Years passed. But change was slow, and it did not always mean endings.
Canterlot High’s newest art teacher lounged sideways on the easy chair, letting her legs kick out over one armrest and curling her back against the other. Adulthood had not tempered her fashion for wearing black leather indoors and out, though she cut her red and yellow hair a little shorter now.
She gossiped with the other two, just like in their dorm days. Not all that much had changed – their ‘dorm days’ were less than three years gone. But it was a milestone, an era now passed. The time to move on came and went, at least with their living accommodations.
Ironically, they departed to old places instead of new. Sunset moved back with her family. So did Wallflower – with the Memory Stone’s effect worn off, that reunion was tearful and passionate. Twilight had never left home. Applejack returned to Sweet Apple Acres with the energy and education to lead their business into the future.
And Adagio… well, here she was. Lounging on the couch, tapping her phone, only half-listening. Like nothing had changed at all, save a bit of added jewelry: silver glasses perched on her nose, and a simple gold ring wrapped around a finger.
Of course, the meetup wasn’t that special for Adagio. She saw Sunset all the time at work.
The marriage hadn’t been a surprise. Not to Sunset, anyway. Applejack was the only one shocked when Adagio finally made her move. But the career…
“You sure about this?” Sunset had asked, half-teasing and half-confused. “Teaching high school band isn’t really glamorous.”
Adagio airily threw back her curls, like this was nothing at all. “Did you forget? Mother Hydra created us sirens to teach and inspire music. It’s high time I finally got started.”
And that was that. The calendar flipped, Christmas followed Christmas, and here they were.
Applejack stood as she told them her story, gesturing animatedly with her whiskey tumbler. She’d grown up well, too. Of course she was always the mature one, but also the most fragile, plagued with doubts and insecurities. Growing up, expanding the business, and maybe a little lots of good sex seemed to have eased that all over the years. She looked comfortable, enthused, animated. Sunset couldn’t be happier.
“Who would have thought? Hand-carved furniture in this day and age.” Applejack swigged down her whiskey and slapped the glass to a table. “But they sell like you wouldn’t believe! Mac likes to handle that end, and he’s teaching two promising types to help with it. I never would have imagined trained carpenters would be our bottleneck.”
“Get Adagio to help,” Sunset said with a little grin. “I’m sure she’d love to.”
Applejack fidgeted with the gold band on her finger. “Nah, she’s got her own thing.”
“As you well know,” Adagio added. Idly, she scritched a kirin snoozing on her lap with her free hand.
“You still doing okay with it?”
“Yes, shockingly.” Adagio yawned. “Me, a teacher! What a laugh. Nine-tenths of them just play the notes they’re given with no passion at all. But the others, the ones who seize what I give them and grasp for more...”
She gave a throaty, dramatic sigh. “That makes it all worthwhile. And I do still put stuff out on Whotube, you know. No reason to stop writing for myself.”
Applejack trod over to her kitchen for a refill. Sunset glanced to the empty spot, then lowered her voice.
“Do you want me to… uh, not spend the night?”
Adagio didn’t look up from her phone. “We’ve been over this before, Sunset. By all means, fuck my wife as much as you want.”
“That sounds like you’re just tolerating it,” Sunset said. “Hey, if you’re anything less than one-hundred percent I don’t–”
“Don’t get all human on me.” Adagio’s tapping thumb echoed her words with a tictac noise. “When it’s both of us on her we get to blow her mind, and she deserves every bit of it. And when it’s me on both of you, oh horrors and woe-is-me, I get to put the famous Sunset Shimmer through her paces.”
She glanced to Sunset, then back to her phone. “I do love you, you know. I just don’t like saying it.”
“You’ve really changed,” Sunset mused.
“Said the prom-queen demon.”
“Said the siren.”
Applejack barreled back into the room with a full tumbler. “I should have asked, Sunset, do you want any more?”
Sunset raised her own half-full glass. “Nah, I’m still working on mine. Thanks for letting me come over, AJ. The school year is what it is, but I’m happy to have somewhere to be on Friday nights.”
She gave a gentle cough. “Actually I’m, uh, feeling it. Any objections to me staying over tonight?”
Applejack’s smile grew wider, and curled mischievously on one side. “Well that’d be the bees’ knees and no mistake. Just like college, a nice little cuddle with you and me, then see where it goes. Adagio can take the guest room.”
Surprised, Sunset shot a quick glance between Applejack and her wife. The former siren’s eyes remained on her phone, though a smirk emerged below them.
“Whoa. Guessing by that you mean the dog house.”
“I can borrow one of her collars,” Adagio said with low humor.
Applejack’s grin took a frustrated edge. “Missy here – that woman who tricked me into marrying her – and I did a watch of the Lord of the Rings movies. First time for her. And ever since then she’s got it in her head that it’s the funniest thing in the world to interrupt lovemaking at the last possible moment to do the gul’ dang Gollum voice.”
“Precioussssss,” Adagio whispered.
“Wow,” Sunset said. “Yeah, that’s divorce material for sure.”
“Why does it hates us, precious?”
“This has been my life for three weeks,” Applejack grumbled, though her smile shined through.
Adagio flashed the jewelry on her hand. “Sorry, Babe. Too late now. Can’t even divorce me.”
“Why not?” Sunset asked.
Applejack hesitated. A few seconds of silence fell, followed by a sigh. “Daj, this was supposed to be a surprise.”
“Oh, let’s tell Sunset first.” Adagio rolled over to sit upright, dropping the kirin to the floor. “She deserves it.”
“Reckon so, yeah.”
Applejack approached Sunset, her jovial display replaced by solemn gravity. Sunset shifted her position to sit upright, and her host took her hands and held them. Green met green as their gazes met.
“You’re the best, Sunset. You really are. Daj is right, it’s only proper to let you know.”
Applejack’s throat worked, and a grin cracked through despite her best effort.
“I’m pregnant.”
Sunset gasped.
Then looked curious, and narrowed her eyes. “You’re a bad influence, Adagio.”
A titter came from the couch. “Who’s surprised?”
“Seriously, though: we’re adopting.”
“Holy cheese!” Sunset sprang up and wrapped her friend in a hug. “That’s incredible, AJ! Congratulations.”
“Heh. Thanks.” Applejack fiddled with her bangs, smiling to the floor. “We’re actually a little bit along with the process. Went to the agency to scope it out a few months ago and things… really, really clicked together. Like it was destiny.”
“Tell me,” Sunset said. She sat back down, but now leaned forward earnestly. “Tell me everything.”
Light shined in Applejack’s eyes as she did just that. It was amazing to see – exuberance came easily to the country girl, but this was different. She was focused, bright, intense. And so happy.
“He’s three and a half. He’s got a bunch of words and is a perfect little gentleman with them. Sharp and curious, maybe not as wild as a kid his age should be but he don’t have much space with his foster. Lordy, you should have seen him when he came for a visit! So much room, so many trees, he ran his butt off trying to see it all. Then when I showed him the chickens he was just so sweet and quiet, real gentle with them, and they all took a shine to him too.”
She showed pictures on her phone: a tiny gold-skinned boy with short green hair. Petting a baby chick with rapt attention, then holding a kirin and grinning for the camera.
“His name is Hitch Tailblazer. We… won’t make him change his last name, you know. He’s like me.”
Applejack’s smile wavered, but held strong. She stared at the face on the screen. “There’s an ocean of paperwork first. I can’t wait, Sunset. I really can’t.”
“I’m so happy for you.”
The mood got to Sunset, and her felt her breath catch in a quiet sob. Pressing on she declared, “Almost four, huh? He’ll probably be in the same grade as my sister.”
“Hitch and Sunny...” Adagio trailed off, then shrugged. “I ship it.”
She smiled over at the others’ stern looks. “What? He’s three and he’s already a lady-killer. Don’t pretend my son will grow up to be anything other than a dreamboat.”
Sunset raised an eyebrow, giving a smirk of her own. “And a musician, right?”
Adagio gave a languid shrug. “I’ll expose him to good music. What he does with that is up to him. You can’t force passion.”
Possessing a far better poker face than Applejack, she stared seriously into the distance. “Besides, there are many fine and noble arts out there which may await his touch.”
The mask broke. “Seduction, for instance.”
“Daj.”
“And writing, and philosophy. And monster hunting.”
“N-Now don’t even go funnin’ about that!” Applejack blustered out. She smiled nervously, mostly-certain Adagio was joking. “He’ll be his own little man, you know? T’aint a family business or nothing, and frankly there is no need, no how, no way he’ll have any part of it. A gentle kid like Hitch won’t want that, anyway.”
Sunset nodded hard. “Same on this end. Sunny Starscout is growing up as normal as they come. She has no interest in monster hunting, and she won’t get any in the future.”
Adagio smiled pleasantly into her phone. “Of course. That is exactly how things will go.”
Thirteen years later...
Crystal Prep Academy was on fire. At least, one very large corner of it was. Flames licked high into the midnight sky, the roar of their inferno almost covering the screams within as vampires awoke to find wild roses across their coffins, sealing them in forever. A nasty way to go, but the only way to stop their reign of terror.
More to the point, it was… only supposed to be a little fire. Just enough for the coffins. Some dust or carpeting must have caught, and…
It was hot enough to warm Sunny Starscout’s face as she stood watching in mute shock.
Then she and Hitch looked over to their third – a wacky, bespectacled girl with a Crystal Prep uniform and homemade flamethrower.
She pumped her fist to the air, oblivious to their peril. “Aw, yeah! Mission accomplished.”
“My moms are gonna kill me when they find out,” Hitch gulped, turning from Izzy’s celebration.
Behind them, their two pieces of brave bait chased each other around.
“Pipp, stop recording this!”
“What? Come on, Zipp. The school’s burning down, this will go viral for sure! Besides, I didn’t catch it when you nailed that creep with the wooden stake.”
“Because it’s a secret! And you just said it now on camera! If you post this I swear...”
Sunny swallowed, louder in her own ears than Hitch. She glanced to him, then straight back towards the fire.
Really, she had been meaning to tell Mom. Or Aunt Luna. But things moved so fast, and it had been now or never for countless innocents. Mom wouldn’t have expected her to stand by, would she? They’ll understand… won’t they?
“If,” she said, pulling her gaze away. “Not when. ‘If’ they find out. I think we can keep this down-low.”
A secondary explosion burst out the top corner of the school.
THE SQUAD IS TOGETHER
Hahahahahaha nice epilogue. Nice to see the girls doing well. And oh god the G5 crew are hilarious
Certainly didn't expect this today! Brilliant lil epilogue
For those playing at home, this never stopped being a thing that was true. Insofar as anything fictional can be true, anyway.
Cutting off the head of a vampire coven doesn't mean much; they were all itching to do that themselves.
Kinda surprised that Subset didn’t join in the marriage with Applejack and Adagio. The resolutions for Wallflower and Twilight were great, though! I also smiled at the shift into the G5 protagonists. It was a nice nod to the new cast that still did justice to the OG crew.
On the one hand, i am happy for AJ and Adagio.
On the other hand, to me it does not seem that
fair to poor sunset.
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They'd have to take a detour to Equestria for the ceremony, because most of the places where polygamy is legal are also cartoonishly misogynistic.
Oh dear...
And the next generation gets up to there "first?" SNAFU!
Some things really do never change.
And the Adventure continues...
Glad Adagio's edge hasn't fully gone away even with the passage of time. It makes her character feel more real.
"If. If is good..."
Just keep telling yourself that Sunny. After all your mom didn't want you getting into monster hunting either.
Oof, my heartstrings.
nice
Outstanding on a wide variety of levels. I’m sure a Cadence-led Crystal Prep has resulted in a… slightly more socially adept Izzy. At the very least, one with some understanding of what is and isn’t viable crafting material.
Probably.
In any case, lovely epilogue. Looking forward to whatever’s left.
Applejack isn't cured of her depression right? That feels very unrealistic and as a depressed person, insulting. I'm not trying to attack you, I know we are seeing this from Sunsets perspective and she might be totally wrong. Mixing up "much better" with "compleltly gone"
So if Hitch belongs to Applejack and Daji, and Sunny belongs with Sunset and her family, then Zipp and Pip must somehow be connected to Wallflower!
In all seriousness though, it's good to see you back, even if it's just for a few more epilogues! Thanks for this!
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No, she's just doing better. The word used was "eased."
Interesting way to introduce the G5 cast to the EQG universe. You're not the first to do it, but this looks at least as good, and definitely funnier, but then this series, especially the first two books, has always been a laugh riot. This a one off, or can we look forward to more fun with Sunny and her gang?
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"T-R-A-S-H, Traaaaash!~"
"Miss Moonbow I'm calling your parents and scheduling an appoint for you with the school psychologist, not in that order."
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Not thinking of doing more. But I've been saying that since 2017 so shrug.
Well, guess we got us a legacy.
Oh, sweet mama-jama on a hot-pickled stick, PLEASE tell me there's going to be a sequel with these five and fully grown-up versions of our fav CHS girls!
Inky needs the laughs!
Always love me some new chapters of this. Only thing missing for golden key end is the inevitable awkward talk about how hunting is a dangerous business and an intro as if there would be a new story with the new generation. Possibly with were pone cameo because adorbs
"If. If is good."
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Sometimes you write the stories, other times the stories walk up and demand a transcription.
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So we're basically not letting Dan move on?
I mean, I wanna see it too, but I bet Dan's gotta be getting sick of this by now.
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1) The man has 35+ other stories. I believe he is capable of writing other things while also writing for this story, as he has done in the past.
2) He CANNOT just drop this on us, teasing even more hilarity and situations involving a big-sister Sunset, and expect us rabid equine-lovers to simply leave it as a one-off. That is Geneva Convention levels of torture.
3) If he didn't love this story, he wouldn't have posted on it again.
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I'm fine, you're fine, we're all fine, please don't start a fight with each other.
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I do get this. For me, it felt right for Sunset's 'forever home' to be with her mom and the rest of their unorthodox family. Being a part of the 'herd' helping raise the child just as Celestia helped her. She barely joined that family before becoming an adult, so to have her return and share the better part of her life with them felt most appropriate to me.
And for once, it wasn't Harry Dresden's fault.
Okay... once is hilarious, multiple times.... yeah, that's when they need to swap roles and AJ gets to punish Adagio.
Set little epilouge and if course Sunny wood grow up to do this. Luna is, as always, right. Though why did they let Izzy hold the flamethrower.... well I know why Pipp did, but Sunny should have shish enough time around Auntie Pinkie to know better.