Caballeron's Prize

Days passed as the ships containing Equestrian soldiers landed, occupying the city of Windgate. As the story of the ruby wedding spread, the towns resistence was miniscule from the horrid news of Caballeron's machinations. They knew him a criminal like many others, but the fact their own countess was the one that dealt the killing blow eased any resentment they might've had for the sisters occupation, leaving them in shame and uncertain of their future.

Within the Windgate hospital Rainbow had been put under to perform the lung surgery she required. Thankfully successful with the blood donations of townsponies that respected her as the rightful winner of the duel. Her eyes closed again under a breathing mask as Quibble laid in bed next to her, reading a book with his chest bandaged thick enough to be a chestplate, a bandage over his eye similiar to Caballeron as the other was heavy from painkillers.

"We're glad you're alright, Quibble. Luna's very sorry she couldn't find you after you got captured." Twilight stepped into the room, blinking slowly as she looked over her unconscious feiend nearby. "How is she?"

The book clapped shut as he nodded in understanding. "The good doctors said the injuries and strain damaged her lungs. She'll be okay bit she might not be ever to fly competitively again." The earth pony stallion somberly explained, recieving a more somber nod from the Princess.

"Well, the alternative was a lot worse. I'm just happy she's breathing." She choked up a bit, clearing her throat.

"You came to visit early. How's the little one?"

"They're having Withers funeral today. She really took charge and prepared for a city wide celebration of him." She looked out the window, seeing the city walking up the curved slope towards the city cemetary near the top of the hill.

"He must have been a solid anchor for her over the years." Quibble deduced, turning his head to join her in the view, another thought of inquiry filling his thoughts. "What about the uh... The Doc?"

Twilight lifted her hoof between her eyes to push before answering. "She wanted a small ceremony in a secret place for him. She says it's to prevent any future martyrdom but I think she still is torn with her feelings for him."

"She is having his foal."

"Foals." The princess sighed, getting a shocked gasp from him. "Twins. I think it's the only thing keeping her from falling apart."

Quibble pondered a bit as he pushed his book to the side. "She was grumpy, but didn't seem to be falling apart. She's young, they can adapt pretty fast." He stopped talking as the princess glared with a side eye at him, making him itch the back of his head sheepishly. "Still tragic. I'm just saying she's tougher than she looks, you saw her there."

"I know."

"Do you think she's going to stay as a countess? She's incredibly beloved here and would be perfect to heal the tension with Equestria." The stallion asked, tired of newspapers speculating and asking the source directly.

"I'm leaving that decision to her. She hasn't decided yet though. I might've pushed her to visit Ponyville before deciding." She whispered, hoping seeing her friends and family again would save her from the mess she'd be cleaning up.

"We're going to have to ship back all the Somnambulan glowpaz we can find while destroying these evil gems that came from the mountains over the months. Maybe even years. Something is causing them to be twisted and I fear it's something not natural." She blinked after thinking out loud, looking back to him as he blinked back. "Maybe we should keep that to ourselves for now."

"I spent three years undercover here on a whim. My lips are sealed."

"Thanks Quibble. Let us know when she wakes up."

"Yes ma'am!"

On the hill, the aged whitestone fence with metal bars between surrounded a crowded yet solemn ceremony. Over a hundred townsponies, including Fluttershy joining to support the acting Countess Scootaloo as she sat in the front row, clade in a black turtleneck. Her eyes sullen as her body felt heavy, not to mention her two passengers that she insisted to wear the sweater to hold easier and cover, not wanting her pregnancy to be the focus of the funeral.

Before them, a simple maplewood coffin clad in Withers' favorite textile as a tailor decorated the top. A soft red velvet that cushioned his picture and countless flowers. His sunglasses fixed and set next to them at an eye pleasing angle.

The temple griffon from the duel was present, adjusting his glasses as he read from the paper on his table. "We learned much of the ponies who had helped raise us from darkness in these bleak times. Some tragically carried a darkness of their own. Among one of them, a simple earth pony who had been a bulwark in the safety of our people and the hearts who surrounded him. Here we guide Withers' to his final resting place. Today we have three of the most well renowned rulers present to say a few words."

From the front row, Luna stood up first. Her face more invested than her sisters as she cleared her throat.

"My sister felt I should speak for both of us today, as I was closest of us to him. I've lived for centuries and seen many faces pass. None fascinated me more that Withers. Withers was a simple pony in his early life from what I know. He spent his days loving his craft tailoring before turning to a life of crime, though he kept the reasons why to himself. However. He wasn't a bad pony in the end. He chose to come here to protect your countess. He was a pony who lived his own way, watching the world pass by like a movie behind his glasses waiting for a reason to act. Which is shamefully why we're here." The princess frowned to herself before realising she was getting off topic, trying not to become overly emotional. "I made a promise to him, though now it's rather late."

Luna slipped a written paper from under her wing, placing it on top of the casket with Twilight's name seen signed on it. Luna placing a hoof on the coffin with a misty look.
"Thank you. I wish I could've given you this while you were among us."

She gently stepped back and returned to her seat, getting a pat on the back from Celestia as Scootaloo shakily stood, coming up next.

The little orange pegasus approached as the townsfolk raised their heads more attentively. Her voice shakily speaking a moment before becoming more firm.
"I wanted this many people because I wanted you all to know how important Withers was to me. I spent my life with many self doubts, always not thinking I had any agency in who I'd become. From my cutie mark to my place here, I arrived here with a bottle in my hooves and almost no self worth. In that dark place, Withers listened. He could see behind those glasses he loved the potential of everyone around him. He was a genius that way. He knew exactly what creatures needed to hear and didn't mince his words." Her breath hitched, centering herself to finish her speech.

"He was my best friend. This city glows again because he didn't just save me, he saved all of us. I ask everyone here to forget the name Caballeron, and instead know that this stallion came into our lives and changed it for the better. That he built us back up and made us shine, just as he did as a tailor. Despite having the name Withers, his actions proved that only when death earned him that name could become true. Please remember him, and know he saved this nation. Not Caballeron, not me. Withers."

The crowd listened silently, some tearing at her heartfelt words as the princesses and Fluttershy looked proudly, understandingly at the stoic filly honoring her friend.

She nodded to the priest as she returned to her seat.

"Survived by no known family, we honor Withers today and rest you back to the earths warm hearth. We leave you with our Countess's wonderful words, Withers. Thank you." His talon flourished as a nearby apprentice respectfully lowered the casket with a pully into the ground.

Scootaloo sank next to Fluttershy as her fresh tears flowed, looking on as her little voice jested softly in her ear. "I think Luna had a bit of a crush on him." She tearfully giggled, getting one in return as Fluttershy's hoof covered her smirk despite crying. "Thank you for coming."

"Of course."

More days passed as the sun rose high over Ponyville. The train station resident to many familiar ponies. Rarity, Applejack, Sweetie Belle and Applebloom all stood as the latter two shifted and looked around. They had grown as well, Sweetie Belle's mane longer and body lithe and taller. Applebloom hadn't changed much besides height, though her mane had grown a bit and lost her red bow, replaced by a thin red neck scarf.

"We've been here for like fifteen minutes! Can't you please just tell us who we're waiting for?" Sweetie squeaked, still vocally adorable despite her matured tone.

Applebloom's was nearly as low as AJ's as she agreed. "Granny's gonna be ticked if she knows we're not bucking the southern orchard with Big Mac, sis."

"Don't you worry nothin' about that. Big Mac is covering for today." The response getting a surprised ear twitch since he had got married and usually is more reserved about covering these days.

"Ah guess..."

The sound of the train horn echoed in the distance as the two older mares watched nervously and excitedly all at once. Applejack especially since she was requested not to talk about who was coming. "Here she comes."

The train drifted to a stop as steam exhumed from the chimney ahead. A cart stopping perfectly in front of them as a silohuette emerged from the steaming mist along the train.

A familiar mare, leaning on a walking assister tied to her arm all bandaged up from head to hoof as her rainbow mane poked from the mist, coughing lightly as Rarity joined to assist her towards the two fillies, Applebloom's ear twitching in a bit of surprise. "What the hay, Rainbow? How big of a spill did you take this... Time..."

The lighter clops of a smaller mare stepped down from the steps onto the wooden platform. A tired eyed pegasus stepped out with the back of her longer mane tied into a ponytail. The tomboy looking to the two frozen fillies who were watching what they thought was a ghost stepping out.

"Heya, girls."

Sweetie and Applebloom stared as the other three mares moved back, assisting Rainbow to a nearby bench to talk while letting the others have their moment.

"S-Scootaloo...?" Sweetie's chest thumped, her face blank as she walked forward andreached to touch the pegasi's mane. The latter giving a squinted smile at her taller friend to her own quiet disbelief.

"You got taller."

The two Ponyville fillies leapt to hug her tightly as as they collapsed into a bursting fit of tears. Scootaloo's face more calm as she quietly embraced them both with each arm, feeling her own eyes mist as she quickly inhaled. She was prepared for tears, but rhe smell of home from it's apple hinted greenery brought a wave of overwhelming nostalgic sorrow as she buried her face in the shoulders of her friends.

"Where were you you dummy!? We thought you were dead!" Applebloom sobbed, cupping her face in disbelief. Her friends face aged almost ten years compared to theirs with lines she'd only seen on mothers.

The two glanced as they sat downward to see her bloated belly. Sweetie hesitating to touch until Scootaloo rested thier hooves to feel, getting a kick each as the blinked stunned.

"The doctor says it's a boy and girl. I had a strange few years." Scootaloo said plainly, looking over the two while they gushed while wiping their faces.

"Oh my gosh, twins? Who-who's the papa?"

Scootaloo quickly suppressed a couple memories before warmly she responded. "I'll tell you another time. He's not around anymore so I thought... Well that could be for another time too." She would love to raise them with her friends, but they were still strangers after so long in a way. It's was a bit alienating, and she'd rather not drag them to the Snowrock Isles.

"Are you thinking of names yet?" Applebloom asked, tilting her head to rest it on her belly to listen in.

"I decided on two already. Shutter Haze and Avellana." Her eyes went to a faraway place in thought, reminded of the second reason she had come here.

"Shutter? That's your dad's name."

"Yeah. I thought it might soften the blow since they don't know yet." She nervously giggled, itching the back of her neck as she smiled.

"I want to catch up about everything, but I have to see my parents with Rainbow Dash. They're at my aunts house waiting." She stood up with the other two who gazed with fresh smiles as the nuzzled into each other. "We'll catch up over at the cafe if it's still open tomorrow. I'm sure everyone will want to see me eventually."

The two nodded, sad it was such a quick reunion but overwhelmed that they got to see their friend alive.

"You know we spent three weeks digging through that rubble for you. You're paying for that!" Applebloom nudged her shoulder, getting a sheepish chuckle awkwardly from the little mare.

"I know, I know. It's all on me."

"By they way... Your cutie mark." Sweetie Belle tilted over to look at her flank, followed by Applebloom.

"A ruby encrested sword?"The two paised as Scootaloo's eyes darted between them with a small smirk before bursting out.

"ISN'T THAT SO FUCKING COOL!?"

"Language, darling!" Rarity shouted, being smothered by the fangirling of the other two fillies who celebrated, adoring her sheening silver sword and cool gem.

"No fair! I only got a boring apple in a cauldren from potion making with Zecora!"

"Well I only got a bell with songnotes! You know how many songnote curiemarks there are!? Like a billion!" Sweetie Belle retorted. The unircorn and earth pony filly pausing as Scootaloo began laughing out loud, trying to contain herself. They hadn't changed much at all.

"I'm happy to see you two. I have to go for now. Should we make it nine for brunch tomorrow?"

"You betcha!"

The pegasus waved while she met with Rainbow. The others went back to see thier younger siblings now able to talk openly now that it was known she was alive.

"You didn't tell them about being a countess? I was sure you'd be rubbing their noses in that." Rainbow inquired, slowly walking along with Scootaloo as they made their way to her aunts house.

"Oh I'm totally gonna."

The cheery aura of the two became quieter the closer they came to the aunts cottage. Their smiling demeanors becoming more thoughtful and regretful as they approached the simple birchwood door past the pickett fence. The two stopping in front as Scootaloo's chest thumped with a shuddery breath.

"Remember. You didn't do anything wrong and they'll know that. I'm the one who messed up." Rainbow also spoke shakily, more nervous than the timid filly next to her. Steeling herself she opened the door for the filly.

Inside she was met with the widening eyes of two older mares, as well as her mother and father. Scootaloo stepped in with a small smile, her legs becoming still from the shaking. "Hey mom. Hey dad." Rainbow closed the door behind them as Scootaloo's face folded, smiling harder as her gaze became a torrent of waterfalls.

"I had a really bad day."