Epilogue

“Wait!” called Twilight as she dashed across the square.

Rarity turned her head to see her approaching friend, but Spike could not, concentrating on carrying the luggage stacked in his arms.

“Ah! Twilight! I thought you might join us for our little walk,” Rarity said with a curt smile.

“‘Little Walk’?” Twilight raised her eyebrow as she trotted up to walk beside them. She sighed, dismissing it, and shook her head. “Rarity...” She paused, as if choosing the next words carefully. “This isn’t because of me, is it?”

Rarity gave a polite smile. “I was wondering when you’d ask me that. You were so silent at the going away party, I wasn’t certain you’d bring it up at all. Would you mind taking some bags from Spike here? I’m sure he could use the help and I think this is something he should hear as well.”

Twilight’s horn glowed, pulling three brightly colored bags from the top of the stack. Spike breathed a sigh of relief.

Rarity’s eyes were focused somewhere in the far distance. “I would be lying if I said the two of you had no part in this decision, but to say that I’m not happy that you have found love for eachother would be even more dishonest,” she said, turning and giving each of them a warm smile. “You must understand; in truth I have considered this decision for quite a long time. I had only stayed in the first place out of respect for your heart, Spike.”

The dragon looked sheepishly downward. “I just hate to be the reason to see you go...”

“You’re not, dear. You’re simply the final domino to fall.”

Spike’s seemed to lighten up a little but his frown was still apparent. “I thought you gave up on Canterlotian life?”

Rarity sighed, turning her eyes to the ground. “It’s true. Ponyville is my home, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. But my business lives in Canterlot. Every year I find myself shipping more and more dresses there. Business here is... good,” she said, her eyes scanning over the quaint homes with a cautious smile, “but once everypony here who has a dress wants one, the orders only trickle in until some new style sweeps through.”

“Up there,” she exclaimed, pointing her hoof to the mountainside metropolis on the horizon, “is where my work deserves to be. I should be making the styles happen. If I must tolerate the smug and selfish to follow my dreams, I will do so. Besides-- if there is one thing you girls have taught me over the years, it’s that you can’t ever assume who ponies are just by the way they dress or seem.”

“I... I think that’s very wise of you.” Twilight turned to her friend and placed a hoof on her shoulder as they stopped at the train station. As if on cue, a lonely train sputtered softly into the station.

Rarity gave a genuine smile. “That means a lot coming from you, Twilight.” The two friends smiled in harmony. “Though... if you wouldn’t mind... I would like to talk to Spike alone for a moment.”

Twilight blinked, and looked over to the dragon, who was staring back just as perplexed as she was. “Um... sure! No problem! I’ll just bring your bags inside, I guess.”

With a final smile to the both of them Twilight cast a magical aura over the bags and trotted up the steps of the station.

Rarity looked up to Spike. Once again he was avoiding her gaze. “Spike...”

“I’m sorry,” Spike said, crossing his arms, his face painted in a deep frown.

“You already said that, dear.”

“I... I did?”

Rarity gave only a discomforting smile in response.

Spike thought back to that night. Oh. Soon he shared her smile, but the guilt welling inside him forced more words forth. “I... I just can’t help but think of how horrible a friend I was to you. I... I lied, and I hurt you, and now you’re moving away because of me. Can... Will you ever be able to forgive me?”

Now it was Rarity’s turn to look away. For a long moment, the two stood, long shadows cast across the earth. Slowly, thoughtfully, Rarity took a single step forward, pushing herself onto her hind legs one final time. Her hooves wrapped around him, simple and tight and she rested her head against his neck.

As if he was waiting for a cue from the universe to reciprocate, Spike hesitated, before finally raising his arms and embracing his friend.

Rarity looked to the ground, smiling. Their shadows pushed into eachother, creating a single, indecipherable form. It was comforting, in a way. She pulled her head back and looked into Spike’s eyes, letting him share in her gaze as the seconds pushed tirelessly onward.

With only a small sigh where words might’ve been, she pulled back, dropped to her hooves, and walked silently into the train.

He watched as she approached Twilight. They shared some short last words and a final hug before Twilight walked down the stairs of the station, tear-filled eyes glistening in the low sunlight.

The train coughed and sputtered to life, wheels turning with a creak, and pushed off, rounding the corner just as the final sliver of the sun bathed the world in it’s last shimmers of light.

“Spike?” Twilight said, sniffling back her inevitable sadness. “What’s your dream?”

“My dream?”

“Rarity went to chase her dreams. What’s yours, Spike?” A tear trickled down her cheek.

Spike smiled, and kneeled down to eye level with the purple mare. “Do you want to hear a story?”

Twilight smiled sheepishly, nodding.

“Come on; climb on,” he said, pointing to his back. Her smile grew wider, but she humored him, trotting around and carefully draping her hooves over his shoulders.

He stood up with a soft grunt and pointed himself home, walking claw over claw, kicking up dust with every step. “Well,” he whispered softly, pointing his eyes up and smiling as the stars began to pierce the low-light vale of the evening sky.

“It all started a long time ago. I remember my shell suddenly being gone! Naturally, I opened my eyes, wondering what could have woken me up. Before me was a little, purple filly and, though I didn’t know it yet, someday she would grow into the most beautiful mare in all of Equestria...”

Author's Note

Perhaps the only words a writer will never learn to express are those lovely enough to tell his fans how much they mean to him.

Which is to say, I am at a loss for words.

Thank you for reading.