodes, a movie and several side series etc also?
Wonder if Zecora moved into the Everfree to go into a most civil partmnership with Stephen Magnet? More tea, vicar?
Ah, thats who Bulk reminded me of, Dorfl. Because a door full is what the watch house recieved when he entered the building.
8801220
I'm not sure why you'd 'hate to break it to me' as if it's somehow bad news. What an odd choice of words.
While we're informing each other of things, I'll mention: don't respond to a comment from a story's title page. The commentor doesn't receive a notification (don't ask me why; it's been that way for as long as I can remember here), which is why I didn't see this before now. You have to go to the chapter the comment is posted under and respond there, and then they'll get a notice of a response and can properly read it. I only noticed this at random while looking back over this fic. Anywho, thanks for the tips on where to start with all that.
That was an awesome way to end it. I had thought that this was a crossover/AU, but making that the actual backstory...
I can't see the show the same way now. IT ALL FITS!
8869007
It would be fun to see more of this, since I suspect that even without their memory, the background shenanigans continue...
I have actually read the other story you mentioned, as well. That one's sorta weird, I have to say.
I don't think I can properly express how awesome this idea of yours was, by the way. It WAS very clever.
And I did catch the Carrot Top name, btw.
Full review here, but you know that already. The Partician reveal was staggeringly good, and from then on I was in heaven. (As a Discworld fan, I already was. Just more so.) As I said in the review, this is the best comedy I've read in a long time.
You monster. :-(
Well, it took a few tries, but I'm happy I finally got through this.
8928295
Thanks for reading and enjoying!
That was superb in every way.
It was hilarious in its own right, but also a faithful adaptation, embracing the spirit of both works without mindlessly repeating either. It was inspired by great stories, but never derivative.
So yeah I liked it.
8951853
Thank you, and glad you enjoyed!
That was the first time I laughed while reading this, and it was far from the last
This was a lot of fun. I haven’t read basically any of Pratchett’s work (I think I did read Guards! Guards! a looong time ago, but that’s about it), but it never felt like that got in the way of my enjoyment of the setting or plot or humor.
I could go through and pick out a lot of other parts I really liked, but that would take quite a long time
Thanks for writing this! I haven’t read many of the other contest entries, but I can totally see this one having won
9061052
Happy to hear it worked well as a standalone -- I worked hard to extract the Pratchett essence in a way that was broadly accessible.
Thanks for the kind words!
8831934
That "hate to break it to you" is a legitimate turn of phrase. Lots of people use it that way, when it's not really about something sad, but you're informing someone of something they missed or didn't get or something. Telling them they're mistaken, I guess.
That said, you really can't get the contents of Pratchett's books without READING Pratchett's books. His stuff is just that good.
Although this story is completely pony and completely Pratchett-esque at the same time, which is really saying something
9105902
I'm not gonna wade into the linguistic debate here, but thank you for the compliment!
9108677
LOL, I don't really think it counts as a debate! But anyways, yeah, Horizon, you did an AMAZING job with this story.
9126855
Whoopsie, I missed the "next chapter" button. "twilightsheepish:
No problem, credit where it's due and all that.
I was delighted to see Pinkie Pie as the Patrician, but I have to say, when we found out it was actually Fluttershy, that was a nice twist! 
Really funny story, a great blend of Discword and MLP humour with a good spin from the author.
Love how reginald and Sally act, hope we get to see more of them in future stories.
Fantastic from start to finish, and something I should have gotten round to reading well before now. Its Discworld roots are clear to anyone in the know, but it's sufficiently independent to stand on its own as a story without said knowledge. And there's so many enviable turns-of-phrase here that if I started quoting those parts which especially appealed, there'd be little room left in the comments section for anything else.
Utterly superb.
9128343
Thank you for the running commentary! It's great seeing what worked for people, and even better when all the things I'm proudest of are the ones getting the laughs.
9128475
Glad you enjoyed!
I fucking.
I can't believe the only thing I had to say last time was "neat".
Legitimately one of the funniest things I've ever read, and a Discworld / Pratchett homage that is painfully on-point. Like if Pratchett wrote ponyfiction I could definitely see this fic coming out of that.
9134716
I know the feeling, just happy to help.
9134911
High praise! Glad you enjoyed.
9136751
Just the truth, friend! You deserve nothing less for writing something that caused me to devolve into helpless retard giggles like... once a paragraph.
The "have you been stealing blame" bit I could definitely see in a Discworld novel.
I know this story is a worthy homage because reading it hurts a little. Thank you.
9337385
> reading it hurts a little
Hopefully in the good way!
Thank you, in return, for reading!
This story is so delightfully absurd and simultaneously adorable! I wish I had more experience with Pratchett to better appreciate it, but I really enjoyed it all the same.
9352428
Glad you enjoyed, and thanks for reading!
8791094 And when he does, it's up to us to post bail.
(Hm, unless we can sneak writing materials to him while he has nothing else to do. It's worth some thought.)
I think I have officially forgotten how to have fun.