Lotus rarely visited Canterlot anymore—less often than in her first year in Equestria. She could only sit for so many interviews and appear in so many elaborate public ceremonies before they all turned exhausting. Besides, she had a family to think about. Nothing could beat the peaceful, rural quiet of Hono.

Until the village burned to ashes.

Even so, there was something particularly impressive about arriving in Canterlot by train. Almost an hour weaving slowly up switchbacks up the mountains, until rounding a bend that put the impressive capital into view. Compared to Earth metropolises, Canterlot was small. But what human city had ever been built with such beauty, such a perfect attention to architecture and grace?

They stayed on the train through the lower stops, where most of the city's service staff, military, and other average ponies lived. They had a more exclusive destination.

Up on the city's second circle, in the shadow of Celestia's impressive white marble castle—there they stopped, and made their slow way off the train beside a smattering of noble mares and stallions. Under the orange light of evening, the wide boulevards thronged with the city's elite, along with the other creatures here on diplomatic mission.

She mistook the griffon for one of those, until he landed in front of her.

Gutsy was a little bigger than when they arrived, a little taller and with feathers a little more vivid. His sharp coat made him easy to mistake for a diplomat. Either that, or birds just looked naturally more dignified than an average pony. It helped that he wasn't wearing a GoPro strapped to his forehead.

"Lotus Cinder," he said, extending a claw in a familiar shake. Lotus took it, then moved aside for Iron to do the same.

He gave the griffon a brief, military hug, ignoring the claw completely. "Still roosting in the capital, old bird."

"Uncle Gutsy!" Poppy squealed, hopping up and down in the street just beside him. She kept squealing until Gutsy noticed, and finally looked down. "Gutsy!"

"Hey, Poppy." He scooped her up with his wings into a brief hug. "Did you have a good trip?"

"Yeah! We got to watch through the big windows! Did you know there are lakes here! All that water in one place... as big as a whole village!"

"I heard." He patted her forehead with his wing, then looked up again. "No trouble getting out?"

Lotus laughed nervously, glancing once down the street. Nopony ran screaming at the sight of her, but that didn't mean they were welcome here. Ponies parted around them like rocks in a river, giving them several feet of clearance on either side. If she started talking about fire here, and they overheard—that might not be for the best.

"We got out," she said flatly. "Maybe we could tell the story at home? I know Nicole would want to hear. Besides, Poppy wants to see her cousin. Don't you, Poppy?"

Her tail flicked sharply back and forth, smacking up against Lotus's leg. "Yeah," she eventually admitted. "If he doesn’t make fun of me."

"Tell me if he does," Gutsy said, firmly. "He's been better about that lately."

Gutsy led them home, down one well-lit boulevard, past a huge park where the children of various diplomats were just now ending their play. At least up here, Poppy wouldn't be completely out of place. There were griffons here, yaks, strange tall horses, and weirder. Not a bad place to raise Poppy, except for the obvious. How long until she realized she wasn't an ordinary kirin?

It wasn't a mansion, exactly. More like—a castle in itself, with its own set of walls and a little tower. Whoever built it had obviously taken inspiration from the much larger edifice looming atop the hill. They used the same white stone, the same gold fixtures. It had no “yard” in the human or rural sense, there was no room for one in a city like Canterlot. Instead, its walls went almost to the street, with balconies and a narrow garden serving to imitate the castle above.

"We got the guest-wing ready," Gutsy said, when they reached the door. "You know how Nicole is—once she knew you were coming, she's talked about nothing else." He hesitated by the knob, leaning over to nudge Lotus's shoulder. "She's so happy to have a sister."

Once, comments like that could get Lotus agitated as easily as throwing ice in boiling oil. Now, though—she only stuck out her tongue. "You know who owns this castle, right?"

"The great nation of Equestria," Gutsy said, holding one claw briefly over his chest. He nodded towards the large flag on a pole in front of the neighboring property, showing Equestria's traditional blue and white. "You owed me a new place anyway, Lotus. Don't forget what happened to the last one."

He flung the door open—without a lock. The house might be bigger than anything Lotus ever lived in. The architect had more in mind than simple opulence—the inside used lots of mirrors and windows to expand what might've been an average entryway. Instead of elaborate sculptures or priceless trophies, the entrance displayed a strange mix of art and photographs, along with trinkets and souvenirs from the world they left behind.

A single large painting dominated the far wall—one that showed Gus together with Nicole, along with Lotus and Iron, and a pair of earth ponies. Equestria made it harder to tell Lotus's parents were older. This world gave them no wrinkles or gray hair—at least not yet.

"Your folks aren't here," Gutsy said, easing the heavy door shut behind them. "They've been looking at a small property in a village down the rail a few hours. Nicole was worried things would be too quiet if they bought it. Guess... that won't be a problem now." He eyed Poppy who had decided at that moment to levitate something down off a shelf using her magic—an old laptop.

Lotus caught her, easing the computer back into its place. "Poppy, what did we say about taking things that weren't yours?"

"Ask first?" the filly muttered, pawing at the ground. "Can I—"

Something small darted down the stairs, dark wings spread wide. He wasn't actually flying, though he kept them open wide enough that he did seem to fall more slowly than he should.

Lance landed on the ground a second later, then darted over to give Lotus a hug. "Aunt Lotus! Uncle Iron! We've been waiting for you!"

The little creature wasn't a griffon, exactly. His beak was smaller, his proportions a little closer to a pony. He still had feathers, still had the wings—but those claws weren't as long and scary. Ponies told them he was a hippogriff—the result of intermarriage between ponies and griffons.

"Hi Poppy," he said, a little more subdued. "You're tall."

"Hi." Poppy hugged him, though her eyes remained on Lotus every second. Ready to beg for rescue the moment she needed it. "I don't feel tall."

"You are," he said, a little louder. "You wanna see my toys? I got some new blocks to build with."

The filly wiggled out of her little saddlebags without a word—mostly empty anyway. She only wore them because she wanted to feel big and mature like her parents. "Sure!" They scampered back up the stairs together. Lance tried to fly all the way, his wings moving as though he were going to take off at any moment. His hooves remained firmly planted on the ground as he did it. But at the rate he was improving...

Another pony appeared from a doorway nearby.

By cosmic coincidence or intention from royal magic, Nicole shared a similar creamy colored coat to Lotus's. The unicorn’s mane was a softer purple, almost blue. Most importantly to Nicole, her back legs worked.

"Lotus," she met her in the hallway for a hug. Closer than they'd ever been before. "How bad was it?"

She held on for a few seconds longer, fighting back tears. She was not going to start crying about it again, she'd done enough of that during the trip. "Practically a civil war. It was already out of control when we ran. Whole village will be ash by the time tempers cool."

"Just the village?" Gutsy asked. "Civil wars usually kill people."

People. Wasn't often Lotus heard words like that anymore. But some relics of their home lingered, even after years had come and gone.

"Don't think so," Iron Feather said, resting his wing over Lotus's shoulder. "The kirin know how few of them there are. Still no sign of any other villages out there. I never saw a fight while we lived in Hono, just... a few heated arguments. Living in a flammable village is supposed to keep it under control. Everypony either stays calm, or..."

"Or this happens." Lotus finally broke away from her sister. "Sorry about the short notice. Did you find room for us?"

"Course we did." Nicole spun around, flicking her face with her tail as she did so. "Guest wing is all cleaned out. If you told me, I would've unpacked the nursery."

Lotus took one more look upstairs, then scampered after Nicole. An ordinary kirin would need constant supervision, with a large pitcher of water always nearby just in case. Poppy's condition had its upsides.

The whole house was more of the same—fine stone floors, broken with paintings of a far more simplistic style. Nicole was no master painter, but she might be if she kept practicing.

"Won't need it for a long time," Lotus said flatly. "Part of me hoped we wouldn't be in town that long. But the more I think about it, the more I realize... probably will be. Can't move back into a burned shell."

Something warm steamed in the kitchen. Not a roast—most of the meats Lotus were used to were hard to come by in Equestria. The smells were almost the same. Nicole had done with mushrooms and spices what most could only do with meat.

Either that, or her own tastes had changed so much during her time living here that Lotus could accept the differences without complaint.

Nicole nodded her agreement. She might not have Lotus's magical skill, but the unicorn had high magical dexterity—enough to levitate plates and bowls and trays around with ease. What they lost in hands, they made up for with magic. She could even set a table and talk at the same time, barely watching the table as she spoke.

"You shouldn't travel with a newborn, either. A train would be one thing, but... don't you have to hike to Hono? No way!"

"I wouldn't let her do that," Iron said, resting a protective wing over Lotus's shoulder. "She's not climbing back up that mountain until after. Even then... I'll make sure the village is there. If we ever want to move back." He glanced back the way they'd come, up the distant hallway. "It's been a few years. Canterlot wouldn't be so bad to live in if 'evil kirin' wasn't still fresh in everypony's minds."

Nicole lifted a tray out of the oven, then set it aside to give Gutsy a light peck on the cheek. There was a strategy there, given the size and sharpness of that beak. Interspecies relationships took compromises. "Could you bring Lance downstairs? And... Poppy too, I'm guessing? It's dinner time."

"Sure." He vanished back the way they'd come. He probably would've flown, but being a griffon already made him a little larger than the house was built for. Not even these expansive hallways had enough room for his impressive wingspan.

"You two should drop your things in the guest wing," Nicole went on. "I'll have this ready in a minute. Don't stress yourselves."

"I got it." Iron dropped down beside Lotus, unbuckling the strap with his mouth. Closer and more intimate than she would want most ponies to be. But for Iron Feather—she was fine. Even relaxed. "I know you've missed your sister, Lotus. I'll take it."

She nodded gratefully. Not just for the time with Nicole—but no matter how much she wanted to pretend it wasn't true, Lotus was getting weaker by the day. Hiking down the mountain then all the way across Canterlot took strength. Every little bit of rest helped. "Thanks."

She levitated the bag off her shoulders and onto his. The pony strained briefly under the weight, but managed. He already knew where to go.

Lotus settled onto her haunches across the counter. Near the table, but out of her sister's way. "You don't want more?"

Nicole made a face. "Gutsy is nervous about more. He still wants to live a few years on an airship. Doesn't want to have a big family on a mobile home."

Lotus giggled. "What do you think?"

"Spent my whole life in Livingston. You gave me my legs back—not sure he's got anything as compelling to offer. But... you know him. Gutsy's persuasive when he wants to be."

"Could still win him over. I mean... he's still living in Equestria. Not trying to prove magic to the world and make unilateral first contact with an alien race."

Nicole nodded, face smug. "Yes, well. I think I played a bigger role than you did. Hard to beat getting my body back."

Their dining room had cushions instead of chairs, except for a set of two raised benches for the littler ponies. Lotus took her seat next to the bench, where she would be close enough to help Poppy eat. If the filly felt like it today. "So play a role again! You know what Mom will say if I give her more grandkids than you do." She lowered her voice, pitching into an imitation of their mom. Given her transformation, Lotus could get much closer now than she used to. "My real daughter needs to pick up the pace!"

They both giggled, until Nicole shoved her shoulder away. "Yeah, yeah. Sounds like you just want someone to keep you company again. Big brother's too scared to be pregnant on her own?"

She shrugged. It wasn't true of course—though it would be nice to have some company. "I just thought you wanted three. They'll be happier if they're closer in age, I bet."

Gutsy and the two foals appeared in the doorway a few seconds later. The griffon had to hold them in his wings to keep them from scampering off. Despite Poppy's initial skepticism, she got along just fine with her cousin. Maybe even better than last time. They were both unusual, without any other children quite like them.

Iron returned not long after, no longer carrying any of their travel supplies.

That particular conversation lapsed. Dinner went through the usual motions—Gutsy and Nicole wanted to know everything about their escape from Hono. How had they managed, would the other kirin be looking for them?

Lotus answered all, though her explanations were far less interesting than her little sister was probably expecting. There would be no second Searing Gale from the village—kirin were still too terrified of ponies to want to leave their home.

"If it wasn't for Poppy, I think rebuilding would be fun," Lotus said, as they were finally finishing dessert. "Growth magic is extremely demanding. Just fast enough to help the tree get bigger, but not so fast that its trunk grows beyond what the roots can support, and it collapses. There aren't very many kirin who can do it."

"But you're one of them," Gutsy said, lowering another cookie onto Lance's plate. Only one—there was already half-melted chocolate chips smeared on his beak. "You don't have to say it, we already know."

She flushed, avoiding his eyes. "Like I said, it would be fun. But... not now. I think my friends will understand. Can't stick around when my family is flammable."

"We still are," Iron said, nuzzling her cheek. "Does it feel hotter in here?"

She pushed him away, sticking out her tongue. "Anyway. That's all the exciting stuff. Expecting things to calm down in Canterlot."

Iron laughed loudly and energetically. "Yeah, right. Calm in Canterlot."

"There's less fire," Nicole said. "And Mom and Dad will be thrilled you're back."

Lotus hadn't planned to spend her next few years back in Canterlot. A few years ago, she never could've imagined how her life would look. But if she could make a home in another universe, moving cities for a while was hardly a challenge.

If her family was beside her, she could make a home anywhere.

Author's Note

Some incredible art in this chapter to bring us to a close! The family photo was rutkotka, giving us a glimpse at what came after the story. We also had that adorable little hug, which Pridark created. Lastly, that perfect family meal together to sign us off by klara.

So we come to the end. Before I get into my typical end-of-story retrospective, I'd like to announce that Words of Power is getting a Hardcover Print! If you'd like to get in on that, you can check it out here: https://igg.me/at/words-of-power. Nothing on the internet is forever, but with a hardcover, at least this story and all its amazing illustrations can outlast the failure of my image host. Plus, I'd love to write a few more short stories following the ending, and that would help me make that happen. Acesential is doing the cover, so it should look great next to Fine Print.

It's always strange to come to the end of a long story like this. Words of Power has been a part of my life since January of 2023 when it appeared for the first time in my drafts. Back then, I knew so little about where the story was going to end up. Yeah, there were some impressions of a vengeful Kirin as the lead villain--that would lead to the protaganist's transformation, and resulting journey back into Equestria.

I've written so many TF/HiE stories at this point, literal millions of words worth. I don't want to do anything twice, or swim back through routes I have already explored. I focused on keeping the tension always rising, so the characters would never get too complacent or slow down. I knew from the beginning that I wanted to spend half the story in Equestria, which meant I couldn't get too comfortable on Earth. Then, of course, there was the romance, keeping Iron's relationship with Lotus feeling natural for what they'd both been through.

I'm proud of where the journey ended. Of course there's always more that could be said. I'm sure there will be some who would like to see stories of Gus's adventure, or maybe read some sweet slice of life piece with Lotus coming back to see Autumn Blaze back at Hono. Some of these stories may end up appearing in brief in the days to come, depending on how things go with my plans for this world. But in terms of sequels here on Fimfiction, I consider Lotus's story told. Endings are painful, but I hope this epilogue (and maybe what's to come) will give her and Iron and Gus some closure. Never know if we'll see them show up in the future...

This story would not be complete without the work of the fantastic artists whose talents have made it possible. I never, ever imagine that a story will get regular art--but this one did, and it elevated my work in some fantastic ways. Often times they got only vague descriptions, and transformed them into epic scenes that will remain in my wallpapers folder for the rest of time. So a huge thanks to every one of you.

Likewise, to Muziki, the sponsor of this story. His contribution made it financially possible for me to continue writing fanfiction long past when I thought i'd have thrown in the towel. He gave me incredible creative freedom, free to tell the story I imagined and fill it with the cast I thought would be the most dramatic and preserve its creative integrity.

Last but not least, my fantastic editors Two Bit and Sparktail, whose patience helped parse this story into something humans could actually read. You do not want to read my raw rough drafts, yet they did.

Finally, thanks to everyone who took the time to read and comment on this story as it progressed. Your excitement helped encourage me to keep going, when there were so many other things that could've distracted me.

Oh one final note. Got some fun fanart fromAmberPhoenix I wanted to share!
https://x.com/AmberPhoenix33/status/1826622249790808372
https://x.com/AmberPhoenix33/status/1829153772360372379

Love how cute they look!