The flames burned high over Hono that night. Hono wasn't just a village built on discipline, friendship, and cooperation—it depended on those things to continue to exist. It took only one soul to lose control of their anger, just once. If the residents couldn't get things under control almost instantly, they probably never would.

That night, they didn't. Blue flames turned orange as the town's largest structures caught fire, and its ancient trees burned. Hono survived a war, survived the return of the dark ruler of all kirin, but it could not survive its own kind.

Not all were caught up in that flame, though. Some had spent years now mastering discipline as few kirin ever did. Lotus Cinder had no choice—the creatures in her life could burn. When her neighbors urged her to join the debate in the center of town and weigh in, when she heard raised voices and felt the heat on the wind, she knew it was time.

They already had saddlebags packed by the door—three sets, ready with food and blankets and survival gear for the hike down to Haybale. By the time the first building went up, they were already halfway to the gate.

Normally, it was her husband who protected Lotus. But tonight, she took the lead. Only she was completely fireproof.

"Where are we going?" Poppy asked, her little voice high and terrified. She kept stopping to look back, eyes lingering on the growing cloud of smoke. Already the temple was engulfed, and the market had thick black smoke rising from the largest pavilion. "Shouldn't we go look?"

"No." Iron lifted the filly up onto his back, nestling her securely near the saddlebags. "You and I would burn, sweetheart. It's too hot in there."

"They don't sound like they're burning," Poppy muttered, frustrated. "They sound... mad."

No matter how many times they explained to her, the filly never quite understood.She looked no different from the other young creatures of Hono, so why shouldn't she be able to do everything they could?

You're half the soul of an evil sorceress, and the Nirik half is gone forever was a bit too much for a kid. If Lotus got her way, it was more than Poppy would ever know.

"Very mad," Lotus agreed. "They've been arguing about this for a long time. Whether to have elections... guess somepony got so upset they stopped using their words."

Without waiting for Poppy, they could speed up. They stayed together, though they didn't have to. "If anything happens..." she began.

Iron kissed her head, just beside one ear. "I know. I'll fly us out. Doesn't look like it's spreading."

They made it most of the way to the gate without anyone noticing. But some creatures were just a little too observant for their own good—just a little too nosy.

If anything, Lotus felt relieved to see Autumn galloping after them. She was still a Kirin, though ash clung to her coat and an uncomfortable warmth surrounded her. "Lotus? You're really leaving now? You know more about Equestria than any kirin in Hono! You should be there!"

She pointed into the village with one hoof, tail swishing angrily back and forth behind her. "Look what's happening!"

Lotus urged Iron to speed up with a slight shove against his side. She slowed at the same moment, putting herself between Autumn Blaze and her family. "I already said my piece. I don't think anypony in there wants to listen."

Autumn sighed. "You don't care what happens? I know you wanted democracy. We could really use your help."

"I did," she admitted. "But I want my family to live more. Look around, Autumn. Can't you feel the heat?"

Her friend stopped on the trail. She lingered in the center for a few seconds, pawing at the ground. Then she seemed to deflate, her mane going limp. "Are you coming back?"

Lotus nodded. "How long until the dust settles? Until..." She flicked her tail back at the center of Hono, and the growing bonfire there. "Until it's safe?"

Autumn Blaze shrugged. "No idea. I don't know how far this goes." She broke into a trot, catching up with Lotus after a few steps. "You're really gonna take Poppy to live in Equestria? How will ponies treat you?"

She nodded. "Got family in Canterlot. Probably stay with my sister."

Autumn stopped her, then embraced her in a brief, warm hug. "Come back soon. Hono is so boring without your family around. If I go nuts and start talking to myself, I blame you."

Even with her life burning in front of her, Lotus found the energy to laugh. "Could just come too."

"No." Autumn released her, then took a step back. "I have to make sure this ends the right way. Our future is at stake. But so's yours, so get going! Before the flames get here!"

Lotus needed no further invitation. She broke into a gallop, and soon caught up with her husband. The formerly magical gate was little more than a gap in the fence now. No one guarded the entrance. Officially, Equestria didn't know Hono was here.

They passed through together. Poppy started to cry, her little voice shrill in Lotus's ears. "I wanna go home!" she repeated, whenever a coherent word made it out of her mouth.

Any other young kirin would be dangerous when they got that upset—there was a good reason kirin parents made cribs out of stone. But in Poppy's case, there was no danger. She had no more fire magic than the pegasus carrying her.

Grateful as she was that Poppy wasn't burning her husband to death, they still couldn't stop. Lotus lifted her from his back in her magic, holding the filly up against her chest. She licked her face a few times, humming a kirin lullaby she'd learned in Hono.

Focusing on Poppy helped in its own ways, besides. The more she worried about her daughter, the less her own anger could grow. No matter what Autumn said, Lotus had every reason to be upset. She'd built a life in Hono, and it was literally going up in smoke.

The child did stop her tears, eventually. She slept on Lotus's back, wrapped in one of the blankets packed in their saddlebags.

So maybe four legs had their advantages—she was built to carry passengers.

"I could fly down, get them to send a wagon," Iron whispered. Not that anyone from Hono would follow them—but he didn't want to wake Poppy. "You don't have to walk."

"I'm not that big. I can still walk fine."

"Only if you're sure." Iron eyed her belly. But his paranoia was wasted. Lotus wasn't even showing yet. Without magic, she wouldn't know, let alone him.

Lotus groaned. "Yes. But if you want to fly down and send a telegraph to Nicole, then come back—that would be great. Make sure the family's ready. Unless you want to stay with yours."

Iron shifted on his hooves, wings opening and closing. They walked in silence for almost a full minute before he spoke. "I don't think anypony would enjoy that. They'd never say no, just..." He took off, hovering in the air just beside her. "What do I tell her?"

"Clean out the guest-wing," she said. "Two days by train, you think?"

"About."

"Say when we'll be there. And see if Lance's preschool will accept a late enrollment for an emergency. She'll understand."

He floated close to her again, close enough for another kiss. This one was longer, a proper farewell. "You won't even get down there before dawn. It's a long trot."

"Find me as soon as you're done," she said, when they broke apart again. "Don't want Haybale getting all afraid of me. Need my chaperone." He vanished into the smoky sky. Within seconds, his pale outline was lost to the dark.

Lotus slowed her steps after that. Escape was still urgent—but the most flammable member of her little family was gone. Even if Hono blazed completely out of control, little Poppy would be okay with a little heat. She just had to keep the filly out of the fire itself, and she would be fine.

The mountain turned orange behind her, glowing over hills that Searing Gale had once scorched bare. New trees now grew here, though few stood taller than her shoulders. The wildflowers normally smelled so fresh. Tonight, the smoke dominated.

Lotus knew the route well, even in the dark. No kirin in Hono made so many trips between their village and Equestria. She still had to keep her senses sharp, alert for the landmarks that told her when to change direction. Some small part of her had other fears, compelling her to glance back at the trail. What if Rain Shine sent a search party after her? What if they didn't let her leave?

She heard no hooves galloping through the woods. Instead, she noticed the subtle change in breathing that told her Poppy wasn't asleep anymore. She pretended not to notice, keeping her focus on the trail. She had many miles yet to descend, one way or another.

"Where are we going?" Poppy asked, a few minutes later. She wiggled and squirmed on Lotus's back, but didn't try to climb down. For the best, considering how steep and unforgiving the trail could be in places. Lotus didn't trust the filly to navigate it in the dark.

"Canterlot," she said. "Eventually. Have to get to Haybale first. Then ride a train. You liked the train last time, didn't you?"

Poppy made an unhappy, noncommittal sound. "There were mean ponies on the train last time."

"There might be mean ponies on the train this time," she admitted. "But that's okay. Daddy will be there, he'll keep us safe just like last time."

Her daughter whined, a little louder this time. "Can't we just stay? No one is mean in Hono. Except Sizzle, she's a jerk."

"Sorry, sweetheart. Hono... needs some time. I told you this might happen, remember? Kirin villages have to be ready to burn down. Then they rebuild, and everything is okay. But we have to wait for that to happen."

"What about... everypony else?" Poppy asked. "Are they going to Canterlot too?"

She sighed. "No. We're very lucky that Mommy and Daddy both know nice ponies who can take care of us when something bad happens. Everypony else will stay behind in Hono. That means they'll be waiting for you when you're ready to come back!”

If Lotus thought her words would comfort the child, she was instantly disappointed. Poppy only whined louder. "It's not faaaaaair!"

"No, it's not," she agreed. "Maybe we can write them some nice letters when we get to Canterlot. And you can play with your cousin again!"

"I guess." The filly rolled from one side to the other, stretching until she was more comfortable. The extra weight wouldn't slow Lotus down. She was a horse, or something like one. Lotus could carry an extra pony. Even two, if it came down to it.

"He's okay. Always brags about his wings. Thinks he's soooo great, just because he has wings and I don't."

Lotus settled into the rhythm of walking after that. Let her daughter focus on a petty rivalry with her cousin—that way, she wouldn't linger on the awful reality of what was happening to them.

Poppy floated in and out of consciousness, occasionally asking her something, or suggesting some other way they could use to not leave Hono behind after all. It was good to have some company, even if Poppy wasn't as intellectually engaging as she'd once been. Nothing remained of that old knowledge, or any of the resentment that came with it. Poppy was a new Kirin.

Maybe a little remained. When morning came and they got into Haybale, she cowered under the blanket, pretending very hard that she wasn't there. When they stopped at a cafe for some badly-needed breakfast, Lotus had to pass a warm cookie to her under the blanket.

Poppy was afraid of ponies—at least the ones she didn't know. Given the way ponies sometimes treated them, she couldn't even blame her daughter. She could only hope the ponies of Canterlot would have a more cosmopolitan attitude about a mixed-race family than the rural creatures of Haybale.

It got easier for both of them as soon as they got aboard the train. Saving the whole country meant enough bits to get their own suite in a sleeper car. Only once all the ash was washed from their coats, only when she couldn't smell smoke anymore, could Lotus Cinder finally sleep.

She wasn't sure exactly how long she stayed that way... but it must've been quite a long time, because it was morning again when she finally stirred. She was alone in bed, though the scents of her husband and daughter both lingered. A note on the desk told her what she could already guess. Her husband would probably want to rest with her—but their daughter would never have the patience.

"In observation car. Should be in Canterlot before dinner."

Their private room had no lock, but that was fine. Equestria was a very different place from the world she'd grown up in. No one would try to go in without permission. She didn't need to lock her belongings, even with hundreds of bits tucked away in those saddlebags.

She lingered in the dining car long enough to fill her stomach and keep her growing passenger from becoming too agitated. She bought a few sugary snacks too, pretending not to notice the ponies whispering behind her back.

"Just like the little one up front."

"Look kinda alike."

"I think I saw her in the newspaper once."

"Hope she doesn't burn the train down."

"Better get some more water, just in case."

She took her snacks down the aisle, then passed through a few more cars of staring ponies before reaching the observation car near the front.

There the train had walls mostly of glass, or whatever magical crystal ponies used when they needed something both strong and transparent. Only a few supports broke the otherwise uninterrupted view around the train.

They rode along scenic Equestrian countryside, past little farmhouses and the occasional small town. Small even compared to Livingston. Equestria was a far more rural place. Lotus would probably fit right in at any number of those little towns, were it not for her obvious physical differences.

Her daughter wasn't spared the same treatment. No pony sat within three rows of Iron and Poppy, keeping as far away as they could. A few took one look at Lotus and hurried out the other way.

But Poppy didn't seem to notice. For the moment, her attention was glued to the window. She stood on the seat on her hind legs, resting her forelegs up against the glass to keep her balance.

She didn't react as Lotus made her way over, and took the seat beside Iron.

"We're really gonna go all the way up there?" Poppy asked, tapping the glass near the corner. Far ahead of the train Lotus could make out the gray suggestion of peaks, rising high above Equestria's interior valleys.

"All the way," Iron agreed. "There's a castle up on top. Once things are settled, we can even go inside. They do tours every weekend. If I tell my old boss we're coming, I bet I could get us into the special parts. Princess Luna has one of the biggest telescopes in Equestria up in her tower!"

"Really?" Poppy giggled energetically, and only then turned to look back. That was when she noticed Lotus, making her way into the empty seat. "Mom!" She dropped to the floor, rushing over to meet her. "I thought you were gonna sleep forever!"

"Not quite forever," she answered. "Guess maybe it felt like that. I remember what it's like to be small. Everything moves in slow motion." She held her close with her leg, until the filly started squirming again. When she broke away, she was already holding a bag of hoof snacks, levitating it by the packaging.

So maybe there were other aspects of the old sorceress that endured. Her aptitude for magic was already incredible for her age. Lotus would have to work hard if she wanted to keep up. "What did you see?"

"I'll show you!" Poppy tugged her over to the window seat, squeezing past Iron without any regard for the narrow opening. Lotus was small enough to fit, barely. "We saw rivers and corn and mountains and houses and ponies and..."

Lotus listened to her explanation, waiting for Poppy to eventually get bored and move on. She never did, though eventually she opened the hoof snacks, and had trouble talking with her mouth full.

"I'm sure my parents would let us stay with them," Iron said, into the brief lull in their conversation. "They're not heartless."

Lotus clicked her tongue once, eyes on Poppy. "After the way they treated our daughter..." She looked away. "My sister loves Poppy. And Gutsy—you can't tell me you don't miss him a little."

Iron rolled his eyes. "The griffon? When he's calm, he's fine. So long as you don't let him try to talk me into another one of his wild expeditions. I'm not leaving your side until..." He nudged her, then wrapped one wing protectively around her shoulder. "Then after, somepony has to keep an eye on Poppy. And if we're still in Canterlot in a few years, she might want to try for Celestia's school. She has the talent."

"Celestia?" Poppy looked back, curious. Not that she didn't listen—the child was always watching, Lotus knew that now. It was more that she didn't always care. "That's the princess of Equestria, right? Princess of the sun?"

"That's right," Iron said. "She runs a school for the most promising unicorns in Equestria. You aren't a unicorn, but you can use the same magic. I'm sure she would let you try for admission if you wanted."

"I want Mommy to teach me," Poppy muttered, turning back to stare out the window. "She's the best at magic ever! Nopony does better spells than her!"

Lotus patted Poppy gently with her hoof. She had no advanced spells for her, but she did brush the crumbs from her face with a little spell. "I'm not the best ever. Princess Celestia is an Alicorn. I'm just... motivated."

"Moti-vated," Poppy repeated, tilting her head to one side. "Can I be mot-ivated too?"

"You already are," Lotus said, settling up against Iron Feather in her seat. "When you grow up, I'm sure you'll be teaching ponies magic, instead of the other way around. I've already learned so much from you."

"No you haven't, Mommy. You teach me, remember?"

Lotus giggled, levitating Poppy up onto her back. "Of course. I must've forgot."

Author's Note

One more part of epilogue remains, then this story will come to a close. The first of these adorable pieces was Pridary, and the second was Rukotka. Just a few more cute pieces of art, and we're done. Hopefully you'll stick with us one last time!