Discordant Melody

by Tatsurou

Epilogue: End of Pain

Epilogue: End of Pain

It took quite a bit of time to clean up the mess left behind by the battle with Metal Reaper. The count of the dead was staggering, and just finding and treating the living was a greater burden then anyone could believe. Eventually, however, Equestria once more slowly approached something resembling normalcy.

The other races gathered for the final battle by Cherry and Lotus Blossom returned to their home lands. The ponies struggled to rebuild, but it was a hard time, and the absences of the dead were keenly felt. However, they managed to overcome with the help of their princesses, and aid came from the Crystal Empire to strengthen and rebuild, as none of Metal Sonic's forms had been able to penetrate the joined magics of Shining Armor and Princess Cadence, as empowered by the Crystal Heart.

In addition to ponies who had been lost, homes needed to be found for those whose homes had been destroyed, and those who had come from worlds that existed no longer...and those ponies had to deal with what they had lost.

Three ponies from other worlds had joined with each other in their shared pain to heal each others wounds, although they no longer felt able to take up the names they had been born under, and had taken new ones, with new looks. Apple Wilt had bleached her red mane and tail white. Moonwing had dyed her mane a deep cyan, in memory of her fallen hero from her own world. Belle Noir had dyed her pink and purple mane black. The three of them had taken to living together in the old Cutie Mark Crusaders clubhouse, and earned their keep helping out on the farm at Sweet Apple Acres.

Screwball had taken the change from her own world quite well. Her bond of chaos to her Daddy still beat strong within her, and she thus knew him as her Daddy. Discord took care of her, keeping his promise to his other self. Celestia also lent a hoof, and it wasn't long before Screwball was calling her, "Mommy."

Most of the former bearers of the Elements didn't live in Ponyville anymore. Only Applejack still lived at and ran Sweet Apple Acres, and Rarity had yet to reopen her boutique. As such, all six families were staying in Canterlot palace, staying close to each other and slowly healing the wounds the nightmare had inflicted.

The new Harmony Bearers dealt with the responsibility - and battle aftermath - in a variety of ways. Snap Lock had accepted that the mission was over, and carefully placed the Element of Honesty back in its case. Cherry Blossom would have returned the Element of Kindness as easily...but its power was so strong in her that she felt it always, and managed to misplace the necklace. Gem returned the Element of Generousity, placing it back in the case with reverance. Twistie had to be badgered into giving the Element of Laughter back...and to stop pulling it out of wherever she kept pulling her jetpack.

Tails actually then ran a genetic comparison to see if, somehow, the blend of Earth pony and two tailed fox had made Twistie somehow related to Discord. The result was inconclusive.

Stardust Mail gladly gave up the Element of Magic, feeling he was too young for the responsibility. Maria could not shed the Element of Life fast enough, and begged Celestia to keep it as far away from her as possible.

While Stardust could feel some of the pain his twin was going through because of their close ties, he couldn't begin to understand it. Although Maria wouldn't talk to anyone about it, when she wasn't found in the company of friends or family, she was invariably with Princess Luna.

After nearly six months of sadness slowly healing, Pinkie Pie and Tails were discussing the situation while Twistie slept.

"This has hit us all so hard," Pinkie said quietly. "I mean, we won, but at what cost? I don't see how we can ever get past this."

Tails nodded, but he smiled at their sleeping daughter. "Twistie's been a big help there. I don't know how she keeps getting a hold of the Element of Laughter. Even Discord tried preventing her, and she wound up pulling HIM out of her mane, too." Tails chuckled as he remembered this. "I haven't heard everyone laugh that hard in years."

"Well, she IS the Element of Laughter," Pinkie said, rolling her eyes as she looked down on her daughter with pride.

"Just like her mother," Tails said, nuzzling Pinkie's neck.

Pinkie leaned into the caress...then shot straight up. "That's it! Tails, you're a genius!" With a fierce hug, Pinkie dashed off.

Tails blinked. "I knew that," he said, somewhat perplexed, but happy.

The next day, a huge arguement could be heard between Pinkie and Twilight.

"Pinkie, I don't see what the point is of making a fool of myself in front of everyone!"

"But Twilight, it's for the party to make everyone smile and laugh again! Don't you want to see that?"

"Of course I do! But...really, an eyepatch and fake teeth? How is that supposed to work?"

"Just trust me, okay Twilight?"

"...*sigh* alright...I just wish this plan of yours made sense."

"...Twilight, it's me. Since when have I made sense?"

"...are you sure you aren't related to Discord?"

"...you know, now that I think about it, I'm not sure. I mean, I could be, we are a lot alike after all, and he IS immortal, so he might be somewhere in my family tree, I'll have to look that up-"

"...Sorry I asked..."

That afternoon, Pinkie gathered everyone in the throne room. "Okay, everypony!" she shouted. "It's time to turn those frowns upside down! It's time for a PARTY!" She pointed at the music ponies she'd gathered. "Hit it!"

They began to play as Twilight came out...wearing an eyepatch and costume monster teeth. As the music began, Pinkie Pie started singing.

"Well I saw the thing coming out of the sky"

She danced over, gesturing to Twilight's features.

"It had one long horn and one big eye"

"Finkie," Twilight complained through the fake teeth.

"I commenced to shakin' and I said oo-wee
It looks like a purple pony eater to me!"

"Finkie!" Twilight tried to shout, but everyone was laughing too loud as Pinkie began her crazy dance steps.

"It was a one eyed one horned flying purple pony eater"

The gathered ponies sang along.

"One eyed one horned flying purple pony eater"

Pinkie started a moonwalk strut.

"One eyed one horned flying purple pony eater!
Sure looks good to me!"

Twilight rolled her eyes, fighting a grin, as Pinkie went into the next verse.

"Well she came to my town and she lived in a tree
I said Miss Purple pony eater don't eat me"

Dash, Applejack, Rarity, and Fluttershy were laughing well at this point, and their joy was growing infectious.

"I heard her say in a voice so gruff"

Pinkie held a cue card in front of Twilight, and she struggled to read it aloud through the fake teeth. "I wouldn't eat you cauf you fo tough."

Pinkie started dancing on her fore hooves...on the celieng.

"She was a one eyed one horned flying purple pony eater"

The others tried to sing along through their laughter.

"One eyed one horned flying purple pony eater"

Pinkie started doing the macarena.

"One eyed one horned flying purple pony eater"

She struck a pose, pointing at Twilight.

"She sure looks strange to me"

"Finkie!"

Undetered, Pinkie continued to sing.

"I said Miss Purple pony eater what's your line
She said eating purple ponies-"

Glaring, Twilight playfully zapped Pinkie Pie, turning her purple.

"-and it sure is fine
But that's not the reason I came to land"

Twilight bumped Pinkie aside, grabbing the mike.

"I wanna get a job in a rock and roll band!"

Grabbing a guitar, she started strumming it. Pinkie started singing again.

"Well bless my soul rock and roll flying purple pony eater
Pigeon toed under-growed flying purple pony eater"

"Finkie!"

"One eyed one horned she was a purple pony eater!"

Jumping up, Pinkie shed the purple color in a spinning flip.

"What a sight to see!"

Pinkie jumped on stage with her other friends as they all started grabbing instruments.

"Well she jumped out of the tree and she lit on the ground
She started to rock really rockin around
It was a crazy ditty with a swinging tune"

Twilight sang out loud, finally used to the fake teeth.

"Wop bop a lula wop bam boom!"

Pinkie continue to sing.

"One eyed one horned flying purple pony eater"

Rainbow Dash sang out.

"One eyed one horned flying purple pony eater."

Applejack sang next.

"One eyed one horned flying purple pony eater."

Rarity rolled her eyes dramatically.

"Ooh, she sure looks strange to me."

As everyone laughed, Twistie flew into a flurry of action. She constructed a large box resembling a TV in front of Twilight and the others, and they could be seen through it. She then grabbed the mike and started singing.

"Well she went on her way and then what do you know"

She pushed a button on the set, turning the "TV" to "On".

"I saw her last night on a TV show
She was blowin it out and really knockin em dead
Playing rock and roll music through the horn on her head!"

Taking the cue, Twilight set a record on her horn and spun it, causing music to fill the air magically, setting another frenzy of laughter going. Everybody started whooping it up and having a good time, the last traces of sorrow slowly washed away by laughter.

There was only one face not fully lifted by the party, as Twilight noticed someone missing. "Have you seen Maria?" she asked Princess Luna.

Luna nodded. "We saw her heading for the stairs, towards the observation deck. We shall check on her." Luna then proceeded after Maria. She found her laying on the deck, staring at the stars.

Maria turned. "Hello, Princess Luna."

Luna nodded. "Maria, your mother is worried about you."

Maria lowered her head. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry her. I just..." She shook herself a bit. "The party was a bit loud for me, so I came up here to watch the stars."

Nearby, a snort of laughter drew their attention. "You're a lot like your mother, then." Spike landed carefully on the deck, folding his wings. "When we first came to Ponyville, Pinkie threw a huge party to welcome us...and she barely stayed for any of it!" He chuckled. "You have no idea how hard it was to get her to start opening up to ponies."

Maria smiled. "It's not that, Spike. I just...needed some fresh air. I felt...enclosed in there."

Spike nodded. "Well, if you want anything from the party - food, drink, your folks - I'll send em up. I'd better get down there before Gem sets something on fire." He raced down the stairs.

Luna sat down next to Maria. "What you were forced to do to Metal Sonic...it still bothers you, doesn't it?" As Maria's head shot up in shock, Luna shook her head. "No, we do not read minds. We read faces. We have had the same look on our own face when we contemplate our sins as Nightmare Moon, and seen it on our sister's face when she thinks of the moment of our banishment."

Maria nodded. "The others don't really understand. I had...other options there. I could have given Metal Sonic a flesh and blood body and only banished the monstrosity that was Metal Reaper back to Tartarus. But...I'd seen in his soul that he had no guilt for his actions, no remorse. What...what I told him might have changed him, given time...but it was too big a risk, since his flesh and blood body would have been able to tap his old powers eventually." Maria shuddered. "I did what had to be done...but I still wonder: was there another way?"

Luna nuzzled Maria. "This burden of guilt...I know it weighs heavy upon you. No words can take that away or ease it...but know that you will not have to bear it forever. All pain eventually fades...given enough time." Luna got back to her hooves. "Come, we should get back inside."

Maria looked up at the princess of the night. "If it's alright with you, I'd like to stay out here a while longer. You and Mom did such a beautiful job with the moon and stars...I'd like to admire it for a little longer."

Luna smiled. "Very well. We will tell your mother where you are." With that, Luna returned downstairs.

Maria sighed as she watched the moon make its way across the night sky. "All pain fades in time...huh?" Glancing down at her side, her horn glowed. The illusion she'd placed on her body faded briefly, and tightly folded wings became visible. They had been there since she had wielded the Element of Life's full power. She would talk to her Mom and Dad - and brother - about that...eventually. But she would choose her time. "I guess," she said to herself as she restored the illusion, "I have nothing but time."

Comments

[justsomerandompony]

Time heals wounds but does not remove the scars

[crystalflower0029]

That was AWESOME
Ever considered a trilogy?

[Tatsurou]

2845970
You mean making a sequel to this?
Don't really have any plans for it, but I do have a side story to this fully written (Shadowed Past, Twilit Future), as well as a few others exploring the development of the shippings and any adventures the grown ups got up to in the inbetween years.

[jwizard]

This could use some polish. though considering that this was from before Fortresshy: the Nine Fathers, I can see why.

Still good though.