A day after receiving word of victory, Luna stood at the head of a council chamber. This time though, she was beaming, with her sister, the first five Queens and one King of the changelings to come to their land, the five Bearers still in Equestria (whom she had called in from Ponyville especially for this event), and Prince Blueblood in his role as Speaker of the Court all present for her news; the formal announcement would be made to the other world leaders soon afterward, but Luna had wanted to limit the number in this first gathering.

"My friends," she began, "As I’m sure you all know by now, except for the shouting, the war is over."

The grins she got in return matched her own, and Luna continued. "The Storm King himself is dead; his body in our soldiers’ custody. His primary magical weapon is now in trusted hooves and his lead commander willingly surrendered to us after having assisted in his downfall. Commander Pharynx has personally vouched for her, and she will be returning to Equestria with he and the rest of our forces once they have finished recovery work and breaking down their camp.

"What's more, Princess Twilight Sparkle herself has written to us, to inform us of her own role.” Luna tapped the letter she and Celestia had received not long after the first contact from Captain Spitfire. “It would seem that she was the one to suborn Commander Tempest, winning her loyalty to the point where she aided Twilight in invading the Storm King's fortress and, after fierce combat with he on one side and Twilight, Commander Tempest and the unexpected aid of Commander Pharynx on the other, the three of them were able to take away his magical weapon; Twilight has it with her and intends to find a way to disable its powers as she and young Spike continue on their journey. Before she left the area, she asked Commander Pharynx to give us all her best, a message she reiterated in the letter she sent us afterward."

Thorax raised a tentative hoof. "My brother... how is he?"

"Mild injuries, but he'll make a full recovery within a short time," Luna assured him. "Casualties overall were light; your sister is completely unharmed, Pinkie.”

"Never doubted it!" Pinkie chirped.

Luna smiled. “Furthermore, as I understand it was one of her own techniques that inspired Commander Pharynx to perform an attack that was key in the Storm King’s final defeat, shattering his armor and leaving him vulnerable to the killing blow." She gestured to Celestia, and the elder alicorn stood.

"In addition,” she announced. “I have been informed that it was not Twilight who dealt the Storm King the death blow, but one of our own soldiers, for which I am very relieved. While our youngest Princess has grown and matured much, I feel much better knowing that she did not have to take a life.”

She nodded to Luna and sat back down, allowing Luna to continue. “The one responsible did so after Twilight knocked him out a window and into the midst of the battle,” she explained. “As I understand, he was taken quite by surprise."

“So when are they getting home?” Rainbow Dash asked. “The troops I mean.”

“As I said, they will be leaving that place once they finish sorting everything out and are all aboard their airships, which shouldn’t take more than another day or so,” Luna said. “I would expect about… a week for them to fly home; I have already explained why Discord cannot simply bring them back sooner,” she said as she saw Rainbow Dash start to open her mouth again.

“Not what I was going to say,” Rainbow Dash said. “I was going to ask, is it safe for our families to come back home now?” She looked down. “I miss seeing Scoots around.”

Luna smiled. “The evacuees will all be returned to their homes within a day or so,” she said. “If not this very day.” She frowned. “I know one our Guards are looking forward to not having to see around here.”

Fluttershy sighed. “I’m sorry you had to put up with him,” she said. “But Zephyr just can’t help being… well, Zephyr.”

“Quite,” Luna said dryly before turning her head towards her sister and then Blueblood. “As the war is over, Speaker of the Court, I do hereby relinquish my title as Commander so long as peace reigns.”

Blueblood nodded. “As Speaker of the Court, I do hereby oversee the transfer of leadership from Princess Luna to Princess Celestia,” he said. “Princess Celestia, do you accept this position?”

“I so accept,” Celestia said.

“So it is witnessed, so it is done.” Blueblood bowed to both Princess. “And I wish you both the best in your future endeavors, my Princesses.”

“Luna, may it be my first act to raise you to my equal in authority,” Celestia said, bowing to her sister. “Once we were equals, and I wish for Equestria to see you in that place again.”

“I accept this act with gratitude, Celestia,” Luna said. “May our reign be a peaceful one from this point forward.”

“May it be so,” Celestia said solemnly.

“So it is witnessed, so it is done,” Blueblood said with everyone else applauding in approval. “And on a personal note, may I say it is quite frankly a relief to know that being is no longer a threat to our world.”

“I believe you speak for the majority of Equus’s population in that regard, dear nephew,” Celestia said.

“Ain’t hard with everyone done celebratin’ outside,” Applejack said.

“Oh just wait until our soldiers get home,” Celestia said with a knowing smile. “The festivities then will be even greater. And speaking of which.” She suddenly looked solemn again. “There will be a private ceremony that I wish you all to witness,” she said.

“What kind?” Thorax asked.

Celestia looked to him. “A presentation to one of our own,” she said. “You know this mare as Bon-Bon. But for a long time, I knew her as Special Agent Sweetie Drops, from one of our top monster-hunting agencies. S.M.I.L.E. was shuttered years ago, its agents all given new names and lives, and I shouldn’t have to say it, but I must - its existence is still a highly-kept secret, and I am trusting all of you to keep it so. I will have to inform the Alpha that you now know, by the way,” she told the Royal Changelings. “He’s been aware of it for a very long time, since his Observers had actually helped with some of their missions.”

“We fully understand,” Queen Tegmina said.

Fluttershy raised a trembling hoof. “W-what kind of… monsters did they handle?” she asked.

“Only those that had actively sought to invade settled territory and cause harm to the people,” Celestia reassured her. “These creatures, when it is confirmed there is no reasoning with them, make up the majority of Tartarus’s prisoners. The bugbear that escaped, for instance, was one such capture by them.” She smiled before continuing. “At any rate, when the call went out for new soldiers, many of S.M.I.L.E.’s former members chose to enlist.”

Rainbow Dash smacked her hooves together. “So that’s why she joined up in such a big hurry!”

“Exactly,” Luna said. “As to why she in particular is being honored...” She shook her head. “It has been centuries since Equestria has been involved in a full-scale war, but during such events in the past, we would grant certain key soldiers these awards for their role in helping to restore peace, and it is a tradition that we always intended to keep up, though the hopes were that it would never again be necessary.”

Pinkie suddenly raised a hoof. “If Bon-Bon isn’t really Bon-Bon, does that mean her family really isn’t her family?” she demanded.

“Actually, they are,” Celestia said. “We were able to find her a home in the same town as a distant cousin of hers who’d never met her before, to help her settle in. He does not know she was a part of S.M.I.L.E., only that she was in a form of witness protection.”

“Okie-doki-loki!” Pinkie sat back down, satisfied.

“Does Lyra know?” Rarity asked, somewhat hesitantly.

“She does, and she has already been sworn to the same secrecy oaths,” Celestia answered. “Bon-Bon asked me for permission to inform her of the truth when she decided to enlist, and I granted it.”

“I guess that’s why she was okay with her enlisting in the end,” Rainbow Dash said.

Celestia nodded. “My only regret is that I couldn’t have joined Cadance in attending her wedding, but I was needed here.”

“We have informed Mrs. Heartstrings that her wife is alive and unharmed,” Luna said. “The letter went out at the same time we called the five of you from Ponyville - and we made sure to include an exterior mark she would recognize as a sign of good news on it, so as to avoid causing her to panic.” She looked down. “There had been some issues with that in my time,” she said.

“Smart thinkin’,” Applejack said. “So Ah’m wonderin’, what’s going to happen ta all of those varmints we captured along with that Tempest ya mentioned before.”

“Those who surrendered will be tried in courts, with punishment to depend upon the extent of their personal actions in the Storm King’s service,” Luna said. “As for Commander Tempest… she will be among those, though I expect a more lenient sentence will occur in her case, given her personal role in the Storm King’s downfall. She has already expressed what Commander Pharynx identified as a sincere desire to atone for her crimes.”

“It would be a shame to punish her for all the good she has done for us,” Rarity said with a slight huff.

Celestia smiled. “I expect, given what she achieved and whom is vouching for her, that she will be handed down a life sentence of service to Equestria, helping to protect it from future threats,” she said.

“So what do we do now, princess?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“We just wait for everyone to come home,” Celestia said. “Soon, life will be as it was before all this began. Though we will be maintaining closer ties with our allies in order to keep better watch for such threats. The Storm King’s build-up of an army and war of conquest should not have gone unnoticed for so long.”

“And we will be working to see how this even happened,” Luna promised. “And we will do our best to make sure it will not happen again.”

“As will we,” Queen Tegmina said. “As we all will.” She gestured towards the collected changelings in the room, all in agreement. “And when the formal statement is made, I expect all the rest of our allies will feel the same way. I know the Alpha has already expressed similar sentiments.”

“That doesn’t surprise me, given the comments he was making when this started,” Luna said. She frowned. “What does surprise me is that the yaks refused to join in. Normally, they would love a good battle, regardless of the cause.”

“I was surprised too,” Celestia told her. “Hopefully Twilight will have better luck when she gets there.” She tapped the letter. “It’s still a few stops away though, based on the last agenda she included.”

“Where is she going next?” Rarity asked.

“Aquastria, home of King Leo and his people,” Celestia said. “In the western oceans. Then on to Ornithia, home of the harpies. I think Yakyakistan is going to be one of her last stops before coming back here.”

In the back of the room, Queen Scolopidia couldn’t help but growl a bit, and Celestia couldn’t blame her, given the Queen’s history. She quickly changed the subject. “At any rate, she still has several places she intends to visit; as I recall, she seems to be making a spiral in her current route, going from Ornithia into the southern areas of the continent to visit some of the lands down there, then back across the eastern oceans to the Dragonlands.” She looked a bit bemused. “I think Dragon Lord Torch has actually expressed some interest in meeting her, after hearing of her interactions with the Alpha,” she said.

“After that, another pass north to griffon territory, back across the ocean to the Yaket range to check on something there, and then Yakyakistan. And then her last stop, or nearly so, should be Dimondia on her way back south to here; they’re on the northern borders of the Packlands,” Luna explained.

Applejack chuckled. “That’s our Twilight,” she said. “She always has a plan.”

“But… how’s she planning to get that far?” Fluttershy asked. “Not all of those areas have easy transportation. And she can’t teleport all that way.”

Luna chuckled a bit. “I’m surprised she didn’t tell you,” she said. “Apparently, she impressed the minotaurs enough for them to give her one of their airskimmers; a smaller model, but still sufficient for a pilot and four or five passengers, and fast and durable enough to make the trip with ease. And young Spike has proven himself an apt pilot with it.”

“Really?” Rainbow Dash grinned. “Way to go, Spike!”

“He is a drake of many talents for one of such young age,” Luna said with a smile. “He will do well in the Dragonlands.”

Queen Remigium coughed loudly, drawing attention to herself. “I’ve been meaning to ask though with the war going on it seemed improper to do so,” she said. “Just where did you get his egg from, anyway?”

The Royal Sisters exchanged glances, and then Celestia sighed. “The truth is, I discovered it during a past visit to the Dragonlands,” she said. “Several centuries ago. As you may or may not know,” she said to the five Bearers, “Dragon eggs are typically gathered up into a single communal location, where the ground is kept warm to encourage them to hatch; the parents take back their hatchlings afterward. This one, however, had for some unknown reason failed to hatch with the others of their generation, though I still felt a spark of life within it.”

Fluttershy squeaked, but when the others looked at her, she blushed. “Eh-heh. Carry on.”

Celestia nodded. “Since this hatching ground had been abandoned and nodragon around cared when I asked, having evidently given it up for a dud, I took it with me and entrusted it to the School for Gifted Unicorns in the hopes that one of the prospective students would find a way to hatch it. There have been a number of attempts over the years, until Twilight finally succeeded, to my surprise and great relief.” She smiled. “After that, I had to find an alternate test for more promising students when they were taking the entrance exam, since Spike’s egg was the only one I had.”

Remigium nodded her head, the Queen uncaring to make a proper reply back but they were used to her at this point. She still had refused to accept a Pinkie Party though, much to the mare’s frustration.

“At any rate, he is very happy with Twilight and her family, and they with him,” Celestia said. “Twilight Velvet has been calling him her grandson for years, and her husband feels the same way, though as I understand, Shining Armor was a little uncomfortable with the idea for quite some time, seeing as that would mean his baby sister was Spike’s mother, a role she has quite happily taken on. I believe he preferred to see Spike as a younger brother instead due to the age differences.” She smiled. “My niece, on the other hoof, has said she would be his aunt, his sister-in-law or any other family position he needed her to be.”

Rarity glanced in Blueblood’s direction, the stallion shifting uncomfortably on his hooves as he noticed her doing so. “Does that mean that your nephew…”

“I am more of an honorary member of the family,” Blueblood said. “My bloodline descends from Princess Platinum herself, and the Princesses have always considered us honorary nieces and nephews since they took the throne, per agreements made between the Royal Sisters and the unicorn royal family when it first happened. I do accept Cadance as my cousin, seeing as she was also adopted as a niece of my aunts upon her ascension, but we are… still somewhat distant, since her interests always lay in different areas from my own. As for Twilight and her family, my interactions with them have been few and far between for much the same reason.”

“I am sorry, everyone, but we do need to prepare to meet the other leaders,” Luna said suddenly. “I do thank you all for coming, and I apologize for having to cut this meeting short.”

Everyone made their own noises or gestures of acceptance, and with that, the Royal Sisters rose and departed.

“You did well, Luna,” Celestia said to her. “You protected as many of our ponies as you could, and you saw us through these dark times. I can’t thank you enough.”

Luna blushed. “It was a team effort, even with myself in official command,” she said. “I don’t know as I could have made it alone, without your support and that of Commander Pharynx.”

Celestia gave her a knowing smile. “Yes… Commander Pharynx,” she said. “And I owe him a great deal for helping you as he did.”

“Celly…” Luna warned.

“What?” Celestia’s smile was still there. “That was all I had to say on the matter, though…” she leaned in closer. “If he should ask you for what I expect he will some one of these days, he has my full support. You both do.”

Luna smiled. “That means a lot to me, Celly,” she said. “More than you will ever know.”

It had been just over a week since the news first came in and the war was declared over, and finally, the first of the veterans were due to land in Manehatten with a massive parade in their honour planned with similar celebrations due to begin in every other city in Equestria. Even though they had already celebrated once, one thing that Equestria was able to do beyond any other nation was to throw a party.

The weather had been cleared to ensure crisp but sunny skies despite it being the day before Hearth’s Warming, but no one was complaining about the lack of snow on the streets and sidewalks. And it would be covered in paper and streamers long before the day was over, though few would mind if it meant that they would have their friends and family home.

All were were eagerly waiting for the first ship to land at the docks, with Princess Luna standing eagerly at the podium, stretching her neck out and uncaring of the light giggling her sister was doing at her behest. It was too grand of a day to be put off by anything and Luna was eager to see her changeling coming home, along with her other soldiers.

Tilting her head as she felt her sister’s hoof on her back, Luna turned to see Celestia smiling at her and Luna returned the gesture, with the crowd beginning to cheer before it became a roar as the first ship came into view with a dozen more flying behind.

With her eyes being sharper than most beings, Luna was able to see Bon-Bon, Spitfire and her Pharynx along with the other heroes of the war at the bow of the Stormbreaker, the flagship of Equestria’s navy. She was not sure how he knew but Pharynx appeared to be aware she was looking at him as he grinned wider and tipped his head towards her.

Within moments, the Stormbreaker landed at the dock with the crowds cheering even louder, until finally, the gangplank had lowered and the first of the returning soldiers had disembarked.

As the numbers grew larger and the lines of ponies and non-ponies alike came along the path marked for them, they finally reached the area in front of the podium, looking up to Luna and her sister.

Luna was barely able to hold back the surge of emotion she was feeling, as she began to speak. “Citizens of Equestria - of the world,” she announced. “It is my great pleasure to greet our heroes. And to begin with, I have but two words.”

The crowd’s eyes and ears were all on her as she spoke them.

“Welcome home.”

“Excuse me, Princess Luna,” Pharynx said as he walked up to her with the slightest of limps, though still regal in his armour. “There is something I need to ask you and I hope you give me a quick answer as my leg really hurts,” he said as he began to kneel down with the crowd holding their collective breaths and pulling out a small box. “As you threatened me before not to ask then, I will ask now. Will you marry me?” he asked as he opened the box to reveal a horn ring with the most dazzling of gems she had ever seen.

Luna did not allow him a moment before pulling him into a kiss with the crowd erupting in even louder cheers with Celestia herself sending magical flares soaring into the sky to explode with a mesmerizing set of colours. Finally allowing him to breathe, Luna stared at her changeling who was giving her a goofy grin.

“I take that as yes, Lus?” he grinned with her snorting happily over the microphone.

“Oh shush, and put that ring on me already,” she said before kissing him again with his magic lifting the ring and lowering it down her horn; the day already becoming a blur to her.

She barely heard her sister stepping up to take her place at the podium and start making a speech of her own, so intent was her focus on the changeling she loved, though she did hear more than a few cheers still directed towards them. Finally though, she felt a tap on her shoulder, and looked up to see Celestia standing there.

“You two can finish that in your rooms, if you don’t mind,” she said with a bit of a smirk. “There are foals present.”

Luna gave her a stinkeye before reluctantly pulling her face away from Pharynx’s.

The celebrations that followed were ones that would still be talked about for years to come, Luna reflected later. Hers was far from the only happy reunion, as she saw Lyra and Bon-Bon giving she and Pharynx a run for their money as they kissed under a conveniently-placed sprig of mistletoe, while Pinkie gave her sister a hug that would make even a bear flinch, so strong it was. Maud Pie, however, barely reacted other than the faintest traces of a smile. In comparison, her parents’ welcome back to her was far more reserved; the fact that Igneous Rock Pie and Cloudy Quartz had even made it off their farm was a miracle, and neither of their other daughters had shown, though Luna heard Igneous saying “Limestone sends her regards” to his second-born. It did not surprise her that Marble Pie was absent; the youngest of the siblings was even more painfully shy than Fluttershy.

In one corner of the massive room where all had gathered, she could see Spitfire happily talking up both Rainbow Dash and her Wonderbolt teammates, while in another, Applejack was chatting with some cousins of hers who had gone off to fight. Rarity was in a spot of her own, listening to some other ponies while a shorter amberish gray mare stood by her. Similar scenes were occurring all over the room, and she found herself wishing Pharynx could be by her side for the entire thing. He, however, had eventually had to excuse himself to visit the medics again, and King Thorax had accompanied him, chirping happily to have his brother back as well as to hear the news he had proposed.

She suddenly noticed the presence of another mare coming up beside her, a small creature with a shock of spiky gray hair running down his back waddling by her side, and turned to greet them. “Commander Tempest, Grubber.”

The unicorn with the broken horn bowed deeply. “Princess Luna.”

“Equestria owes you much thanks, for assisting our youngest Princess in dealing with a great threat,” Luna said.

Tempest Shadow nodded. “I owe her, for helping me realize what a fool I’d been all these years,” she said. “I can’t believe I let myself fall for that monster’s lies.”

“Well, from what I’ve read in the reports I was sent, you got one good thing out of it,” Luna said as she gestured to Grubber.

Tempest smiled. “Yeah… yeah, I did,” she admitted. Then she looked more serious. “Princess Luna, I am formally asking, on behalf of myself and my friend. What can I do to serve Equestria in order to atone for my actions?”

“Oh, I’m sure we can think of something,” Luna said. “The details will be worked out later. For now, why don’t you two go and enjoy yourselves?”

Tempest hesitated. “I’m… not sure that’s such a good idea,” she admitted. “I never was much of one for socializing, even at the parties my old boss threw us after a successful mission.”

Luna raised an eyebrow.

“For all his faultth, he knew how to keep hith people happy,” Grubber said. “But being with Tempetht ith what maketh me motht happy.”

“I see.” Luna was silent for a moment, but then smiled. “Well, whatever it is you two desire for the evening, just let me know. And if you wish to stand by me, that’s fine too. I look forward to getting to know you better, Tempest.”

Tempest looked embarrassed. “Actually, that’s not my real name,” she admitted. “When I left home, I tried reinventing myself. Using new names was part of that. I only started calling myself Tempest Shadow when I joined up with the Storm King.”

“Oh?” Luna raised an eyebrow again. “And what was your original name, if I might ask?”

“It’s…” Tempest looked even more embarrassed. “Fizzlepop Berrytwist.”

Grubber let out a delighted laugh. “Really? That’th awethome!”

Luna’s eyebrow was even more arched. “Well, whatever you choose to call yourself, I am proud to call you a friend of Equestria now.”

“Thank you, your highness. And… I’ll stick with Tempest Shadow, for now.” She shrugged. “Might get a little confusing otherwise.”

“I quite understand, Tempest.” Luna said with a smile before her ear twitched. “I do believe my sister is on her way to talk to you and do try to act surprised when she offers you that surgery; I understand a mare of her age likes to surprise people still. I have a changeling to find and goose and demonstrate to the other mares he is mine.”

“Wait, surgery, what surgery?” Tempest asked as Luna walked off to talk to an important so and so while her sister slid right in front of Tempest.

“Commander Tempest,” Celestia said politely as she looked the other mare over. “I see you’ve met my sister.”

“Oh, we have, we have,” Grubber said eagerly. “The’th nithe.” He grinned. “And tho ith Printheth Twilight!”

Celestia smiled. “You liked her, did you?”

“Oh, yeth! Thee got Temptht out of her deep blue funk that the’th been in for tho long!”

Tempest looked mildly irritated, but sighed. “Grubber has a point,” she admitted. “Princess Twilight got me to believe in friendship again, when I’d thought it was just a lie ever since I was a little filly and lost… well, this.” She gestured to her horn. “I will never regret listening to her.”

“Twilight has a gift when it comes to making new friends,” Celestia said. “And speaking of which… I understand that part of the reason you joined up with the Storm King in the first place was because he promised he could restore your horn?”

Tempest nodded. “I’d always been told there was no way to do it. He promised a miracle, a promise he never intended to keep.”

“Well, perhaps not a miracle, but there are ways.” Celestia looked at her. “The technique has only been properly developed in the last decade or two, but we have learned how to graft the horn of one unicorn onto another. It is usually only required in severe cases, such as a filly having a surge so powerful it shattered their horn, but one being broken in an accident would also qualify. It won’t be easy, and it is rare, but the same could be done to restore yours.”

Tempest looked genuinely startled. “But… how? Who would give up their horn, their ability to use magic, no matter the recipient?”

“The dying, Tempest Shadow.” Celestia looked down a bit. “Lifespans may have increased, but Death still comes for all mortals in the end. An elderly unicorn who has little time left would gladly give their horn to one in need; the graft works best if taken while still alive, and it would not shorten their lifespan any further.”

“And you’d do that… for me?”

“You are a friend to one who is among the nearest and dearest to my heart, Tempest. Yes, I would do so.” Celestia smiled.

Tempest looked down. “I don’t know what to say,” she admitted.

“Just let me know when you do,” Celestia said. “Oh, and… how was Twilight, when last you saw her?”

Tempest thought. “Well, she seemed a little dismayed over the Storm King’s death - she just wanted to take away his Staff, figured it would leave him unable to cause any serious harm anymore. Other than that, she was doing pretty well.”

“Yes, she told us what it was capable of,” Celestia said. “Some very concerning things about what it was capable of.”

“It did wonders on me,” Tempest told her. “I was petrified - literally petrified, as in stone - until she sucked that magic out of me and turned me back to normal.”

“Is that all it took?” Celestia asked.

“That’s all I know of,” Tempest said. “My magic’s still capable of everything it could do before that - not much, but nothing different from what little I’ve been able to do since the Ursa.”

“I see.” Celestia nodded slowly. “Well, Tempest, Grubber… I do hope you enjoy your evening, and I will see you again soon.”

With that, she walked off, leaving Tempest wondering about that last question of hers.

Pharynx watched the crowd in the Manehatten celebration hall from his chair; the only good thing about his leg was that he got out of all the pointless and annoying chatting with rich nobles who thought now that he was engaged to Lus it was the perfect time to schmooze up to him. He felt Lus making her way towards him before there was a flash of annoyance which meant a noble had intercepted her and he had to snort at that, though he made sure to hide it behind his glass. He wasn’t sure where she was but he wasn’t going to risk getting her pissed if she caught him laughing at her.

“Hey bro,” Thorax said as he sat next to him with a massive grin on his face. “I haven’t had a chance to say this yet but-”

“You are so happy for me and Luna?” Pharynx couldn’t help but grin back. “I hate to say it bro, but you’re so transparent you might as well be one of those windows.”

Thorax stuck a hoof behind his head and chuckled. “Yeah, I was kind of obvious, wasn’t I?”

“As a mountain, big little bro.”

Thorax was still grinning. “Well, it’s still the truth. Seriously though, I am happy for the two of you. And I don’t know how long it’ll be until the ceremony, but I promise I’ll be there.”

“At least until Princess Twilight is back home,” Pharynx told him. “Luna really wants to have her here for it, and I’m not objecting in the slightest. She’s my friend too.”

“And speaking of back home, I am so happy to see you home, bro,” Thorax said before frowning and punching him hard in the arm, enough for him to wince and spill his drink over the table. “That was for getting injured like that!”

“Hey, it’s not my fault; this was entirely enemy action!” Pharynx protested as he rubbed his arm, looking at the guards who were supposed to be protecting him just give him a shrug. “The guy blew me into a wall!” He frowned. “Besides, if I hadn’t gone to help, Twilight and Tempest would have been in serious trouble.”

“I get that, but I can’t help but worry,” Thorax said. “And I am glad you were able to help deal with him - Luna said you’re the one who broke his armor so Bon-Bon could finish him off when he hit the ground.”

“I was about to, though I wished I remembered to shapeshift during the whole battle; that is one of my strengths for the Swarm’s sake!”

“The way I heard it, your shapeshifting is how you broke his armor in the first place.” Thorax shrugged. “But like you said, if you weren’t there, it could have gone a lot worse.” He looked over to where Tempest was speaking with Princess Celestia. “Speaking of, how’s Commander Tempest? I haven’t had the chance to speak with her yet.”

“She’s doing okay, I guess,” Pharynx said. “She really wants to make up for what she did under that scuzzball’s orders, ya know? And to live up to the faith Twilight has in her.” He tapped his chin. “I think she’d do well helping the troops train. We talked a lot about that kind of stuff; she’s had almost as many years of experience with it as I have.”

“Talked a lot, did you?” Thorax gave him a look.

“Well, we did fight side by side; you can’t help but bond a little over that kind of thing.” Pharynx shook his head. “Plus, I think most of the others were still kinda wary of her, and she’s not exactly the socializing type. Though that little guy of hers was really popular.” Thorax nodded his head about to agree before Pharynx gave him a glare. “And I know what you are thinking. Nothing happened or will happen.”

“Like you’d try anything,” Thorax replied. “Luna would hand you your cerci.”

“Yeah she would but I can see it in your face and we can both feel her attraction and admiration to me.” Pharynx shrugged. “I told her right away that I was taken, and she backed off.”

“That will not always be enough to stop the heart from wanting what it wants,” Luna said as she sat next to them. “If anyone were to know that, it would be me. After all, my sister told me in ages past that our ponies did love my night but it was not enough to truly convince me.” She looked down. “And then I made the mistake of listening to Umbrea, and you know how that turned out.”

“True.” Pharynx shrugged. “But we know she never stood a chance. I’m yours, no matter how many ponies or otherwise might approach me.” He considered. “Maybe your niece could help her find somepony.”

“While a nice thought, I suspect she’d think Cadance was too soft to really understand her,” Luna said.

“Then we’d need to inform her about Cady’s pastimes of kicking Chrysalis and Sombra’s butts, right Lus?” Pharynx grinned.

Luna smiled. “True. Not to mention how she reversed Prismia’s spell when she was just a filly - a pegasus filly, at that - and became an alicorn as a result. All through the strength of her love.”

“Speaking of…” Thorax leaned in, and lowered his voice. “I’ve been getting some… conflicting readings when Scolopidia is broadcasting. I’ve heard the rumours about her and… well, I’m sure you know, but I’m feeling stronger emotions when she’s around a completely different pony.” He looked at them expectantly.

“Queen Scolopidia’s bonds with all of whom you speak of are strong, that is true,” Luna said. “But as to which she is feeling the specific emotions most strongly towards, I do not know for certain, and I’d rather let her tell us in her own time.”

“Fair enough.” Thorax sat back. “In any case, I have my own mingling to do. I will see you two later.” With that, he rose and set off to find some ponies to chat with.

Luna and Pharynx exchanged glances. “Has he worked out how he’s going to handle the whole, ‘hive ruler’s involvement in the first eggs after taking over’ thing while I was away?” Pharynx asked.

“Not as yet, to my knowledge,” Luna said. “There was still some debate over whom his partner will be, last I heard, and he seems rather intent on finding a partner with whom he will bond out of love rather than just need. Queen Tegmina has expressed approval of this, and the rest of the Queens seem to be going along with her.”

“Well whoever she is, I hope she is up to snuff,” Pharynx said stiffly with Luna chuckling. “What’s so funny?”

“Oh, just your reaction, my dear bug,” she said. “But in all seriousness, he is doing very well in his duties and ensuring that his hive is well cared for. They’ve really gotten out and are making lots of new friends; Stemma and her husband and their children spend quite a lot of time with Twilight’s parents, in fact. I believe young Ocellus quite reminds Velvet of Twilight when she was that age, with her studiousness, though she’s a lot shyer rather than strictly introverted like Twilight was.”

“She is a good little kid,” Pharynx said as Luna leaned against him. “Though we do need to wait for any of ours; can’t mess up the heritance for the hive like that.”

“So I have been told,” Luna said. “But that won’t be a problem for me. Alicorns’ lifespans are so much longer than others that we tend to take a very long time to find a partner, and aren’t limited in reproduction years as a result - once we come of age, we’re fertile for a lifetime.”

“Really?” Pharynx said with a raised eyebrow before looking at his brother. “I might need to give him a nudge or ask Cady for some help.” Luna leaned and gave his ear a tug with her teeth, his chitin long proven to be no match for her. “You know what I mean Lus.” He chuckled with her rolling eyes before he looked a bit more serious. “Lus, you know that while royal changelings live a long time, I am just a turned one so my lifespan isn’t that long. Are you going to be okay when I-”

“Pharynx, my dear,” Luna said, “I am aware of the issue, and I already have something in mind.” She leaned over and whispered something in his ear, and if he’d had fur, it would have stood on end.

Then he looked her straight in the eye and said, in the most serious tone she’d ever heard from him, “I accept.”

“Happy Hearth’s Warming Day, my love,” she said, pulling him into a kiss.

“Happy Hearth’s Warming Day, Lus,” he whispered back.

“I can’t believe it’s really Hearth’s Warming Twilight,” Spike said.

“I know, it doesn’t feel like it Spike,” she told him as she finished tying the last bow on the gift. “No snow, or fire to sit by or friends to share the day with besides you, my number one assistant.” Twilight said smiling at him. “Are you ready Spike?”

“Sure thing Twilight,” he said before sending the gifts off. “It was nice of King Leo to let us come back up to the surface for this.”

“It was,” Twilight agreed. “I know your fire could have made it through the ocean if need be, but doing things up here was easier.”

“Yeah.” Spike took a deep breath. “So, bubble-head spell all ready for us to go back down?”

“Absolutely,” Twilight told him. “Though I do wish he had his own Pearl of Transformation; it would make this a lot easier.”

“That reminds me, next time we visit Seaquestria, can you ask Queen Novo to make me a seapony or something else instead of a fish?” Spike asked. “Being a dog in that other world was okay, but being a blowfish was a little too weird for me.”

Twilight chuckled. “I’ll be sure to tell her,” she said before casting the spell.

A few minutes later, the pair had returned to King Leo’s palace, where the merlion was waiting for them. “Your presents all sent off?” he asked.

Twilight nodded. “All set,” she said.

Just then, there was a loud rumbling and the sound of thrashing from some distance away, and Twilight grimaced. “You’d think he could give us a day off,” she muttered.

“Ah, old Squirk has his quiet days from time to time,” the merlion king said. “But he’s been pretty feisty lately for some reason, even before you two got here.”

“Right.” Twilight shook her head. She and Spike had been very surprised when they’d first arrived in Aquastria and seen the massive cage where the monstrous octopus was confined; King Leo, however, had reassured them that the wrought sea-silver bars and oceanic crystals had kept him locked away for millennia and would hold for just as many more. The tyrannic creature had once ruled these waters, until the merlions migrated into the area and were able to depose and imprison him, freeing the local seaponies and mermares from his control and earning their eternal gratitude. Ever since then, Squirk had been throwing tantrums in his cage, though thankfully it was enchanted to block his words from getting out. He’d had quite the mouth on him back in the day, and King Leo had told them that in all likelihood, it had been getting worse ever since.

“So,” Twilight said, changing the subject. “You were saying earlier, about the Great Jellyfish Swarm of Celestial Year 985?”

King Leo chuckled. “Well, that, young lady is quite the story. You see…”

Twilight listened with fascination as the easy-going king, a personality trait she’d been pleasantly surprised to find, told Spike and her more of his people’s history. She was learning so much… and she made a mental note to bring Rainbow Dash, at least, back here at some point. The prismatic mare would absolutely love the Annual Aquastria Races.