Fiends of Manehatten

by Skrive Flip

Epilogue

Manehatten Hospital:

Cheerilee had occasionally woken up in places where she couldn't remember how she got there. After having died, she had woken up in places like a sewer, the ocean floor, at the bottom of a pit, beneath an almost deadly pile of Sapphire Shores merchandise, and many other odd locations which always made her go ‘Huh...’ when she woke up.

But this time, the ‘huh’ factor, came more over the actual normality of where she woke up.

In a hospital bed.

It almost seemed too normal to actually be true. Like she would not be surprised if her next actual breath would be her waking up on the end of a spike or at the bottom of Manehatten bay or something. But that didn't happen.

Opening her eyes, she just saw the peaceful white tiles of the hospital ceiling. Nothing out of the ordinary.

That was till she turned her head and saw Princess Luna resting in one of the guest chairs, reading some sort of health magazine. That was not ordinary.

And finally, her senses returning to their regular superpowered state, she could feel a deep throbbing from within her head, feeling the intricate cracks that was still healing upon her head, beneath a couple of professionally placed bandages.

“Well… that’s different…” Cheerilee commented weakly, her voice creaky from its long resting period.

Hearing Cheerilee´s voice was enough to rouse Princess Luna from her reading. She floated the magazine away and walked over to the side of the hospital bed.

“Good morning, Cheerilee, good to see you decided to stay with us.” The Princess said with a soft smile.

Cheerilee groaned a bit as she slowly sat up in the hospital bed, but was able to make a reply. “Well the bay of Manehatten seemed so wonderful I almost decided to stay and become a Seavampony…” She spoke, though the intention of making a joking tone, only managed to sound tired. She turned to Luna, weakly lifting both of her hooves for emphasis. “Fear me, The Scourge of the Seas…”

Princess Luna shook her head, but did give an amused scoff at the comment. “I best ask the doctors to come back, sounds like they didn't get all the seawater out of your skull.,” she rebutted. “Tell me, do you still have the taste of kelp in your mouth?”

The two shared a small chuckle, Cheerilee´s noticeably weaker than the Princess´s. She then took a small breath, glad for the sensation of actually breathing air, as opposed to the water she had expected to wake up to.

“Now then…” Cheerilee began, rubbing one of her temples as she spoke. “Judging by the fact that you're not stone, and I'm not dead...er, I'm assuming that I got him?”

Luna gave a small somber nod. “The Fiend has been secured, and his victims have been brought into intensive care in this very hospital.”

Cheerilee felt an immense amount of relief from hearing those words. It was like Luna had literally pulled tonnes of weights off of her shoulders. (Which she had placed there in the first place, but that was a detail for another time). It was more relieving than any kind of vacation she had yet had to date. It was such a relief that she could not help but look away and pump her hoof just a little bit, whispering the word “Yes” to herself.

“Yes, it is quite wonderful. And quite fortunate that my sister decided to break her promise to me and override my night, just as you needed it.” Princess Luna spoke, her voice rather calm, as if only stating facts.

Cheerilee froze slightly, she turned to meet Luna´s slightly accusatory look with an awkward smile. “Uhm… Right…” she began, realizing she had forgotten to think of a way to explain the situation to Luna.

“And also rather lucky for Celestia to somehow arrive at the scene within a relatively short time, considering that she was supposed to be in Canterlot at the time we were in Manehatten.” Luna continued.

“Well you see-” Cheerilee tried to get a word in.

“And that she already had roused the daily guard of Manehatten to spring into action the moment she raised the sun.” Luna was still speaking in exactly the same tone of voice with the same stare.

“Might not have been the brightest-” Cheerilee tried to cut in with the right words to defend her position, but Luna would have none of it.

“And adding to the luck of this very elaborate plan having somehow been laid out by only my sister, according to her.” Luna´s voice continued in its almost monotone level now.

“Oh… Uhm, right it-”

“That is until I questioned her and she gave into giving the information that some lucky individual had been telling her secrets behind my back.” Luna said, with an extra emphasis on the last words.

“I was trying to-”

“And given all of these facts, and all of this deception, made by somepony I personally considered my friend. Yet still that pony went behind my back, breaking all rules she had been given as a professional. Enough sensitive information that could possibly have her dismissed.” Luna raised her voice.

This was getting bad. “Please Luna, I-”

“It is quite lucky, that she was right to do so and I forgive her.” Luna finished.

“Yes that’s luc- What?” Cheerilee just stopped. She looked upon Luna, who had sat down next to the hospital bed, her tall stature keeping her at eye level with Cheerilee. She smiled softly at the vampire before her.

“Yes Cheerilee… I forgive you.”

Cheerilee´s jaw was hanging heavily beneath her head as she had somehow just been scolded, threatened dismissal and forgiven within the same monologue. It just roused too many questions in her mind for her to pick one individually.

“But…”

“But what?” Luna calmly asked, seeing the conflict going on for Cheerilee, and was quite amused by it. It was rare to see her top agent speechless. If only she had a camera.

“But I… Lied to you. I went against the orders you gave me specifically! And-”

“And nothing more…” Luna cut in. “You did your duty. You did what you needed to do to protect Manehatten and the ponies within it. And you were still able to defeat the Fiend, even after my plan went completely wrong. You weren't blinded by the same arrogance that I was.”

Cheerilee could not believe what she was hearing. She had expected Luna to fire her, to reprimand her, to put her in ironic detention, something, anything! But… She forgave her? That easily?

Luna rolled her eyes slightly, seeing Cheerilee´s confusion. “Let us just call the two of us Equal. I have lied to you, you lied to me, sounds Fair?”

Though Cheerilee took a little more time than expected to come up with a response, she ended up nodding her head with a small smile. “I… Guess that's fair,” she conceded, feeling rather relieved again, almost as if one of the last weights were removed from her shoulders. Only to have the last one feel just as heavy as the others by the Princesses´s next words.

“Besides…” Luna continued. “I don't believe I am the one you'll need to ask forgiveness of.”

Cheerilee froze and bit her lip for a moment. She knew who Luna was talking about. “Pen…” She said aloud, mainly to herself.

The Princess gave a somber nod.

Cheerilee looked softly upon Luna. “Is he here?”

“Yes… Only a couple of rooms away.” Luna confirmed. Rising up upon her hooves and stepping back, she kept her eyes on Cheerilee. “If you'd like, we can see him now…” She offered.

Cheerilee nodded, slowly shifting off of the hospital bed and getting back onto all four of her hooves. She stumbled slightly as she landed on the floor, her head still felt a bit heavy considering the amount of abuse she had taken. Luna waited patiently for Cheerilee to steel herself, before opening the door for her, letting the two get into the hospital hall.

Just walking out, Cheerilee was quiet at first, she didn't want to think back to what she had done to the poor colt. Yet just the prospect of getting to meet him again just made the sound of his horn cracking resound through her mind. It was almost as if the sound itself had turned maniacal and wanting to linger forever. It was completely different to cause such damage to someone who had done nothing but try to help her, as opposed to some opponent. She had broken many bones and knocked off a few horns before, but there always was that sort of justification in the back of her head, Either they had started a fight or they had actively tried to kill somepony. In this case, she had simply taken the quick yet only solution she had been able to think of.

Taking a small breath, she turned to Luna again. “How… How is he?” She asked with a slight uncertainty in her voice.

The Princess looked ahead, not meeting with Cheerilee´s concern, which only increased the concern. “The doctors are doing their best…” She simply responded.

Cheerilee didn't like that response. It was too vague and too off putting, as if Luna was trying to take the brunt of the pain off of something. She sighed. “Please Luna, cant you-”

“I'm sorry.” Luna cut off Cheerilee, but not sharply, just by simply raising her voice slightly and taking the steering of the conversation. “I think this is a thing best discussed with him, rather than hearing it from me.” The Princess asserted, just as they stopped by the door to one of the hospital rooms.

Cheerilee stared blankly at the door for a bit. She almost didn't want to go in there. Ironically she now felt like a student who was about to face the consequences of her actions. The more lighthearted part of her mind just reminded her that maybe it wouldn't be so bad… But cynicism was still hanging like a fog across her mind. She decided to do the only thing she could do.

Hope for the best, expect the worst.

Slowly, she lifted up her hoof to gently open the door to the hospital room and entered.

Inside, Pen was lying back in the hospital bed, his head propped up with a good amount of pillows and the elevation of the mattress. He had been resting as Cheerilee walked in the door. As the squeaky door announced her presence, he turned his head towards her. He was wearing the same kind of hospital gown as Cheerilee had been, and there was a sort of brace placed around the top of his head and his horn. It looked like a combination of a neckbrace and a cone you'd place on dogs to prevent them from scratching their stitches. It was something designed for unicorns who had lost their horns in accidents, as it was able to keep the horn back in place on the head, but due to the incredibly sensitive nature of the horn, preventive measures would be needed to be taken to prevent the owner from touching the aforementioned limb.

Cheerilee tried her best to give a diplomatic smile, though it ended up looking more awkward than anything else. Seeing Pen in this position and knowing that she was the one who had placed him in it, was a bit of a hard topic to tip over.

“Uhm… Hey…” she said, trying to mask the uncertainty in her voice.

Pen looked back at Cheerilee. Seemingly emotionless.

“Hey…” he replied weakly, before looking upwards towards the ceiling.

‘Okay, he spoke to me, but avoided looking at me… One step forwards, two steps back’. Cheerilee thought. Awkwardly, she stepped over towards the hospital bed, as to get a more polite distance. She smacked her lips, trying to bide for a little time as she really wasn't sure what to say. What do you say to someone you maimed?

“So… How're you feeling?” A diplomatic approach.

“Well I feel like my head has been split open, and despite the amount of painkillers I am on, I am not able to fall asleep, which means I only have my own thoughts to fight with, and they usually alternate between wanting to write something down… (Which I can't)… Or remember the last forty eight hours… How about you?” Pen responded slightly coldly.

‘Ouch’ Cheerilee thought, cringing slightly. That didn't bode well.

“Uhm… I'm alright…” Cheerilee tried to start. She hoped to come up with something, some way of steering the subject as so that she would not come off as a huge knob. How does one really get to the subject of ‘Sorry for effectively severing one of your limbs. Not just any limb, but the limb that practically your kind of pony is named after’?
Not like that most certainly.

“Good…” Pen responded, his voice still weak and rather cold.

Silence settled over the two again, Cheerilee trying her best to think of something to say, somehow to just cut up the silence and get things over with.

“I forgive you…”

Cheerilee turned her face in surprise as those words once again surfaced, but by a different pony this time. “What!?” she asked in confusion.

Pen slowly turned his head as much as he could (As the device restrained his movement slightly), and looked upon Cheerilee. “I forgive you…” He repeated. “I understand why you did it… I should have seen it coming… It was the better option.” He said, his voice weak with resignation.

Cheerilee heard the words, but as opposed to the time when Luna had said them, these ones felt hollow, if not directly fake. She stared back at Pen, whose eyes looked tired and almost hopeless. He wasn't exaggerating when he said he couldn't fall asleep. A strong pang of guilt came straight back to Cheerilee, the same sting she remembered from the second she had taken the fateful decision.

“You don't really, do you?” Cheerilee asked, looking sympathetically back at Pen. The unicorn turned his head back away as she spoke.

“I do…” he insisted, but didn't look at her.

“I know you do, but you don't, do you?” She pressured. “You don't really want to forgive me for doing it…”

“Who would?” he cut in, while his voice still weak and snappy. “I understand why… I get it was the best option…” Pen averted his face, and even closed his eyes, trying to contain himself. “Everything has been sorted out…”

“Except for you…” Cheerilee added, making the young Unicorn bite his lip in shame. She seemed to have hit the nail.

“I have no right to complain… I am alive, and everyone has been saved. You did your best Cheerilee, and I couldn't ask for more.” Pen answered. It was not hard for Cheerilee to see what was going on. He was in the fight between content logic and understandable emotions.

Cheerilee walked up closer to the hospital bed, settling herself right besides Pen. She placed her hoof upon Pen´s for a second before he quickly pulled it away, almost reflexively.

“Don't touch me… Please…” he quickly jabbed, before he sighed, looking dejected. “I already forgave you…” Pen said, his voice more insistent this time.

“No you haven't,” Cheerilee said knowingly, softly looking upon Pen, feeling slightly hurt that Pen didn't want her to even touch her. “You don’t need to, but be honest with me-”

“Can you please leave?” Pen cut off Cheerilee. “And tell Luna that I quit… She can have the safehouse back…” His voice was cold, almost resentful.

Cheerilee froze for just a second. “Pen you can't-”

“Cheerilee…” Pen finally turned his head slowly towards her, showing his tired, sad, almost pleading expression. “Please leave…”

Those eyes stung more than a prison shank. It was almost as if they physically pushed Cheerilee backwards, though she knew that wasn't true. It was just how she felt. She bit her lip, trying to think of something to say that could possibly twist this around… But she couldn't.

“Please…” Pen whispered, before turning his head away again.

She couldn't just stay here all day silently hoping to come up with the right words. Reluctantly, and with a heavy heart, she complied.

“Alright…” She weakly conceded before turning and walking out of the room.

Even as she was closing the door behind her, Cheerilee didn't want to leave. She knew she had wronged Pen, even if it was the best of the worst options, that still didn't change the fact that she had maimed someone who had been counting on her. She wanted things to be okay between them, she wanted to see Pen smile again as the last thing before she would leave.

Leave… Get back to Coltenhagen, back to the mediocrity and as close to regular as possible life that she had.

She leaned back against the door, her hooves covering her face and sank to the floor with a deep sigh.

Why did things always have to end on notes like these? Why did her duty always drag her to hurt ponies?

She shook her head for herself. No, it wasn't her duty, it was simply what she did. She could probably have done something else, something different that didn't involve hurting her… friends.

Cheerilee stayed there for a couple of minutes, thoughts like these haunting her mind like gleeful little moths, circling around a lamp.

“You should not blame yourself as much, Cheerilee.”

Cheerilee looked up just as Luna placed a reassuring hoof upon her shoulder.

“I know…” Cheerilee sighed, her eyes returning to her own hooves. “It’s just… Hard…” She admitted.

About a minute passed and nothing was exchanged between the two. Cheerilee was silently collecting her emotions back to try and settle back to normal while Luna merely sat beside her. Her presence was rather comforting, sort of like a cold blanket on a warm summer night, something to ease you, someone to make you feel better.

Then she smiled softly at Cheerilee. “Come with me, There´s something I'd like to show you.”

Cheerilee nodded weakly, just following along on automatic, not giving the situation much thought, as she was still stuck on her conscience. It was annoying, frustrating, aggravating and comforting that at least she had it.

The short walk made its halt clear, as Cheerilee absentmindedly bumped straight into Luna´s flank the moment the Princess stopped. Shaking her head after the momentary collision, Cheerilee looked up in confusion at Luna.

She had simply brought her to another set of rooms in the hospital, none of them seeming in any way special or significant beyond the number on the door.

Seeing the confusion upon Cheerilee´s face, Luna gently tilted her head towards the door. “Go inside,” she insisted.

Still not sure about where Luna was going with this, but Curious nonetheless, Cheerilee gently pushed the door of the room open just slightly and went inside. The hinges were completely silent on this one, both as she opened as she closed the door. Inside Cheerilee had a good view of the room.

Inside, everything looked normal, nothing out of the ordinary till she saw who was in the hospital bed. Or beds, was this case.

Two beds had been moved together, and in the newly created double bed, lay a pony couple intertwined in each other's embrace. And Cheerilee could personally recognize both of them.

The stallion was gray, and with a white mane which tried its best to curl in a proper manner, but hours and hours of sleep and embracing had turned it into something more similar to a crow’s nest. His embrace was tight and affectionate around the mare in his hooves. She was green coated and her streaked blonde mane looked just as harrowed as the stallion holding her.

It was Money Bags and Emerald. The couple had been reunited again in the hospital. Cheerilee remembered only seeing Emerald distraught, sad or terrified.

However, their expressions were anything but.

They laid there in each other's embraces, their shared heat comforting them more than any kind of protection could ever muster. And even as Cheerilee could see Emerald´s cheeks were spotted from dried up tears, the gentle content smile she had, even in her sleep, told a completely different story. There was nothing more of that scared little mare hoping to end her life in the simple hope of ending the suffering as well. No more of the mare who had screamed in fear the second she had caught a glimpse of a fang. All of it had vaporized and left behind what seemed to be, at least a fragment of, the real Emerald Song. Happy and content in the hooves of her husband, and he in hers.

Cheerilee stared at the two ponies for a good few minutes. She had been completely frozen in her stance, as her thoughts and her heart gently fluttered for her, and a small smile crept upon her lips. Even the mere sight of this made her spirits lift just that little step out of the pits her conscience had brought her into. And finally the thought also sank in.

‘I did this… I saved them… I did it.’

Still on her emotional high, Cheerilee took a few steps forward, but then stopped mid step. Another thought struck her. Specifically remembering Emerald´s reaction upon seeing her fangs the first time.

As much as Cheerilee didn't want to admit it, Emerald could most likely remember her.

Cheerilee lowered her hoof that was mid step, and took a few more seconds to look upon Emerald and her husband. A small smile crept upon her face as she looked at Emerald, in her sleep gently nuzzled more into her husband's chest, and he returned the nuzzle with care.

“You take care of her now…” Cheerilee whispered softly, before turning around and walked silently out of the room, leaving the two sleeping ponies none the wiser of their savior´s visit.

Cheerilee silently closed the door behind her, and leaned up against the wall again. But this time, her sigh was of relief.

“Feeling better?” Princess Luna asked with a soft, but knowing smile.

Cheerilee nodded and smiled softly in return. “Yes… A bit,” she admitted.

“Good.” Luna said, smiling still at Cheerilee, as she slowly began to walk down the hall, stopping for just a moment to allow Cheerilee to come along and catch up. “I guess you can say then that your task has been completed. You can go back to teaching the Coltenhagen foals again.”

“Yea, I guess so,” Cheerilee mused loudly. “Hoofton and Typo will no doubt be missing me by now. Coltenhagen foals are quite the mouthful,” she commented casually.

Luna flashed a joking smirk. “More of a mouthful than defeating ancient evils?”

Cheerilee chuckled slightly. “I'll take the modern evils over ancient evils any day. At least modern evils I can put in detention… And at least they speak consistent Equestrian most of the time.”

“Ah yes, Scandineighvia, Quite a place…” Luna spoke in a knowing voice. She then tilted her head slightly in thought. “I don't believe I have been there since they stopped celebrating ‘Blót’...” Luna mused aloud. “Maybe I should take to visit the place.”

“Need a tour guide?” Cheerilee asked with a knowing smirk. “Just so you know, there are no friend discounts.”

Luna did her best to contain her giggle as they walked. “Very well. I guess that is what I have to suffer to experience the northern delights. Shall we get going then?”

“Why not?” shrugged Cheerilee as the two were reaching the end of the restricted area. The same guard that had been stationed the day Emerald had been lost was sitting there, and he instantly stood more alert the moment he noticed the Princess and Cheerilee.

Luna simply gave a small nod before the guard opened the seal for them.

As Cheerilee followed behind Luna, she could not help but feel a bit weighed down still. Almost everything had been solved, the victims were safe and the Fiend was gone… All she had to do now was leave Manehatten. Get back to her life, even maybe enjoy a bit of non work time with her friend. So why was there still something in her gut gnawing at her?

Everything had sort of just stopped for Cheerilee. There was still that loose end. That one loose end she just wanted to somehow tie up.

And she could. And she would.

“Cheerilee?” Luna asked, waving a hoof in front of her friend, who was shaken from her thoughts.

“Luna, can we push the tour for a little while?” Cheerilee requested.

While at first rather perplexed, Luna went along. “For how long?”

“I don’t know yet… I… might need a couple of days at least,” Cheerilee requested, looking very intent on getting on with whatever plan she had.

For just a few seconds, Luna looked at Cheerilee, seeing the determination in her eyes, and thinking of the possibilities of why Cheerilee would extend her stay in Manehatten. Then as it dawned on her, she could not contain a proud smile.

“Of course. Take all the time you need. I´ll be in Canterlot when you're done,” she assured.

Cheerilee then just leapt forwards and hugged Luna. It was quick, it was tight, it was affectionate, and it was over before the guards pony at the station could blink twice and question his own sanity.

“Thank you Luna, I owe you one.”

With that, Cheerilee turned around, almost setting off into a run, only stopping for a second at the guard station. “Excuse me, do you have some paper and pencil?”

Back in Pen´s room, the monotonous silence had stayed way beyond its welcome. The ceiling tiles had also ceased to be interesting ages ago, and there was only so much readjusting of your own comfort you could do before it began to become detrimental. The device strapped to his head and neck was uncomfortable, and only further seeking to highlight how frustrating and agonizing the entire situation was. He wanted to do something, to let something flow from his mind onto paper, do something anything. But he couldn't. His horn was barely back upon his head, and most likely he wouldn't be able to use magic normally for years, and this thing couldn't get off his head in at least a month, so writing with his mouth was out of the question.

He sighed. Now that he had quit, He guessed he would have to do something else. And the only thing he really wanted to do he couldn't do. Wooptie freaking doo.

He couldn’t help but feel a stinging tint of anger towards Cheerilee, even if he knew he shouldn't. She did her best… But her best had hurt him… Deeply.

“Could be worse…” he mumbled for himself.

His own cynical thoughts was interrupted however as Cheerilee came into his room again, tugging a saddlebag along.

“Hey Pen,” she said, walking inside and casually sitting down on one of the guest chairs, next to his bed.

Confused, he raised an eyebrow at her. “I thought I told you to leave?” He asked, suddenly uncertain if that had been some kind of lucid dream. Cheerilee just smiled and nodded however.

“You did, you also told me that you're in an immense amount of pain due to you wanting to use your magic again. And who can blame you, you just want to realize your talent after all.” She casually said, lifting the saddlebag up upon her lap while talking.

Pen sent a small look down towards his own flank, the book that was in the process of being written still being there he knew, even hiding under the covers. He then looked back at Cheerilee, who continued to talk.

“You see Pen, My talent is not, in fact, this kind of job. I am not the perfect agent. I am a teacher.” She said, shifting herself slightly in her seat, putting emphasis on the flowers of her cutie mark. “And it’s my talent, and my deepest wish to see my students, and my friends grow and smile,” she explained, opening the saddlebag and pulling out a full notebook and a pencil she immediately stuck into the side of her mouth. “So, no… I am not going to leave. Not as long as there is somepony I care about who need my help. Now, you mentioned something about wanting to write something down?”

Pen stared upon Cheerilee in momentary confusion, then in surprise, then in confusion again. He could barely believe what she had said. She was just an Agent, wasn't she? Supposed to come, fix something and then leave again. But… now she was here to… help?

“B-But…” He tried to reason. “It´ll be days, weeks possibly…” he said, certain that the simple time crunch would be enough to send Cheerilee away. Yet she simply smiled.

“I guess you just best start talking and make the best of the time that you don’t have to write down a word yourself then.” Cheerilee casually declared, leaning slightly back in the guest Chair, smirking whilst still the pen was sticking out the corner of her mouth. “For now, Countess De La Cheer is at your service.”

For a few seconds, the two were just staring at each other. Cheerilee calm and collected, Pen still collecting everything she had just said.

Then slowly, a sheepish smile dawned on his face.

“It’s not even that good of an idea-”

“Let me be the judge of that,” Cheerilee stated with a knowing smile.

With that, Pen sighed in defeat, despite the smile now clinging to his face.

“Well then… The idea of the story is in this mythical land…..”

Author's Note:

The End!
Yuppers, This is it, This is the End of Cheerilee´s adventures in Manehatten. (Or have they just started? )

Wow, This was long I dedicated to this entire story. I really hadnt thought I would make chapters around this size (Or The End of the Fiend size) when I started writing this fic. My original idea had been a much shorter work with smaller chapters... I guess I just aint good at doing that!
It has been quite a journey I must say.
I certainly hope that you have enjoyed it at least half as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Please Comment anything that is on your mind about the story. Did I end it too fast? Did I leave any loose ends? Did you enjoy it? Anything would help me out a tonne. I am just happy as long as you tell me what is wrong.

Now, A certain amount of thanks needs to be shared around.
He who deserves the most applause and has my ethernal gratitude for not only allowing me to play around with Vampire Cheerilee, but also helped me by proofreading and telling me his opinion regularly, we have the one, The Only, Totallynotabrony
Kudos to you, Sir! I could not have done it without you... In any way!
And then I would like to Thank all of you who have read the story, Left a comment, or even just left a like or dislike. I wouldnt know what to do if not there were some sort of feedback. Thank you all!

Well then, I guess its about time I stop rambling.

Comments

[Rubystars]

I enjoyed the story very much, and I like how you handled the Pen situation at the end.

[Skrive Flip]

4751031
Im glad you liked it!

[Lithl]

Why can't I hit the Thumbs Up button again?

[Skrive Flip]

4753438
I have no idea. That button is rather stingy.

[TheAndyMac]

Yes,,,

Yes, I enjoyed that. Good work, Skrive. Very good work, indeed.

[Skrive Flip]

4766402
Yus! Im glad!

[TheGreatSmooze]

This was great to read. There were a quite a few spelling and grammatical errors but they don't get in the way of the story. I thought it was well conceived and that you did wrap up the story nicely, not dwelling on any minor plot lines nor placing a giant bandage on the story and making everything perfect at the end. I'm especially glad that Pen will be fine in due time, but not immediately. I thought that you would have Cheerilee realize that she could drip blood to cure wounds and it would magic-fix Pen's horn. Fortunately you chose a more fulfilling ending.

You once commented about creating a Mary Sue. I never mind them as the villain. It's entertaining. I did think that Cheerilee was doing a fantastic job on holding her own against Fiend at the end, especially since she was so thoroughly beaten on the rooftop. I suppose that is due to his rage.

Anyway that is enough of my musings. Thank you for a wonderful story and I hope to read more fine work from you in the future.

[djthomp]

Sorry, I managed to completely miss the ending of this, too many more recent updates kept pushing it down my updated list.

Great ending. Good final climactic fight, and I especially liked how this epilogue chapter ended with Cheerilee spending time with Pen in the hospital.

[Skrive Flip]

5137642
Im very glad you enjoyed the story! It always wonderful to see people liking your work