Endings

"You're saying you want to go back?!?" She cried out in disbelief. "Why the heck would you want to do that?!?"

Inky was standing there in disbelief, staring at the very serious blueblood. Cherry Cola and his girlfriend looked up from where they were working, surprised at their boss's sudden outburst.

"My sister and I both think I would make a great ambassador to Equestria." The refined stallion told her. "I can help keep a lid on the court intrigues involving Dream Valley there, and keep the princesses convinced keeping us around is in their best interests. Please try to understand, Inky."

"And just when I've got Redheart and Noteworthy's wedding coming up." She sighed, looking around her kitchen. "All right, Apple Cobbler can be in charge until I get back. Though I wonder how much of my kitchen will actually still be here."

"Y-you mean you want to come back with me?!?" Blueblood asked, astonished. "Inkie Pie, that's very generous of you to accompany-"

"First off, Inky's just a nickname. My real name is Marble Pie" The grey mare told him. "And second, I kind of do want to see my sister again, let her know I'm not a failure."

"I've never seen you as a failure, Marble." The now humbled unicorn prince replied, as the two ponies trotted out of the kitchen. "You've been the only friend I've ever had who believed in me. Thank you for that, my dear."

....

"So Shining's Crystal armies have dispersed, and Equestria has agreed to leave us alone?" Rosalyn asked, tapping her hoof on the arm rest of her throne. "Well, at least that puts an end to that particular problem."

"That is correct, my queen." North Pole replied, bowing before the unicorn monarch. "Celestia is willing to recognize us as a fully independent state, provided that continue to keep our existence a secret from the Equestrian populace at large."

"She wouldn't have had much choice, given how all the ponies in Dream Valley feel about alicorns now." Minuette snorted. "Most of your subjects have gone over to horsemasterism because of this whole fiasco, my queen."

"And what about this whole 'meat eating' situation, hm?" Queen Rosaline asked, raising an eyebrow. "Our citizens are not going to take well to this new dietary innovation. My brother has even decided to leave Dream Valley, he was so wierded out

"We will need to introduce omnivorisim to the populace gradually, so to lessen the social impact." North Pole added. "Said impact should be lessened by the fact we still have fruits and vegetables for Dream Valley consumption."

"We'll make shore that there'll be plenty o' those, don't you worreh." Cherry Jubilee responded, as she and Golden Harvest trotted into the throne room. "Carrot Tawp ahnd I's gahdens an' orchards will provide all the food this caistle will need."

"And we will provide all the protection the kingdom needs." A Pegasus hissed, as he and a few other shadowy ponies slithered into the royal chamber. "Clan Masquerade will always be here to protect you."

"Shadowvale, glad to see you're back." Golden Harvest trotted up to nuzzle the changeling, looking at him admiringly with her gemstone eyes. "You and your teams did so well in getting those flutters here."

"You did indeed, my changeling servant." The queen agreed, standing up from her throne. "You've all done well in protecting our new home, and I am so proud to call you all my subjects."

"But... what about the rainbow bridge?" North Pole asked. "And what about the order of gloom?"

"Twinkleshine has been taken into custody of the Canterlot authorities, and we don't know how much farther the order has spread." Minuette replied. "And as to the rainbow Bridge, that is a question I believe we best leave for another time."

"Minuette is correct. The bridge can wait for another day." The queen agreed, looking across all of those present. "For now, my little ponies, we should turn our attention to matters of the present."

"A good idea, my queen." Sassaflash announced, flapping into the room. "And I just so happen to have some ideas for improving the shield."

"And I had some ideas for improving the other defense systems, my queen." Her husband came trotting in, holding a folder in his mouth. "Just wait until you see these..."

And so, the group of exiled ponies continued to talk and debate, plan and set policy. For the decisions they made here, would set the course of the future... for a place called Dream Valley.