Moondog

Epilogue: A New Path To The Future

~BlackRoseRaven

Nightmare Night came, and across Equestria, there was much debate on just whether or not ponies should celebrate this holiday, considering that Nightmare Moon had returned and was even said to be building a fortress in the Everfree Forest.

Canterlot was subdued, in spite of the festive decorations that festooned the castle. Princess Celestia herself had retired early for the evening to a room she kept clean and neat and orderly, gazing silently out a cracked window at the night sky as she thought about the nature of the world, the mistakes she had made, and most of all, the sister she hoped was safe and happy.

Ponyville, however, was loud and brazen, parties in full swing, ponies shouting into the darkness as they collected candy and danced in costumes. The Everfree Forest loomed closer than ever to them and was filled with more ghosts and bogeys than it had ever been, and yet somehow this had only become an even greater cause to celebrate and stand against the darkness.

Twilight Sparkle hummed as she finished putting the last touches on her own costume, Spike looking at her apprehensively over the banister of the stairs as she carefully stenciled the moon cutie mark onto her rump. “Y'know Twilight, you've had some dumb ideas before, but this is uh... this is really dumb.”

“It is not, Spike. Stop it.” Twilight said crossly as she tossed the stencil vaguely in his direction. “Now hold up the mirror, please.”

Spike sighed, then he held up the hand mirror Twilight had given him, and Twilight smiled as she studied herself, doing a quick little turnaround. “Perfect!”

“A lot of ponies are gonna be mad at you.”

“Then I'll tell them I'm honoring my lost friend Princess Luna and they can... stuff their heads in their bums.” Twilight retorted, and then she paused and touched her mouth, muttering even as she slipped Luna's old tiara and peytral on: “Huh. Maybe Shining was right and Scrivener is a bad influence on me.”

Spike smiled in amusement at this, and then he shrugged before he cleared his throat and added: “Speaking of Shining Armor and uh... Princess Celestia...”

Twilight sighed, then she nodded grudgingly as she looked at the little dragon, muttering: “I... tomorrow. I know I... I probably should have gone to Canterlot tonight. But... I...”

“I don't know. I think Celestia will be happy to know you decided to spend time with uh...”

Twilight smiled briefly, and then she asked: “Are you going to be okay here by yourself?”

“Hey, I'm happy to hang out here. None of the zombies are real.” Spike mock-shuddered, and Twilight laughed. “Nah, you enjoy the night. I'll pass out candy until I run out, then go to bed.”

“Don't stay up too late.” Twilight walked over and kissed Spike's forehead, and he huffed even as he smiled up at her. “Hey, you'll always be a baby dragon to me.”

Then she left. She wandered around Ponyville for a while, and contrary to Spike's prediction, a lot of ponies really liked her costume, or at least said they did. She spent time with her friends, popped in to a Pinkie Pie Nightmare Night party, and then she slipped quietly out and away before it got too overwhelming and wandered into the Everfree Forest.

She made her way down a path that was now familiar to her. It was a long walk, but a good way to clear her mind, and she had stopped feeling afraid of the forest and its inhabitants a long time ago. They all knew her now, and were kind to her. Even if it had taken some getting used to.

There was a big, solid bridge now, leading to what had formerly been the Castle of the Pony Sisters, and was now Nightmare Moon's fortress. Or was going to be Nightmare Moon's fortress. It was still under construction, although the interior had been cleaned and fixed up enough to make the occupants comfortable, and they could even have little get-togethers now and then.

Shadows slid by, and strange, green-eyes pony-shapes looked at her curiously from the forest, while red-eyed Nightmares smiled down at her. Phantasms flitted through the walls and bat-ponies filled the halls, and there were several skeletons that wandered by, their bones etched with runes.

But there were, in fact, no zombies.

Twilight laughed a little to herself, then smiled wider, stress and thoughts falling away as she entered a den room. Immediately, she was tackled by a sapphire mare, who stepped back after a moment and then laughed in delight at the sight of her.

Luna. No longer Princess Luna, but only Luna, the only thing she wore a simple necklace made out of green ivy with a single black pearl dangling from it, a rose blossom carved into its face. She looked strong and happy, and the fact she was so alive and joyful was part of why Twilight was willing to understand how Celestia could let ponies say all the nasty things they did about Luna, without ever knowing how much she was doing to protect them.

Her eyes shifted to the stallion who approached, and she shared just as fierce a hug with him. He had gotten stronger and more athletic, although he bore an awful burn across half his face: at least his eye had mostly healed.

“Twilight Sparkle, shall I fetch thee candy? Coffee? Some fine ale?” Luna asked cheerfully, waving her forelegs before she winked and slapped Scrivener on the rump, making him huff. “How about a stud for tonight? My handsome husband lives to serve a mare!”

Twilight Sparkle sighed as Scrivener rolled his eyes, before she said mildly: “I'll start with some water if you have any, it was a long walk here.”

“Aye, of course. Water is merely distilled coffee.” Luna clapped her front hooves together, then she turned and scurried out of the room.

Scrivener smiled as he gestured at Twilight to go sit down on one of the couches, and she was glad to do so. He sat down on her other side, and she didn't hesitate to drop her head on his shoulder, unable to stop herself from blurting out: “I wish you and Shining Armor would get along better.”

“He's never going to like us. We're corrupting you, after all.” Scrivener answered, before he asked: “How are you really doing, though?”

“I'm... okay.” Twilight said after a moment. “Some days I'm really mad still. At you guys, at Celestia and Shining, but... I understand more and more, too. I just wish... everyone could get along.”

“Sometimes you need a bad guy in order for everyone else to get along.” Scrivener said after a moment, giving a small smile and shrug, and Twilight grumbled at this. “We're pretty good at playing that role, too.”

“Aye, 'tis fun. 'Tis like a prank on all of Equestria.” Luna said as she returned with a carafe of coffee, a jug of water, and several cups. She set this down on the table, then sat on Twilight's other side, and the purple mare took her hoof and squeezed it as she sat between them. Comfortable. Like this was where she belonged, somehow, even though they... no, she wasn't ready for that kind of relationship.

At least not yet.

“Twilight Sparkle.” Luna said gently, and Twilight glanced at her with a small smile. “Scrivener Blooms and I made the choice ourselves. We are happy here. Celestia has paid the price of what was merely a mistake a hundred times over. If not for her, then for thyself, and the love thou had once shared with her... forgive her.”

“Or, you know, don't, and maybe one day you'll be as bitter as me.” Scrivener added, and Luna leaned over and bopped him with her horn, making him wince.

Twilight sighed, but then nodded after a moment before she said finally: “Right now, I just... I just want to be here for a little bit with you two.”

“Then be here, Twilight Sparkle.” Luna said gently. “And know that thou shall always have a place here with us. Exile is a state of mind; what we have is not exile. It is freedom.”

Freedom, Twilight thought, as she rested her head on Luna's shoulder, and took Scrivener's hoof as well as her closest friends pressed comfortingly in on either side of her.

Freedom.

That didn't sound so bad.