• Published 2nd Jul 2020
  • 13,383 Views, 1,286 Comments

Short Hand - Andrew Joshua Talon



The myriad misadventures of a plucky human in Equestria.

  • ...
39
 1,286
 13,383

Thorns Epilogue

- - -

Blackthorn

The negotiations with the Princesses had been long and difficult. His king was already exhausted after his battle with the human and the Elements, near the breaking point. Yet he had carried on, long into the night, working out the details... Of their surrender.

Blackthorn had stood at his side, scowling deeply the entire time. He made no secret of his displeasure with this entire situation in his body language, and frankly did not care if he offended the delicate sensibilities of the Equestrians. Having to endure their King's pleading and grovelling... The humiliation!

Yet he had held his tongue, all the way into the near morning, when they finally broke for rest. He escorted the king himself to his chambers. King Aspen carried Prince Bramble atop his back, the young fawn having fallen asleep many hours before and no one had had the heart to wake him. Even he, Blackthorn, Captain of the Royal Guard, was hesitating in expressing his outrage.

But it had to be said.

"Your Highness," he said, softly but firmly, "how could you allow the Equestrians to dictate terms to us like this? It was not your fault!" He glowered deeply. "And that human caused more harm to Thicket than we did to them!"

The King was tired and weak, but his glare still carried great weight.

"What would you have me do, Blackthorn?" Aspen asked, "demand reparations after we devastated all of Equestria?"

"It was the fault of the Nightmare, not you, Your Highness!" Blackthorn argued, stepping around in front of the king. "If anything, it is Equestria's fault!"

"It was my vanity, my arrogance, my fears and insecurities that attracted the Nightmare," Aspen stated, his eyes narrowed and gaze firm. "It fed on them. We have devastated hundreds of villages and towns across Equestria, ruined hundreds of thousands of lives. That needs to be paid for, Blackthorn! Or we shall have a real war on our hooves! A war we will not win."

Blackthorn gritted his teeth. "And how shall we repay them then, Your Majesty?" He asked. "With the meat of our people?"

"We know the Everfree Forest better than almost anyone," Aspen said. "We will find the means to pay them back. In return, they will help us rebuild. What more could you demand, Blackthorn?"

"That the Elements and their pets pay for their crimes!" Blackthorn growled. Aspen shook his head.

"The crime of saving all of Equus from the evil that had taken me over?" He asked, "or the crime of doing what you should have done in the first place?"

Blackthorn's eyes slipped to the door, his shame practically radiating off him. There it was: He had failed in his duty as the Captain of the Royal Guard. He had gone so far as to nearly imprison his own Crown Prince!

Aspen was silent for a long moment, before he reached out a hoof to rest on his captain's shoulder.

"We have all failed this day, Blackthorn," he said, as gently as he could manage, "but let us not compound this failure by allowing our arrogance to make it worse. We will pay our debts. We will work with the Equestrians. And we will build a friendship with them." He opened the door to his chambers, and headed in, making sure not to dislodge his son from his back.

He looked back over his shoulder at Blackthorn, utter finality in his gaze.

"Those are my orders," he stated, "we cannot ignore the reality of our situation. Now go. Sleep. We have much to do next we awake."

He trotted into his chambers, and closed them behind himself and his softly snoring son. Blackthorn stood there alone, his teeth threatening to grind themselves to dust.

He had failed, yes. But he would not accept this. His king was exhausted and weakened from the Nightmare, but if he did not stay strong, they would just be absorbed by the Equestrians. Like so many other cultures before them, becoming nothing more than vassals to the Princesses. They had seen it happen, again and again. The ponies were a weak, easily herded race: All too eager to bend their knees to whoever had power or would keep them as pets. No wonder the Princesses had one of the abominable humans as their thugs!

Well. Blackthorn would do his duty. But he would never surrender to weakness.

Not even the weakness of his king.

- - -

Shepherd

We awoke to the sun shining out over Ponyville, and a Royal Guard entering the chamber and telling us we had arrived. He had departed as quickly as he had appeared, leaving all of us to look awkwardly at one another. Pinkie sucked in a breath.

"Sooo... Orgy?" She asked. Much blushing and sputtering ensued. Twilight made to cover Spike's ears with her hooves.

"Pinkie Pie!" Twilight hissed. Spike rolled his eyes.

"I already know what that word means," Spike sighed.

"Wha-?! How? When?!" Twilight demanded. Rarity flushed, just before Spike did the same. Twilight glared at Rarity. "Rarity! How-?!"

"It's a very long, complicated story that I'm sure nopony wants to get into," Rarity said quickly. She smiled around, her eyes very intense. "Right now, anyway."

"So, orgy's on then?" Pinkie Pie asked. I sighed and patted her on the head. She beamed cheerfully.

"Little snot," I said affectionately. I shook my head, "listen, all of you. You helped save me. Again. And well... I've realized that I've been kind of a dick."

Twilight's eyes widened, but Spike again shook his head.

"Heard it," he stated. Twilight scowled, but looked over at me attentively. She gave me a warm smile.

"We understand better why," she said, "after being in your head."

I blinked.

"About that," I began, "how much did you see?"

"Enough," Applejack said, as gently as she could. "Ain't like any of us are gonna blab about that."

"Yeah, I know," I said.

Fluttershy had been quiet for a time, but finally spoke up.

"This... Um... This is complicated for all of us," she said. "If... If you don't mind me saying so. So maybe we just... Um, you know... A trot at a time?"

"Yeah, we should probably just take things slow," I said, feeling relieved. There was a fair amount of agreement at this. Spike looked crushed, but Rarity smiled and nuzzled him.

"I understand this may be a bit confusing and upsetting, darling," she said, "so don't worry! I'm in this for the drama more than anything else."

"R-Really?" Spike asked, gasping hopefully. Rarity nodded.

"Yes! After all, there's already someone I have my eyes on," she said, giving him a glittering beam and wink. Spike then passed out, his tiny legs going up. Rarity blinked and looked back at the rest of us.

"Why would he react like that over my affections for the Prince?" She asked, confused.

Rainbow Dash groaned, and covered Applejack's muzzle with her hoof.

"Don't," she said, "she needs to find out for herself." She looked up at me and grinned. "Slow huh? I might be able to handle that... If you're fast in the right ways."

"Rainbow Dash!" Twilight gasped, blushing hard.

"What? Spike's passed out, he can't hear any of this," she said. She grinned. "And since he can't-That orgy idea might be fun!"

I sighed, and scratched her behind her ears. She crooned happily.

"One day at a time," I said.

"That's not a no~," Pinkie sang. I looked her right in the eyes, cool and calm.

"It isn't," I said.

I finally got a blush out of her. Twilight and Fluttershy both blushed too, and even AJ and Dash were a bit red faced. Rarity fanned herself with her hoof.

"We should have sleep overs more often!" Rarity declared happily.

- - -

We disembarked, and had breakfast at Sugarcube Corner. It was already back in operation and providing food for not only the citizens, but also the numerous workers all going about and repairing the damage. Pinkie Pie immediately got to work, cooking food and delivering meals with happy smiles. I helped Applejack set up a brick grill and stove in the town square, and soon she and her family were busily grilling apple pancakes, frying apple fritters and donuts, and baking apple scones and muffins for the population. On our table were papers and letters and designs from all over Ponyville, and Twilight was furiously sorting through them and directing work crews where they were needed. Fluttershy had her birds running messages back and forth, while Rarity was leading a whole army of ponies in sewing replacement clothing, bedding, and other items that were lost in the disaster.

I collected my tools from my house and immediately began helping the crew working on the Town Hall. It wasn't long before a familiar brown stallion and an equally familiar zebra trotted up to me, Ditzy Doo hovering next to them. I beamed at them, and gave into the urge to hug them all.

Hugs they returned.

""The airship that we took broke down, delaying when we'd get to town," Zecora explained with a smile.

"And my ride wasn't exactly cooperating," the Doctor said. I nodded in understanding.

"I didn't get to say it before, but thanks guys," I said. "You really saved the day."

"It's what I do," the Doctor said with a proud smile. Ditzy, digging into a muffin, rolled her eyes.

"And get lost a lot," she mumbled. The Doctor coughed, and looked aside.

"Yes, well, that too," he admitted. He shook his head rapidly. "Anyway," he continued, "all four of us are here and we're all pitching in!"

"Wait, all four of us?" I asked. A giant shadow covered me, and a moment later I was in the huge arms of the manticore. He hugged me... And licked the top of my head affectionately. His hot breath washed over me, making me wince in disgust.

"UGH! Chewie! Come on! Knock it off!" I struggled hard, "we're supposed to be fighting to the death! Stop hugging on me!"

Fluttershy flew over, no doubt at the urging of several concerned ponies over the huge monster licking me. She smiled happily.

"Oh! Chewie likes you," she said cheerfully. "He's happy to repay and aid you in any way you like, as you are now both battle brothers!"

"Wait, that's his actual name?!"

"Yes!" Fluttershy said happily, "you already knew his name! In his eyes, it was fate! He will work and fight alongside you forever, as is the custom of Manticores the world over!"

I sagged as Chewie snuggled me in his musky fur.

"Lucky me," I sighed.

- - -

Author's Note:

There. That should wrap things up nicely. Now, onto one shots and fun until the next arc!