Last of the Dragonlords

by Fluttershy20

Chapter 20 (part 2)

For the next five days the six ponies relaxed and enjoyed the peaceful tranquillity of the city that played host to them.

As a group, five of the six ponies got up early in the morning to watch the sunrise together. Although it was nice to do, it still felt empty since Fluttershy wasn’t there with them. Afterwards they checked up on the pegasus, had an hour with her, and then set off into the city to explore once again. They discovered early on – to their relief –that the horses were quite polite and friendly to approach, so they were soon making friends left, right and centre. Other times, when they couldn’t decide what to do together, they agreed to split up and do their own thing, only promising to meet each other when the sun was about to go down. Afterwards, they would go and see Fluttershy once more, and tell them about their days over dinner together.

Applejack spent her time alone outside the city walls looking at the farming techniques the horses used. When approached the horses even allowed her to try some of their techniques, which she did and mastered in next to no time. The farm horses were impressed, and even asked her to stay on and help, but Applejack politely declined. “I was taken aback when they asked me to stay here and help them out,” she said to Fluttershy and the others that evening. “But I don’t do what I do for the money, I told them. I do it for my family, and to help them out. They respected that a lot.”

Rainbow spent her time helping the horses out removing unwanted clouds, and entertaining some of the young colts and fillies of the city by showing them some of her tricks. “You should have seen the looks on their faces, Fluttershy,” Rainbow said wearily to the other pegasus the night after. “They were lit up with utter amazement. One of them came up to me and said they would want to be like me one day. I’m telling you, my awesomeness has now spread outside of Equestria, and that’s something I thought would never happen in a million years. There’ll soon be colts and fillies running around here wearing hats with my face on them saying how awesome I am.” Fluttershy just rolled her eyes and giggled.

Rarity spent her time looking at the various dresses and fashions of Horsca. Although both horse and pony shared a common ancestry, both seemed to have a different sense of fashion. “Some of the dresses I saw were a bit… eye straining, to put it nicely,” Rarity said to them all later. “But I think I gave them a helping hoof to maybe equal, or even rival Equestrian fashion designers.”

Pinkie decided to go to any party that was around. The Horscans were having festivities celebrating the end of the civil war and the re-unification of Horsca, and throughout the weeks there were parties across the capital. Pinkie, despite not being a horse, was openly welcomed by the horses in all of them and partied along with them till the sun began to go down. “I taught them some of the party games like we have back home like pin the tail on the pony!” Pinkie said one night as they were having dinner. “And they taught me some of their party games as well, and I’m looking forward to trying them out when we get back.”

For Twilight, she guided Freya on social customs of Equestria, as well as its laws, since she was the only pony in the group who knew the most on Equestrian politics. “So… you have a event for every special occasion that comes in the calendar? Even, what do you call it again? The event where you clean up winter?” Freya said on the subject of social events. The two were walking down one of the hallways of the great hall towards only Freya knew where on the fifth day since Fluttershy had woken up.

“Winter Wrap Up?” Freya nodded. “Oh, yes, that one in particular is important,” Twilight answered. “Without it the entire country would be stuck in winter.”

“But surely you could just let nature take its time and clean it up for you, like we do here.”

“Nature works a bit differently in our country, Freya. Due to advances in magic and a pegasus’ ability to walk on clouds, we can control the weather to suit our needs. Like if we wanted a summer’s day, the pegasi would go out and make sure we have a sunny day. The only part that isn’t influenced by Equestrian magic is the Everfree forest, but I would highly recommend you don’t even take a step in there.”

Freya nodded in understanding, and then stopped just outside a door with a golden horse head on its face. Twilight looked at it oddly. “So what is it you wanted to show me?”

“Realising you wouldn’t be able to read most of the books here,” Freya explained, “I took the liberty of trying to find some books in Equestrian for you.” She opened the door they stopped outside and Twilight gasped in wonder, her eyes lighting up in pure delight. She stepped inside and began to spin around, her eyes never leaving the sight of a book.

Around them, a numerous amount of shelves stacked full with books stood in rows all around the large room, so large Twilight couldn’t tell just how big. She looked back at Freya and opened her mouth to say thanks, but Freya pointed and spoke first. “It took me a while but I managed to find some books in Equestrian for you to read. And have, if you like them.”

Twilight’s eyes widened even further. “You’re giving me a part of your library? For free?”

Freya nodded. “How else can I thank you for helping to save my country, and the world?” As she said that, an idea sprang into Freya’s mind. “Actually, I just thought of a way.”

“Oh, don’t worry about it, Freya,” Twilight said, waving a hoof dismissively. “It was Fluttershy who saved the world, not me or any of us. Just her.”

Freya smiled. “Yes, but without you, like Fluttershy says, she wouldn’t have even made it. So you deserve as much credit as she does.” She turned around and moved towards the door. “I’ll let you get on with the books. And please, take any you like with you when you go home. They’re just rotting here so they would be in better care in your hooves.” She left without further word, closing the door gently behind her.

Once Freya had gone, Twilight raced over to the pile of books that were left on the giant table, and began flicking through them all, hoping to find a book with what she was looking for. She had been thinking about something concerning Fluttershy and the Dragonlords for a while, and wondered that, if Fluttershy’s ancestry is to be believed, the legend that she once read was actually true.

After a few minutes, her face formed a massive grin at the book that she now had in her face. “‘Myths And Legends Before The Age Of Equestria’,” Twilight read the title aloud. Without pausing for thought she set the book down and began to flick through the pages, scanning quickly the legends that could be what she was looking for, and completely skipping the ones that weren’t.

She suddenly froze, and the grin on her face grew wider when she found what she was looking for. “It’s true,” she whispered. “The legends about him are actually true.” She picked the book up, and galloped out of the room, down the hall, up the stairway, through the corridor and skidded to a halt outside the room Fluttershy resided in. “Fluttershy, are you decent?” she called, knocking on the door.

“Um, Twilight, I don’t normally wear clothes,” the pegasus called back. Taking that as her cue to come in, Twilight opened the door to find Fluttershy lying on her right side, facing away from door with a small smile on her face. “How are you today, Twilight?” Fluttershy asked, once Twilight came into view.

Twilight walked in and made herself comfortable just inches away from where Fluttershy’s head laid. “I’m good, thanks. Yourself?”

“A bit better then I did when I woke up. The pain in my back isn’t so bad as it was, and I can walk to the bedroom door and back a few times before having to lie down again.”

Twilight’s smile faded a little upon knowing her friend was still in a bit of pain. She let out a small, sad sigh and lowered her head a little. “I wish I could help you out with that. I hate seeing my friends in pain.”

Fluttershy stretched out a hoof and raised her friend’s head a little. “It’s okay,” she said softly. “As soon as I can walk outside to that balcony at the top of the building, then I think I’ll be okay with getting home.”

“Don’t think that far ahead. Just take your time. Like we said before, we’re in no rush now.”

Fluttershy smiled in reply, then changed the subject when her eyes moved to the large book on her back. “What’s that you got there?”

“Oh, this.” She looked back at the book. She picked it up with her magic and placed in front of her. “The thing is, I’ve been thinking about what you was telling me about a Dragonlords’ ability to fight as a warrior from birth, and then I remembered a while back about an old legend I remember reading.” She flipped through the pages quickly until she found the pages she was looking for. “Have a look at this,” Twilight said, flipping it over for Fluttershy to see.

Fluttershy’s eyes moved across and down the page, narrow at first, then widening in surprise as she read even further. “‘The Legend Of Vidarr The Great’,” Fluttershy read the title aloud. “Is this really the same dragon as the one that sacrificed himself to create the Dragonlords?”

Twilight nodded. “I can’t see this as any other dragon. He was reputed to be the greatest swordsdragon of the age. He mastered every form of sword combat known to the world, and put it all together in his own style with his sword, ‘Ragnarök’. After nearly a hundred years of fighting so many enemies he just disappeared from records and existence altogether.”

Fluttershy looked from Twilight to the page opposite the writing that had an artist’s depiction of what the first Vidarr may have looked like. A bright white dragon with golden spikes that ran down his back, with vicious red eyes that spoke of wisdom, and yet cruelty. What was different to him compared to other dragons, however, was a large sword that was held by a belt on his left right side, with a cross guard that looked like the symbol of the Dragonlords, a pommel that was shaped like a dragonhead, and the blade that had jagged edges like shark teeth in it. “What happened to his sword?”

Twilight shook her head. “Nopony really knows. One theory suggests that it was broken into pieces after whatever happened to Vidarr, and those pieces were re-used to create other weapons.”

Fluttershy bit her bottom lip as she thought. “Twilight,” she said at last, “could you get me ‘Drage Bane’ please?”

Twilight nodded, then went over to the wardrobe and fished it out. The bracelet had a few scratches across its face after the fight with Heimdallr, but otherwise it was fine. Fluttershy lifted her right leg up, and allowed Twilight to strap it on with her magic. Once on, Fluttershy willed the sword to come out, which it did with a song of metal, and gave it a long, hard stare. “Is it possible that ‘Drage Bane’ could be made out of one of those pieces?”

Twilight’s eyes widened at the suggestion. “Then if that’s the case, where are the other pieces?”

The two ponies fell silent as they both wondered what fate the other pieces could have made. Perhaps there were other blades like Fluttershy’s out there, and if so, was there a chance they could belong to dormant Dragonlords? Heimdallr said he was only able to track Fluttershy down because of his prophetic vision, and his amazing sense of knowing when a Dragonlord is awake. So was there a chance other Dragonlords, whose DNA had been long dormant, were out there? “There could be other Dragonlords!” both ponies said at once. They looked at each other for a moment, and then came into a hug.

“Do you think that’s possible though, Fluttershy?” Twilight asked, pulling away. “Could there be dormant Dragonlords out there?”

“Twilight, I have a hard time these days thinking what’s impossible and what’s not,” Fluttershy replied. “There might be other ones out there somewhere, but I don’t want to go finding them, incase I think I found one, and it turns out he or she isn’t one after all. The best we could do is be patient about it, and hope another one appears.” She looked at the book again and smiled. “Thanks for bringing this to me, Twilight. It’s nice to actually know how I was able to fight so well.”

“You’re welcome. Right, I better get back to the other books. So much to read, in so little time. Talk to you later.” With that, Twilight turned around and left the room, closing the door behind her.

Fluttershy watched her go with a small smile, and then with a glance noticed that she had left the book behind. “Twilight!” she called. She received no response. It didn’t take long for Fluttershy to realise she had left the book behind intentionally. “Oh, Twilight, you cunning fox,” she said, giggling away. She picked the book up and began reading from the beginning. “With this beside me,” she said to herself, “the days should go by a lot quicker.”

---

Five days had passed since Twilight had come to see her, and in the warm yet breezy day that signalled the first day of autumn, Fluttershy found herself sitting on the balcony at the top of the great hall, looking down on the city and the country around it. It felt good to be outside after being stuck indoors for more than a week, with only the smell of her own sweat hanging in the air. But thankfully, after a long recovering process, she was now able to walk from her bedroom to the balcony and back again, all without support from her friends.

She let out a blissful sigh and smiled. Although she had been up here a few times before, she was occupied with other thoughts, or was with Freya to really take in the beautiful scenery that surrounded the city. Vast plains stretched to the horizons, mountains and forests she could make out in the distance, including the Ragged Mountains where she met her father. And long, clear rivers broke the plains apart like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.

But even with all their natural beauty, none of it compared to the beauty of her homeland. She sighed as she realised just how much she missed Equestria; its people, its amazing wonders, its smells, its wildlife, but most of all she missed the peaceful tranquillity she got out of it. At that moment, she decided that her time in Horsca was over, and tomorrow she and her friends would set off for home.

She stayed up there until the sun was starting to go down. “Fluttershy!” a voice called from the bottom of the stairs. Fluttershy spun her head around, and then moved slowly towards the stairs to see who was calling her. “Fluttershy!” the voice called again, this time clearer and easily recognisable.

“Rainbow Dash! Up here!” she called. A moment later, the head of Rainbow Dash appeared.

“Ah, there you are,” Rainbow said as she walked up the stairs. “I’ve been looking for you everywhere. Anyway, Freya sent me to look for you. Said she wants us all in the main hall for something.”

Fluttershy’s smile fell, and she gave Rainbow a look of curiosity. “Any ideas on what it could be?”

“No, not yet. But there’s only one way to find out. Come on,” she said, leading Fluttershy down the stairs. Rainbow stretched out a hoof to help her down but Fluttershy didn’t take it; she was able to get down okay on her own after all.

Soon the two arrived at the main hall, and both ponies gasped in wonder. The hall’s ceiling was decorated in the banners and sigils of Equestria and Horsca, and a large number of horses crowded the hall. At the sides, facing the crowd emotionlessly, were the personal bodyguards of Freya – the horsecarls. All of them wore metal armour on their backs and chests, and each had a ceremonial crown on their heads, and swords at their sides.

“Over here,” Twilight whispered. Rainbow and Fluttershy found Twilight and the rest of their friends at the front of the crowd, and hurried over to join them.

“Hey, girls,” Fluttershy said quietly as she stood alongside them. “Any ideas of what this about?”

“No idea,” Twilight replied with a shrug. “But we’re about to find out.” She gestured with her head to the left door, where Freya emerged.

Freya wore a long dress that covered her chest, back and rump. It was a royal purple with golden swirls that formed into a pattern along the edges of the dress, and on the face was the emblem of Horsca; a rearing golden horse. “That is a beautiful dress,” Rarity muttered to Fluttershy. “Could do with a jewel or two, but otherwise dazzling.”

Freya looked from the horses that inhabited the hall, and then looked at the six ponies at the front of the group, and smile at them. “My friends. Today we are here to honour the bravery, the daring, and the friendship of six Equestrians that, through their actions, saved this world, and brought about a new era of peace for us all.” She looked from the crowd to the six ponies before her. “Applejack Rosaceae, Rarity Turquoise, Rainbow Dash, Pinkamena Diane Pie, and Twilight Sparkle. Could you step forward please?”

Confused, the five ponies stepped away from the crowd and stood inches from the queen of Horsca. Freya looked quickly at Fluttershy to see she looked glad about probably not being called up as well. She looked back at the five ponies and began to speak. “You all stood when others would have ran. You went forward, rather than back. You fought, when others would have threw down their weapons – but most of all you loved, when others would have forgotten the meaning of the word. Your courage, love, and friendship towards each other gives me a light to cling to in this otherwise dark world, and for that, you should be rewarded for your actions.”

She looked at a horse with a large chest on her back and gestured with her head to come forward. The mare moved so that she was alongside Freya, and allowed the queen to take something out of the chest. In her mouth was a crown of silver, with a dark green laurel that wrapped around it. “With these crowns, I hereby decorate you all as horsecarls of Horsca, and award you with the laurels of peace.” She set the first one down on Twilight’s head, then went back into the chest and got another one out, and placed it on Rainbow’s head. She repeated until all five ponies had a silver crown on their heads. “These are the second highest awards a horse can receive, and only a few are great enough to have them. When you go home, wear these with pride, for you are the only ponies in Horsca’s long history to receive such a gift.” Freya bowed her head at them, and then the five ponies bowed their heads in return.

“Rise, horsecarls of Horsca,” Freya finished in a clear, commanding voice. The five ponies raised their heads again and turned around, and were met with cheers and applause from the horses present. But out of all of them, none were as loud as Fluttershy, who clapped her hooves harder and cheered as loud as she did when Rainbow Dash performed the Sonic Rainboom for the second time.

The five ponies bowed their heads once more at the crowd, then went back to their places and stood beside Fluttershy, grinning like they had just been given the best birthday present ever. “And finally, could Fluttershy Firewing come forward.”

Fluttershy’s heart froze, and after a few encouragements from her friends, hesitantly stepped forward. She looked behind her to see all those horses looking at her, and quickly looked back in front of her, trying not to think about all those horses. ‘Some things just never change,’ she thought to herself. She stopped when she stood in front of Freya, and looked up to see the old queen of Horsca looking at her with a loving smile.

“Fluttershy Firewing, your love for your friends is unparalleled to anything I have ever seen. You fought for them when they were in danger, and bested any odds set against you to keep them safe. Even when you were death’s door, you fought on knowing if you die, then they would surely follow. Your kindness knows no limits, and your bravery is second to none. These are traits that only a few horses can share, and only that few are worthy of what I’m about to give you.”

She put her head back into the chest behind her and brought out a golden crown a moment later. It was a bright gold, with a bright red jewel on the front that was shaped like a star. Freya placed the crown on Fluttershy’s head. “With this crown, and a kiss from the queen of Horsca.” She leaned over and kissed Fluttershy’s forehead, making the pegasus go red with embarrassment. “I now pronounce you as a Thane of Horsca, the highest status a horse or pony can have under a queen. Rise and be recognised, Thane of Horsca!”

Fluttershy bowed her head and turned around, and was met with louder cheers and applause from all the horses in the hall, and especially her pony friends who cheered the loudest. Fluttershy gave a meek wave, yet was grinning with joy – at least, it looked it. “Thank you, everyone,” she said. “Thank you all.”

Freya stopped applauding when Fluttershy went back to stand alongside her friends, and then reared up and shouted, “Now let’s show these ponies how we party Horscan style!”

Fluttershy had to flatten her ears to deafen the roar of approval this had with the other horses. She looked to her left to see Pinkie staring at Freya with her mouth agape and her eyes wide. “She just started a party before me!” she yelled through the noise. She shook her head and a small smile came on her face. “She’s good.” And before Fluttershy knew it Pinkie was gone; she dashed into the crowd and began to dance to the music being played by a couple of horses in the corner. The rest of her friends soon dispersed to enjoy the party, while Fluttershy stayed where she was for a moment.

“Time for me to go, I think,” Fluttershy said to herself quietly. Despite being a Dragonlord who had fought and killed and nearly died, she still couldn’t be comfortable in large crowds, and thought that she never would. Having one last look around incase she got pulled away suddenly, she trotted on a light limp up the stairs and back towards the balcony, not noticing Twilight watching her go, then quickly turning back to face Applejack.

As Fluttershy walked she looked up and eyed the crown that now presented her title as thane of Horsca, and wondered if she actually deserved it. Was killing so glorious in this country that they honoured it with so many awards? It had been almost two weeks since she had defeated Heimdallr, and she still wished there could have been a better way other than what happened.

She made it up the balcony in no time and soon sat down, with her head resting on the wooden railing, and looked down at the city lit up with lights and the night sky that began to appear. Despite the beauty of it all, she didn’t feel like smiling. She felt undeserving of the title given to her. ‘Is killing something to cheer about?’ she thought gloomily, sighing heavily.

“Why so glum, Fluttershy Firewing?” Fluttershy looked up to see Vidarr lowering himself into the courtyard, and finally had something to grin about.

“Vidarr! So good to see you,” she greeted him cheerfully.

“And I, you,” Vidarr replied with a smile. “It is nice to see you up and about after a long time. How are you feeling anyway?”

“Still hurts a bit, and I can’t walk properly still but I’m sure it will pass.”

“That it definitely will,” Vidarr said.

“And I should thank you, Vidarr,” Fluttershy went on. “You saved my life and brought me back when I died, and thank you for saving my friends.”

“You are most welcome, Fluttershy Firewing, Dragonlord and now Thane of Horsca. I thought that would be something to be happy about. But you, for some reason, are not. So why?”

Fluttershy’s ears fell flat on her head once more, and she placed her head on the banister. “I was just thinking, about my victory over Heimdallr. I was wondering… if there could have been a better way, rather than killing him I mean.”

Vidarr lowered his head so that he was facing Fluttershy directly. “I would like to know, what happened down there? What happened when you faced him?” Fluttershy went on to how she met Heimdallr for the first time, how he deceived her and her friends, how they all fought and how she watched her friends fall one by one, how she met him in a one to one duel, and how she triumphed against him.

She paused for a moment and went on about how Heimdallr asked her to place the key in and flood the prison chamber and drown him. After this, Vidarr sighed. “You should’ve left him, Fluttershy Firewing. If I weren’t around things would have turned out very different. He wanted you to feel sympathy for him, so you could flood the chamber and not just kill him, but yourself and your friends. Even on the verge of death he still wanted to bring about death and destruction.”

“I’m not so sure, Vidarr,” Fluttershy countered. “He had me in his claws when the walls broke and the water rushed in. But instead of crushing me, he threw me in the direction of the entrance and told me to run.”

For once, Vidarr looked lost. “The mind of a dragon is a fickle thing, Fluttershy Firewing. It is always hard to truly understand what a dragon is about to do, and what they do in the end, and what Heimdallr did is an example of that.”

“Do you think he did it so he could redeem himself in his eyes, and that of his son’s when he sees him?”

“We will never know that. And how it happened down there is unimportant compared to what happened in the end. You managed to succeed in something that the entire Dragonlord order couldn’t do.”

Fluttershy gave Vidarr a long, cold stare. “Couldn’t, or wouldn’t?”

Vidarr jerked his head back by the hostile tone in Fluttershy’s voice. “Why the sudden hostility, Fluttershy Firewing?”

Fluttershy’s ears fell flat and she sighed. “Sorry, Vidarr, I’m not angry at you. I’m angry at the order. Were they as arrogant as Heimdallr claimed?”

Vidarr’s ears fell and he gave her sad eyes. “I wish I could say he was lying about that. But then I would be lying. The Dragonlords were highly arrogant, and sadly that’s not an exaggeration. They were almost blinded with it by their superiority in battle and their genetic enhancements. It is a trait that cursed the Dragonlords throughout their existence, something that maybe my grandfather had something to do about. He was well renowned for his arrogance, and carried it through to how he fought in battle.”

Fluttershy gulped. “Could… could I become as arrogant as he was?”

Vidarr smiled at her re-assuredly. “It depends on Dragonlord to Dragonlord. You’re only ponies, after all. But I think I can say you won’t become as arrogant as they were anytime soon.”

Fluttershy smiled gratefully; glad to be assured on that, although her ears remained flat on her head. “All the same, it still feels like a hollow victory, though. So many ponies and horses died for nothing, and now I’m the last of the order.”

A silence fell between them, as if they were remembering those they lost. “What will you do now?” Vidarr asked suddenly.

Fluttershy thought about it for a moment. “In my room there’s two bracelets and a pair of small blades that fit over my wings. When I get home I’m going to find a sack, put them in it and store it away so nopony could find them, and I never have to use them again.”

Vidarr frowned at her, then looked to the stars. “I wish I can share your optimism, Fluttershy Firewing. But I can’t. There will be a point where you will have to take up arms once again to defend your friends and their loved ones. I don’t know when, and I don’t exactly know why, but you will take up arms once more.”

Fluttershy looked up at the dragon with a look of confusion and fear. “What do you mean?”

“I’m not entirely sure yet, Fluttershy Firewing. But I fear something dark and terrible is coming. A hammer fall so large and powerful it will split Equestria into chaos and violence it hasn’t seen in thousands of years. When that time comes your friends will need you, more than ever. Always be vigilant, Dragonlord. Always be ready.”

Fluttershy felt a great fear suddenly pass through her. Once was bad, but a second time…? But then she remembered her vow to Vidarr the first, the vow to defend her friends, and realised at some point they would be in trouble, and she would have to stand up for them. She looked back into his eyes, and grinned. “Then, if it’s to defend my friends.” Her eyes narrowed into determination. “Bring it on.”

Vidarr’s laugh echoed across the country. “Strong words, Dragonlord.” He smirked. “You are definitely your father’s daughter. You have his strength in you, as well as your mother’s fragility. I’m sure they would be proud to call you their daughter.”

“And I’m proud to call them my mother and father,” Fluttershy said, raising her head towards the sky. Vidarr chuckled, and then spread his wings, ready to take off. “Wait! You’re leaving?”

“I’m afraid so, young Dragonlord,” Vidarr replied. “And this will be our last meeting for a while.”

“Will I see you again?”

“Of course you will, but hopefully not for a long time. Farvel, Fluttershy Idlvinge. A måtte freden du har fortjent bli lang og velstående (Farewell for now, Fluttershy Firewing. And may the peace you have earned be long and prosperous).” With a final bow of his head, Vidarr thrust his wings down and disappeared into the night sky, a large roar echoing across the plateau as a final goodbye.

“Farvel, Vidarr. A måtte freden være med deg og (Farewell for now, Vidarr. And may peace be with you, too),” she called out to him in Dragonian. She sniffed back a tear at seeing not just a dragon, but also a good friend, leave. But she knew she would see him again, just hopefully, like he said, not for a long time. She knew what he meant by that, and her heart beat a bit faster because of it. But she knew she shouldn’t worry about the future, as she learned from Twilight. She would carry on, and worry about it when the time came.

“Hi, Fluttershy,” Twilight called from the bottom of the stairs.

Fluttershy looked down to see Twilight with a wearied grin on her face, and small black bags under her eyes. “Hey, Twilight, are you alright?” Fluttershy enquired, a small part of concern in her tone.

Twilight trotted up the stairs to join her. “Sort of. Bit tired and hot after the party downstairs, so I thought I’d come up here for a bit of fresh air. But otherwise I’m fine. You?”

“I’m okay. A bit achy here and there still but I’ll live,” Fluttershy replied with a smile.

“Whom were you talking to anyway? I swore I heard another voice up here,” Twilight asked, looking around for the other speaker.

“I was talking to Vidarr,” Fluttershy answered. “He came by to see how are we all doing, and was glad to see that I was getting better. And he…” she trailed off, wondering whether she should tell the unicorn about it.

“And he… what?”

“He told me that at some point I’m going to take up arms once again. He couldn’t entirely say when or why but he seemed sure I will.” Fluttershy was going to tell Twilight what Vidarr exactly said, but decided against it at the last minute, thinking it would only panic the poor mare.

Twilight chuckled. “I wouldn’t let it bother you, Fluttershy. As I’ve learnt, enjoy the present and don’t worry about the future.” Fluttershy nodded in agreement, and then turned her head to look at the stars. “But would you though?” Twilight queried.

Fluttershy looked back at her with a look of confusion. “Excuse me?”

“Would you take up your swords once again? Would you risk everything once more?”

Fluttershy instantly replied, for she already knew the answer. “Yes, I would. If you and the others are in danger, if your families are in danger, or even your loved ones, then I will put them on again.”

Twilight nodded in understanding. “I have to ask, would you have done all you did if you weren’t a Dragonlord? That you were the Fluttershy I met that day on the eve of the Summer Sun Celebration, would you have done what we’ve been through?”

Fluttershy bit her bottom lip in thought. “I… I don’t know. Possibly. I mean I did face my biggest fear when you were all down, and I did face a cockatrice to defend you and the cutie mark crusaders. So I might have done, who knows?”

Twilight smiled. “I think I know,” she muttered. She looked back at the stars and breathed a sigh of content. Although Fluttershy showed herself as an easy to push around pony most of the time, she had strength in her that was unrivalled by most ponies, and for that reason alone, Twilight believed Fluttershy would do what she had done if she wasn’t a Dragonlord.

“Twilight?” Fluttershy suddenly said.

“Yeah?”

“You know you asked me the day my father died if I was ready to go home?” Twilight nodded. “Well, I can answer that for you now if you like.”

Twilight smiled. “Are you ready to go home now, Fluttershy?”

Fluttershy looked from the sky to her friend with a warm smile. “Yes. I am ready to go home.”

“But what about your injuries?”

“Oh I think I should be okay, thank you,” Fluttershy said re-assuredly. “Let’s go and find the others and ask them if they are ready as well.” Fluttershy turned around and made her way back into the main hall, taking every step extremely slowly so not to fall, while Twilight followed close behind to be there to catch her if she falls.

Freya, meanwhile, was standing in the corner of the main hall, watching as her flock danced and celebrated the reunion of the country, as well as Fluttershy and her friends’ victory against evil.

“My lady Freya.” Freya turned her head to face the one who’d called her name. Her heart beat a little faster and her eyes grew wide when she saw it was one of those she had sent to find and retrieve Thowra’s body.

She sniffed back tears and walked up to the chestnut horse. “Do you have my cousin’s body?”

“I’m afraid not, my lady,” he replied solemnly.

Freya’s eyes narrowed in anger. “And why not, pray tell?”

“Because we never found one, my lady.”

Freya’s eyes widened into the size of saucers. “What?” she whispered, almost at a loss of words.

“We found the place easy enough. But when we looked inside, all we found was rotting pony corpses. None of the bodies we saw were the size of a horse.”

Freya felt her hind legs give way and she collapsed onto her rump. The chestnut stallion sprang forward to help her but she pushed him away with a hoof. “Are you absolutely sure there wasn’t a body?”

The horse nodded. “We checked twice all over, but still found nothing.”

Her heart began to flutter with joy and hope. “What about the Ramshead range? Did you check around there?”

The horse nodded once more. “Yep, we searched everywhere, and still nothing. Anyone we found hasn’t seen him, nor do they recall anything like him. I don’t know, my lady, but it seemed as if he’s become a ghost.”

Freya looked to the ground in hope and dismay. If Thowra was alive, then why wasn’t he here? “Are you absolutely certain of this?” she asked again.

“I speak the truth, my lady,” the horse said. He then asked, “What shall we tell everyone?”

“We tell them nothing,” she said at once. She got back on her hooves and began to whisper. “These times are going to be our darkest. We might be as one once more but there are many enemies around us, and inside our borders, and sensing weakness they may strike. Spread the word however of a ghost horse that roams the land, fighting these evils wherever he goes. Give the people something to hope for.”

The horse looked confused, but bowed his head. “It shall be as you wish, my lady.” He spun around and galloped back outside, to deliver the story of this ghost horse, who disappeared in the mist and reappeared, who fought anything with tooth and blade, and before his enemies could get a fix on him, he was gone once more. Freya smiled at the idea. ‘Thowra would like that,’ she thought.

“Freya? Are you okay?” Fluttershy asked as she walked up to her.

Freya looked at Fluttershy with a huge smile on her face. “Never felt better, Fluttershy,” she replied. Fluttershy didn’t need to know about Thowra’s possible survival. She didn’t want to give the little pegasus false hope if it turned out false and Thowra was indeed dead. “Are you feeling better, my friend?”

“Oh I feel much better, thank you, Freya. Which is why I wanted to ask you something.”

“Sure thing, Fluttershy. What did you want to ask?”

Fluttershy swallowed down the lump in her throat and asked, “Would it be alright if me and my friends leave for home tomorrow? It’s been a while and we’re beginning to miss our families and loved ones.”

Freya chuckled and put a hoof on Fluttershy’s shoulder. “Fluttershy, like I said before, you are not a prisoner here. You are free to leave the city and the country whenever you like. But just know that you will always have a home here in Castilian.”

Fluttershy grinned, then jumped up and hugged the queen of Horsca. She tried to ignore the quick pain going through her back of doing such a thing, but couldn’t help but grimace because of it. Freya returned the hug with a single hoof by the shoulders so not to hurt her back. “Have you told your friends about this?” Freya asked once they pulled away.

Fluttershy shook her head. “I’m trying to find them to ask if they want to go back, but I can’t find them anywhere.”

“Oh, you’ll find them in the courtyard outside,” Freya said, pointing to the door leading into the courtyard.

Fluttershy said her thanks and limped out of the hall and into the courtyard, Twilight by her side for support. The two found Rainbow, Pinkie, Rarity and Applejack sitting in a circle with a small cup in their hooves, looking at each other hesitantly.

“So who wants to go first?” Rainbow asked, her eyes moving from pony to pony.

“How about we do it together?” Rarity suggested.

Applejack nodded her head in agreement. “We do it on the count of three, okay?” The four ponies raised the cups to their mouths and prepared themselves for the taste. “One. Two. Three!” she said, and simultaneously with the others gulped down the entire content of their cups.

Rainbow dropped her cup and violently shivered. “That was nasty!” She stuck out her tongue and made a disgusted look with her face.

Pinkie shook as well, but afterwards had a large grin on her face. “Where can I get some more of that?!”

Rarity made a disgusted look as well. “Well I admit that it would be nice to indulge in such pleasantries on occasions such as these. But I won’t ask for more of that any time soon.”

“I thought it was fine. And since it’s made of apples I might make some more when we get home,” Applejack commented. She looked towards the hall and grinned to see Fluttershy and Twilight standing by the steps. “Hey you two, care to try some of this?”

“Um, I think I’ll pass, thank you, Applejack,” Fluttershy said. She limped over and set herself down onto her stomach. Rainbow leaned forward to help her up. “Rainbow, it’s okay, I prefer laying down like this. It’s not as painful as sitting.”

Rainbow leaned back and sighed quietly in relief. “Um… girls?” Fluttershy started. All eyes turned on her. “How do you feel… if… if we start back to Ponyville tomorrow?”

The grins from Applejack, Rainbow, Pinkie and Rarity said it all. “Ya certain, sugar?” Applejack queried. “As long as you’re okay to walk that far then I’d be happy to head back.”

“I’ll be okay, so don’t worry about me. What about you three?” She turned to look at the others.

“Yippee!” Pinkie cheered. “We’re going home!” She bounced around the courtyard in absolute glee.

“Darling, if it’s fine by you when I will be happy to return home. Besides, I’ve started to miss Sweetie Belle and my parents,” Rarity said.

“Yeah, I bet my boss is going to wonder where I am,” Rainbow sighed. “As nice as it is here.” She gestured the city of Castilian. “I would like to see Equestria and Ponyville again.”

Fluttershy nodded in confirmation, glad that her friends were ready to return as well. “Then, if it’s okay with you all, we’ll set out at first light?” The five ponies nodded in confirmation. They fell silent as they watched the stars and listened to the sound of the horses celebrating their re-unification.

---

“I’m glad that they gave us these nice new saddlebags for us to take,” Rarity said, admiring the saddlebag with her cutie mark on its face. When the boat had disappeared, it took their saddlebags with it, and unfortunately the horses Freya sent to retrieve them never found the ship, so it was presumed the ship sank when the waters began to get rough. Fluttershy was more gutted than the others about the loss, for her saddlebags originally belonged to her father, and had nearly everything about him in them.

“However,” the horse had gone on, “we did find this washed up on the river bank just outside the Horscan sea.” He took something from his bag and held it in his teeth. Fluttershy’s face lit up in delight at the sight of her medallion. She took it from the horse, said, “Thank you so much,” and checked to see if the picture was damaged, which thankfully it wasn’t.

As for the saddlebags, Freya requisitioned the making of six new saddlebags for them all, each with their cutie marks on their faces, and also the new emblem of Horsca on the other side, as a remembrance feature. As well as the bags, replacement sleeping bags were supplied, and some Horscan delicacies for their long trip back home.

Fluttershy looked back at her new bag, smiling at the kind gift they were given. Her eyes drifted upwards, looking back to Castilian, which was now in the far distance. The departure from Castilian had been cheery, and sombre at the same time. Although Freya was happy for them that they could leave, she was sad to see her friends go. “You’ll all come and visit again, won’t you?” she’d asked before they had parted.

“Of course we will,” Fluttershy promised. “Won’t we, girls?” The five ponies behind her nodded in agreement. “And you come and visit us Ponyville, won’t you?”

“Of course I will,” Freya promised. After a few more words and a few tears, Fluttershy and her friends turned around and began the long walk down towards the gates of the city.

Along the way, horses lined the streets to bid farewell to the six ponies. They bowed their heads as they passed, and beautiful flowers were thrown before them as a mark of respect, or placed on their backs or behind their ears next to the crowns they wore.

After a while, they arrived to find the city gates open to them, and beyond that, the open world, and the road home. They passed the gates with a few goodbyes and best wishes from the guards on duty, and were soon in the open plains, following the main road south, towards Equestria.

Fluttershy opened her eyes, and looked back at the city that had been her home for two weeks. It was now a small lump on the world, but it still looked as beautiful as it looked from up close. She looked away again and back towards the way they were going. She began to wonder if anything’s changed in Equestria in the time she and her friends had been away. Had Ponyville been fully re-built? Had any of her animal friends got any better? The more she thought about it, the more she wanted to get home. She began moving once again, limping heavily as she tried to keep at a good, quick pace.

“Say, how about a song as we walk?” Twilight suggested. “Something to remind us of home.”

“I know one,” Applejack said. “I remember Big Macintosh singing it once on our way home from Vanhoover once.”

“Go on, let’s here it,” Pinkie said, hopping as she usually did.

Applejack nodded, took a deep breath and began to sing. As she sung, Fluttershy wondered why she didn’t sing often, because she had a beautiful voice. It felt to her like listening to a nightingale sing its morning song as the sun’s rays crept onto the trees.

“Land of bear, and land of eagle.

“Land that gave us birth and blessing.

“Land that calls us ever homewards.

“We will go home across the mountains.

“We will go home, we will go home.

“We will go home across the mountains.”

At that moment, the ponies next to her joined in:

“Land of freedom, land of heroes.

“Land that gave us hope, and memories.

“Hear our singing, hear our longing.

“We will go home across the mountains.

“We will go home, we will go home.

“We will go home across the mountains.”

“Ya’ll know that song?” Applejack asked, surprised.

“Oh yes, I love that song,” Fluttershy said, sounding abit out of breath. “I admit when I first heard it, I cried a little.”

Applejack looked back at her and chuckled. “Sugarcube, that’s nothing to be ashamed of. I admit I cried when Big Mac sung it. It moved me more than any other song I have heard, and still does in a way. When did the rest of ya’ll first hear it then?” She turned her head forward to look at the others.

Rainbow turned her head back around to look at her friend. “Well I heard it first when-” She cut herself off and her eyes widened in horror as she looked behind Applejack. “Fluttershy!”

Applejack shot her head around to see Fluttershy on her side, panting furiously and her side rising and falling rapidly after collapsing of exhaustion. Rainbow shot past her and moved to Fluttershy’s side, with a hood extended to help her up. “There’s no way you’re continuing like this,” Rainbow said. “Get on my back, I’ll carry you the rest of the way.”

Fluttershy weakly pushed her hoof away. “It’s okay… Rainbow Dash, I’ll get there by myself.” She tried getting back on all fours again, only to make it halfway then collapse onto her stomach.

“I’m not taking no for an answer, Fluttershy!” Rainbow snapped. “The entire world can see you are not fine! And there’s no way you can get there by yourself.”

“Sugarcube, Rainbow’s right,” Applejack said. “In the state you’re in, you most certainly strain yourself, possibly even die.”

“No!” Fluttershy shouted. “I have to do this. I have to prove I can do it.” She tried getting up again, while the others looked on hesitatingly, unsure if they should act. Fluttershy made it on all fours and she grinned to herself at this victory. She took a step forward and felt another one of her legs give way and she fell forward.

Before she could hurt her face, she was stopped by what felt like a warm blanket covering her. She looked at one of her legs to see a blue aura glowing around her, and then looked up to see Rarity’s horn glowing. She was flown through the air and set on Rarity’s back. She didn’t have the strength to protest, so she gripped her legs around Rarity’s shoulders and waist. “Comfortable?” Rarity enquired. Fluttershy gave a weak nod in response. “Right. Come on, everypony, let’s get going.” She spun around and continued trotting down the road, the others following behind and looking at her stunned.

“You don’t have to do this, Rarity,” Fluttershy whispered a little later, when she was able to speak again.

“Darling, no offence but sometimes you can be a little thick-headed. I’m doing this because you are my best friend, and I can’t stand to see you suffer like you were back there. I admit I might have been a little forceful but I think I had to be.” She craned her head around to look at her with a warm smile. “I will not take any other answer.”

Fluttershy looked at her for a moment, then smiled. “Thanks, Rarity.” She turned her head around to look at the others. “I’m sorry if I was being a bit stubborn, girls. I appreciate you all care about me, really. I just don’t want to feel like a weight to you.”

The four mares smiled comfortingly at her. “Don’t mention it,” Twilight said.

“And don’t you ever feel like you’re bogging us down. Ever,” Pinkie added.

Fluttershy’s eyes moved to look at the ground before them. “I can’t help it.”

“Well you can,” Rainbow said, flying up to hover next to her. “We’re your friends, and we will help you and each other out through everything. Remember that.”

‘I think I will,’ Fluttershy promised in thought. ‘Although you’re all more to me than friends. Much more.’ She smiled at Rainbow lovingly, then rested her head back on Rarity’s neck as she found herself getting tired and sleepy.

The rest of the day was passed with poor jokes, bursting into random songs, and casual talk and companionable silence. They passed through a couple small villages where horses were returning to their homes now that the war was over. They stopped what they were doing and stared at the six ponies as they walked down the road south, prompting the mares to pick up the pace as they found the emotionless stares they were given unnerving.

Eventually the sun began to melt into the horizon, and they decided to call it a night. They moved off the road into a small wood where they could shelter from what they feared to be a storm approaching from the north. Upon making camp, Rarity lowered herself onto her belly, and then with her magic she guided Fluttershy gently into her blanket so as not to hurt her. “I hope I wasn’t a burden on you,” Fluttershy said as Rarity laid out alongside her.

“Oh nonsense, Fluttershy,” Rarity said with a dismissive wave of her hoof. “You are as light as a feather, truth be told.”

“You’re just saying that.”

“Nope, it’s the truth.”

From behind them, Rainbow yawned. “I don’t know about you ponies, but I need my shut-eye. Goodnight.” With that, she disappeared behind her blanket and fell asleep instantly.

“Do ya think we’ll get to the border tomorrow, Twi?” Applejack whispered.

Twilight shrugged. “We’ll see, but I hope we’ll get as close as possible so we would be in Equestria the day after. Goodnight, everypony.” Soon Twilight was lying in her blanket and had fallen asleep. Soon everypony was asleep, all except for Rarity and Fluttershy.

Rarity tried to go to sleep, but she couldn’t due to hearing Fluttershy fidget about, rolling from one side to another, and squeaking every time she had to go onto her back. Eventually the unicorn rolled over to face her. “Are you alright, Fluttershy?” she asked, trying to keep the agitation of being awake from her voice.

Fluttershy stopped moving for a moment, then slowly rolled over and looked at her guiltily. “I’m sorry, Rarity, am I keeping you awake?” Rarity only nodded. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to. I just can’t get comfortable, nor do I feel like going to sleep yet. I’m sorry. I’ll stay quiet from now on.”

Rarity’s agitation faded instantly, and tried to think of something to help her friend sleep. “How about I sing you a lullaby?” she suggested eventually.

Fluttershy looked at her oddly. “Are you sure? I mean, wouldn’t it be a bit… weird?”

“Of course not, sweetie,” Rarity replied, waving a hoof in dismissal. “Sweetie Belle told me how you sung to her and the girls once before.”

“Um, so she didn’t tell you how she actually did most of the singing, and not in a lullaby way.”

“Um, I don’t think she did. I’ll have to ask her about that. But anyway, I shall sing you a song that will put in a such a deep, pleasant sleep that you wouldn’t want to wake up for ages.”

Fluttershy blinked, unsure if Rarity was telling the truth, but she nodded nevertheless. “Okay, Rarity, if you want to, sing it for me.”

Rarity grinned; glad she had a chance for this. “Okay, my dear, just lay down and let me do the rest.” Fluttershy nodded, then laid out on the grass facing the unicorn. Rarity got up, and then moved herself closer to the pegasus. She placed a hoof on Fluttershy’s head and began stroking her delicately. To Fluttershy it felt like a much-needed massage, and she already felt like she wanted to sleep. That was, until her friend began to sing. Rarity had such a beautiful voice, but it seemed the song coming from her mouth was what she was born to sing.

“Fear not this night, you will not go astray.

“Though shadows fall, still the stars find their way.

“Awaken from a quiet sleep, hear the whispering of the wind.

“Awaken as the silence grows, in the solitude of the night.

“Darkness spreads through all the land, and your weary eyes open silently.

“Sunsets have forsaken all, the most far off horizons.

“Nightmares come when shadows grows.

“Eyes close and heartbeats slow.

“Fear not this night, you will not go astray.

“Though shadows fall, still the stars find their way.

“And you can always be strong.

“Lift your voice with the first light of dawn.

“Dawn’s just a heartbeat away.

“Hope’s just a sunrise away.”

Rarity would have continued, had it not been for the sounds of what seemed like a cat’s purr. She looked around, expecting to see a cat of some sort wanting attention, then looked down and smiled as she realised it was Fluttershy’s snoring. The pegasus was now fast asleep, her side rising and falling peacefully. Rarity smiled, glad that the song had worked, even though she didn’t consider the song a lullaby. “Goodnight, Fluttershy,” she whispered, before turning around and making her way back into her blanket, hoping she could get some sleep.

Despite that fact it was all quiet now, Rarity still couldn’t fall asleep. Ever since she had learnt that Fluttershy was barren, she felt awfully guilty for coming up with the subject of having foals. So guilty that she didn’t even think an apology would make up for it. She felt incredibly stupid also. ‘I should have seen the signs in Fluttershy’s eyes,’ she thought. ‘She was hurt all the time I came with it and I was too stupid to notice. Even when she was hurt by it, she took it like a mare.’ She sighed outwardly. ‘She’s braver than I am.’

She rolled over once again and looked at Fluttershy for a long time, wondering how she could make up for it, how Fluttershy could feel like having a family. Her ears pricked up at a thought that might work, but then again, would it? ‘What if I make Fluttershy feel worse because of it?’ She decided on asking Twilight about it at some point, and hoped she might agree on it, and maybe the rest of the girls. With her plan together, she finally settled into sleep.

The next morning, the six mares woke at the first sign of the sun creeping over the horizon. After a quick snack, bathroom break, and cleaning up after themselves, they set off south once again in the hope they would make it to the Equestrian-Horscan border by nightfall. Fluttershy tried walking again, and kept going for about two hours until she collapsed of exhaustion again, with Rarity insisting on carrying her again.

It was around mid-day when they discovered the first of the mass graves.

“We must be approaching Andulusia,” Twilight stated grimly as she looked at the first mound of recently moved mud. The graves stretched right along the main road; cut off at different points and each were at a random length. The six mares lowered their heads as a mark of respect and moved quickly on, with Fluttershy bouncing on Rarity’s back due to her heavy canter.

A few hours later, they caught sight of the city of Andulusia. Along the road into the city were more and even larger mass graves than the ones they’d seen previously. Horses walked along and below the walls, busy repairing or patrolling the city. One horse above the front gate saw them and hailed them. “What business brings you here?!” he called.

Rainbow Dash flew up to him, which surprised him a little as he jumped back. “Hey there,” she greeted the horse with a salute. “We amazing ponies are on our way home after saving the world for the three hundredth time in our short lives, so would you mind opening the doors and letting us be on our way?”

The horse blinked, then looked up and saw the crown of a Horsecarl on Rainbow’s head. He quickly nodded and called for the gates to be opened. Rainbow nodded in thanks, and then joined her friends. With a heavy groan the gate doors parted away from them, letting them see the inside of the city, and the progress the horses were making.

Nearly every building had wooden ramps alongside them leading up to gantries, with teams of horses working on putting bricks and stones into place. The entire city was alive with whinnies and chatter, the sound of rebuilding, the sound of life getting back into the city. To Fluttershy, it looked better then it did when she’d last been here as under her Rarity walked through the streets towards the gates her friends had used to get inside.

She looked towards one of the newly finished buildings and saw a black scorch mark of where some poor unfortunate horse met his or her end at Heimdallr’s puppet. The city would rebuild, and be re-populated, but the scars of what happened here would never leave, like the ones she had.

At that moment, she wondered if she would be able to cope with being back in Ponyville. She lived such a peaceful life there before all of this took place, and never wanted it to end. Now, she was a warrior, and a pony that has killed. The thought made her shake with revulsion. Throughout the whole experience, she wished she could just see home again, but now she was on her way home, she questioned if she would ever feel like being home again.

After a few minutes they left the city and were back into the wild plains of southern Horsca. They followed the main road, passing more mass graves and the stumps of cut down trees to make the ramps and gantries to rebuild the city. Another hour later and they finally passed the last of the graves, and were back into the woodlands where Fluttershy was captured and taken prisoner.

At night it had all looked the same, but in the lowering sunlight the leaves on the trees seemed to glow gold. All the leaves were starting to get the brown colour of autumn, and some littered the ground before them. Fluttershy looked from the leaves to what was ahead, and gasped.

The mountains that she had crossed to get here was a large wall in the distance. It was all the stood between her and her friends, and home.

“I think we should stop here, Twilight,” Rainbow suggested. “Then make it over the border tomorrow and make it to Detrots by the next evening.”

Twilight looked her way and nodded in agreement. “We’ll set up camp over there.” she pointed over at the edge of the wood a small area they could use. The six ponies moved off the road and set up camp, with Applejack setting up the fire with a fantastic new piece of equipment she received from the farm horses. It was a piece of twig formed into the shape of a bow with two pieces of string holding on to another twig. With it, they soon had a good fire going.

“That’s a nice little gadget you got there, Applejack,” Rainbow commented.

“Yeah it is, isn’t it? The horses at the farm I went to gave it to me as a gift. It’ll come in handy when I go camping next time. Care to come camping with me some time when we get back home, girls?”

“Um, I’ll think about it,” Rarity replied. “But I admit I’m getting a bit tired of all this… nature.” The five ponies chatted until the moon was high in the sky, talking about what they were going to do once they returned home, and what they were going to miss most about Castilian. Out of all of them, only Fluttershy looked lost in her own mind.

“I don’t think I can go back,” Fluttershy said suddenly, and solemnly.

The five ponies’ smiles faded and as one turned to face the pegasus with looks of concern. “Now why the hay do ya think that, sugarcube?” Applejack asked gently.

Fluttershy looked up at them with sad eyes. “After everything we’ve been through. After everyone we’ve met and lost. How could I continue being the shy, quiet pegasus pony from Ponyville after all I’ve seen, and done?”

“Ya don’t,” Applejack answered honestly. “Ya adapt and move on, that’s what ya do. That’s what I have done.”

“We know you will probably never go back to what you were more than a month ago,” Rarity added. “But you still have the same kind, open heart, and that’s what we love about you.”

“Besides, you still have us,” Rainbow said, sitting alongside her friend. “And if you need help getting back in the swing of things, just shout.”

“Yeah,” Twilight agreed. “To be honest I thought the same with Discord, and the changeling invasion. How could we continue after all that? But I continued, because I had you lot by my side to help me.”

“And I can throw super special awesome helping Fluttershy Firewing parties to get you back on your hooves,” Pinkie said.

“Just know we’re here for ya, sugarcube,” Applejack finished. “And know we’re going through the same thing.”

Fluttershy perked up for the first time in a while, and smiled at them all. “Thanks, girls. Now I know I can go home.” She suddenly let out a long yawn. “Well I’m going to sleep. It’s surprisingly tiring lounging on Rarity’s back all day.”

“Now you know how I feel,” Rainbow said, quickly adding, “But not lounging on Rarity’s back, of course.”

“We all know what you meant, Rainbow,” Twilight said, giggling. “Anyway, goodnight, everypony.” With that, the five of the six ponies moved to their sleeping bags.

Twilight tucked herself into her one when Rarity suddenly appeared above her. “You okay, Rarity?” she asked.

“Yes, but I wanted to ask you something. Could we talk somewhere a little more private please?” she whispered. “It’ll be quick, I promise.”

Twilight nodded, then carefully and quietly got out of her sleeping bag, then followed Rarity away from the camp towards the main road. Once they considered themselves out of earshot Rarity asked, “I wanted to ask you a question for a while now. Well, since yesterday, but still it’s a long time. Is it okay to name a pony a godmother, even if you don’t have any children or haven’t even considered it?”

Twilight’s eyes widened for a moment, then narrowed in confusion at what she was just asked. “I’m not entirely sure, Rarity. I mean, I don’t think there is a rule against it, but I’ll have a look for you if you like when we get back. Why did you want to know anyway?”

Rarity explained to Twilight how horrible she felt after discovering Fluttershy was barren, and going on about how lovely their kids would be together at their spa dates, and her idea of how she could make up for it. “Do you think that could work? Or could it make Fluttershy feel even worse?”

Suddenly two cyan legs wrapped around her and she was pulled into a hug. “Rarity, you’re a genius!” Rainbow cried.

“Shh,” Twilight whispered, “keep your voice down. And were you listening to us?”

“Yes, but that’s not the point right now. Think about it, you two, when we’re gone Fluttershy is going to be all alone, right?” It was a harsh question, but it was probably going to end up true, so both ponies nodded. “So what better way can we ensure Fluttershy has something to remember us by is what Rarity just suggested. That way, Fluttershy will never be alone.”

Rarity and Twilight exchanged looks. “It’s a good idea, Rainbow, but we’ll wait and see what happens.” Twilight yawned. “Come on, you lot, let’s get back to bed. A big day tomorrow.” The three of them went back to the campsite, glad upon noticing that they hadn’t disturbed anypony else, especially the pony they were talking about. They slipped into the sleeping bags and fell asleep, dreaming about what would happen tomorrow.

The sun was crawling over the horizon when they set off again the next day. Fluttershy requested if Rarity could carry her until they reached the mountain path, then she could try and make it up there herself. Rarity agreed, and with Fluttershy on her back they moved back onto the main road and towards the mountains once more.

They passed more trees, old and forgotten farm fields, and one burnt out building that Fluttershy recalled seeing as she passed through here the first night she came into Horsca. She knew then that the mountain path would soon be beginning, and soon she would leave this country.

Another hour later, and sure enough, the path started to go up towards the sky as it hugged the mountainside. “Rarity, would you mind letting me off now, please?” Fluttershy whispered. “I’ll try and walk the rest of the way.”

Rarity reluctantly nodded, then she let Fluttershy off and helped her to stand on her own four hooves, which the pegasus did with little to no difficulty. With a few words of encouragement to herself, and her friends by her side to aide her if need be, she started the climb up the path, followed close behind by her friends.

About halfway up, she looked towards Horsca, and thought if she would actually miss this place. Sure she had a few friends here, but the only thing she knew and remembered the country by was death and destruction. “Remind me to come back at some point,” she instructed them.

“I agree with ya there, sugarcube,” Applejack said. “It’ll be nice to try and get some better memories of this place at some point.” The others nodded in agreement. Fluttershy gave one last look at the country that saw her become what she is, then turned around and continued her slow climb up the mountain.

About half an hour later, she noticed the road disappeared over the edge of the mountain, and realised with a faster beating heart that the top was approaching, and Equestria would soon be in sight. She picked up the pace; the limping she was cursed with began to show more heavily as she quickened herself. She jumped the last few feet and was standing where she was when she had begun her time in Horsca. A gasp of joy escaped her lips at she saw what was before her.

She was finally home. She had returned to Equestria.

Fluttershy quickly started the descent at a more reasonable pace; relishing every step she took now she was back in her homeland. Rainbow, on the other hoof, couldn’t wait any longer. She quickly soared passed the others and prostrated herself on the flat ground, kissing it roughly. “Oh have I missed you, my sweet, sweet, Equestria!” Rainbow squeaked. She rolled onto her back and yelled, “I’m home!”

She was kissing the ground when her friends arrived on the flat, all giving her weird looks as they watched her roll about in the dirt. They then simply shrugged and began rolling about as well, enjoying the feel of Equestrian dirt with tears of joy in their eyes, laughing as they realised they were in their home country, and safe.

They soon picked themselves off the ground and soon followed the road towards Detrots, with Fluttershy walking after saying how much better she felt. It was about two hours later when Rainbow Dash realised something. “Um, guys, I think we may have a problem.”

They ponies stopped and looked at their friend with confusion. “What do you mean, Dashie?” Pinkie enquired.

“Remember the last time we were in Detrots?” Rainbow reminded them. A few sighs of, “Oh,” or, “Ah,” came from them a moment later. All of them, except for Fluttershy, who looked confused.

“What happened in Detrots?” Fluttershy asked.

“Well after we woke up from that drug you gave us we all quickly decided on going after you,” Rainbow Dash explained.

“We went into the main hall of the inn, when we bumped into Star, the commander of the garrison,” Twilight went on.

“That meanie locked us in the inn after we tried to get out,” Pinkie added, “but thanks to Brewman he showed a passage below the inn and out of there.”

“And that passage is our way into the city,” Twilight finished.

“You can remember where it is, Twi?” Applejack asked. “Because I can’t.”

Twilight nodded. “Yep, just follow my lead and we’ll be back inside the city before nightfall.” They followed Twilight along the path, passing the orchard Rainbow and Applejack had a try in crossbow shooting, which the weapon was in Rainbow’s bag. “I’m going to mount this on my wall somewhere,” she had said before they had set off from Castilian. “A reminder of how awesome a shot I am with it.” The five ponies only rolled their eyes.

A few hours later, and they crossed over the little bridge Twilight remembered crossing when they had escaped from the city. “The entrance is just there,” she said, pointing at it. Fluttershy followed her friend’s stretched out leg and saw with her eyes the cave entrance her friends had taken to get out. Some branches and a few overgrown twigs hid it from sight, but she could just make out the dark passage behind it.

“Wow, you were right. You’ve got a great memory, Twi,” Applejack said, upon remembering the bridge and the path they took.

Twilight looked back at her and smiled, then trotted towards the cave entrance and disappeared behind the branches. Fluttershy followed close behind, then Applejack, then Rainbow, then Rarity, and finally Pinkie, who bounced up the hill to the cave entrance.

“Uh, one more thing I just remembered, Twi,” Applejack said, walking alongside the unicorn. “Now we know how to get into the city, do you have any idea yet on how to get out?”

“Easy. If the carriage he hired for us is still in Detrots then we finally take up Star’s offer of taking it back to Ponyville, then stroll on by and get in and take the carriage back home. No problem.”

“No problem? Then what about Fluttershy?”

Everypony froze as they remembered Fluttershy was still with them, when they remembered leaving the city with her two days ahead. “Think about it, ya’ll,” Applejack explained. “As far as we know Star thinks we’re still imprisoned in that inn, with Brewman watching over us, and not going out helping our friend and taking part in spectacular battles and nearly getting killed. We go and show ourselves with Fluttershy inside the inn then questions start to be raised, and Brewman could get in a lot of trouble for us.”

Twilight’s ears went down, for she knew Applejack was right, but all the same they couldn’t leave Fluttershy down here. “It’s okay, girls,” Fluttershy broke the long silence. “I’ll just head out again and go through the main gate. Star won’t suspect a thing.” She gestured with her head down the tunnel. “Go on and get back inside. I’ll see you in twenty minutes.”

“Ya sure you’ll be alright, sugarcube?” Applejack asked with a questioning look.

“I walked here didn’t I? I’m sure I’ll be fine for about twenty minutes. Really.” Fluttershy turned around and made her way back to the cave entrance.

“Fluttershy!” Twilight called out to her. Fluttershy stopped, then looked back. “Be careful.”

“I’m always careful,” she replied. With that, she walked back outside and towards the path leading towards the city. She took a deep breath of the fresh air, and then began to follow it towards Detrots. ‘One more obstacle, Fluttershy,’ she thought. ‘Then you can take these weapons out of your saddlebags and put them somewhere until you have to use them again.’

---

Nearly half an hour later, mostly because she had to stop for a moment to catch her breath, she arrived outside the northern gates of Detrots. The gates seemed a lot smaller then she remembered them by, but it was of little concern. She walked up to and gave it three hard knocks; the sound of her hoof hitting the wooden gate seemed to echo across the forest that surrounded her.

For a long time, nothing happened, and Fluttershy began to think there was nopony in, so she started turning around and making her way back to the cave, with plan B in her head. She was on her way back when suddenly a heavy groan from behind her made her stop dead. She turned back around to see the gate opening with glee in her eyes.

A unicorn, clad in the golden armour of the Equestrian army suddenly emerged from the other side, and looked at Fluttershy in complete shock. Fluttershy opened her mouth to speak but before she could utter a word the unicorn bolted back into the city. Fluttershy shrugged, then trotted lightly into the city, not acknowledging the looks she was receiving, which were as if they had just seen a ghost.

Fluttershy moved until she was standing just where she and Star had fought nearly three weeks ago. ‘Three weeks? It’s been that long?’ Fluttershy mused as she looked around. Detrots hadn’t changed much in her time away, except the wet mud that stained the ground had dried up and was now much easier to walk around.

“Well I be,” a voice said from her left. Fluttershy looked around to see Star walking towards her, a look of surprise on his face. He stopped just a few feet away from her and looked all over her, and in particular the scars that she had across her face and her back. “How… how are you alive?”

Fluttershy shrugged. “Because I was awfully lucky,” she replied. “Now, is my friends back home safe as I asked?”

The nervousness on Star’s face began to show. “Um… well, you see… they, didn’t want to go home. Instead they wanted to come after you, so I locked them in the inn and left them there since.” Fluttershy gave a low, threatening growl. “But they have been well fed, Brewman informs me!” he quickly added. “If you want to see them now then I’ll have the barrier taken down.” He turned around and led Fluttershy back towards the inn, all the while the pegasus doing her best to keep a straight face.

They soon found themselves outside the inn, and with a flick of golden light from his horn, Star brought down the shield around the door. A moment later, the door burst open and the five mares Fluttershy was not supposed to have seen in three weeks emerged.

They all jumped her in a tight hug and yelled at her at the same time for leaving them the way she did. “I’m sorry,” she sobbed, trying her best to sound like she was crying. “I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry.”

“Well you will be sorry,” Applejack growled convincingly. “Very, very sorry.” With quick movements, they gently pushed Fluttershy back inside, and slammed the door behind them, locking it so they couldn’t be followed. Once they were out of Star’s earshot, they all burst out laughing.

“You should have seen his face when we pulled Fluttershy in!” Rainbow cried, tears in her eyes from laughing so hard.

“You know something,” Twilight said, sounding a bit out breath and her chest ached after laughing so much. “We should all take up acting, because we are just amazing at it.”

“Well, I’m amazing at everything I do,” Rainbow said. “It’s in my nature after all.”

Fluttershy took a deep breath, and was about to speak again when she received a hug from behind. “I can’t believe you actually made it!” Brewman cried happily. “When I heard knocking from the basement, it made me jump out of my skin but then I wondered who it was so I opened the door and found this lot with big smiles on their faces and they told me you weren’t far behind… Oh, I’m rambling, it’s just good to see you!”

Fluttershy managed to turn around and quickly gave Brewman an awkward hug. “Yeah, it’s good to see you too,” she said, and then adding jokingly, “It’s good to see all of you.” They all chuckled at that.

“So tell me, everypony. What have you been up to?” He looked at Fluttershy once more and saw the scars for the first time, causing him to gasp. “And how did you get those?!”

So throughout the rest of the night, Fluttershy proceeded to tell him what happened after leaving Detrots and what she discovered about herself, and how she managed to fight the greatest threat the world held and defeated it. Once she was done, Brewman sat speechless. He had heard tales like this before, but they were always from books and fairy tales; this, on the other hoof, was reality, and the fact it was real scared him.

“Brewman,” Twilight enquired, “do you know if that carriage is still here for us to take home?”

Brewman looked over to Twilight, stayed silent for a moment as he thought about it, then nodded. “I think so. Star kept coming to the door every now and then seeing if you lot were all right and had re-considered his offer. I told him you all said no and were sleeping at the moment. So as far as I know the carriage is still there.”

“Good. Because now that Fluttershy is back, we can take the carriage straight to Ponyville.”

“Oh, and not see Fluttershy’s girlfriend in Strutford,” Rainbow teased, making the pegasus in question go red.

“She’s not my girlfriend, Rainbow,” Fluttershy countered, the blush on her face disappearing. ‘She’s never going to let that down, is she?’ “But anyway, I’ll go with the idea of taking the carriage back. Anything to beat walking anymore. I feel like if I walk any further and my legs will fall off.”

Rainbow opened her mouth to say, “Use your wings then,” but stopped when she remembered her left wing was still tightly bandaged together, keeping her from flight. “Then it’s settled then,” she said instead. “We’ll stay here tonight, then set off in the carriage in the morning.”

With that settled, the seven ponies went off to their respective beds, and waited patiently for the dawn.

---

The next morning, loud knocking on the front door awakened the six mares. Rainbow grumbled something as she rose off her pillow, with some of her mane going over her right eye. “Whom the hay knocks at this time of day?” she complained.

“Oooo, you’re a poet and you didn’t know it,” Pinkie joked, giggling. She looked at her party watch and bolted off the bed when she realised what the actual time was. “Wake up, everypony, it’s nine o’clock! Come on or we’ll never get home today!”

At once, the remaining half-asleep ponies jumped out of bed and started packing for the trip home. Fluttershy was the last to get up; with most of her mane over her face and bits of it sticking out like long pieces of grass, it wasn’t a pretty sight. She ran a hoof through it and soon enough it was fine and straight again. She turned her head around to see her friends packing their saddlebags for hopefully the last time, all of them with wide grins on their faces as they chatted excitedly about coming home. Fluttershy too felt excited, and yet surprisingly nervous about it. She wondered if her animal friends would believe her when she told them of her adventures, whether or not other ponies would believe her or her friends if told. ‘I shouldn’t worry about it,’ Fluttershy assured herself. ‘If other ponies don’t believe it then that’s fine by me. I’m just glad to be going home with all my friends.’

Her brooding was cut short when Brewman opened the door. “Star’s outside,” he said. “Wants to know if you want to take that carriage now.”

“Tell him we gratefully accept,” Twilight answered. “Do you know if it’s ready?”

Brewman nodded. “He said it’s all ready, it just needs its passengers.”

“Well then,” Rarity said, “best not keep them waiting.” She placed her saddlebags on her back, and then walked pass Brewman and towards the main door. The rest followed in quick succession.

When they got outside, they found the carriage with six pegasi of the royal guard harnessed to it. Star was waiting by the door with a small smile on his face, which looked odd from a pony who the group had never seen smile before. “Ladies, your carriage awaits,” he said, opening the door for them.

The six mares nodded at him, then turned around and said goodbye to Brewman. “And thank you for helping my friends,” Fluttershy whispered.

“You’re welcome,” Brewman replied, smiling. “You’ll all come back and visit won’t you?”

“Well we’re gonna have to pass through here to get to Horsca for a holiday, so we will,” Applejack replied. “And you come to Ponyville at some point for a visit.”

“I think I will,” Brewman replied. “Take care, you six.” With that, the six mares turned around and began to board the carriage.

When it was Fluttershy’s turn, Star stopped her quickly. “Oh, Fluttershy, one more thing.” He took out a bag of bits from a pouch and threw them to her, which she caught with her mouth. “Your fifty bits I believe.”

Fluttershy looked shocked. “But… you said it was a pay toll. I thought I wouldn’t get them back at all, if I ever got back.”

Star chuckled. “In a way it’s a pay toll, but it’s more a deposit,” Star explained. “I give the money back to those that return from Horsca alive, and in – more or less – one piece. If they don’t return then I find out their next of kin and give them the bits.”

Fluttershy blinked, surprised by this. “In that case, could I have Firewing’s bits as well?”

Star looked at her oddly. “I would, if you know his next of kin.”

Fluttershy nodded. “I do. In fact, I’m his next of kin. I’m his daughter.”

Star’s jaw dropped at the revelation. He quickly recovered and returned a questioning look. “Do you have proof?”

Fluttershy quickly nodded, then took off the medallion around her neck and opened it up with the word, “Åpne.” She showed the picture to him, and Star nearly fell back in surprise. “And that’s my mother if you were wondering.”

“Well, that changes things. Give me a moment to find his bits.” He raced away back to his chambers, then came back a minute later with a small sack of bits in his mouth. Passed them over to Fluttershy, who then put the bits in her sack along with her own. “Fluttershy, whatever you did, and whatever you suffered while you were in Horsca, I don’t think I want to know. I’m just glad that you returned to us.” Star opened the door of the carriage for her and bowed his head. “I wish you a long peaceful life.”

Fluttershy bowed her head, and then said, “Thank you for looking after my friends, Star. And I wish you a long peace too.” With that, she jumped in the carriage and laid out across some of it, since the carriage had spaced for ten ponies.

With the six ponies secure, Star slammed the door shut, then with a gesture of his hoof, the team of pegasi began to gallop down the road, and then with a few bursts of their wings, they took off into the sky and began to make their way to Ponyville. Star watched the carriage disappear with satisfaction, knowing the six of them would return safe.

“Why didn’t you tell them that you knew they had gone after her?” Brewman asked, walking up alongside him.

Star shrugged. “I don’t know. Why didn’t you?”

Brewman shrugged as well. “I’m not sure either. Thought that maybe it might have been best if we didn’t.”

“I couldn’t have agreed more.”

He turned around to face a unicorn stallion that was supposed to have been guarding the northern gate. “Commander, a few horses are outside requesting entry and request permission to start trading with Equestria.”

Star’s eyes widened in surprise, while Brewman’s widened in delight. “Well then, we’d better go see what this is about.” So with Brewman in tow, Star walked over to the northern gate, little knowing of the economic boom Detrots was about to endure.

---

Fluttershy looked out of the window and at the ground, watching as small villages and towns and forests and rivers rushed by. They had been flying now for an hour or so and the pegasus was beginning to get restless. She knew it wouldn’t have been fair on the pegasi pulling the carriage, but she wished they could get there faster.

The others were getting pretty impatient as well. “Come on, come on, come on!” Pinkie yelled, jumping out her seat. “I really need the loo.”

“I thought we told you to go before we left,” Rarity said, glancing out of her book to give her an annoyed look.

“I didn’t need to go then, but I really have to go now,” Pinkie retorted. “Do you think we could have a quick break?”

So that’s what they did. They stopped in the middle of nowhere so Pinkie could have a quick toilet break. Once she came back they set off again, this time with Rainbow Dash outside following the carriage from above after saying she wanted to stretch her wings.

A while later, Fluttershy rested her head on the windowsill, watching the clouds go by and a flock of birds fly south. ‘The start of the migration,’ she thought cheerfully. She now wished she could go out there and fly like Rainbow Dash was, and fly with the birds some of the way. Although she preferred the ground to the air, every now and then her pegasus instinct told her to take off and fly, and this was one of those moments.

“Rainbow Dash!” she called. Soon enough, Rainbow Dash was soon flying by the window, looking at her friend with concern.

“Hey, Fluttershy. You alright?”

Fluttershy nodded. “I’m fine at the moment, thank you. I was just wondering if you could help me to fly again when I can take this bandage off?”

Rainbow grinned. “You mean that?”

“Of course. Who better to ask than Equestria’s best flyer?” Fluttershy replied, grinning.

“Oh, right!” Rainbow cheered, doing a loop in her joy. “Mark my words, with me as your coach, you will become the second best flyer in Equestria, damaged wing and all.”

Fluttershy grinned a little wider. “Yay,” she cheered.

The two shared a grin before looking in front of them, and when they did their eyes went as wide as their heads. “Look!” they both squeaked, tears of joy coming into their eyes. Pinkie, Twilight, Rarity and Applejack poked their heads out of the windows and gasped in joy.

Ahead of them, the familiar buildings of Ponyville began to appear, all of them gleaming in the bright sunlight and looking majestic. The five mares in the carriage began to jump about in excitement and hug each other as they had done it.

They were home.

“It looks amazing,” Pinkie said, her eyes wide and a grin as wide as her face. The town looked to be fully re-built, with the repair work that had lined some of the roads were now gone, and even the town hall, which was in a dire need of repair, was rebuilt and had a amazing new roof.

A few minutes later, the carriage began to descend, prompting everypony on board to hold on tight to something as it felt like they nose-dived into the town. Along the street the carriage was going to land on, everypony stopped and stared as the carriage levelled out and landed with a few bumps.

“Everypony okay?” Applejack asked once the carriage stopped. Four heads nodded in response.

“Oh man, that was awesome!” Rainbow exclaimed, her face with a large grin across it as she praised the pegasi crew. “You guys and me should have a race at some point!”

Twilight shook her head quickly to clear the dizziness, then pushed the door open with her magic, and quickly jumped out, followed close behind by everypony else. A few gasps and whispers came from the ponies in the street when they emerged, Fluttershy could hear, though, that most of them were of joy of seeing them all back.

“Applejack!” a recognisable voice called from the crowd. Applejack looked about for the speaker, and grinned when she saw Applebloom push her way through the crowd, racing towards her.

“Applebloom!” she cried, racing towards her. The two met each other in a tight embrace, tears of joy in their eyes.

“Where have you been?!” Applebloom yelled, making Applejack flinch. “You’ve been gone weeks and weeks and weeks and I… I thought…” Applebloom broke down and began to cry.

“I’m here now, lil sis. It’s okay, everything’s gonna be okay from now on,” Applejack cooed softly.

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo emerged from the crowd a second later, with the little unicorn gasping in joy at seeing her big sister. The two met each other’s eyes, locking for a moment, then galloping up to each other and hugging just as tightly as Applejack and her sister was. “Oh, I’ve missed you, Rarity,” Sweetie cried, trying to hold back tears.

Rarity was another matter, for her tears were falling down freely. “I’ve missed you too, Sweetie. I’ve missed you so much!”

Pinkie suddenly squealed with joy as she saw her keepers, Mr and Mrs Cake and their kids. “Oh, I have missed you all so much!” She bounced over and gave them all a quick hug.

The Cakes quickly returned the hug. “If I’m honest,” Mr Cake said, “we were beginning to get bored of the peace and quiet we had.”

“It’s good to see you back, Pinkie,” Mrs Cake said, glaring at her husband. “It’s good to see all of you back.”

Fluttershy smiled at the heart-warming scene, and watched as Rainbow picked up Scootaloo and gave her a quick hug and noogied her head. “Twilight?” a voice behind her made the pegasus and the unicorn beside her turn around to find Spike standing there, with boxes on the ground after having dropped them in shock.

“Spike!” Twilight cried. She raced over and picked him up with her hooves, hugging him tight.

“I thought I would never see you again,” Spike sniffed.

“If I’m honest, there were a few moments where I thought I wouldn’t come back,” Twilight sobbed in response. “It’s good to be back home.”

Spike pulled away from Twilight and looked at Fluttershy with shock as he saw the scars on her face. “How did you get those?”

Fluttershy smiled. “It’s a long story, Spike. One that I will tell you later.” She turned to head in the direction of her cottage.

“Hey, where do you think you’re going?” Rainbow called. Fluttershy turned around to see her friends looking at her. “I thought we might get dinner together, my treat. What do you say?”

Fluttershy tilted her head a little. “It sounds lovely, Rainbow. But not yet. There’s something I need to do first. Give me an hour and I’ll join you all. See you all later, and thanks, for everything.” With that, she turned around and walked slowly towards her cottage, while ponies moved out of her way, looking at her in shock due to the scars on her face and back. None of them asked about the wounds, nor did they say anything about the fact she was limping a little, but they simply smiled and exchanged quick words of greeting and said how pleased they were to see her.

About half an hour later, after being stopped by some of her neighbours and other ponies wondering where she and her friends had been, she found herself back in the outskirts of Ponyville and gazing at a familiar sight, making her sigh in relief and joy.

Her sweet, peaceful cottage, with its stream running under the bridge and birds’ nest on the roof and the trees around it, standing as it did as if she had never left. Without a second thought, she began to break into a trot, then at a canter, and quickly she found herself galloping towards her cottage, tears of joy in her eyes at seeing it.

As she neared, she suddenly saw a torrent of colours coming towards her from the windows, doors and even the chimney. She stopped as the horde of animals and birds rushed over and jumped her, pinning her to the ground and making her giggle as she felt their ticklish tongues over her face. Those that didn’t chirped and squeaked at her in welcome, and jumped about as their caretaker had finally returned to them.

She got up from the ground and rubbed her back quickly, hoping that would ease the pain she was feeling after the tumble. She looked among the horde for one particular animal, but didn’t see him. She looked up towards her door and saw Angel sitting by his hutch, tapping his wrist as if he had a watch and saying Fluttershy was late for dinner. Fluttershy rushed over to him and embraced him, with the bunny quickly returned the hug with joy and relief.

“I have missed you so much, Angel!” she squeaked. The rabbit pulled away and pointed the scars on her cheek with a look of concern. “What, them? I’ll tell you later. Right now I need to do something quick, then I’ll have all the time in the world for you.” She rushed inside and raced upstairs, not bothering to notice the mess the animals had made whilst she was absent.

She chucked off her saddlebags, flung them onto her bed, then quickly went into her wardrobe and found a small sack for her to use. She took it out then walked over to her saddlebags and got out Drage Bane, Firewing and her wing blades. The set that was on her left wing looked surprisingly fine after having been crushed and mangled by the flail that smashed her side. At that moment, she shivered as she remembered the flail meeting her side, the sound of crunching bone, and the sound of steel to unnatural steel.

She cleared her head, and quickly stuffed her weapons in the sack, and tied up the end with a bit of string. “Vi har vært gjennom mye sammen. Det har vi alle (We’ve been through a lot together, the lot of us),” she said in Dragonian to the weapons. “Og hvis Vidarr fortalte sannheten, vil vi oppleve mer i fremtiden. Men for nå, du vil hvile, for du har fortjent hvilen like mye som jeg har (And, if Vidarr was telling the truth, we’ll be going through a lot more in the future together. But for now you will all be put to rest, for you have earned it as much as I have).”

She turned around and brought up a part of the bedroom floor with her teeth, then once it was high enough, held it up with a hoof. Below the floor were a few inches of empty space, perfect for a hiding place for things such as the weapons in the sack.

She picked up the sack and placed it in the space, with it being just big enough for the sack to fully go in, and still be able to close the door. “Jeg taker deg, mitt våpen, for å forsvare meg da jeg trengte det, kjempet med meg, og for å ha vært der da jeg var alene. Jeg ønsker at jeg kunne hengt deg opp på en vegg for å minne meg på hva som hadde skjedd, men jeg trur jeg ikke trenger det nå, kanskje senere, men ikke nå. Farvel, og måtte freden vi fikk bli lang og velstående (Thank you, my weapons, for defending me when I needed it, for fighting with me, and for being close to me when I was alone. I wish I could mount you on all a wall as something to remember what happened by, but I don’t think that’s necessary, at least, not yet. Goodbye, and may the peace we have achieved together be long and prosperous).” With that, she shut the floorboard up and flattened it, making it look as if she never did anything at all. “Inntil vi møtes igjen (Until our next meeting).”

She breathed a heavy sigh of relief. With the blades there, and finding herself in a familiar place, she could now truly feel like it was now officially over. Her adventure was done. She got up and made her way downstairs, her mind fixed on getting the cottage cleaned up, and then join her friends for a well-earned proper dinner.

Author's Note:

Wow, who would have thought I would get this far? We're coming to the end now, or is it...

The first song is from the film King Arthur and called 'Song of the Exile' (or 'We will go home'). The second song is 'Fear Not This Night' from Guild Wars 2 composed by Jeremy Soule.

Stay tuned for the Epilouge, for one final part, and one final farewell...

Comments

[Uzume Tennouboshi]

Whoa, you updated!

Quite a few mistakes you made, such as missing words, missing spaces, a missing quotation mark, and a case of hear vs here, but still a great chapter.

So there will be a great evil that will force Fluttershy to take up her weapons again in the sequel future.

I have a feeling that Freya saying that Fluttershy will always have a home in Castilian will come into play in a situation where she and her friends are forced to return to Horsca.

And Throwa's alive! I bet that pissed him off, to have survived a battle against impossibe odds while extremely injured! But something tells me he'll get to have a Big Damn Hero moment in the sequel!

Rarity plans to allow Fluttershy to become the godmother of her children? That's a brilliant idea!Also, way to give us hope that Fluttershy is, in fact, not truly the last of the Dragonlords.

And that Brewman and Star! They totally countered the Mane 6 and their act with an act of their own!

Can't wait for the epilogue and sequel!

Also, first post!

[Fluttershy20]

1867239 Sorry about the mistakes, I'll go through it again and have a look. And yes it Freya saying that will come into play in the future, although the next story most of the action won't take place in Horsca. And Thowra's possible survival will be left mysterious, allowing you and others to come to their own conclusions.

Brewman and Star doing that was a last minute addition, and Rarity wanting Fluttershy to be her godmother was something I admit I was wary about.

I'm glad you enjoyed it, apoligies once more for the mistake. PS: What did you mean by hear vs here (I'm new at this still).

[Uzume Tennouboshi]

1867266 It's a mistake that I here happens all the time, every hear and there.

[Fluttershy20]

1867285 Oh I see now, I'll go and find that and change it quick.

[Uzume Tennouboshi]

1867294 Glad I could help.

[SkyHighFlyer]

When it is said that Fluttershy must one day take up arms again, I hope that means Sequel... Please

[Fluttershy20]

1867305 Yep it does, and I'm going to put a small preview at the end of this one just to show what to expect... sort of.

[andmos]

Funny fact: Ragnarök is the old mytholygi by the Vikings. It was their final stop to say it like that. And I missed the 'og' in one of the blessing from Vidarr. My mistake. Farvel, Fluttershy Idlvinge. Og måtte freden du har fortjent bli lang velstående Can you guess where the 'og' shall be? and å. Damn it! Confound all grammar!
Farvel, Fluttershy Ildvinge. Å måtte freden du har fortjent bli lang og velstående.
I say it again; curse all grammar! Anyway, looking forward to the epilogue and the actor notes. Cheers.

[Fluttershy20]

1867703 Ah yes Ragnarok, I wanted a badass name for a sword, and what better name than the viking belief of the gods' ends? I'll change the grammar of that part you pointed out around quickly, and indeed curse all grammar!

The epilouge shouldn't be too far away, just some minor bits to look at, and that's that. Also actor notes: actor notes as in people who I think would voice characters if it was a film, or something else?

Speak to you later

[SteampunkBrony]

a magnificent ending to an epic tale. Great work!

[andmos]

1867740 that's great. I had feard I had got a huge slip off. What a relief that you took some time in og/å. I had feard I had to find my Norwegian word book to explain what the different in those two words are in good old Norwegian. What i meant was the author notes or your afterwords to a successful story. Every author with respect for himself had to write the afterwords to answer most questions that are still unanswered. That and to thank every person who had help you in this story to become what it is today. And of course how this story started, as in background for writing the story. See you in the next chapter. And sorry for the slip away. My mistake

[Nessos25]

This story has already left the description "epic" far behind.
Someone with the mind of Pinkie Pie should invent new words more suitable for it.

[Fluttershy20]

1869285 Ah yes I already wrote it as with all of the Epilouge, which should be out in a couple of days.

1867876 Hopefully the next story will blow this one out of the water, if I do it right. Thanks for keeping with it.

1870790 I think epic would just do. Thanks for thinking so.

[SteampunkBrony]

1871655

Can't wait for the sequel, I just wish I could draw better to do some fanart or something.

[Fluttershy20]

1871743 Don't care how well you draw, (I can't draw well myself and I'm studying art) it would be an amazing feeling to see some of this story brought to life as art.

[SteampunkBrony]

1871780

Drawing is the one thing i can never master... hmm... although i can do music... alright adding some fan music for this to my 'To Do' list.

[Fluttershy20]

1871787 ... awesome...

[Battoushy]

I'm sensing a sequel here. And that makes me very happy.

[Fluttershy20]

1873372 Oh yes a sequel is indeed in the works, and a small preview of what I have in mind (as well as the title) will be shown right after the Epilouge.

1872213 The norwegian language is a beautiful thing.

1874091 Yeah sorry about Firewing, and yeah the reason he died was to get Fluttershy so angry she would forget her love of life for a moment.
Hope you're enjoying the story.

[Shrek the Ogre]

1875028whats with your avatar?

[Fluttershy20]

1875894 Just showing appreciation for my favourite scene of the season so far; couldn't stop laughing when Fluttershy suddenly turns on her (plus it has my two favourite characters).

[Alchemystudent]

I kept expecting to see throwa pop up at one point to say hi.

I love the use of foreshadowing throughout this whole entire fic