Chapter 29

The room was almost perfectly silent as the morning sun shone through the window.

The light played on the furniture—a few bookshelves, a pair of bedside tables, and of course, a bed. The beams of sunlight slowly crept their way up the forms of the married figures that lay snuggled up under the covers, threatening to waken them.

Alan held Twilight close, almost as if she would fly away if he let her go. She lay silent, smiling and content in the embrace.

He shifted slightly as he woke, his eye opening as he gazed down at this wife.

He smiled and nuzzled her.

“Hm?” she muttered, hovering somewhere between sleep and consciousness.

“I love you, Twilight.”

She hummed to herself. “Love you too…” she grumbled, before turning back to sleep.

Alan smiled. “The world never felt so real,” he whispered before kissing her.

Applejack frowned as she stared at the two unicorns singing in front of her property.

The Apple family had been a little late getting cider out this year, what with her and her brother off across the sea, and they had tried to pick up the slack by opening themselves up for business the day after they got back, much to Silver Pauldrons’ annoyance.

It had started out looking good. Pinkie was off in Canterlot somewhere, planning her wedding with Alan and Twilight, which meant that she had more cider to give to more ponies. Rainbow Dash was particularly happy about that prospect.

But now she had these two high-falootin, fast-talking, showponies galavantin’ right in front of her stand, and stealing her customers.

“He's Flim,” the mustachioed one said.

“He's Flam,” said his brother.

“We're the world famous Flim Flam Brothers, Traveling salesponies nonpareil!” they sang together, leading the crowd in their song.

Now, Applejack was never one to turn down some good, ol’ fashioned competition, but these two were rubbing her the wrong way. It probably had something to do with how they had talked her out of a whole apple tree.

And got her to bet the farm...

And so, if for no other reason than to save the farm and beat these new guys and their fancy-pants invention, she called in backup.

Rainbow Dash was ready, willing, and able, after talking over the subject of payment.

Fluttershy agreed to help.

Rarity was glad to help Granny Smith inspect the apples, while Spike and Thunderlane helped Big Mac run the squeezer.

And then, just when things were looking up, she realized that Silver had up and disappeared.

She couldn’t find him anywhere and she just couldn’t believe it.

For once, for once in her life, she was willing to admit she needed help, and Silver wasn’t here!

She couldn’t believe he had left her like this.

If it weren’t for the fact that she had to be here to keep selling cider, she would have probably gone to bring him back, as well as give him her two bits on the subject.

“Fresh-squeezed Cider for sale!” she yelled, pushing her thoughts of anger to the side. “Apple Family Cider, fresh squeezed!”

“I say, Flim, seems the crowd is getting restless,” Flam noted.

“Quite, Flam, maybe a little more cider will do the trick!” the other said before pulling a lever.

The machine began to chug faster, and the barrels of cider began to bounce out of the machine faster and faster yet.

Applejack bit her lip, the machine was going too fast. She didn’t have the ponypower to keep up.

This…

How could he leave her like this? She was counting on him.

She glanced back at the others.

Big Mac, Spike and Thunderlane were running themselves ragged at the squeezer.

Fluttershy, Rarity and Granny Smith were backed up, and Rainbow Dash was starting to falter, Applebloom having long since gotten too tired.

They...

Oh, shoot fire and spit! They were going to lose the farm! Dagnabit!

What was she going to do? She couldn’t lose the farm! That...that was who she was.

She...it’s all Silver’s fault! Why did he have to leave now? When she needed him? You know, if this was how he was going to treat her, then he can forget it! She was going to call it off! He could go jump off a cliff for all she cared, the yellow-bellied...

As her mind was filling with hundreds of farm-related obscenities, however, she failed to notice something.

Up the path, walking beside the line of customers, came two guards. Their white coats and golden armor gleamed in the noonday sun. Their spears and stoic faces spoke of their no-nonsense attitude, and they stepped perfectly in time with each other. The only difference between them seemed to be the wings on the leftmost guard.

Flim Flimflam and Flam Flimflam, however, did notice. “Good afternoon, good officers!” Flam yelled from the car. “Can I interest you in some fresh-squeezed cider?”

“Maybe later, gentlecolts,” the one on the left said.

“Are you the owners of this vehicle?” the other asked.

“We...uh…” Flam began.

“We are, good sir!” Flim said, smiling broadly. “Hoof-crafted Flimflam ingenuity!”

The guard on the left nodded. “Alright, then can we see your Mobile Business License?”

Flim’s smile faltered a second.

“Applied for it good sirs! Applied indeed!” Flam said, coming to his brother’s rescue while twirling his moustache with magic. “Applied but never arrived, I’m sorry to say. The office has said it’ll come in Tuesday.”

“Then can we see your temp?” The guard asked.

The brothers looked at each other.

“Uh...give us one second, Gentlecolts!” Flim told them, “We’ll only be a moment!”

The two unicorns suddenly ducked behind their car, leaving the crowd waiting for cider.

That’s when Applejack noticed the commotion.

The farmer looked over the crowd, which had, for the most part, gone silent to watch the scene. Her eyes scanned the car, watching as the brothers disappeared from sight, before turning to look at the guards.

The rightmost one caught her eye, and smiled at her.

She...she knew that smile.

As silence fell over the crowd, and as it did, the squabbling of the brothers began to become clearer.

“I thought you said Ponyville was small!”

“I did!”

“You said there was almost no police force!”

“I know!”

“You said there wouldn’t be a problem!”

“I know! Shut up! We can do this!”

“We’re not the police force,” one of the guards said.

The heads of the two unicorns popped up over the car. “Pardon?”

“We’re not the EUPPF. We’re the EUP Guard,” the guard clarified. “We’re posted here as a part of the Pendragon’s Military revisions.”

The brothers blinked.

“Of course, this does beg a question,” the other guard said, “why exactly were you trying to avoid the police?”

“Because...we...lost our temp!” Flim said, smiling broadly. “We didn’t want to get into trouble.”

The guards shared a look.

“Gentlecolts, we’re going to have to search your vehicle.”

“No!” Flam cried, before Flim smacked him to the side.

“Not that there’s any problem with that officers! Is...is...just...is it really necessary? We're currently in the middle of a wager.”

The two guards looked at each other, and then turned back to the unicorns. “Yes, yes it is necessary.”

“If you gentlecolts will wait over there,” the earth pony guard said, pointing off to the side.

The two unicorns hesitantly walked away from their car, before sitting on the sidelines, fidgeting nervously.

The two guards then began to systematically searching the inner workings of the machine, picking it apart with their eyes.

“Uh oh,” the pegasus said suddenly. “Looks like we have a problem.”

The earth pony glanced over to his partner. “Ooh...that’s a problem.”

The unicorns shifted, anxiously.

The two nodded to each other before they closed up the machine, and walked over to the unicorns, the earth pony carrying a strange cylinder in his teeth.

“Do you know what this is, Gentlecolts?” the pegasus asked.

“Can’t say we do!” Flim said, perhaps a little too loudly.

“Really? Even though you admited to hoof-building this thing?” the guard asked.

The unicorns did not answer.

“This,” the pegasus continued, “is an Essentia Extractor, which is unsafe and illegal to use in food processing. Now, luckily, none of these ponies have been exposed long enough to cause any damage, but this both means that you are not eligible for an MBL and you are going to have to serve some time.”

Flam paled.

“Th-that’s not necessary, is it?” Flim asked.

The pegasus glared at him. “Do you know why Mobile Business Licenses exist? So that scum like you can’t scam ponies and then skip town. You two are coming downtown with me until we can get your trial set up in Canterlot.”

Flim and Flam both gulped.

The pegasus rolled his eyes. “Oh for Celestia’s sake, it’ll be a year tops. Just move, and try to act like you have some dignity,” he said before pushing them along with his spear.

As the pegasus led the two unicorns away, leaving the car where it sat, the Earth pony trotted forward to Applejack’s stall. Smirking, he saluted and said “Miss Applejack, Ma’am, one mug of cider, if you please.”

She looked at him, and scowled. “Fine, but leave me alone again, and I’ll buck your teeth in.”

“So, you got what she wanted?” Twilight asked.

“I did,” Alan answered as he walked next to her in the hallways of Canterlot Castle. “Although why Pinkie wants a surprise reception, I’ll never know.”

“It’s Pinkie,” Twilight replied.

“Fair enough,” Alan admitted.

“Alright, so you go talk to the ‘party specialist,’ and I’ll go talk with Pinkie about the refreshments.”

“See you soon, dear,” Alan said before planting a kiss on her cheek.

“Don’t take too long, Al,” she said.

Alan smiled and nodded as they went their separate ways, leaving the Pendragon alone with his thoughts.

This “specialist,” an earth pony by the name of Cheese Sandwich, had served under Pinkie in the war. Apparently one of the few ponies that had previously worked with explosives and artillery, Cheese was a bit of a partier himself, and of course, this meant that—

Alan turned the corner, and suddenly found himself face-to-face with a very hyper earth pony. “Why hello there!”

Alan blinked.

Before him stood a bright orange pony with a brown mane and green eyes.

But that voice…

“Hi, my name’s Sandwich. Cheese Sandwich, Super Duper Party Pony, you must be the Pendragon.”

He knew that voice…

Cheese sat still for a second. “Hey, you okay?”

Alan stared at the pony in front of him.

He should not do this.

But he was never going to get this chance again.

Ah, buck it.

Twilight lead Pinkie and Soarin down the hallway, “After the ceremony, you’ll be lead down this way to the reception hall. Cheese and Alan are in there right now, and, once I make sure that there are no spoilers, I’ll let you in to talk color coordination, alright?”

“Okie Dokie Lokie, Twilight!” Pinkie answered.

Soarin nodded, apparently standing on rails as he was being led around.

Twilight nodded, before cracking open the door.

She froze as she looked inside the room. “What the hay?”

Soarin pushed open the door, now curious, and instantly treated the three of them to the sight of Alan and Cheese dancing manically as they sang at a ridiculous speed.

“...thermostats and bug deflectors

Trailer hitch demagnetizers, automatic circumcisers

Tennis rackets, angle brackets, Duracells and Energizers

Soffit panels, circuit breakers, vacuum cleaners, coffee makers

Calculators, generators, matching salt and pepper shakers

I can't wait, (no I) I can't wait (oh when)

When are they gonna open up that door?

I'm goin' (yes I'm) goin', I'm a-goin' to the

Goin' to the (hard) ware I'm goin', really goin' to the

Goin' (hard) I'm goin' to the (hard) oh yes, I'm goin' to the

Hardware store!”

Twilight sighed and hung her head as her hoof met her face. “I don’t know him. I have never seen this stallion before in my life.”

Big Mac meandered around Fluttershy’s cottage, following the pegasus as she helped her little animal friends, helping as she needed him.

So far, he didn’t need to do too much to help out, but it was nice being here.

It wasn’t as hectic here as it was on the farm. The whole place had a nice, calm, quiet feel about it. It was a refreshing feeling after that whole Flim Flam issue that happened last week.

He carefully watched where he placed his hooves so as to not step on anyone as he thought.

Maybe he should build a cottage over here himself. Maybe come by for the winter. It wouldn’t be too far away, so he could still get back home in case something bad happened, and hey, if worse comes to worse—

“Hey! Watch it, ya big lug!” a male voice said.

Big Mac froze, before spinning his head around to search for the source of the noise.

“Oh, what now, huh? Is there a fly up there that’s challenging your intelligence? Or are you just surprised to hear the wind whistling through your ears?”

That time, Big Mac caught the direction of the source, and looked down, between his hooves.

Angel, Fluttershy’s pet bunny stared up at him, scowling.

Big Mac blinked.

Did...did that bunny…

Nah, no way.

“So ya gonna move or what?” Angel asked. “Sheesh. Ponies, can’t live with them can’t live without them.”

Big Mac gaped at the rabbit as he hopped away.

The nearby bush then sighed. “That rabbit is going to get it one day…”

The tree opposite the bush agreed. “Oh, definitely. Just you wait.”

Big Mac stared at the retreating rabbit, then the bush, and finally the tree.

He glanced between the three of them, before shaking his head. “Nope. Nope, nope, nope.”

Spike watched as Rarity went about her shop, working busily as she tried to complete a new order.

The three gems orbited her head dutifully, helping her as she worked on a dress while simultaneously trying to pick her next to wear when she went outside to hide them.

The dragon said nothing, he simply watched quietly, letting her work.

The sphere that circled her caught his attention the most. He...he wasn’t sure how to feel about it.

She was now caught in the prime of her youth, and would remain that way up until she died. But...but that didn’t really change anything. She could still get sick, she’d just be a little hardier. She could still have an accident, but that could happen whenever…

He just didn’t know what to do about it. It was great, having her stay young would at least mean they could do more together, but...but it didn’t really change anything.

“Spike, Darling,” Rarity called, “be a dear and get the bolt of crimson silk for me?”

Shaken from his thoughts, Spike stood up from his chair to retrieve the bolt she wanted.

He stood to his full height to grab the bolt, which had been placed at the top shelf. He moved quickly, coming back with the roll of fabric.

“A bit for your thoughts?” Rarity asked.

“Just…” Spike began, “Just worried about the future.”

Rarity glanced up at him. “Oh?”

“I…” he sighed. “I just don’t know, Rarity.”

She set her needle and scissors down, before facing him. “Spike,” she said, her voice stern and serious. “I love you. And I will die before you,” she said, not cushioning the blow at all. Then her face softened, and she raised a hoof up to his chest. “But I will make sure that every second we have together will be worth it.”

And with those words, the two shared a long kiss.

Time passed. Days turned to weeks. Weeks to months, and all the while, Alan watched Twilight’s belly bulge.

He had done everything he could, planning routes, making lists, prepping bug-out bags, everything.

This only made it funnier when the baby decided to come at three in the morning.

After telling Alan that the baby was coming, which took a second for his sleep-riddled mind to comprehend, he then went into a full panic. He then proceeded to bodily lift her, and carried her to the hospital, ignoring the many, carefully planned lists and the well-thought plans in favor of rushing her to the hospital as fast as his legs could carry her.

They would, many years later, wished that somepony had been able to catch them on camera for that.

Now, however, Alan was worried about his wife. “Keep breathing, Honey,” Alan comforted, patting her hoof.

“Tell me to bucking breathe, one more bucking time, and I will buck you so hard that we’ll never have children again!” Twilight yelled.

Interesting fact, unicorn babies are the most painful to foal.

It’s the horn.

One of the nurses on staff, a yellow mare by the name of Snowheart, was actually impressed with her, truth be told. Most unicorn mothers had normally begun to strangle their husbands by this point.

Doctor Stable stood, comforting the two. “We’re almost through. Give us another big push, Mrs. Sparkle.”

“Just one more, Twi,” Alan said.

“I heard him!” she roared.

She had struggled for the past thirty minutes, average labor for a mare, but she was already exhausted.

“Almost done!” Stable told them.

And with one final push, the foal came free.

The nurses took the little pony quickly, to make sure it was breathing and healthy, before wrapping the foal in blankets and returning it to the exhausted new mother and father.

The little bundle made no sound except for soft breathing, born asleep, but very much alive.

“Congratulations,” Doctor Stable whispered to them, as he handed the foal over. “it’s a colt!”

Twilight smiled, tears coming from her eyes as she held her baby boy for the first time.

Alan watched, smiling as he saw him.

He had light blue fur, covering him from head to hoof. His mane, a dark purple mess, hung wet from his head.

And then he yawned, stretching out his legs to reveal golden hooves, before sleepily opening his eyes.

His father’s brown eyes.

“He’s…” Alan began, “he’s beautiful…”

Twilight nodded, crying as she nuzzled her child.

The nurses were quick to check Twilight’s vitals before backing out of the room, leaving the three of them, this new family, alone.

Alan looked down at this little blue ball of fuzz.

This was his son.

His boy.

His child.

“What should we name him?” Twilight asked, all of the previous girl names she had prepared now useless. She didn’t mind right now, though.

Alan smiled, having thought about this for a long time. “How about Orion?”

“Orion?” Twilight asked.

Alan nodded. “Orion, after Equestria’s last human, and her Brightest Star,” he said, nuzzling her.

She smiled.

Alan sat at his table, looking around at the ponies that surrounded him.

Shining had made the introductions, 8-Bit, Gaffer, and Poindexter, and now they were about to sit down and play.

“Alright,” Gaffer said from behind his Oubliettes and Ogres Game Master screen, “So Poindexter’s playing a cleric, that we all know is going to be healing everypony and doing nothing else.”

“Clerics can fight, darn it!” Poindexter yelled, shifting his thin-framed glasses as he glanced at the GM, annoyed. “They aren’t just healers, you ignorami!”

“8-Bit’s playing a Dragon-blood Sorcerer, and has taken the job of the party’s glass cannon.”

“We’ll see about that!” 8-Bit said, still wearing his tie, having just arrived from his job as a game programmer. “Once I multiclass into barbarian, I’ll have an amazing Eldritch Knight.”

“Shining is playing a Paladin, because he has not grown an imagination since High School.”

“A wise pony once said, ‘Do something, and do it well,’” Shining replied.

“So, in short, we got a tank, a healer, and a DPS. We could use a skill monkey, if you want to play rouge.”

Alan looked around at the table. “Well, normally, I’d take you up on that, but I just haven’t been feeling thief-y lately.”

“It’s alright,” Poindexter said, “I’m a cleric of Axiom, so I can multiclass to rouge without too many problems.”

“So what do you want?” Gaffer asked.

Alan sat for a second, wondering to himself what he was going to do.

As he opened his mouth, however, Twilight burst into the room. “Alan! Look, no time to explain! Pinkie! Cotton Candy Monster! Hold Orion!” She yelled, before carefully shoving the colt into his arms and running out the door.

Blinking, Alan then turned to look at his son, who giggled happily in his father’s grasp.

“Y-you know...I think I’ll also play a paladin.”

8-Bit groaned.

“You sure?” Gaffer asked. “In my experience, whenever two players pick the same class, one always does things better than the other.”

“No, no!” Shining said, a manic glint in his eye. “This can work! Look, I’ll be his spiritual mentor! He can have the strength, I’ll have charisma! It’s perfect!”

Alan shook his head with a smile on his face. “You’re such a nerd, Shining.”

“Hey! It works perfect! If you can’t—”

The ring of magic suddenly filled the air as Alan’s newly-bought d20 lifted into the air, before being thrown across the table.

Alan watched on as Orion threw the die, and gaped as it landed.

A natural 20.

Silence covered the table.

Alan lifted his son, into the air in front of him, and Orion laughed, oblivious to what he had done.

Alan looked at his boy.

“I have never been more proud!” he said, before hugging his baby boy.

Shining looked on. “And you called me a nerd,” he grumbled.

Celestia sighed as another day came to a close.

She carefully put her sun to bed, stowing the light away for another day, before retreating to her room.

As she entered her white-and-gold themed room, she watched the moon rise without her help, as it should be. She smiled at the sight.

With a ring from her horn, the covers on her bed lifted, and as she was about to lift herself into bed, a puff of green smoke and light stopped her.

A scroll, marked with a small dragon seal, told her that it was one of Alan’s letters. Cocking her head at the curiosity, she took it, and walked to her reading room. The white and gold gave way to navy blue walls, accented with cloud patterns with tapestry depicting the night sky. With a thought, she started her fire, and laid down on the gold and purple cushions that covered the floor.

She quickly opened the scroll, and began to carefully read the letter.

“Dear Princess Celestia,

I find myself at my desk again, writing a new letter at long last.

I probably should have gotten to this sooner, but I...had a lot to think about.

As you know, back when I went to the Empire of Gryphus, over a year ago, now, I met with my old enemy, Markus Ironclaw.

Since then, I’ve been finding myself wondering every now and then, what would have happened if I had killed him? What would have happened if Markus died? Would I still be here? Would Twilight? Would you?

I wanted nothing more than his death not long before I saw him, and...and if I had succeeded, then...then I may very well be still in a pod back in the Empire.

It’s a rather sobering thought.

But...but something happened to him. He changed. Changed in a way I did not expect…

He saved me...my enemy, the one I chased across the entire Southern part of Equestria, the one I challenged and wounded with my own blade, saved me. He could have run, he could have even killed me right there, but twice, twice, he saved my life.

He...he simply wasn’t the griffon I knew.

I…

Shining Armor, you may not know, is a bit of a gamer, and...he gave me some rather profound insight by telling me the story of the Paladin.

The Paladin is someone who will fail, who will make mistakes, who will do the wrong thing. But they recognize that it is wrong, and then try to set things right, even when there is nothing they can do to make it right.

But they try…

And, and while I used this to try and make myself feel better for my actions, I’ve come to a bit of a conclusion.

Markus Ironclaw was a Paladin.

He was not one for long, nor was his campaign as glorious as those in Shining’s game. But he was a Paladin.

And...and if he could be one, my enemy, a griffon as terrible as Markus, then...then I suppose that not only is there hope for me, but perhaps, perhaps, there is hope for everyone. No matter what they have done before.

I thank you, Princess for reading my ramblings. They are not the greatest light reading you’ve had, I’m sure.

Your Faithful Pendragon and Paladin,

Alan Williams Goldenhoof.”

She smiled, and re-rolled the letter. Handling it carefully, she then tucked it away, on a nearby shelf, one that was filled to the brim with Twilight’s many letters.

With the letter put away, she walked back to her bed, stealing a glance at a nearby tower of the castle.

“Hm…” she thought to herself. “Perhaps I need to make somepony a Paladin myself…”

And here we are, coming to a close at last.

“Come on, Miner! Hurry! I want to get to the epilogue!”

Hang on, Pinkie, I’ve got some housekeeping to do, real quick.

“Well hurry up!”

Right, well, a lot of people were saying that Julius’ order, the one to kill all changelings on sight was out of character, and rather evil of him.

And they would be right, if politics weren’t involved.

Now, I am not condoning genocide. That was never the point, Julius knew that many of the changelings would have escaped, and it was my fault for not making that clear enough, and I have fixed this issue by now. What Julius was trying to do was use an age old tactic of the government. If you want to encourage something, subsidize it. If you want to discourage something, tax it.

Now Julius wanted to very strongly discourage changelings, and so asked for the highest tax. That was what he really wanted, them out of his Empire, it was not thirst for revenge, or anything similar, it was simply a rather extreme way of getting them to leave.

Now, with that out of the way, the epilogue...