"Just one more..." Twilight said triumphantly as she levitated an old book onto the newly organized shelves of the library," there! And it only took four days! I told you we'd get it done within the week. Spike?" The purple unicorn turned to see the baby dragon fast asleep on the floor. Twilight had insisted that the first thing they do after returning from Canterlot was clean up the mess that the soldiers had made. Twilight laughed to herself as she threw Spike's small, powder-blue blanket over him before leaving the library," sweet dreams, Spike."

Twilight walked out into the bright sunlight and soaked in the warmth. She promised herself she would never take day or night for granted again after seeing the sun hang in that same place in the sky for nearly two months.

She trotted through the town, looking happily upon the clean up that had ensued since the end of the crisis. Things were coming along remarkably well, especially considering it had only been a few short, days before Celestia and Luna made an official declaration that the war had needed, although it had truly ended about a week earlier when the rebels were thrown in jail and Spark disappeared.

Twilight walked through the doors of Sugar Cube Corner just as the last of the store's new windows were put in. The unicorn found her five friends sitting around a table in the still slightly messy shop. She joined them as Pinkie laid an assortment of sweets in front of the six friends.

"I'm surprised I was even able to fix such a mess," Rarity continued with the story she had been telling before Twilight arrived," those Triumvirate types truly had no respect for beauty. Even that armor of theirs was completely lacking in any kind of style. I can't imagine if they had won; having to look at those dreadful uniforms for years."

"Yeah," Rainbowdash joked," because that is definitely the worst thing that would have happened if they had beaten us. I mean, spending our whole lives in prison is nothing compared to ugly uniforms."

"Actually," Pinkie Pie added happily," I kind of liked being in that jail. It gave me plenty of time to plan super-duper funtastical parties. I just don't have to for it normally." Her friends stared at her in disbelief, not able to comprehend how anypony could actually find enjoyment in being in jail.

"You're kiddin'," Applejack said, breaking the silence that had held in the air for a few seconds," y'all have got to be pullin' our hooves."

"Nopey dopey," Pinkie Pie said as she pulled a large blue tube out from under the table," I mean how else would have I had time to plan the 'Re-opening of Sugar Cube Corner Party'?" Pinkie pulled a small rope at the back of the tube, and a plethora of party decorations shot out of the open end of the cannon, covering the room perfectly with festive decor.

"Pinkie Pie, you are so random," Rainbowdash said as the six friends laughed.

"So Twilight," Fluttershy asked," have you written a report to the princess yet? I'm sure she would have loved to about what happened to us while she was locked away."

"You know, I haven't written her a letter yet. Mainly because I couldn't think of anything I learned from all of this," Twilight looked at the rest of their friends and smiled," but I think now is as good a time as any. I think I know what we got out of all of this." Twilight reached into her saddlebag and pulled out a piece of parchment, a quill, and a bottle of ink and began to write.

"Dear Princess Celestia..."

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

One week later...

Leo looked out at the moon from the window of the Elite Guard's new barracks, in the re-purposed Canterlot Tower. He was more tired than he could ever remember being before. It had been a long few days. Being assigned as the new head of the Royal Pony Sister's Elite Guard. It had been a long week just adjusting to the new responsibility, on top of losing three of his best ponies.

He still cringed when he thought of Dauphin. Leo just couldn't believe he would betray them like that. And Gates...

His thoughts were interrupted by a pink pegasus walking up next to him. "Something on your mind, boss?" Firefly asked as she looked out the window with Leo.

"Just... reflecting on how we ended up here," Leo answered," we barely got out of this one alive. To be honest, I didn't think we could pull it off."

"We've had our fair share of close calls," Firefly replied with a small chuckle," but you're right. This one was by far the worst. I mean we just barely kept it from slipping away. I mean Briggs-"

"Thank Celestia that it came out that he turned on us at the end there," Leo interrupted," who knows what would have happened if he had been able to stay out of jail. Hay, we could be in the same situation not too far down the road. I can't believe either one of them could do that. Don't know how we'll get by without them."

"We lost a lot," Firefly remarked," but I have a feeling we'll be fine. Even if we are three down. They picked you for a reason Leo."

"I guess we'll find out if they made the right call," Leo said with a deep sigh," still, hard to believe he's gone."

"He did what he had to do," Firefly soothed," Gates was a good soldier. One of the best. It's a shame he had to go. But somepony like that, they don't just go away that easily."

"No they don't," Leo replied," with or without them. We aren't done. Not yet. We've still got a lot ahead of us." The two ponies looked back at the remaining four members of the elite guard.

"And I mean hay," Firefly added smiling slightly as she stared up at the dark sky above," I can't complain about the ponies we still have around here."

"We could do a lot worse, that's for sure," Leo said as he took one more look at the moon before turning to get back to work," so are you ready?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good. Let's get started."

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

About a month later...

Warm sunlight washed over the rolling hills outside of Ponyville. The light just began to show through the windows of the small, mostly empty house. A small hay bed lay on the floor in the corner while a single chair sat next to a rustic wooden table in the center of the room. A cool draft ran under the door as the first chill of winter in Equestria started to come in.

It had been a long few months, but luckily, the events that transpired were starting to seem more and more like a distant nightmare than reality. It was something that nearly everypony wondered if it would ever happen. Putting it in the past wasn't going to be easy for most ponies, it was the kind of thing that stuck with you until the day you die.

But Gates had dealt with painful memories for a long time. A talent that he hated having to be so fluent in, but it was one he had learned to live with, if only recently.

"So," Rampart's voice rang through Gates' mind," you're finally back. It’s been a long time old friend."

"Yeah, I'm back," Gates said to himself looking out the window," and this time, I'm back for real. I see you're back to normal too."

"If by 'back to normal' you mean still dead and living in your subconscious mind, then yes, I'm back to normal," Rampart teased in the manner he had when the two colts were younger. Like he did when he was still alive," I guess somepony just can't live without us."

"Why would I want to?" Gates replied with a short laugh," it seems almost too perfect to me. The war veteran talking to the voices in his head." He knew he wasn't completely sane. He was far from it, but it was that small lack of sanity that kept him from falling out like he did in the Everfree Forest a few weeks back. He would get back what he lost all those years ago, the least he could do was embrace it and try to make the best out of it. That's what his friends would have done.

Gates left his house on the edge of town and began heading towards Sugar Cube Corner. The air still held a crisp chill but the warmth of the golden sun was slowly winning out in the battle for control over the fall air.

"So you're actually going to this one, eh?" Rampart asked as Gates walked along a small dirt path leading through Ponyville Park," looks like you aren't a complete downer after all."

"Well, I promised I'd go," Gates thought, making sure not to say anything out loud as there were other ponies in the park around him, enjoying one of the last fair days of the year," and I'm not gonna start off by making promises I can't keep. I made that mistake with you and Lucy; I'm gonna be a better friend this time."

"Good to hear," Rampart said as Gates made his way through the newly repaired buildings in Ponyville," you made the right choice, Gates. Coming back. You deserve a second chance." Rampart's voice began to trail off in Gates' head, a sign that Gates had learned that meant he wouldn't be "visited" by Rampart of Lucy for at least a short time.

Gates continued to make his way to Sugar Cube Corner, slightly dreading having to attend this party. Pinkie Pie had talked for weeks about this party. Gates' 'Get Well Party' for after after he was almost killed by Spark. Gates had done his best to avoid the parties that Pinkie threw following the crisis. He had nothing against parties or his friends, it was just that he wasn't completely comfortable celebrating what had happened. It wasn't the kind of thing Gates thought was all that glorious.

Regardless of what Briggs and Dauphin had done, they were still his friends. At least at one point they were, and throwing your friends into prison isn't something that was easy for Gates. They weren't they only two had had left behind when he chose to leave the Elite Guard. He left behind the ponies who had welcomed him in and made him the pony he was today. The same ponies who had risked their lives to save his on more then one occasion, and he had done the same for them.

Again, it wasn't that Gates had anything against them or their cause. He still held the Elite Guard and the Royal Pony Sisters in the highest regard, and considered them some of his dearest friends. Gates just didn't want to fight anymore. He had seen enough fighting and death for more than one lifetime. He wanted to try to live a normal life. The kind of life Gates would have lived he and his friends weren't attacked in the forest all those years ago.

So that brought him here, standing outside of Sugar Cube Corner, listening he faint sounds of laughter and music inside. A part of Gates really didn't want to go in. But he had promised his friends and Gates knew it meant a lot to them that he would finally attend one of these parties. Gates smiled as he walked towards the door to the shop. He would go in and find a way to enjoy himself, he wouldn't let his friends down.

After all, Gates never let his friends down. Never.