Epilogue
The Haunting
Admiral Biscuit
“Daddy?”
I jerked my head up. I’d gotten just a little bit too lost in a Daring Do novel. They were campy and cliched and Milfoil swore that Daring Do was a real pony who really had those adventures. I wasn’t sure if I should believe her or not.
I set the book on the side table and looked down at the eager purple eyes of Berry Blossom. “What’s up, honey?”
She took a deep breath. “Martingale went into your room and got dressed in your clothes even though he’s not supposed to and he got stuck.”
“He got stuck?”
Berry Blossom nodded soberly.
How the hell did he get stuck in my clothes?
I got up and Berry trotted up the stairs, shouting words of encouragement to her adopted brother as I followed along.
When I got up to the bedroom, it was all I could do to suppress a laugh. Martingale had two socks on his hind legs, but he’d had less luck with my long-sleeved shirt, managing to get one foreleg and his head partway through a sleeve. I could see the glow of his horn as he tried to work his way out with magic. Maybe if he could have seen what he was doing, he might have managed to extract himself.
As I watched, he tried to push himself free with his hind hooves again, only managing to slide his socks down.
I grabbed him around the barrel and clutched the hem of the shirt with my other hand, tugging it free from his head. His horn dragged across the fabric before he finally popped free.
“This is why you don’t play dress up with Daddy’s clothes,” I said with all the seriousness I could muster.
“Told you so.” Berry stuck her tongue out at him.
“Now, both of you. What do you do when someone—somepony—needs help?”
“Ask for it.”
“Good. And what do you do when you see somepony in trouble?”
“Help them. Get an adult,” they chorused.
“That’s right.” I took my shirt and slipped it over Martingale the right way. “It’s a little big for you.”
He looked down at the shirt draped over himself, puffed out his chest, and then nodded resolutely. “I’ll grow big enough that it’ll fit.”
An instant later, he went to strut across the bed, stepped on the hem, and crash landed on his forehead.
Berry giggled. “Maybe you should get clothes your own size.”
“Can I?”
He looked at me eagerly, and I couldn’t very well say no. “Well, your birthday is coming up. . . .”
•••
Milfoil and I had gotten married in the village green a week after the Summer Sun Celebration. It was like a scene from a movie, there was no better way to describe it. I didn’t know any of the songs or the ritual at all, and yet everything felt right. I even found myself singing songs I didn’t know that I knew.
When we finally got back home, instead of rushing up to the bedroom, we sat in the backyard, her in a wedding dress and me in a tuxedo—well, the pony idea of a tuxedo.
We stayed there until nightfall, watching the setting sun paint the garden in new colors.
A week later, Milfoil sold her house.
Just her house—carpenter ponies came over and took some of the additions off, plumbers disconnected it from the water and sewer line, and then a team of strong stallions dragged it off to its new owner. That was fascinating to watch.
Even though it was late in the year, I helped her plow her land—there was enough for a decent-sized garden. She planted winter rye and winter wheat as the first crops, along with several rows of carrots.
A month after that, we both began visiting orphanages.
•••
The winter wind howled through the village, and snow swirled and eddied around the houses. I’d stayed late at work—foolish in hindsight—and was in the thick of the storm, walking through a nearly-abandoned Haywards Heath.
I didn’t mind a bit.
Every now and then, I’d get nostalgic for the randomness of Earth, for the lack of safety and security and predictability, and I embraced being out in the weather. Milfoil didn’t understand it, and I couldn’t blame her. No sane person would want to be out in a snowstorm like this.
I rounded the corner and between the spits of snow, I could see our house, lights glowing brightly, wreath on the front door, drifted-over snowponies and snowmen in the yard. A Thomas Kinkade vision of perfection, complete in every detail—even a pony-drawn sled sitting in the side yard.
For just a moment, I hesitated at the door. I could hear Berry Blossom and Martingale and Milfoil inside, and that alone cast aside the cold snowy blowiness as much as the fire in the fireplace or the kitchen stove could.
I’d hardly gotten the door open before Berry was at the door, skidding to a stop, ready to be picked up and flown through the house. She liked playing airplane, and I was only too willing to oblige.
Martingale was right behind her, undoubtedly ready to show me some new bit of magic he’d learned, or a drawing he’d made, or his perfect math homework.
In the kitchen doorway, Milfoil, hair up in a sloppy bun and a soup spoon in her mouth. I crouched down and gave my adopted foals a hug and hoisted Berry into the air as I made my way to the kitchen, holding her aside long enough to give my wife a kiss.
And then I was flying Berry through the living room, swooping her up almost to the ceiling and near the walls, three laps before I sat down on the couch and set her back on the floor. Martingale floated his schoolwork up so I could see how well he’d done, and I was surrounded with the blessed chaos of fatherhood.
Also LikedSimilarAuthor
- Cackling Moron · 40k words · 805 14 · 9.1k views
- Admiral Biscuit · 1.5k words · 895 11 · 11k views
- Cackling Moron · 104k words · 1,515 30 · 18k views
- Cackling Moron · 110k words · 528 11 · 6.3k views
- Admiral Biscuit · 3.5k words · 1,070 10 · 11k views
- Cackling Moron · 7.9k words · 712 17 · 12k views
- Horse Girls Are Watching · 8.5k words · 1,255 22 · 15k views
- Cackling Moron · 17k words · 550 4 · 8.5k views
Stats
Page generated in 0.169 seconds
Total duration
1,094 users online
1,765,880 hits today, 1,960,719 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
A happy life, for a good man.
Done already? Good heavens, it feels like you started this just a few mouths ago. This has been wonderful journey, featuring everything from cardboard boxes, to ghosts, to getting punched in the face, to a kind and tender romance.
So thanks for the story, and as always, I look forward to whatever you come up with next.
A nice ending. I wonder what the foals know about the adorable filly who brought their parents together?
what a sweet ending
Oh, that was perfect.
Is there anything to add?
A wholesome end to the story.
That was a very sweet ending.
A tasteful, and sweet conclusion to a great story...a
And through it all, smiling from the garden stood a small filly among the amaranths, silver and gold with a small sepia hair bow tying her mane back. She was silent, as I stepped inside, but that's alright. Her smile said everything in the world, and by the time the door clicked shut, she vanished in a little wash of light.
9621629
You just capped it perfectly.
Stories like this make me upset that I can't give it more thumbs up.
9621580
*insert how i met your mother theme here*
All the hearts. That was wonderful.
9621688
And this ended far better then that show did.
This story is one of the best on this site.
9621647
Then well just have to bring our own.
image.flaticon.com/sprites/new_packs/110840-like-it.png
I brought a little variety to hopefully appease the author. This also accurately shows how many likes I would give.
This... was a wonderful read. From the slow burn of getting used to a new house through meeting Windflower through guessing how to interact with the ghost through meeting Milfoil and getting to know Windflower's uncle (forgot his name, sadly) all the way to giving Windflower closure along with opening up a budding romance between Milfoil and the protagonist...
It's not just that though. You somehow make the town feel very lived-in with all the details. Not too much that it bogs things down, not too little that it's a barebones storyline. Just enough to feel like I was there. The mental landscape I have for Haywards Heath and its inhabitants will remain etched in my memory for a very long time.
Thank you for this great story. It made me smile for time well spent.
Thanks for the story. It didn't go the way any of us expected at the beginning, did it?
Martingale wanting clothes like his daddy's was especially heart-melting.
This.
This was worth every word.
And every wait.
Very well done.
I liked it.
That first line...
He sung in a Heart Song! How naturalized he's become! That's not a bad thing.
It's been fun!
loved every minute of this story was expecting windflower to make a appearance but it all worked out in the end ;)
This was a joy to read, from beginning to end. Each moment, all the chapters, they all flowed and twisted into such an interesting story. I'll admit, I might be a bit to used to 'Pony Miracles' as I was half expecting Windflower to come back, but none the less, I enjoyed it right to this touching conclusion.
Hnnng... That first line. *sigh*
That was a beautiful story, thank you for it.
You did good, Windflower.
9621629
YES YES YES YES!
Bonnie Faust bless us.
Everypone.
Love it.
Very good ending. I’m glad Windflower’s remains was finally able to be put to a proper rest. Very good closure.
So there weren't any pants?
In any case, beautiful capstone for the story. I especially love how all pony homes are mobile, even if they don't look like it. (Pegasi have it even easier!) Thank you for a truly wonderful paranormal investigation-turned-romantic slice of life. That it began on Halloween and ends in spring perfectly expresses the themes involved. Fantastically unique work.
Aww, I'm disappointed they didn't end up having mutant babies like Donkey and Dragon.
Admrial... you're getting a hug this Friday. This was such a good ending, to an amazingly heart warming story. I really wanna see some fan art come of this. I love the idea of a scene from the back of the house, showing us Milfoil and (whatever his name was I forget)'s back to us, tired, dirty, looking over the garden's hard work, and a little ghost Windflower frolicking through the plants. Then another one of the same image, them cleaned up, but now their adopted foals are running around playing... brings a tear to my eye.
Congrats on having reached the 1000 Likes milestone! In this day and age, that's quite the achievement. You should be proud!
I admit I haven't really given this story a look, but I think that'll change pretty soon. ;)
AAAAAAAAAAHHHHH
This was too good! Too good! Why did it have to end!?
Pure, sweet, perfect.
Couldn't ask for a better ending.
I loved this ending and this story Biscuit, but a small lovely riddle remains. What tribe is Berry? Earth pony I guess by the name? Crystal maybe?
I am conflicted about this chapter. On the one hoof its a sweet and adorable little picture of parenthood. On another it means the story's come to an end and I've one less thing to read.
I do like the fact Milfoil sold ,her house and turned her land into a garden for the two of them and those little foals are so adorable.
This makes me feel weird things. Baby fever, sort of. Probably the only man to want to be a father someday.
A lovely story from start to finish.
Thank you for sharing.
9622476
Biological children are probably possible with magic.
For example, we know that Twilight knows a transformation spell so thorough that the recipient gains the new form's inherent magic. It's how they got the Breezies home. Another example is that there are Seaponies/Hippogryphs that were born underwater post Storm King invasion. Showing that the Pearl's transformation is that complete too.
Actually thinking of it while Twilight Sparkle level casters are rare there's a direct railway line to Mt. Aris, and half the population there has a Pearl Fragment. It could be the magical analog of Fertility Clinic Tourism. Interspecies couples visiting and paying to have one partner transformed so they can conceive biological children.
OCs can now have parents of any two species in all of MLP so long as they were born post Season 8. Heck, if you wanted a really nuts backstory a child can be a completely different species than either parent. As far as we know of the Pearl's powers there's nothing stopping say a breezy and a diamond dog transforming to conceive a dragon child.
Well done. So very, very well done. Thank you, Admiral.
9622590
Nah mate, I’m right there with you. I’ve helped raise about four kids, my own brother included, and now I want one of my own.
You have sucessfully done three things. Told a fantasitic story. Made me feel the feels. Kept me off my xbox for a full night and neglect all social interactions.
Good job, loved the story, wish there was more that could have been done. Alas necromancy is dark magic and would probably be bad... That said they have the soul, the bones, all they would need are the ingredients to create equivalency to her body at her time of death, and sufficiant knowledge of alchemy and the forbidden arts...
That was beautiful...
9623416
9623631
An attempt must be made! I'll contact the CMC to see if we can borrow their book on Necromancy.
9624416
It was sad to me. Honestly between the lack of a "sad" tag and the picture I expected the story to be a bit funny, something along the lines of "guy moves in a haunted house, the ghost pulls pranks on him, trying to make him go away, but the guy becomes friends with the ghost and they live peacefully". While all ghost stories are about dead people, in some cases the fact that the ghost is, well, dead is put aside and may be only mentioned briefly. Since, after all, if you are a ghost, you are not really dead (less dead than the other dead people, anyway).
So, for me this was a story about a dead filly, who at first did not realize she was dead, then had to relive her death all over again, and then died for real and was given a "proper" burial near her place of death in a forest, instead of a cemetery where other ponies could visit her etc, not even a tombstone. Bittersweet for me would probably have been if Windflower was reincarnated as their child. This was hinted at in one chapter where it was said to be most likely impossible for them to have a child, but life/magic can find a way
But, my preferences aside, this is a good story and you are a talented author.