Blueberry POV

I hit the ground hard, landing on my back. The impact knocked the air out of my lungs. I took a deep breath only to lose all my efforts again as a heavy load landed on my belly.

“Where are we?”, asked the load laying on me.

Even if I had known the answer, I would not have been able to answer, due to trying to breathe again.

“Oh?! I am sorry, Blueberry”, Zitrus said as he got off me.

Savage had teleported us away for a great distance, which led to a bit of inaccuracy. I, Zitrus and Crystal had gotten a bit of a rough landing.

Zitrus swiftly helped me to stand up. Half dizzy, I took a look at my surroundings.

We were no longer in Alicornia. Instead, we were on the hill where we had once spied on the village before we had entered it. The houses and the palace could be seen from up here. The palace which Savage was now in…

"We have to go back!”, Crystal yelled who also had landed not far away from us.

“And to what point? Savage would just kick us out again”, Zitrus said with a hint of sadness.

“But we cannot just let her back? She is part of our wing! She is still our Savage who we love!”

I myself was not so sure about that. OUR Savage would not have just kicked us out. That was not the Savage I knew and loved. I was very hurt in that moment. How she could just throw us away like we meant nothing to her…

“I know! But what should we do?! I know we cannot leave without her! But I do not know how we can get her! I… I do not know who Savage is…”, Zitrus said, getting quieter the more he spoke.

“Savage is our alicorn we love!”, Crystal yelled. “She is the one who cares for us! She… she…”

And then she began to cry. She fell to the ground and covered her face with a hoof. But I could still see the endless stream of tears going down.

Zitrus was quickly by her side and took her into his front legs. Holding her close and stroking her head. But there were also tears in his eyes…

The first time I ever saw Zitrus cry. And it was a sight I never forgot. That tall stallion… these small tears…

“Now now, Crystal. You still have us”, Zitrus tried to comfort my green sister a bit.

“I know… but… but Savage… She was… part of us… She is… just as… just as important… She is… our love…”, Crystal was able to press out between many tears and sobs.

I wanted to say something. Comfort Zitrus and Crystal. But I could not. So much hate filled me at that moment. How could Savage do this? How could she hurt them so much?!

It was late in the night. My eyes drifted over the dark village of Alicornia.

I was not able to sleep. My mind was way too stressed with infinite thoughts, but nothing was able to fit itself together. But I did not mind that much. As long as Zitrus and Crystal were able to sleep during the night.

Crystal cried nearly the whole day until exhaustion took her. Zitrus and I had not dared to leave her side and had stayed close to her. Even now, zitrus hadn't left her side. He was also asleep while cuddling the still taken green alicorn. He had not even built up the tent and the two were spending the night in open sky.

We were not able to leave the place. Not without Savage. We could not just leave her behind. Still too deep were our feelings for her. But what should we have done? We knew that Savage did not want to see us. She would have just teleported us away again. We knew that because we knew the old Savage. The fanatic Savage. It was hard to argue with her since she maintained her point of view no matter what. It took a long time to change her into the Savage we loved. And so little time to turn her back…

My eyes fell on the palace in particular. So close and still so far…

Suddenly, a flash of light appeared right in front of me which made me jump backwards.

“Ow, my head. Such long teleportation spells hurt … Blueberry! Thank the Goddess you are still here.”

Savage!

“Savage?! What are you doing here?”, I asked her.

For a short moment I was happy to see her. But right after I picked up my guard again and spread my wings dangerously. She had hurt Zitrus! She had hurt Crystal!

“What do you want?”, I hissed and glared daggers at her.

My purple “sister” lowered her head in shame. She was not able to look at me directly.

“Blueberry, I am sorry. I know I… I did very wrong, and I apologise for everything. Please. Are Zitrus and Crystal here as well”, Savage begged.

But that left me cold.

“Oh no! If you think you can come back now and the two would jump at you and forgive you then-“

“SAVAGE!”

Suddenly a green missile rushed past me and jumped at Savage, nearly taking her from her hooves. I gave a disappointed sigh.

I should not be surprised, I thought, fully aware that Crystal could read my mind. But she was way too busy hugging Savage to care about anything else.

“Savage? You came back to us?”, Zitrus asked.

He looked a bit tired from being ripped out of sleep but neither less he had a smile on his face. But unlike Crystal he still kept a safe distance from the purple alicorn.

“Yes, I am here and yes, I want to come back… please”, Savage said with a heavy voice.

At least she felt guilty. That is something at least.

“Why?”, was all Zitrus asked for now.

“Because I missed you! All three of you”, Savage said with a sad mood. “I never wanted to send you away. I wanted you three to rule by my side. But in the moment, you said you wanted to leave, and you didn’t see me as a possible ruler… I felt backstabbed about my happiness and the chance to become a princess. So, I teleported you away.

Afterwards, I continued to hold court and give advice on how to improve Alicornia as the future capital. I even planned to write a law book. But the more the day went on, the lonelier I felt. When I went to our large bed tonight, I could not sleep. I missed you… The staff had even changed the touvet. It no longer had your scent… I realised that I had no pony now…”

“You hurt us three a lot!”, I hissed, still feeling a bit bitter.

“Yes, I know. And I am really sorry for that. Believe me! I thought Alicornia was the place for me, where I belonged. But it was not. You, my wing, are the place where I belong. No matter what I would have been able to become”, Savage explained and hung her head low.

There was a long moment of silence between us. I could see that Zitrus was still unsure.

“I am happy you are back, Savage, I really am. But I wonder what you really want. Do you want to be with us, or do you want to be a princess? Because we three cannot give you such. We can give you love, for being the Savage we know. But I think we all three agree when we say, we still do not see you as a possible ruler”, Zitrus said sharp and direct.

Even Crystal let go of Savage and came to our side. Together we looked at Savage, a small space in between us. She had to decide now. Between power or love.

“I am not a ruler. I have shown that to you and to myself. As much as I might would like it, I must admit that I am too easily corrupted by power. If I would rule the wasteland, I would only turn it more into waste than a land”, Savage said with a heavy disappointment towards herself.

“You asked me who I am. I am Savage. I am an alicorn who has made many mistakes in her life, but thanks to the ponies I love, I will never make them again. I promise you, that I will never try to reach for power again.”

And there was Crystal rushing again. Rushing at Savage and giving her a hug. Savage got a smile on her face, and she gently returned the gesture.

Me and Zitrus shared a look. He gave a satisfied nod and we two joined the group cuddle. And I had to admit, even with all my hate before, it felt good to be united again. Feeling the mental and physical presence of each other.

“Thank you…”, Savage whispered and wrapped her wings around us.

We could just stand there for hours, but it was still in middle of the night, and we all were tired.

“And what about Alicornia?”, Crystal asked.

“I told Stargazer that I am not the alicorn they search for. They need some pony who can lead them. Not a supposed princess like me. I am sure, sooner or later, Alicornia will find another alicorn who takes the role as a princess.”

What did I personally think will happen to Alicornia. Will it ever be a capital and alicorns rule over the wasteland? In this century, definitely not and even further in the in the future I would doubt it. BUT I was sure that Alicornia will find at least one new alicorn to worship. But that was not my concern. If they like to do it, then I did not see the problem. As long it was none of us.

“Whatever, let us all hit the hay for the night”, Zitrus said with a yawn.

“Could we please not build up the tents? I would like to spend the night with all of you instead of being in a two-pony tent”, Savage asked a bit unobtrusive.

“Of course, our princess”, Zitrus said with a smile

Author's Note

Not the best chapter I admit. For everyone who is now disappointed that this situation ended so quickly… well there are still chapters going on.
But beside of that, the group is united once again.

Feel free to leave any kind of comment.