Failure, Eternally Retold, Part Three: Morality

"Up we go," smiled Rainbow, pulling Spike up onto the back of the wagon. "It's a half-day wagon ride up to Fetlock Springs, then an overnight train to Ponyville."

"You made sure to pack everything up tight, right Twilight?" asked Spike. "We're not forgetting anything?"

Twilight looked over the wooden box she'd stored her belongings in. "I'm sure. I didn't bring much at the beginning of this journey, but I certainly have more now." She tapped the box, a bit smaller than a standard trunk, but bigger than her saddlebags. "We were surprisingly sufficient."

Rainbow tousled her mane as she climbed up into the wagon. "Our resident egghead learned something new. Did you have fun?"

"I was running for my life. What do you think?"

"Let's say you weren't in danger. Would you say you had fun then?"

Twilight chuckled and nodded. "Yeah. As far as roughing it out in the wild, this could have been a lot worse. And yeah, I learned some things along the way. So it definitely wasn't all bad."

"Then it's settled," smirked Rainbow. "You are coming with AJ and I on our next trip to Rainbow Falls."

Twilight nodded. "I'm good with that." She took a seat next to Spike and looked back to the steps as Fluttershy climbed in with another pony, the one that had been walking upright yesterday. "Did you rest well?"

Fluttershy nodded. "And I found out where Nik went."

"Really? Where is he?"

The new pony waved. "I'm here."

Twilight raised her eyebrow, confused. Then realization dawned on her. "Nik?"

He smiled and nodded.

"You certainly look different. What happened?"

"Your guess is as good as mine. Either way, I'm a pony now. It'll take some adjusting to, but I figure I'll just have to adapt. I think I might change my name, though. Nikolas doesn't sound like much of a pony name."

"We were thinking of some on the way here," nodded Fluttershy. "I have to wonder if Pinkie wouldn't prove invaluable here, though."

"She does have a knack for names," agreed Rainbow.

With a helping hoof from Fluttershy, Kai stepped onto the back of the wagon. He was all bandaged up and clear to go.

"Are you going back to your library?" asked Twilight, clearing a spot for him. "Doing damage control, making sure the other two are alright?"

"I received word from a friend last night," answered Kai. "Terra is alive, and is rebuilding one of the doors. The place is currently inaccessible, so I won't be much good out there, wherever he is. I may go back when the path is clear of rubble, but for now, I have a higher calling."

"Oh?"

Kai patted a small box. "I'm going to take all of my earthly possessions here, and move into Ponyville. As terrifying as it seems, It's time I settled down and started a family of my own. One that isn't so depressing."

"Do you have anypony in mind?" teased Rainbow. "Considering your interpersonal skills, I have some doubts as to how well you'll do finding a mare. I'll tell you what, I'll coach you through dating. First, yo--"

"That won't be necessary," interrupted Kai. "I have already found the mare for me." He wrapped his arm around Fluttershy's shoulders and pulled her in close. "A more beautiful sight, you could not ask for."

She blushed at his words and placed her wing over his back. "I think you're really handsome, too." She leaned up and kissed his cheek, bumping into him as the wagon began moving. "So now's as good a time as ever to say this: we're engaged."

Rainbow's jaw dropped. Twilight rolled her eyes, having expected this. Nik seemed disappointed.

"Congratulations!" beamed Spike, just happy to hear the news. "You have a ring, right?"

Fluttershy shook her head. "I didn't want the ring. I just wanted the stallion who offered it."

"What about the date? Did you pick a day for your wedding?"

Spike was very gung-ho about sorting out the details in broad strokes during the entire trip home, to the point where he shuffled along next to Kai and Fluttershy onto the train and sat with them until he fell asleep. When they woke the next morning at Ponyville Station, he handed over the details to Pinkie, who set aside some time after the Equestria-is-saved party she'd put together as soon as Applejack came back. Despite not being somepony who liked parties, preferring to spend his time in small groups, Kai found himself enjoying the festivities, mostly from the side. The bandages didn't really allow for deft movement, but with the return of Sweet Apple Acres being the highlight of the party, apple-themed desserts were rampant for his enjoyment.

A few days after his bandages came off, Kai and Fluttershy met with Rarity at the spa. Fluttershy needed to update Rarity on all that had happened, and was also due for some relaxation, the likes of which Kai had never experienced. Rarity was, of course, wanting to make Fluttershy's wedding dress, and insisted that they tell her the date ahead of time so she knew how to hide the fact that Fluttershy was already with child. This came as a bit of a shock, because neither of them had told her yet, but she somehow knew. Moments later, Rarity had secured her place as the child's godmother.

It took weeks for Nik to figure out his new legs, and even longer to figure out how to hold things. Then, of course, there were customs, calendars and cookery. Being a pony, he needed to learn an entirely new menu, where grains and grasses were more commonplace, and meat was no longer a factor. Despite that, he did gain a connection with the dog food manufacturers, and delivered to Spike the promised ruby roasted rack of ribs. They were delicious, or so he said.

It was two months after they came home that Kai and Fluttershy were married. They'd not been shy about sharing a bed, and Fluttershy was just beginning to show signs of her pregnancy. Her closest friends were let in on it, but her family was not, mostly to keep Zephyr from causing a scene, which he did anyway; catching the bouquet and presenting it to Rainbow, who promptly overturned it onto his mane. At the ceremony, Twilight, Rainbow and four moustached stallions that nopony seemed to know were the only guests on Kai's side, with everypony else on Fluttershy's side.

A few months after the wedding, Fluttershy gave birth to a lovely chestnut-maned unicorn with an acorn-coloured coat. Before this had happened, Kai remodeled the cottage a bit, adding a second bedroom just for the colt. They named him Venator, an ancient word meaning huntsman, or more accurately, trapper. This was in the hopes that he would not only be strong enough to handle whatever life threw at him, but also clever enough to evade trouble in the first place. Kai went home with his wife and child; he could finally honestly say that he loved his family dearly.