Colours of Dusk

by AlphatheGriffin17

Aftermath

It was difficult to describe the myriad emotions gusting through Samore's chest as she approached the party of heroes. She saw even from a distance that Equestria's surviving Princesses had each changed. Luna and Sombra were locked in an embrace further away from the majority of the group, as were Cadenza and Shining Armour.

For now though, it was Princess Twilight and her companions that she made her way toward. Before, her approach might have gone unnoticed. Now though, after her metamorphosis, she barely got within twenty paces before some of them caught sight of her. Whispers and gestures were quickly exchanged among their group, and within moments all nine of them - the Elements, their dragon compatriot, and another green-furred unicorn she recognized as having been with the rest of the Hosts just prior - turned to meet her. It was Twilight - now wingless - who spoke, stepping forward with confusion etched on her features.

"Who're…?" Her squinted eyes abruptly widened. "Wait, Samore? Is that you?"

"Indeed it is." She felt herself smile as she came to a stop before them. "It is gladdening to know that I am still recognizable in this new form."

The one named Applejack whistled, whilst not-so-subtly admiring her. "Shoot, an' I thought Thorax was impressive. Ya look… jus'... dang."

Immediately after the words left Applejack's mouth, she noticed Rainbow Dash's eyes narrowed, and her gaze hardened into a slight glare. Samore chuckled in mild amusement at the sight.

"I think I shall take that as a compliment," she said. "Though I see I am not the only one who has undergone a transformation, Twilight Sparkle. You as well, Dusk Noir." She nodded to both of them in turn.

Twilight shuffled in place and craned her neck to look at her bare back. "W-well, it's actually more of a detransformation, in my case."

"And a fair bit more complicated in mine," Dusk added, rubbing his own leg as though getting used to it.

Samore quirked an eyeridge. "Indeed? I cannot say I am familiar with how pony maturation works, but I assume whatever has happened to you both, and to your other princesses, is more magical in nature. I will not pry. If I may offer my opinion though, Twilight?" She waited a few moments until the now-unicorn nodded before continuing. "You appear far more comfortable in your skin now than you did this morning. I believe this form suits you somewhat better."

Twilight appeared taken aback at this, but offered a small smile in return. "...thanks, Samore. I… I think so too."

Samore nodded slowly. She cast her sight once more over the group as a whole, their varied expressions ranging from curious to cautious. Then she let out a breath, and felt a great deal of stress leave her body with it.

"Well, it seems you've done it, despite all odds," she said quietly. "I must say, never in my life have I been so grateful to be proven wrong, by an eclectic group of ponies no less. But you saved us. More than that, you've freed us." On an impulse, she elected to throw her royal dignity to the wind and allowed herself to kneel forward, the tip of her now-slightly-longer horn almost touching the cavern floor. "Allow me to say this now, from the depths of my heart: thank you, all of you, truly. I owe you a debt, one I doubt I'll ever be able to fully repay."

There was silence following her words. No of them spoke, none moved. Samore imagined they must have been quite shocked, seeing one of authority prostrate herself in such a manner. She resolved to hold her stance for just a bit longer… until the sound of soft wing flaps reached her ears. No sooner did she hear them than she felt a hoof on her shoulder. Looking up, she found none other than Fluttershy hovering gently in the air beside her, meeting her eyes with a kind smile.

"You're welcome, Samore," she said warmly. "But you don't owe us anything. Right, everypony?"

It took a few moments while they all exchanged looks with one another, but a general chorus of assent eventually swept through them. Twilight adopted an especially earnest expression as she stepped forward.

"Yes, that's right. We didn't do this by ourselves, Samore. And we didn't fight just to protect you. We fought because it was the right thing to do. We did it to protect our home, and each other." As those last words left her lips, her countenance faltered and became sorrowful. "I just… I just wish we could all still be here…"

The positive mood suddenly fell as all of their bearings darkened. Some leaned toward whoever was closest, searching for comfort. Dusk approached Twilight and wrapped a leg around her comfortingly, while the unnamed stallion did the same for Fluttershy - a sight that only affirmed her suspicions as to who he was. This form had made her more receptive to the emotions of others, it seemed, for Samore felt the renewed collective sadness of their loss crash against her like a wave upon the shore. Something within her - perhaps her newly-strengthened sense of empathy, or perhaps her own budding desires - compelled her to speak.

"...Yes. I… You…" She hesitated, trying to choose her words carefully. After a moment, she decided to simply be frank and honest. "...You all have my most sincere condolences, for what has been lost this day. You especially, Twilight Sparkle." She paused as Twilight looked back toward her with something akin to confusion. "I confess, I knew very little of Celestia prior to today. What little I'd heard of her came from overheard whispers, painting her as a lazy and complacent dictator who endorsed the past mistreatment of my kind."

The reaction to that comment was, perhaps, to be expected. Just about all of them adopted sour looks as they suddenly looked up and glared at her. Before any of them could say anything, however, she continued.

"Since entering Equestria, however, I heard only positive things about her from passers-by. Meeting her for myself contrasted with every rumour and sordid tale I'd heard of her. It was clear that she carried the weight of her duties with her at all times, as any proper ruler should. Despite that, she was understanding, patient, and… warm. Nothing at all like…" She trailed off again at the lingering memory of her mother. Taking a deep breath to cleanse herself, she pressed on. "I did not know her well, certainly not as well as any of you. But even so, I could feel that she cared for you, deeply. For all of you. The world is… truly lesser for her loss."

Another blanket of silence met her when she finished, though this one persisted for considerably longer than the last. Then, a sniffle, coming from Twilight. At first Samore feared she'd upset her, despite her intentions. But when she met Twilight's eyes, it wasn't anger or misery she felt form the unicorn. Merely mournful acceptance… and a hint of gratitude.

"I… thank you for saying that, Samore." Twilight sniffed again and wiped her eyes. "I'm… despite everything, I'm going to miss her…"

Samore said nothing as Twilight leaned further into Dusk, who wrapped her in a loving embrace. None of them spoke for what must have been several minutes. Samore respected the sombre silence, though she knew she'd have to break it at some point.

Fortunately, she was saved from having to do so by the green-furred stallion.

"So, like…" He coughed. "I've been quiet, since it's obvious you guys know each other, but uh… somepony mind clueing me in on who this is?"

"Oh!" Fluttershy yelped, bringing a hoof to her mouth. "I'm so sorry Ray, how rude of us. This is-"

"I would prefer to introduce myself, Fluttershy, if that is acceptable," Samore interjected. Fluttershy was clearly caught off-guard by the stern request, but acquiesced all the same. Samore looked down at the stallion with measured calm, and spoke in a consciously even tone. "You are Ray Strike, I presume? The former Host of Wrath?"

"Uh… yeah, that's me. How'd you know about-" he stopped abruptly. "…wait. You're the changeling who was just out there with us, aren't you? Me and the other Hosts."

"Correct." She stood a little straighter as she met his gaze. "I am Samore, former Host to the Beast of Lust. Princess of the Changeling Swarm." She paused, then added, "And daughter of the late Queen Chrysalis."

"Oh, that's coo-" he began, only for her words to register. "...oh. Oh."

His initial genial tone quickly fell as realisation set in. His eyes widened a fraction, and he even looked like he was about to take a step back before he stopped himself. Instead, he coughed again and nervously rubbed the back of his head. His eyes were suddenly looking anywhere but at her.

"Uh… I guess you must know about… I mean, that I… uh…"

"That you killed my mother?" she asked bluntly. "Yes, I have been informed."

The tension that suddenly filled the air was palpable. She felt appreciation rapidly shift back into caution as all seven ponies, plus dragon, subtly tensed. She could feel their wary eyes on her, even Fluttershy's, but she kept her own gaze firmly affixed on the stallion before her.

"It is strange," she muttered aloud as she watched him. "I was not certain how I would feel when I laid eyes upon you. Even now, I am still unsure. I always knew, better than most I suspect, what she was like. She truly cared for no one other than herself. Any warmth she demonstrated was little more than a ruse to endear her underlings toward her. But still… she was the only one who showed me any form of affection, even if it was only because she saw part of herself in me. At the end of it all, she was still my mother."

"Now hold on. What happened durin' the invasion weren't Ray's fault," Applejack sternly asserted while taking a step between them, as though trying to keep the two separate.

"Quite so," Rarity agreed, doing the same. "Ray was not in control of his actions at the time. In fact, I daresay it would be misleading to call them his actions at all."

"Yeah!" Pinkie Pie bounced over as well. "We were all there, we saw what happened! It was Wrathy who blasted Chrysalis, not-"

"Please," Samore interrupted again, "do not attempt to lecture me on the workings of the Beasts. I know. They could whisper to us, subtly influence us, even attempt to break down their cages… but the only way for a Beast to escape to the point of wreaking havoc would either be for its Host to be mortally wounded, or for that Host to willingly let it out." Her eyes returned to the stallion standing behind his friends, his own gaze cast downward. "His anger toward my mother may have been entirely justified. It likely drowned his reason and judgement. But the fact remains: he chose to release his inner Beast that day."

"Yeah, well, who could blame him?" Now it was Rainbow Dash who spoke up. "Don't get me wrong, I ain't trying to defend what Ray did. It was messed, plain and simple. But… it's not like anypony else in his shoes would've handled things much better. Besides, your mom wasn't the only one to bite it. Lots of ponies died during the invasion too, so you don't get to-"

"Dash." Ray's voice was quiet, but still managed to catch the pegasus' attention. "Guys, stop. I appreciate it, but… stop, please."

His friends all shared confused, concerned glances with one another, but one by one they seemed to acknowledge his request, relaxing their postures and backing away slowly. Ray took a deep breath, exhaling slowly, and brought his head back up to look Samore in the eye. Even without looking into them, she sensed a deep shame and regret emanating from the stallion, mingled with acceptance and purpose.

"...look," he said. "I wish things hadn't gone down the way they did. I know there's nothing I can say that will make up for what happened, but… I really am sor-"

"Don't," Samore interrupted for the third time in as many minutes. What she was feeling toward this stallion at this moment wasn't anger, or even resentment. It was something else, something much harder to put into words. "Don't apologise. Not for my mother, for your Beast, or for unleashing it upon her. I doubt mother could have possibly been unaware of your nature during your struggle. She must have known on some level what provoking you would trigger. Ultimately, her death was due to her own arrogance… but even so, she was still killed. By a pony."

She tore her gaze away from the stallion and cast it back toward Thorax, still across the cavern, speaking with Gilda, Ember and Strongheart. "As I understand it," she continued, "many of my people are as-yet unsure as to how she met her end, or who was responsible for it. They will need an answer if I am to assume the throne myself."

There was renewed tension, now. The implication she'd left hanging in the air was easy to grasp. She got the sense that many of them wanted to say something, to object, but none did.

"...so what happens now?" came the careful, steady voice of Dusk Noir from behind her.

She looked back toward them. The stares she was met with were not hostile, but neither were they friendly. It was a strained sense of expectation that radiated from each of them, along with staunch resolve. If there were to be any sides to this matter, it was clear that they already knew which they'd be on.

But there was something else in their gazes. A question. It was most obvious in the eyes of Fluttershy. The pegasus had sidled up right beside her love, keeping contact with him as she gazed toward her. From all of the others came a sense of worry, trepidation. But from Fluttershy, there came only a silent, desperate plea.

Samore sighed. Alas, her decision had already been made. It was all less a matter of saying what would be done, and more trying to convey her reasons for it. She closed her eyes, thought for several long moments… and spoke with conviction.

"My mother, Spirits accept her soul… was a heartless, maniacal, power-obsessed despot. She willfully stoked the flames of hatred in my people, and sacrificed myself and countless others to a pointless conflict that could have been averted. In the end, her ego was her undoing. Even when cornered and captured, unwilling to accept her own defeat, she chose to end her own life in a vain struggle rather than face the consequences of her actions." She opened her eyes now, and met the shocked expressions of her saviours with a tiny smile. "I believe that is what I will say, when I deliver my formal address. It's not far removed from what actually happened, if what I've heard is accurate. Many will no doubt see her as a martyr, but I doubt any who truly knew her will question it overmuch."

Now the silence was of the stunned variety. All of them looked back at her with wide eyes and open mouths.

"You'd… really do that?" Rarity asked. "You'd say that, about your own mother?"

"I would," Samore answered easily, surprising even herself. She threw a glance toward Ray, who stared back in obvious surprise. "Not necessarily for him, but for all of you. And… for our future. I'd not wish to let something like this obstruct the potential for peace between our races. Old hatreds have done so for long enough already. My mother chose her fate; it will take time, but her grudges will die with her. Myself… I choose to learn from her failings, and look toward tomorrow."

She frowned when she was finished, and looked down in thought. It seemed a bit hypocritical, in hindsight, for her to speak of old grievances when it was her own people who recently attacked Equestria. She wasn't sure how they'd respond to such a sentiment. Thinking that, she opened her mouth to rephrase…

And stopped when she realised there were nine smiling, gracious faces all nodding in her direction.

"Ya know what?" Applejack amiably tilted her hat in her direction. "I think I might've misjudged ya, Samore. That's real considerate a'ya."

"Yeah…" Rainbow sniffed and offered a smirk. "Sure, guess I'll say it. You're alright, princess."

"Samore…" came Fluttershy's voice. Snuggled up against Ray, her eyes were watery as she beamed with evident gratitude. "...thank you. This means a lot to us."

"As I said, I owe you all a debt," Samore said simply in response, trying not to let their heartfelt tones affect her own. "Consider this part of my repayment. There is no need for thanks."

"Well I'm still gonna say it!" Pinkie Pie suddenly leapt forward with her legs outstretched, catching Samore completely off-guard with a tight hug. "Thank you thank you thank you, princess! Hey, after all of this, maybe we can all be friends! You and Ray, even! Then we can have a big party to celebrate! Oh, wait," she paused, looking awkwardly between her and the stallion in question. "Is that too soon? It's way too soon, isn't it?"

From her awkward position in the pink pony's embrace, Samore caught Ray's gaze. There was lingering guilt in his eyes. She could see it, as well as feel it. Alongside it was amusement, however, no doubt at the sight before him. Amusement, and… hope.

"Heh… I don't know if that'll be in the cards for us, Pinkie," he said, shaking his head and offering an apologetic look. "I mean, I'm willing, but I don't wanna overstep any boundaries…"

Samore said nothing for a few moments. Her eyes were drawn not to the stallion's, but to the mare's beside him. Unlike Ray, she gave Samore a gentle, happy, hopeful look.

Samore let out another sigh at the sight.

"Well… who knows?" she finally said, returning Fluttershy's optimistic smile with one of her own. "Stranger things have happened, after all. In the past twenty-four hours alone."

---

It was a sombre procession that made its way back through the Everfree Forest. Twilight had conjured a number of sheets that were used to cover the bodies and remains of those who had fallen in battle. Celestia's was levitated by Luna and Sombra at the head. Shining Armour and Dusk handled those of Soul, Tube and Edge.

The latter struck Dusk as the one he felt most conflicted about. On the one hoof, he had caused no end of personal trouble for Dusk and allied with a destructive force. But twice over, he had been awoken to the error of what he'd done and given his life for Equestria. It was just a shame what he had to go through, on both occasions.

A number of them parted company when they reached the Forest's edge. Luna, Sombra, Shining and Cadence would return to Canterlot with the bodies, to inform everypony the crisis had passed and what had come as a result of it. Samore, Thorax and Ember would also be returning, along with the ponies who had allied themselves with Fallen to decide their overall fate. The leaders of the various neighbouring lands would also need to be contacted and informed of all that had happened; in the meantime, the other former Demon Beast Hosts were offered temporary guest residences at the castle until safe passage back to their homes could be arranged. All of them - save Ray, of course - eventually agreed to this.

Zecora returned to her home in the Forest, expressing how tired she was. When Trixie, Gilda and Strongheart asked if there was anywhere they could rest, Applejack offered the buffalo to shore up at the farm. Rainbow just told Gilda to wait at her house and Pinkie told Trixie to make herself comfy in the space above Sugarcube Corner. All three nodded gratefully and set off.

Before the Canterlot party left, Ray stopped them. He approached Luna, looking apprehensive.

"Look I… I know we're not close and everything but I want you to know that… that I'm sorry. About Celestia." pulled out his necklace, which Dusk noticed had apparently had its chain broken at some point, off and levitated it to her. "Here. Since Wrath's not in my head anymore, I won't exactly be needing this. Not sure if its enchantment is still useful, but you can have it, in… in memory of her."

Luna looked a little taken aback by this. She touched the necklace tenderly, placing it around her neck. A brief glow of her horn mended the broken link in the chain. The tears started afresh again and she gave Ray a fierce hug. "Thank you," she whispered.

Ray was stunned, awkwardly patting her back. She released him and inclined her head to him which, in a rare moment, he returned. She then stepped away to join the Canterlot party and teleported them back to Canterlot.

The remainder made their way back to Ponyville, catching Ray up on what he had missed as Fallen's prisoner. By the time they made it back into the town proper, they had covered most of the important events.

"Wow," he murmured. "Okay yeah, that's… that's a lot. I don't envy you guys."

"I mean, not like you were better off, huh?" remarked Spike.

"I'm sorry, Ray," said Dusk. "I should have told you what was on my mind a lot sooner. The same with everypony. If I had-"

"Okay, stop right there," he interrupted. He was smiling. "Yeah, it would have been nice to know but I get why you didn't. Just bad luck and bad timing, at the end of the day. It's not your fault, bud. Promise. If anything, I'm the one who should be sorry for what Wrath was used to-"

"Oh no, you don't." Fluttershy placed a hoof over his lips. "If Dusk isn't allowed to blame himself for what happened, you're not either. Fallen used you, there was nothing you could have done."

"Yeah exactly," added Pinkie. "We can't have our two favourite stallions being miseries the whole time, can we? There's enough that's happened without feeling bad for yourselves too. We already agreed, no more blaming ourselves for stuff we couldn't control. That includes you two."

She squeezed them both in a hug, which they gladly returned. But even the small inference of recent events was enough to bring them down again.

"I still can't quite believe it," murmured Rarity. "Princess Celestia… dead…"

"Yeah," replied Spike. "It's just… it's one of those things you'd never think would happen. Like… like if the sun just went out or something. "

"I know," replied Ray. "I was never her biggest fan, you all know that but even so… I never would have wished this on her."

"We know you wouldn't have," said Twilight.

"It's more than that though." He sighed and shook his head. "You know, after what happened with the invasion… for a long time, I wanted to hate her. I really tried to, even. But then I'd have dreams about what would happen, if Wrath ever got loose, and… it always threw things into perspective. Made it really hard to be mad at her for what she did when I knew firsthoof what the alternative was. In Canterlot, she said that she did it because there was no other choice. And I remember thinking back then 'Sure, and I bet if another choice comes up you'll make whatever excuse you have to for why it wouldn't work, just to keep the status quo'. But then… she actually did it. The moment another option presented itself, she… took it. Even though it cost her everything, she didn't even hesitate. I…" He slowed to a stop momentarily, causing the others to do the same. His eyes wandered toward the direction of Canterlot. "I'm grateful for what she did. But… I just wish I could've said 'thanks', you know? Now I'll never get that chance."

Nopony answered Ray's thoughts with words, for in truth none of them could think of what to say. Dusk placed a comforting hoof on his friend's shoulder as the whole group followed his sombre gaze out to the city, still faintly visible on the mountain far in the distance through the late evening gloom.

"Poor Luna," added Fluttershy quietly. "I can't imagine what it must be like for her, losing her sister that way. The kind of bond they had, that can't be easily replaced."

"And how," agreed Applejack. "Losin' family, it ain't easy. Never is."

Rainbow wrapped a wing around Applejack, nuzzling her. "We just gotta make sure we help look out for her. She's still our friend, whatever happens."

"What do you think will happen now? With ruling, I mean," asked Spike. "I know that Beast thing will handle the sun and moon and everything, but somepony's still going to have to be in charge. I guess it'll be her and Sombra now."

"Then we've really gotta do our best to be supportive of them," put in Pinkie. "But I think they're gonna be great. Even if her sister's gone, it's really good that Sombra can be there for her."

"And all of us too," put in Fluttershy.

"Exactly! How are you feeling about it, Twilight?" asked Pinkie. "I know you two had some problems recently, but even so… she was still your teacher."

"More than that." Twilight's voice was shaking. "Sh-She was my friend, like a-a second mother. She… she said if I didn't want to be a princess anymore, sh-she'd help me find a way to change what happened t-to me. I-I never hated her, I just… I wanted things to be better between us again and now…"

"Come here." Dusk stopped walking to hug her. "It's alright. This is something that will take time to come to terms with, for all of us. But in the end, we'll be okay. I know we will."

"I… I hope so…" She sniffed and kissed him briefly. "Thank you, Dusk."

"It feels like we lost so much," murmured Fluttershy. "Celestia… D-Discord…"

Now, it was Ray's turn to hug Fluttershy. "I know he meant a lot to you. I can't say I was fond of him, but… it's still horrible that he's dead."

"W-We were going to have a tea party," she whispered into his shoulder. "He… he was going to bring sandwiches…"

"Then we'll have one for him," he suggested. "Leave a place for him. If it means anything, I'll be happy to cause whatever chaos he would have in his name."

"Hey now, don't be usin' that as an excuse ta get in trouble," warned Applejack.

"But it's for a good cause!"

Fluttershy let out a small giggle. "Th-That sounds lovely. I'm so glad you're back, Ray. When you got taken, I was… I got so scared, s-so angry, I just couldn't…"

"Hey, it's fine. I'm back now and with significantly less baggage." He pressed a hoof to his head. "You know, I keep expecting to hear his voice still. Probably something about how insufferable all this affection is. But it's… it's so quiet."

"You've had to endure that vile thing for your whole life, Ray," said Rarity. "Even if it was largely unpleasant, having him be suddenly gone will have an impact. As Dusk said, it will simply take time to process."

"But hey, it can't be a bad thing, right?" asked Pinkie. "You got nothing in your noggin! No insane monsters in the membrane! Fillies and gentlecolts, Wrath has left the building, woo-woo!"

Ray laughed. "Yeah, it's very much not a bad thing. But it's like you say, Rarity. All my life, I've had to pretty much tread on eggshells to make sure I don't lose it or else… well, you guys know. That kind of thinking, it's not gonna away easily."

"Believe me, in a way, I was the same when Doom was first expelled from my head," said Dusk. "I imagine Luna has some understanding of that too, not to mention Sombra. You're not alone, Ray."

"And besides them, there's the other former Hosts too," added Twilight. "Maybe you could help each other, share your experiences of what you went through with the Demon Beasts. I'm sure they have similar stories to tell."

Ray suddenly started chuckling, causing them all to tilt their heads in confusion. "You know, we've actually already kinda gotten a head start on that. We got to know each other a little bit, while you were all gearing up and riding in to save the day."

"Really?" Applejack raised an eyebrow. "But y'all were stuck inside of them crystals, weren't ya? How's that work?"

Ray exchanged a quick, meaningful look with Dusk. "It's, uh… complicated," he finally said. "Super complicated, actually. Think I'll save that story for another day. But yeah, that's not a bad idea, Twi. Like a sort of group support thing, assuming they're all willing. The commute would be insane, but I wouldn't mind seeing them all again. Beast Hosts Anonymous, maybe."

"I'd be happy to help you put together something like that," said Fluttershy. "If it helps you and others like you, I think that would be worth doing."

"What did I do to get lucky enough to have you?" He kissed her and beamed. "Thanks, Flutters. You really are the best."

She blushed heavily, but looked very happy and nuzzled Ray's cheek.

"I still don't know what to think about that Beast thing," said Rainbow. "Like yeah, I guess it does want to help and all but still. If it's made up of all the Beasts, how do we know it won't go back to old habits?"

"Well, it's not the first time we've had something bad become less bad thanks to friendship," said Pinkie. "Luna, Sombra, Discord, Trixie, Gilda, a bunch of them. Even Doom wasn't as bad as he was in the end. If the Beasts are all part of the Tree and all those new ones too, it looks like it's the same for them."

"So the most destructive, primeval forces in the world have been shown the error of their ways thanks to the Magic of Friendship?" Ray let out another laugh. "I'm so glad I came to Ponyville, I really am."

"Right back at you." Spike's eyes wandered to Dusk. "So, I guess this is just permanent now? Hey, at least you're nearly eye level with me again when I'm on two legs."

"Yeah, it's weird, you're even a bit taller than me now," Ray added with a smile. That smile suddenly faded, however, as Ray's face became thoughtful. "Wait. You're taller than me now… that means…" his gaze shifted rapidly between Spike and Dusk. After a few moments, he let out a loud groan of lament. "Aw man, this is terrible!"

"What's terrible?" Fluttershy suddenly looked concerned by his tone. "Ray, what's wrong?"

"This!" He gestured wildly. "Dusk's growth spurt! He and Spike are both taller than me! That means I'm now the shortest guy in the group!"

One could've heard a pin drop in the silence following his declaration. It only lasted for a moment before all of them suddenly broke out into peals of laughter at Ray's expense.

"My, I didn't realise you were self-conscious about that sort of thing, Ray!" Rarity giggled.

"Hey! Guys, stop laughing, I'm serious!" He stomped a hoof to punctuate his point. "This isn't fair, I used to be the tallest and now I'm suddenly the shortest? I demand a do-over!"

"A do-over on what, your height?" Rainbow sniggered.

"Yes!" Ray cried in response. He whirled around to face the most magically-inclined among them. "Twilight, you can fix this right? Magic me taller, come on!"

"I don't think I actually know a spell that increases height permanently," she answered only semi-seriously, barely repressing her smirk. "Even if I did, it's not exactly a constructive solution to your 'problem'."

"Argh!" Ray kicked the ground in frustration. "Alright, you know what, that's it. I'm not getting left in the dust, you hear me? Time to start working out more. Eat more protein, do morning jogs, stretches, the works. Maybe even stop taking naps while working."

"Ya serious?" Applejack set him with a half-lidded glare. "A year-an'-a-half of knowin' ya, all the time I've bucked ya fer slackin' on the job, and this is what finally lights a fire 'neath yer flank?"

"Come on AJ, I'm trying to motivate myself here, stop focusing on the past."

Applejack's response was to frown at him. After a few moments, she closed her eyes and took a sharp breath.

"Yeah, okay," she said in a short, terse tone that betrayed her exasperation.

Despite that, it seemed she couldn't keep a small smile from forming on her face. All of their friends let out a renewed round of laughter at Ray's antics, which even the stallion himself joined in on after trying and failing to keep a serious expression in place.

"I know what you mean, Spike," chuckled Dusk, turning back to the dragon in answer to his original question. "And yes, I think it is. It's odd. So long ago, I would have given anything to be rid of Doom forever. Now he's just a part of me again, in a way."

"How do you feel about that?" asked Ray.

"Honestly? Strangely content," answered Dusk. "It's like you once told me: light and dark are two sides of the same coin. I just have a better understanding of it now."

"Bet it helps that you got yourself some muscle out of the bargain too, huh?" remarked Rainbow.

"I'll say." Twilight squeezed one of his legs. "I mean, I've never really been one for the physical types of ponies but I could definitely get used to this."

Dusk quirked an eyebrow and chuckled. "Anytime you want to stop ogling me like a particularly appetising vegetable, feel free."

"I'm your fiancé, ogling is my right," she defended with a wink. "Besides, don't tell me you're not enjoying it."

"Maybe a little," he winked back.

"You'd better be ready to start working out properly, if you wanna keep those guns," advised Rainbow. "Hey, you up for Iron Pony Contest 2 with me and AJ? See if those things aren't just for show."

"I'd be down fer that," said Applejack. "Maybe Twilight can come along too, make it a kinda double date."

Twilight giggled. "That's a pretty funny idea of a double date. Also, don't forget who won in your contest last time."

"That's 'cause we were both caught up in our own thing," argued Rainbow. "This time? It'll be a much different outcome."

"Oh yeah, that's something else I missed out on," added Ray. He looked to Applejack and Rainbow. "Can I just say: about time, you two."

Rainbow raised her eyebrows. "What's that supposed to mean? Come on, don't tell me you had us pegged from the start."

"Not the start, no. But given how competitive you are with each other and how much you get along, I won't deny I did ship it a bit," admitted Ray. "Now what would we call that? Dashjack? Applebow? Oh no, Appledash! Wait, that sounds like more of a name for your kid."

"Hold on now, sugar cube," chuckled Applejack with a blush. "We ain't even had our firs' date. Let's not get ahead of ourselves."

"Oh don't worry, I won't." In a loud whisper to Fluttershy, he said, "I will!"

She giggled and nuzzled him again. But the good cheer died down somewhat when they started to have a good look around at Ponyville.

It wasn't the first time the town had been in a state, following a disaster of some kind. But given the nature of the one that had just happened, it seemed to hit home more. The ground had been scorched from intense beams of sun or had impacts left by meteors. Various houses and buildings had been melted or damaged by the Demon Beast's powers. But the sight that gave them all pause was in the very centre of town.

The Golden Oaks Library was completely destroyed. The fires had long since died out, leaving a burned and blackened shell behind. Only small parts of the trunk were left and the tattered remains of books were scattered everywhere.

"Oh Twilight… Spikey…" Rarity wrapped a foreleg around Twilight and let Spike hug her. "I'm so sorry. You both must feel awful."

She didn't respond immediately. The expression on her face was oddly blank. A page blew onto her leg and she looked at it with a kind of nostalgia. Spike didn't look much better. His claw brushed against one of the parts still standing, gazing at the soot that stuck to his fingers.

"Guess I'm gonna have to start my comic collection over," he said quietly.

"I'm sure you'll manage it splendidly," said Rarity. "Twilight? Twilight, won't you say something?"

"It's weird," she murmured. "With everything else, this feels like… almost an afterthought. With everything else we've lost, what does a library compare?"

Dusk stood next to her. "It was your home for four years. It's what brought us together. Not just you and me, but all of us. I understand though. With all we've been through in the past day, I think it gets a little numbing after a point."

"That's exactly how it is," put in Ray. "When I was still travelling, I had to pretty much learn to distance myself from things that could tie me down. If I was going to lose it anyways, what would be the point?"

"What made Ponyville different?" asked Rarity.

"You know? I've never actually thought about it," he admitted. "You all are obviously the reason why I ended up sticking around. By the time I realised I'd gotten attached, it was too late, damage had been done. Before that though? When I first got here… something about it just felt… different. I just thought it would be somewhere quiet and relatively peaceful. Boy, was that off the mark."

"Yeah, you really should have looked into it more," snickered Rainbow. "Hey, if you and Spike need a place to crash, Twi, we can help out."

"Actually, I had a thought," said Dusk. "There's plenty of room at my house and… well, I assume our wedding is still on?"

She rolled her eyes, but smiled. "We've been over this, Dusk. No way am I letting you go, after all this."

"Had to check," he shrugged. "Well, if you wanted, you could come and live with me. I know Ophelia would be glad of Owlowisicous's company and we can convert one of the spare rooms for Spike."

"That sounds like a great idea," she said, nestling into his side. "Spike?"

"Yeah, that would be cool," he agreed. "Thanks, bro."

"And hey, it ain't so bad. Lemme have a looksee here…" Applejack started to move amongst the remains, searching mainly around the outside. "Ah, jus' like I thought."

"Thought what?" asked Twilight.

"Come on, Twi. Yer library was a tree, remember? What do trees always have?" She held up a single acorn. "Now, how 'bout we find a good spot for it?"

"Ooh! How about here?" Pinkie stood in the centre of the wreckage, starting to clear a space. "I'll get this all prepped and ready!"

"I'll help!" Spike joined her, moving bits of wood and burned books, along with dusting away the soot. "There we go, that oughta do it."

"Looks good." Applejack walked over and dug a hole with her hooves. "Twilight, wanna do the honours?"

She walked over, taking the seed and looking at it. "It'll take a while for it to grow back and it won't be like it was."

"Maybe not," said Dusk. "But it's a good place to start. One small thing, right Pinkie?"

"You know it," she replied with a wink.

Twilight smiled a little easier and set the seed in the ground. She used her aura to cover the hole up and stepped back.

"Alright, just needs a little water." Rainbow and Fluttershy flew off and came back with a small cloud. They wrung them out like sponges over the spot and nodded. "There we go."

"A little drink to help it along the way," said Fluttershy. "And maybe a little magic too."

"Not too much," said Dusk. "Treat this like a Winter Wrap-Up, of sorts."

"I'll let the three of you handle that," said Twilight to Dusk, Rarity and Ray.

"Not sure how much good mine would be for this but eh. Why not?" shrugged Ray.

The three unicorns gathered around and channelled magic into their horns. Dusk cast the nurturing cream-yellow magic with a dash of shadows. Rarity and Ray added to it with their own magic. A few seconds later, something green popped out of the spot. A tiny seedling, no bigger than a dandelion.

"That should do it," said Dusk, ending the spell. He looked to Twilight. "A good start?"

"A good start," she agreed.

They all stood, looking down at the spot where they planted the acorn, the wind blowing gently all around them.

Comments

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Queen Chrysalis was a terrible mother and just terrible leadership all the way around. Samore acknowledging this and choosing mercy for Ray is why she will be a much better ruler. Liked the main cast’s reaction to her final form. Now she and Thorax will save the rest of the Changeling hive

So good to have Ray back. His personality had been missed. Glad he will get the opportunity to help his fellow hosts cope as he already had been all along. And him acknowledging he’s the shortest guy in the group now was funny.

The whole tree scene with them planting the acorn and causing a new tree to sprout in place of the old library was such a nice scene. I kinda choked up at that. And Dusk and Twilight in wake of the library’s destruction, can begin their lives together. Now I can’t wait for their wedding!

This chapter brought feels. Just an all around nice chapter. Story is almost complete…