An Absolutely Standard Shipfic

An Absolutely Standard Shipfic

Epilogue

***

I was standing in the garden, enjoying the singing of the birds and eyeing the stone statues around me. I felt solemn in both meanings of the word; excited to be here, in Equestria, to see the Princess of the Sun herself, and sad, because I knew I couldn't stay for long. I can never stay too long in my imagination. I looked at the grass. It looked pale, almost transparent; this meant that right now my imagination was weakening. What I needed was action.

In a moment, a particular white alicorn teleported in front of me, in search for a certain spirit of chaos. She was looking for him because I wanted her to do so. And now she stopped and looked at me in surprise because I wanted her to do so. I smiled and waved my hand because I wanted myself to do so. And she came up to me because I wanted her to do so.

"Who are you?" she asked, eyeing me suspiciously. "We don't tolerate your kind around here." Her eyes were glaring daggers at me, and if those were real, I would have been seriously cut.

"I'm a writer," I said, waving my hand dismissively. "And I won't be here for long. I just wanted to see how my story would end." I took my pipe and began stuffing it with tobacco. I knew it would do no harm to nature, because I didn't want it to do so.  I also knew it would do harm to my lungs, because I wanted it to do so.

"Beg your pardon? Your story?" Celestia looked at me as if I were a madman. Well, maybe I really was one.

"My story." I nodded. "I came into play a couple of days ago, but now I'm leaving. I shall not trouble Equestria any more." The smoke began pouring out of my pipe, vanishing it in the air at my command because I wanted to see Celestia's face.

"Are you sure you don't need medical attention?" she enquired, taking a step back.

I shook my head and clapped my hands. This was a show-off; still, I have to prove my point somehow. The grass around us turned blue, then red, then green again, vanished completely and immediately returned to its place.

Celestia's mouth fell agape. Her eyes widened. I smiled assuringly.

"See?" I said, making the pipe vanish with a movement of my hand. "And now, I think, it's time for the tale to end. Do you have any questions?" I wondered casually.

"Is this all... all of us... your fantasy?" she asked in disbelief, horror evident in her voice.

"No." I chuckled sadly and shook my head. "Oh no." I looked up to the sky, where the Sun had risen and was enveloping Equestria in a blanket of warm light.

I thought about Rainbow and Twilight. I closed my eyes and saw them laughing together, hugging each other tightly, neveer to let go of each other.

I thought about Vinyl and Octavia. I saw them arguing over some trifle, like the colour of a scarf or something. I saw them end the argument with a kiss, their love conquering any differences between them.

I thought about Lyra and Bon-Bon. I saw them sitting on the sofa, in Lyra's peculiar manner, watching a show of My Little Human, chewing on hayfries and laughing light-heartedly.

And then I felt a tear crawl down my cheek, not because I wanted it to do so, but simply because emotions aren't within our control.

"Your world is a creation of a writer far more powerful than I'll ever be." I opened my eyes. My vision was slightly blurred, but I could see everything; because I wanted myself to see everything. "But it's not fantasy. Equestria has become so independent and discrete that it is a world on its own now." I smiled through tears, feeling that it was time for me to leave.

"Then this... madness is not of your device?" She was obviously referring to the events of a few last days.

"No, nor is it a result of any writer's actions." I looked away, towards behind one of the statues. "There is a magic far more powerful than any fantasy - love." I paused. "You just seem to have forgotten about it."

I waved my hand at the statue. From behind of it appeared a brown earth pony in a tie, an hourglass as his cutie mark.

"Tia," he said with a smile. "I'm back."

As she ran towards him, forgetting that she had wings, or magic, I turned round and walked towards the exit of the park. I made myself invisble, disintegrated, because I wanted myself to do so. I passed the streets of Canterlot and saw Lyra and Bon-Bon walking along the streets, chatting. I left Canterlot in a matter of a few seconds - I bent space so that it would serve me exactly how I wanted. I appeared in Manehattan and saw Octavia and Vinyl sit in a cafe, embracing each other, a grey scarf enveloping the DJ's neck. She had persuaded the cellist, after all. Then I teleported to Ponyville, and looked through the window of the Sugarcube Corner. I saw Rainbow and Twilight talking about something to Pinkie, whose eyes widened and who began jumping all about the place happily. A 'Coming Out' party was ready, I mused.

I entered the EverFree Forest, walking along the silent paths, boughs cradling me, the grass beneath my feet softening the movement. I saw a familiar blue box. I entered it. I closed my eyes and I saw the whole picture of Equestria before my eyes, feeling like a director at a film studio. I closed the door and pressed the button.

Cut.