Epilouge

"Wow, I just can't believe how incredible this place is!" Patch exclaimed, looking around Canterlot castle in awe. "It's like something out of a fairy tale!"

After the glow and show ponies had dropped them off at the isle of Pony's embassy, Princess Rosy had the three refugees kept under diplomatic immunity, until a steamer could carry them out beyond the republic's territorial waters. From there, a sky carriage delivered them back to Equestria, where the princesses quietly picked up their royal duties once more.

l along the journey, Patch had reacted to every new thing in wonderment, like a wide-eyed foal who had never been away from home. The whole sea voyage she sat on the deck, watching the ocean's waves roll by. And during the carriage ride she outstretched her hooves, and stood up on the chariot's rail, shouting "Look at me, I'm the queen of the world!" It wasn't until they were nearly home, however, that the filly made her most humble request.

"Celestia, Luna... I was wondering." The filly asked nervously. "Could... could I maybe see you in your regular forms... please?"

The two sisters looked at each other sadly- this was the moment they had been dreading.

"She'll never see us the same again, you know." Celeste had told her beforehand. "That's why we've held off changing back throughout the entire trip."

"Patch's friendship with us beith stronger that that, sister!" Lunette chided her. "Let us show our dear friend ourselves, in all of our glory!"

Shaking their manes, the two fillies bodies suddenly began to glow. Their bodies grew larger, shifting and changing as pairs of wings and a horn on each of their heads appeared. There, before the surprised fillies eyes, appeared the ancient and regal forms of the two of the most powerful ponies on the face of the world.

"Your- your majesties..." She stumbled over her words, a blank stare of awe covering her face. Even though she had known in her mind that these two were the royal princesses, it never really hit Patch on an emotional level until the two regal mares stood before her, in all of their alicorn glory. Being friends with Princess Rosy, who looked like the same old filly in fancy clothes, was one thing. But this....

After a few minutes, the filly bowed her head in reverence before them. "Oh, your majesties, please forgive my arrogance, I-I never meant to-"

"Patch, all doth be well, we-" But Celestia raised her hoof, shaking her mane. Things would never be the same between the Princesses and the filly again, and in a sense their friendship was gone forever. From this point onward, they would discover, Patch would treat them with no less awe an reverence than the rest of their subjects did.

What followed was a flurry of events... the royal announcement of the princesses' return from a long diplomatic trip, Patch's reunion with a teary-eyed pair of royal Pegasus at court, and a flurry of activity among the Eqiuestrian media over the remarkable tale the two sisters had told them about their visit to the republic.

"There has been an outcry, from both the populace and our allies, over the brutal ethnic cleansing practices of the republic." One of the princess's advisors told them. "The isle of Pony, the Crystal Empire, and even our enimies in Dream Valley -who would probably love destroying Equestria more than making friends with us- are calling for a trade embargo against the Ponyland Republic."

"And what of the Republic's response?" Celestia asked, concerned. "Are they angry we came in disguise amongst their populace? Are they planning some form of retaliation against us?"

"Quite the opposite, your highness." The advisor replied. "Under threat of their economy collapsing, and outrage from their own citizenry who were unaware, an entire sweep of arrests have been made throughout both the government and the medical industry. The republic has even offered to help diplomats and other foreign visitors locate the children that were taken from them, and pay the astronomical bill for the magical operations and surgeries, to restore lost limbs for Pegasus and unicorns."

"Very good, that will be all." Celestia told the diplomat, who bowed and trotted out of the throne room. The alicorn turned to her sister. "And how is our dear little Patch faring?"

"She hath bonded very strongly with her Pegasus parents these few weeks past." Luna replied. "But she hath stated her desire to remain an earth pony, and not have what was stolen from her restored."

"Even though she will not admit it, in truth she does miss her friends and family in Coltonville." Celestia replied with a sigh. "I hope we can get through all of this legal tape soon, so she may return and visit her homeland."

With a sigh, Luna trotted over to the window, and noticed the sun beginning to set. "Well, I beleveieth I shall go relieve the night crew of unicorns from the duties we set them on since we left, sister I feel like creating tonight's sky myself." She began flapping her wings, taking off into the sky. "It shall beith good to give some of our subjects pleasant dreams once more."

"I think I will wait on taking my solar duties back for a few days, myself." Celestia replied with a sigh, trotting over and resting her head on a windowsill. "I didn't spend a thousand years trapped on the moon, and could use a few more nights away from my duties."

"Then rest well, sister. Enjoy my beautiful night and pleasant dreams, just as our subjects do!" The princess of the night called back. "But lose not yourself in those dreams, dear sister! For such lapses doth not be the mistakes of alicorns, but rather a pony's folly of youth!"

-the end-