---------------- Finale: Part 5 ----------------

"Lily..." Twilight's voice called her out of her deep slumber, beckoning the groaning changeling into the soft glow of a new morning. "Lily, I don't feel good... I think..."

"Mff... Wha-" Her eyes snapped open. Twilight, bags under her eyes and looking legitimately green, was gently shaking her, calling her name.

"I think I'm gonna..." Her mouth opened, and Lily panicked.

"Oh! Oh shit! Uuh, here!" She snatched up a wastebin nearby, quickly stripping the plastic bag out and offering it to Twilight. She managed to sit up before vomiting the first time. The wet sound made Lily cringe and fight a gag of her own. She took Twilight by the hand and led her into the bathroom. Twilight voided over and again into the toilet, alternating between holding her head and sobbing helplessly. Lily rinsed the wastebin out with the shower and sat next to her love, rubbing her back and holding her hair out of the way.

"Thank you," Twilight whimpered, finally through the last of it. She gave a few more dry heaves before a wave of relief washed over her visibly. Lily smiled and pulled her into the shower, washing her hair while Twilight vigorously brushed her teeth. In the frenzied flight from Canterlot, Lily had all but forgotten about her and Twilight... About what they had done. Thinking back on it, she realized that their actions may very well have been the catalyst for everything that was had happened...

"Not true." Twilight said suddenly, taking Lily by surprise.

"What?"

"That's not true. Chrysalis would have attacked wether we discovered true love or not." Twilight rinsed again, setting the toothbrush in it's place on a rack that hung from the showerhead. Lily never understood why Twilight brushed her teeth in the shower... "It saves time."

"Okay, seriously... I need to learn how to turn this thing off and on at will." Lily groaned, ushering Twilight to turn back around so she could wash her back. Twilight chuckled and pulled her hair over her shoulder, letting Lily work a soapy rag into her skin.

"You're coming in and out of it a lot. Like, you'll come and go very easily. I figured out a lttle trick early on that helped me out a lot. Picture this: A blank background. I think black helps the best. Then, there's all six of us standing in a ring. When you take a step forward, you're back in that ring. When you step back, the ring is gone, and you're alone. Applejack and Pinkie use that trick. For Dash, she says she pictures it the difference between landing and flying. Probably because she only ever turns us off for sleep or practice. When she's grounded, she can chat with us and all that... When she's flying, she's free of distractions, and other thoughts. It's about visualization." Twilight explained the little tricks while Lily idly rubbed her back, focusing more on the advice than on scrubbing.

"So... What did Rarity use?"

"I think she said she imagined putting on her Sunday clothes versus pajamas..." Lily and Twilight both shared a laugh as they shut the water off and started drying. Lily was fluffing her hair when she stepped into their bedroom, damp from the shower. She didn't see the visitor in the doorway.

"Uuh..."

"Oop! Shit!" Lily panicked and quickly covered her front, flushing at Braeburn.

"S-sorry, ma'am."

"Lily."

"Huhn?"

"Don't call me ma'am... I hate that. My name's Lily." She teased, blushing as she fought to properly conceal herself with the towel. Braeburn respectfully had his eyes averted. Odd... Any other day Lily would have continued drying herself and asked for payment... Maybe this whole love thing was changing her?

"Who is it?" Twilight asked from the bathroom, the door still open just so that she could see Lily, but not Braeburn.

"Our host." Lily smiled and nudged the door closed with her foot, protecting Twilight from indecency. Not that that would have mattered, either... Twilight was apparently fine with prancing naked and tied before a group of whores. One gay man wasn't going to change her exhibitionist streak. "Was there something wrong?" Lily asked, brushing her bangs aside.

"Uuh, not really... I was comin' to tell yeh that breakfast was ready. AJ and I was just catchin' up..." That's right... Applejack had returned to Braeburn's home after they had said their goodbyes. Pinkie and Fluttershy as well, though on such a clear night, Dash preferred to sleep on a cloud. Lily would never understand why. Clouds were fluffy and everything, but they were cold and wet... "Sorry for the bother..."

"No, it's fine Braeburn. Hey, listen... I wanted to thank you for everything you've done for us... It really means a lot."

"Aw, shoot. No friend of AJ's is gonna sleep in no cheap tavern when they're in town. Come on down for breakfast when y'all are ready. Again, sorry fer... Y'know."

"Not an issue. Thank you." Lily smiled as he shut the door, and she dropped the towel with a sigh. Twilight emerged cautiously at the sound of the door shutting.

"Gone?"

"Yup." Lily groaned, smiling with an embarrassed flush at her lover. "Not before he got a good look at me, though."

"Really? Braeburn? Thought he was-"

"Nobody's THIS gay, love." Lily teased, shaking her rear at Twilight with a grin.

"Shush, you. Did he say breakfast is ready?"

"Yeah. I'm starved."

"Me too, actually... I wonder if they have hot fudge to go with those hashbrowns..."

------------------

Breakfast was a funny but odd ordeal. Twilight was dealing with her odd cravings, the combinations she cooked up making even Pinkie Pie winkle her nose questioningly.

"Okay, Twilight, I've experimented with some wierd food in the past... But onions, eggs, and worchestershire? Really?"

"What? It's good... Want to try?" Twilight offered the plate to the pink-haired woman, who frowned but took a small bite.

"Ick! No!" Pinkie all but spat out the offending bite out, even as Twilight took one of her own shyly.

"So, I guess it's true, then, huhn?" Applejack asked, nursing a steaming cup of coffee. Lily sat next to her, digging in to sausages and bacon. She felt ravenous. "Y'all made kids? I thought that was impossible."

"I did, too..." Twilight pushed some egg whites through the leftover dark sauce, eating it with a soft sigh. "But, I mean... I vomited this morning... So there's that... And, if I feel right here..." Twilight lowered her hand to her stomach, rubbing the spot inbetween her belly button and the waistline of her cargo pants. The same they wore from Canterlot. "I can feel a bump... That, along with the cravings, and how irritable I've been... I'm willing to bet every last dollar I own that I'm pregnant..." Lily and Twilight shared a smile as the magi took her seat, clearing her plate with the next bite.

"Well shucks. That's just swell. I mean, you always felt so happy whenever we talked about Lily. I was wonderin' when y'all were gonna make it official..." Lily sat up as Twilight reached across the table. Fluttershy padded into the kitchen, rubbing her eyes with a yawn.

"Good morning, sleepyhead! I made chocalate chip waffles! Want some?" Pinkie Pie greeted the avian, who only nodded tiredly and poured herself a cup of coffee before sitting at the long table.

"You slept in a while, huh?" Twilight said with a smile. Fluttershy flushed and stared into her cup of coffee, quietly speaking.

"Has anybody seen Rainbow Dash?"

"Here I am!" The brash avian tucked her slender frame through and open window as she swooped in, tumbling into a flip before landing gracefully on her feet. Pinkie cheered while Braeburn ruffled his paper back into proper order. "Didja wanna ask me something, Fluttershy?" Dash plopped down at the head of the table, smiling. She looked flustered.

"N-not really... Are you okay?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah. Just doing morning warmups. I gotta make it back to Canterlot today. Anyone seen Soarin? Been lookin' for him all morning..."

"He's probably upstairs, showerin-" Braeburn's eyes went wide as all six women looked at him, their eyes wide. There was a prolonged silence before he cleared his throat and flicked the paper, opening it to cover his blushing face. "I mean, probably... Y'know... Whatever..."

"Mmhmm..." Applejack nudged him with her elbow before smiling at the doorway that Soarin and Spitfire had just walked through.

"Good morning!" Soarin immediately padded towards Braeburn and kissed him on top of the head, making the poor guy flush even brighter as he batted at the grinning avian with the paper. Spitfire gave Lily a hug before pouring the three Wonderbolts a glass of water.

"We takin' off soon?" Dash asked, surprising the other two.

"Uuh... I thought you'd want to hang around a little longer... Oh, right the link. Yeah, whenever you're ready." Spitfire snapped her fingers when whe remembered Dash was never truly alone with the rest of her friends a thought away.

"Alright. Guys, we're taking off. Braeburn, thanks a bunch for your help. I really owe ya one."

"Just don't go tellin' everyone up in Canterlot 'bout me an... You know..." He grumbled, returning Dash's bear hug.

"No promises." Soarin stole another kiss, this one on the lips, from the stuttering farmer.

"Git outta here!" He swatted at Soarin, who was already halfway to the back door, leaving with a wink and a wave. Dash was right behind him, but Spitfire stayed back a little.

"He means the best-"

"Oh, I know... He's just a lil' trickster, is all. Fucker's even worse in bed." Spitfire and the girls laughed together as the avian captain gave Braeburn a warm hug and a smile.

"Still. You take care, Braeburn. And thank you again."

"Aw, shucks. Nothin' to it. Y'all carried Rarity all the way from Canterlot. It's the least I can do to give y'all a place to shack up fer the night. Not like I didn't enjoy it, either. Now git goin'." He gave Spitfire an open-palmed spank, which only got a grin and a blush as the captain ran through the front door and took off into the sky.

"So, what's next, then?" Applejack's nails clinked into her half-empty coffee cup. The situation turned only moderately more somber at her question, the girls falling into a sort of quiet contemplation.

"Well..." Fluttershy said quietly. "Ponyville is overrun... I don't think that's going to change much... But I don't think there's anything I can do to help out here... I think... I'm going to go to Fillydelphia, see if I can't help the soldiers there... I know enough about medicine to at least help..."

"When did Ponyville get overrun?" Lily asked. Twilight answered for her.

"It was about two days after AJ left... I got a message from one of the other magi, telling me to keep as many people clear from coming into Ponyville... Too bad I was already all the way down here... I'd hate to think of all the people who ran West when they hit Canterlot..." Twilight said softly. Lily changed the subject before it could get any more grim.

"That's a good idea, though, Fluttershy... I think they're going to need all the help they can get, and Fillydelphia is far enough south that you'll be safe." Fluttershy nodded, but looked down at her waffles, which remained untouched save for a shy nibble.

"I think ah'm gonna stay here, though..." Applejack nudged Braeburn with a grin. "Keep my cousin in line, and help his lazy ass out with the pickin'." Braeburn sniffed and ruffled his paper again. "Plus, The train only runs as far south as Appleoosa... We may need to help out by sending supplies soon enough... I'll help out 'round here..."

"Ooh! Me too! I think that nice lady might need help picking cherries again." Pinkie swept back to the table, her arms stacked with various plates. Aside from being an incorrigible hound dog, she was apparently a damn good cook, too. Lily watched, though, as Twilight started unceremoniously dumping salt and pepper into her oatmeal. Applejack distracted her with the next question.

"What about y'all?" She asked, pointing between Lily and Twilight with her chin. The question caused both of them to pause. Twilight set the shakers down and frowned.

"Well, Celestia and Luna told us to run as far south as Appleoosa... Now that we're here, I think we're safe... Safe enough to at least think about staying. I wouldn't want to intrude on Braeburn, though..."

"Nothin' to intrude on." Braeburn drawled as he flipped a page in the paper. "Work's easy enough, and will pay your room and board. Y'all cook for me an' keep the place tidy, we should get along fine."

"Th-thank you, Braeburn..." Lily said, her heart twinging at the offer. "I promise, we won't intrude that much..."

"Aw hell, 's more fun with you lot 'round..." He finished his paper and folded it, handing it off to Applejack as he set in on his third cup of coffee. "Jus'... You know... Keep it quiet at night?" The six of them all shared a laugh, trying hard to ignore how much Twilight was enjoying her soiled oatmeal...

-----------------

"Oof!" Lily, currently shifted into Liam, punched the tree once again, sending a rain of fruit down to the hard-packed ground beneath them. Applejack stooped over and helped the changeling toss apples into the baskets, saving bruised and spoiled apples for feed. It was just like working back in Ponyville. Lily lost herself in the hard work, letting her thoughts wander. She tried to catch up on all that had happened.

Twilight, whom she felt VERY strongly for, was pregnant with what she supposed could be called her children... They had fought changelings on their way out of Canterlot, just barely missing the main assault on the capitol of Equestria. Then they ran into Rarity and Nyralith... Lily shuddered at the memories that came with the unpleasant vision... Her and Nyralith fighting one another viciously, angrily... Completely lost to the feral instincts of a changeling devoid the queen's power.

That in and of itself was a scary thought... Twilight had done some more reading, and had actually found one or two incidents where changelings would become primes even without another changeling nearby... While they apparently retained individuality, they were still powerful and couldn't change back until the connection to their matriarch was re-established. This happened late in the cycle of power, and only to changelings that had a considerable amount of power... It occured when the link was weak, and the individual's power overwhelmed the queen's already-fading link... Lily was not looking forward to becoming that monster ever again.

After the vicious fight, they had fled south... That whole month was a blur. Nothing but uninteresting landscape, the occasional town, and sleepless, nightmarish nights with Twilight in the cramped tent. That, and crossing the desert had been horrific... Twilight's magic was the only thing that got them through that ordeal alive, summoning food and water, shelter, and in one case of a sprained ankle, healing injuries...

Twilight. Who was pregnant... With two children. Her children.

"Lily?"

"S-sorry, AJ." Lily shook her head and hoisted another basket up into the back of the truck Pinkie Pie was driving.

"You're dark on the link, wanna come in and share whachyer thinkin' about?" Lily paused, feeling the sweat trickle down her body as Applejack leaned against the truck opposite her.

"Sorry, AJ... Just... Yeah, I think I will."

Hey guys.

There you are, Lily! I was just about to tell y'all, lunch is ready. Applejack and Lily shared a wide-mouthed grin ans Pinkie Pie laughed in the truck.

What's so funny? Why is Pinkie laughing so hard? Oh, shoot, did I just say 'y'all' again? Damnit... Lily and Applejack roared with laughter fit to match Pinkie Pie, who was kicking so hard the truck shook with her exuberation. Lily could hear all their laughter through the link. It was a very joyous and happy moment they shared, despite the dark times.

Fluttershy had arrived in Fillydelphia about the same time Dash did in Canterlot, though Lily never felt like they were very far. With a thought, she could join in and out of the link, and chat with anyone who was there. She and Fluttershy actually talked quite a bit about random things, catching up on all they had missed in the few years they had been apart. Three days had passed since the funeral, and it seemed everyone had finally recovered from the shock.

W-we'll get in j-just as soon as we're done with this truckload, Twi. You little southern bumpkin, you.

Oh shut the hell up, AJ. I swear I've been around you and Braeburn too much... Still chuckling, Lily and Applejack hopped up into the back of the truck as Pinkie roared off down the narrow country lane.

'S okay, Twi. Applejack continued. Y'all been givin me those wierd pregnancy cravin's. I swear, the other day I wanted black licorice and mashed potatoes. Twilight's groan was audible even through the link.

Oh man, that had to suck...

Actually, tasted just fine... All five of them laughed together as Pinkie pulled up to the open barn. Braeburn slapped his dusty hands together as he walked out, smiling at them.

"What's so funny?" He asked as the three women got out and started unloading baskets. Well, two women and one man. Braeburn's eyes were roaming as Lily hoisted two baskets by herself.

"Nothin', just laughin' at Twi and her wierd cravings."

"Or AJ, as it were." Lily smiled back at Braeburn, who had serreptitiously turned to watch Lily walk into the shadowy recesses of the barn storeroom. When she returned, though, Braeburn and Applejack had both frozen, their eyes staring off into the distance. "What's wrong?" Lily asked, noting their keen eyes fixed on some far-off point.

"Wolves." Applejack spit on the ground and went to climb into the truck. Braeburn hopped up in the back, and Lily took the front seat.

"You guys be careful, okay?" Pinkie Pie emerged from the barn with three long, sheathed blades, handing them off to Braeburn. She took the last basket from him in return, and the truck took off.

"We will!" Braeburn called after her, scooting further into the bed of the truck as they bounced along the dusty road. "Ah counted six of 'em, AJ!" Braeburn called over the roar of the shifting engine and the wind.

"Ah got at least eight! Maybe more! hang on, we're goin through the riverbed!" Applejack swerved off of the road and ducked into a dry riverbed, the truck bouncing and creaking in protest as they rattled down the road fast as they could go. Braeburn cussed and held on tight, using one arm to steady himself and the other to hold the three swords. Lily grunted, still shifted into Liam, as they bounced along the old river. Applejack continued like that until they opened up into the unplanted south field, where they had been staring off into earlier. There, just on the edge of the hill, were eight black and grey dots, their angled heads turning towards the roaring truck headed their way.

Lily's blood turned to ice.

"Those aren't wolves." She kicked the door open and shifted into Dancer, jumping out into the rushing wind as her wings spread. Flapping powerfully, she accellerated past the truck and arced low across the ground towards the eight wolves. Seeing the big man change into an avian, the changleings shifted from their pack wolf forms into something a little more suitable for fighting... Where most changelings would shift into their normal forms, using fangs and claws to attack, there were other changelings, chiefly those who were trained by Lily and Ajax, who knew different adversaries needed different tactics... The eight shifted from anywhere between bulky, powerful avians with strong wings, to quick and agile humans, all of them using their powers to shift into forms that were already equipped with crude weapons. Applejack and Braeburn skidded to a stop as Dancer landed on the ground a hundred yards from the running Changelings.

Lily managed to keep consciousness this time. In fact, all of her thoughts were clear as day. Perhaps a bit faster, but still hers. The change ripped through her form, and in two easy strides, she clashed with the other prime in the middle of the open field. The link was active, even, all five of the others thinking and talking all at once.

What happened?!

Lily, she-

Woah, what the fuck?!

Oh goodness!

Is she okay?!

QUIET! Lily herself barked the last, growling order. She opened the link, let the other five in, let them see the beast she was fighting. From Twilight, she felt fear. Fluttershy felt disgust. Rainbow Dash was stunned. Applejack and Pinkie Pie, however... They felt a sort of riteous anger. Almost as if they were cheering her on. Still, Applejack had her own things to worry about. There were still seven changelings advancing upon her and Braeburn, and with Lily being tied up, their odds were now two-to-seven... Not three-to-eight as it had been... What's more, they were facing armed changelings... Fighters... Probably the ones trained by Ajax himself.

A flash of pressure to her arm brought Lily back to the present. The other changeling wrenched at her arm, tossing her around. She flew through the air, but lucidity and the change came with some other perks... Twisting about, Lily landed on her hands and feet, lowering herself onto all fours. Galloping in a tight circle, she rushed the other prime, charging straight into him with her lowered shoulder. Chitinous plates of armor broke under the force of her impact, making the other prime wheeze as the two of them tumbled backwards. After a short roll about, Lily ended up on bottom, the other changeling breathing heavily as it started to rain blows down on her. Lily twisted and blocked as best she could, brushing attacks to the left and right, taking very few... They started to grow less powerful... Slower. Siezing the opportunity, Lily shot her hand upwards and dug claws into the joint between the plates covering the other changeling's neck. Twisting her hand, Lily ripped the plate off, exposing black, pulsing flesh beneath. The other changeling, wheezing and slow, couldn't stop her as she struck.

Her claws opened up the changeling at the neck, it's lifeblood spraying about in an ugly display of death. Howling and clutching at it's throat, the prime fell backwards, but Lily wasn't done yet. Applejack and Braeburn were in trouble. Braeburn was already cut, though two of the seven changelings lay dead before him. Lily growled and ran low on all fours towards the changelings. In her anger, she bowled straight through three of the remaining four, her claws ripping them apart as they tumbled. Quick as a flash, she hopped back up and fell on the fourth, screaming a hellish, primal vocalisation as her claws ripped the changeling to shreds.

Twi, we're okay. Relax. The link came back through the angry haze. Lily had almost lost herself... She felt the shift recede as her body slowly returned to normal, still stained with black blood. Braeburn grunted as he hopped back up in the bed of the truck, holding a hand over the cut on his abdomen.

"You okay?" Lily asked, feeling slightly nauseous at the blood and carnage that had taken place in the past two minutes... Braeburn grunted and lifted his hand away, revealing an ugly slash.

"It's deep, but I'll live. AJ, get us back to the house... And for fuck's sake, don't take the damned riverbed."

------------------

"He's gonna be okay." Twilight said, wiping her hands on a bloody towel as she met the other girls in the living room. "The cut was deep, and I'm not the absolute best at medical spells, but I think I got him patched up okay."

"Y'all ain't safe here." Applejack came back with her response immediately. "Ah cain't have you two gettin' attacked. If them changelings was here, they can be anywhere. Y'all need to keep runnin'. What'd Celestia tell y'all at first? If Appleoosa wasn't the safest place to be?" Lily blinked, but answered right away.

"Further south to the coast. Then... East into the mountains if that didn't work." Applejack and Pinkie Pie shared a look.

"Into Dragon territory?" Pinkie Pie said quietly. Lily nodded.

"She said if that was too risky, we should go to the hapries north of there."

"Fuck no." Applejack said right away. "Harpies'll tear you apart just as soon as them changelings, Lily. They hate humans as much as they do just about anythin' else, what with the whole gryphon business all them years ago..."

"Gryphon business?" Lily was in the dark. Twilight settled into her 'Teacher Mode' and started lecturing her. The abridged version, thankfully...

"Gryphons are born when harpies and avians mate... Long ago, we used to be friends with them. But the natural romances led to some pretty nasty segregation issues... The harpies didn't want anything to do with the children, and even tried to kill any newborns... The avians flew them to Fillydelphia, and the harpies were furious with them for that... They openly attacked anyone in their skies. There were some skirmishes, but Celestia managed to negotiate a treaty with them. No more avian-harpy romances, no more hostilities. The downside being we can't trade with the harpies, and their very valuable magic. It's a VERY tense treaty, one that could boil over any given day. I wonder..."

Hey Dash?

What's up? Everything okay?

Yeah, we're fine... Braeburn's stitched up.

Good. Soarin was worried.

Heh. I can imagine. But I have a question for you... Celestia said you were flying out East when the changelings attacked... What, exactly, were you and the Wonderbolts doing? There was a long silence from the other end. A downside to the link, you could feel the apprehension and doubt in another's mind as they teetered on the edge of telling a lie. Dash didn't let them down, but what she said next shocked Lily.

Me and the Wonderbolts were trying to get the Harpies to join our side once more... Needless to say, we weren't very successful... Our orders were to... Well... We were supposed to make them comply by force if all else failed.

Wait, so you mean...

I tried not to kill any, Twi... I really tried. But orders are orders... I'm not proud of it.

You did what you had to do, sugar... Ah'm sure Celestia had her reasons for sending y'all out there...

I don't know, AJ... It was... It just wasn't like her...

Wait, this means...

Yeah...

The harpies aren't going to be too keen on ANYone entering their territory now... In fact, Celestia's actions may have-

It isn't that, Twi... We scared them. Scared 'em good... I don't think ANY of them will be attacking. That was the other part... If they wouldn't join us, we had to make sure they wouldn't come against us. And the dragons... Well, they're unhappy, but they're contained... Kinda happy to just duke it out amongst themselves for now.

Let's hope the harpies don't coerce them into attacking, as thanks for your actions...

I pray to the sun every day and the moon every night the same, Twilight... I'd say I'm sorry, but I WAS just following orders.

No, it's fine, Dash... Don't worry about it...

"We're getting sidetracked..." Pinkie brought them all back to the present. Lily shook her head clear of the thoughts and nodded.

"Right. Well, nothing left but to run south, right?" She asked. Twilight laid her elbow in the palm of her hand and gnawed at her thumb. She did that often, when she was thinking on something hard.

"Yeah... I think so. Braeburn and I already talked about it, we've got some supplies ready... Just in case. We can leave tonight, under cover of night."

"No." Lily interjected. Twilight arched an eyebrow at her.

"Hmm?"

"Changelings see better in the night... We'd be best travelling by day, sleeping by night like we have up until now."

"I know that." Twilight said, waving her off. "I'm counting on your eyes to keep us safe while we move. If we can stay ahead of the changelings and make it to the coast, we can settle down. I've got a spell in mind that ought to keep us safe." Lily gnawed on her lip in thought, thinking about Twilight's proposal.

"That might work..." She said at last. "It's pretty open south of here, right?" Applejack pushed off of the wall and beckoned them over towards another room. Lily hadn't been in there just yet, but it appeared to be a hobby room of sorts. A desk for drafting letters and other things, as well as a map on the wall. Applejack pointed to a small black dot.

"This here's Appleoosa. South of here it's all native territory to the coast... They love us, and will prolly help y'all out iffen ya get in a pinch. It's pretty hard trackin' through this here forest, but they got guides that will help you out... Sometimes, they ask for payment, but it really ain't much. This here's the coast... And lemme tell y'all now, no one makes it through that forest without a guide." Applejack tapped each point in turn, as both Lily and Twilight studied the map.

"Thank you, AJ. I'm sure we'll make it."

"Ah'm gonna stay here and keep helpin' out, but we'll see iffen we can't catch any changelings sniffin' about. Appleoosa's real tight-knit. If anything's wrong with anyone, they pick up on it super quick. Y'all can sleep easy knowin' we got your back."

"I'm gonna stay here, too! No meanie changeling is gonna get another shot at you two with Pinkie on guard!" She looked around and scooped up an old helmet sitting on a table, plopping it on her curly head with a serious face. AJ covered her face and groaned.

"That was my great-uncle's... Anywho. You two need to git ready. Go pack your things, Pinkie and I will put some more supplies together. Put that back and help me out, you." Pinkie and AJ left together, leaving Twilight staring at the map. The click of her teeth on her thumb nail was audible. Lily stood next to her, trying to follow the magi's train of thought.

"Do you think you can travel like you are?" Lily asked quietly. Twilight sighed and pulled Lily close for a gentle hug.

"Just make sure you pack some hot fudge..."

----------------------------

The road was long, the jungle unforgiving with it's blistering heat, it's mushy ground. But Lily grew strong through the trek. She and Twilight walked the marshy wetlands together, sweating, bleeding, sleeping together. Twilight was getting marginally worse. Worry began to crop in Lily's throat, that her love might not make the journey to the coast, that they wouldn't be able to make it to the shore and safety... But when Lily truly began to worry, she heard it. The dull roar of waves... Breaking on the cliff face, roaring with the force and power of...

"Ipiisei. The ocean. We are here." Their guide said with a smile, climbing the last little incline to the edge of a cliff. Twilight huffed along behind Lily as they crested the edge.

"Woah..." Lily said softly. Twilight finally reached her, standing at her side.

Idly, both women clasped hands.

Before them, the wide ocean swept from horizon to horizon, dwarfing both women with it's massive display of wide, open water. Lily and Twilight watched far below as the waves crashed upon the face of the cliff, the sea spray and updraft lifting their hair straight over their heads. Lily closed her eyes and inhaled, smelled saltwater and brine. Fresh, clean air.

"This..." Lily said softly, feeling the stress and exhaustion leave her body. "Is bliss..."

"Tell me about it..." Twilight said softly. Her eyes were affixed on the horizon, slowly scanning every last inch of water as it kissed the sky.

"Ever been to the ocean?" Lily asked softly, squeezing Twilight's hand.

"Once... Long, long ago... And it was much further West of here..." Twilight said quietly. "You?"

"I seem to recall something a long time ago... It's lost to me, though..."

"Come." Their guide said suddenly. "I show you nice place." As little as he spoke of their native tongue, he was very insistent. Lily and Twilight tore themselves away from the dwarfing majesty of the ocean and followed their guide back into the jungle. The brief rest had refreshed both women, and they walked at a brisk pace through the thick trees and swampy ground. Their guide wound around trees and under hanging vines, taking them a short ways away from the spot they had been. The land sloped downhill marginally, but enough to make the walking easy and fast.

"Here." He said suddenly, stopping. Lily looked up from the path she had been focusing on, right into their new home. It wasn't built yet, it wasn't anything more than a ghost of an image on the landscape, but Lily could see it... There, on the edge of the forest, across the wide meadow...

"Oh my..." Twilight said softly.

"Right?"

"You saw it?"

"Right there."

"And the entrance-"

"Just over there..."

"Like it was-"

"Meant to be."

Smiling, Lily and Twilight walked into the clearing, their guide smiling as he watched the two women join hands and survey their surroundings.

The clearing was thick with waist-high grass, stretching in a half-moon pattern away from the beach. The long grass gave way to smooth white sand, all of it leading down to the edge of the water where waves broke on the shore. In a small inlet, the small bay had calm waters, a gentle tide, and ranged from a deep floor to shallows, perfect for wading or swimming. Back up on the meadow, the entire serene scene was lined with trees thick as anything, nearly concealing the entire meadow from any outside sources. Only the thin trail they had entered on and another smaller road on the other side of the clearing led in any direction. One would either have to know the spot specifically, or be very lucky to stumble upon the enclosed area. It was pure bliss.

Lily and Twilight passed the beach and walked towards the edge of the trees. There, both women could picture it. A house, two stories tall, with a very wide porch facing the beach. Where they stood now would be the living room. Attached, the kitchen/dining room... Over there, just on the other side of the main hallway, would be a library. Twilight needed her books. Upstairs, their bedroom, and two more smaller bedrooms. At first, the one would be for guests, or maybe a room where Lily could play her violin. But soon enough, their children would need their own rooms. That, and an additional room for whatever they saw fit... It would work. It could work. Lily and Twilight both pictured it perfectly.

"This is..."

"Perfect."

"Lily, stand back..." Twilight said softly, relaxing her hand. Lily let it go and stepped back a ways. Twilight slowly raised her hands, and the link came alive...

Girls, it's...

That's beautiful...

Woah! Where is that at?

Ah think y'all have found the perfect place.

Shh... Watch. Lily said softly, watching Twilight's hands come alive with a blaze of magic. The link grew still, and instead, awe and wonder flowed from everyone into Twilight. She harnessed that feeling, her eyes closed as the spell began to take shape.

Like a maestro conducting a symphony, Twilight began to smoothly sway her hands back and forth... Outward from her feet, the grass began to flatten... Lily felt herself sink and inch as the grass under her very feet receded into the earth, and just a short ways behind her back, a fence sprung up. It was warm, wooden, and brown. The evenly-spaced pickets all materialized from nowhere, even as Twilight turned in a slow circle... In a wide, even rectangle, Twilight fenced off their property, their new home. She even made a gate.

Then, Twilight's demeanor changed dramatically... Lily heard her feet skid across the dirt as she widened her stance. The thump of her magic hitting the ground was audible. Lily stepped back as Twilight flattened the ground to an even state, and then laid the foundation for their home... Solid concrete rooted into the ground, digging four feet deep and as wide as they needed it to be. Twilight's motions were powerful. Each time she threw her hands out, more concrete was laid out. Then she waved her hands, parallel with the ground, smoothing the whole thing out. Another intricate pattern later, and the concrete had dried and set. Then Twilight began laying the floorboards... The walls... Each time she moved her hands, more material came from nowhere, flashing with bright purple light before solidifying, standing tall and straight. Lily swallowed as Twilight began to set them, guiding each one into place, the wood and metal setting into it's spot. All the while, Twilight was muttering to herself... It was almost another language. Lily didn't understand it, but she knew it was all important...

"Invert the apex of point seven and connect it to four... Add forty percent to seven, then cast it. Invocation of chaos on one, but harmony on seventeen... Temporal influx on the fifteenth diagram, halved and divided again by seventeen..." She continued on as such, speaking words Lily didn't know, and if she did, she would never guess how they related to the specific brand of magic that Twilight was weaving. Lily watched as she even started to work on pipes... They had water. A sink, washer and dryer... Twilight even put a wetsink near the back door into the kitchen... Soon enough, though, the walls raised too high for Lily to see Twilight inside.

Stay outside, Lily... I'll be done in a few.

Okay. You go, Twilight... Lily offered what support she could. Even from here, the display was one to behold... Twilight weaved complex magic far beyond any she had ever even seen. Either she was individually teleporting in materials from a very, very far ways away, or she was quite literally creating them then and there...

She's pulling them in from Canterlot. Rainbow Dash said through the link. She told us about it a while ago... One of her tests was to build a mansion in a day, where all of her materials were four hundred miles away.

... Really? Lily blinked in disbelief.

We didn't believe it, either. Not until she build a shack in about three minutes for some of AJ's tools.

Oh yeah. And that day she rebuilt Sugarcube Corner after Pinkie's little... Accident.

Hey! I thought it'd be a GOOD idea to make cinnamon cupcakes! They chuckled, but soon fell quiet as Twilight began constructing the second floor. Lily saw her standing at the top of the stairs before she began weaving more of the spell. The walls sprung up around her, and Lily could only guess at what was happening behind them... Before long, though, the roof sprung up, fully shingled and everything. There was even a chimney for the fireplace...

Alright, Lily... Come in... Twilight sounded exhausted. She emerged from the front door as Lily mounted the steps to the porch, looking slightly haggard. Her hair seemed frazzled. She was close to two months into her pregnancy... There was the slightest bulge to her flat stomach, but she was thankfully over her morning sickness... Still, fatigue seemed to be more and more of an issue. Lily got the impression Twilight would have been able to finish the home and three others like it before even breaking a sweat on a normal day. Now, though, the poor magi seemed exhausted. Lily took her hand, returning the brave smile Twilight gave her.

"You okay?"

"Okay enough to show you the house without passing out... After that, though, no promises." Lily chuckled and held Twilight's hands tight as the magi turned and guided her across the threshold of the house...

Of their new home.

------------- Notes from the Author -------------

Admittedly, I kind of rushed the last bit to publish this chapter before work. But I feel good about it nevertheless.

Only two chapters until the ending, ladies and gentlemen. It's been a long time coming, and one hell of a ride I likely won't forget. Almost 260k words already, I think I'm in the running for "Longest erotic fiction" on the website. Together, this and the original story are over 320k.

I thank every one of my loyal fans for their support and kind words, through thick and thin.

My sister would have been proud to call you all her fans.

I love you all.

In addition, I'd like to let you all know about the livestream happening this weekend. EQAD hasn't posted the prompt just yet, but I'm sure they will soon enough. Either way, plan on at least one stream. I'll be writing the finale for you all (Provided I can finish the next chapter in the next 3 nights at work) so keep your eyes peeled for a blog entry in the next few days with links to my channel.

Thanks in advance to the viewers, and thanks to those who watched my last stream ^.^