More Than Happy

Editor's Note: Greetings! This is a short trilogy/quadrology of stories which were my way of giving a fitting end to a roleplay saga a friend and I created over the course of Summer 2012-Winter 2014. These finales center around Katline Storm and Luna, and deal with the end to their universe as they know it. When I rebooted that universe in 2018, it gave me the chance to be creative again- and I wanted to make sure two of the most prominent characters received a fitting end to their stories. It's the least I could do. The order they should be read is: Echo, Queen, Happy, and Hope.

Editor's Note II: You may notice many references to My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. That's intentional, as the show was at its peak when we started our roleplay adventures and was primarily set in an alternate universe version of that world which, in all our twelve-year old bravado, combined both the canon and the R63 (Gender-swapped) versions of the show, heavily altered histories for Equestria (Tbf, there wasn't really any history to go on at that time, Season 2 had just entered its final episodes), Fallout: Equestria and many original characters.

Editor's Note III: For reference, Katline Storm was a pegasus enjoying adventures alongside the Mane Six (The gender-swapped versions, anyways), and she fell in love with a member of the team that was brought in to save Equestria from being overrun by shadow demons. That member also happened to be Death himself. When the team moved on from Equestria and into a new dimension, Katline chose to leave to be with him and became Queen of the Underworld. Princess Luna fell in love with the leader of the Shadow Demons, simply named King, and turned him good. Long after her death, King revived her and they helped lead a post-fallout Equestria into a new age. Yes, I know, twelve year olds are weird, alright?

Editor's Note IV: Colt Thunder is the gender-swapped version of Katline. His original name has been changed to protect the innocent and my ego.

It had been several years since she'd seen it, the destruction of her own universe.

At the time, it had pierced her like a spear through her heart, and she'd cried out so loudly that it had been felt in all corners of the multi-verse.

It had been several years since the moment the multi-verse had played its cruel joke.

At the time, she'd been filled with anger, rage, sorrow, and grief, and she'd wished to crush the new universe that had been reborn in its' place.

It had been several years since that day, and she'd since come to peace with it.

At the time, she wouldn't've dreamed of redacting the wish she made that day, but things were different now, and she was going to see what it had to offer.

Taking a breath, Katline Storm, Queen of the Underworld and wife of Death himself, stepped through the portal and into the world.

Immediately, she was off balance, and fell forward onto her front hooves.

For a moment, she was taken aback, then she chuckled to herself and looked back, stretching out her wings. She twitched her fluffy ears and scraped at the ground. She'd forgotten what it was like to be a pony. Her first steps forward were shaky, but her brain had apparently retained the basic info of walking like this even after all those lifetimes.

She lifted her head to the sky and smiled, taking in a deep breath.

This place even smelled like home, nothing like she'd imagined it smelling.

Kate turned her attention back to the road ahead, and stopped dead in her tracks.

There, before her, was her hometown. Even in her dreams, it never seemed as real as it did in this moment. It looked exactly the way it did when she'd left it, aside from the massive crystal castle peaking out from behind it all. However, for now, it faded into obscurity as she was overwhelmed with emotions. Everything came flooding back to her.

Her memories.

Her friends.

Her pain.

Her joy.

Her life.

Her farewell.

Katline Storm re-experienced it all in a matter of seconds. Standing at the edge of her hometown, dumbfounded and awestruck, reliving a life that hadn't existed for years.

A voice sounded from behind her, and she was temporarily pulled from her dreams.

"Pardon me, y'all, wide load comin' through." The voice said, with a distinctive country twang.

Kate stepped aside to let them pass, before she suddenly felt her jaw drop as she watched the orange-cream pony, with her straw coloured hair tied up in a low ponytail and tucked partially under a cowboy hat, pass by with a cart full of apples in tow.

"Applejack?" Kate said before she could stop herself.

The pony stopped and turned back to Kate with a smile, stopping her from kicking her own face in.

"Eeyup, what can I do for you?"

Kate scrambled for an answer.

"How's the harvest going?"

"It's goin' mighty fine, thanks for asking. I'm just about to go set up shop in the market, but," She grabbed a shiny, dark red apple from her cart and tossed it to Kate, "Why don't you have a free sample of how well we're doing."

Kate's right wing instinctively reached out and caught the apple before she could fumble to grab it with her now non-existent hands.

"See ya around, partner!" Applejack said with a wave and another smile as she continued on into town.

Kate waved back as she placed the apple inside her jacket pocket.

Jacket pocket? Kate thought as she looked down at her chest.

Indeed, to her surprise, she was wearing her old black flight jacket. She hadn't worn it in decades, and when she'd stepped through the portal she'd been wearing her white and gold dress, which only served to mystify her further.

Shrugging it aside, Kate took another deep breath and slowly, ever so hesitantly, made her way into Ponyville. The home she'd left centuries ago, and had always promised to return to. It may have been one universe late but she was making good on her promise nonetheless.

The sights and sounds that cascaded into her ears from every direction gave her the sensation of stepping into her wildest dreams and her darkest nightmares. She'd been thinking of this day for a long time, and she'd been dreading for just as long. Her heart felt as though it would pound right out of her chest, but only if her stomach didn't break from tying itself in one last knot.

Hooves clipped and clopped all around her. Laughter and joy sounded from every corner. Conversations among friends and bartering among sellers and buyers never ended. The scent of fresh flowers and nostalgic hayburgers wafted across her path. The sight of dozens of colourful ponies of all kinds dashed, flew, and trotted along about their business.

If I could die again, this is where I'd like to go, Kate thought.

No matter how long she lived in the Underworld and no matter how much she loved her husband, this place would always be her home. It was everything she'd known for almost twenty years before Shard and his team came along. Nothing could ever change that.

"Nice style, I'm digging it!" The unmistakable voice shouted from overhead.

Kate whipped around and whirled her attention upwards.

There, hovering above her, was one of a dozen faces she'd never imagined she'd see again.

His jet-black mane was sleeked back, his cyan-blue coat shimmered in the sunlight, and his trademark brown flight jacket matched perfectly with a flash of one of his trademark smirks.

"Colt…" She said in disbelief.

Something was different about him. She couldn't tell what it was, maybe just the instinctual connection male and female duplicates had, maybe it was just her imagination, but he was different from the one she knew.

He fluttered down to her and, with a sense of pride and honour she'd never picked up from Colt she used to know, introduced himself.

"Colt Storm Thunder, at your service. Haven't seen you around here before."

Storm?

"Yes ma'am, just like the weather." He replied to what Kate mistakenly assumed she had only thought.

Do I look old enough to be called ma'am? Dear Lord, I hope not.

"My…" She began, pausing to wonder what the implications could be of revealing her identity to this new-universe version of her former counterpart.

Would it trigger something in his brain? Could it have dire ramifications? Why didn't she consult Shard before she did this?

"… Name is Katline Storm." She finished after deciding to hell with the consequences.

They shook hooves and he nodded in acknowledgement.

"Nice to meet you, Katline. This your first time in Ponyville?" He asked, not missing a beat.

"Oh, no, I've been here before, just passing back through." She replied.

"That's cool, I'm not from here, personally, but," He paused, seemingly for dramatic effect as he struck a pose, fluttering out his wings and lifting his chin to the sky, "I guess you already knew that, depending on how long you've been living under a rock."

She chuckled, thinking about how some things never change, when she noticed his Cutie Mark- the symbol that defined a pony's talent -was different from the one she used to know. Admittedly, her memory had grown fuzzy in that area, but she knew that it didn't contain playing cards, pencil, or sewing needle sticking out of a cloud.

"Your Cutie Mark is rather interesting," She said, attempting to hide whatever shock or overt confusion may unconsciously slip through, "What does it mean?"

He stopped posing and glanced back to admire it.

"Y'know, for the longest time I had no idea, but awhile ago I came to the conclusion that it meant that I was destined to be a 'Colt-Of-All-Trades', so to speak," He returned his attention to her, "Which, I mean, I really did grow into. I've been from one end of Equestria to the other, and I've done practically everything I've ever wanted to do."

"Really?" She said, feigning surprise, "So guitar playing, odd-jobs, right?"

Colt chuckled, "No, no, though I'd thank anypony who told you that. I apprenticed under a few seamstresses, worked in a few journals, studied some psychology, that sort of stuff. Since I ended up back in Ponyville, though, I've been able to add saving the world to that resume."

Different Cutie Mark, different history, what's next? No kids either?

"Sounds like you've lived quite an interesting life, Mr. Thunder." Kate replied, thankful that the centuries of experience in dealing with the bureaucratic insanity that came with being Queen of the Underworld had prepared her with enough neutral responses to thread through any conversation.

"Well, I try to stay modest. I may be cocky, but I don't really like to boast." He responded.

However, if she kept trying to hold him to the expectations and memories she had of his former incarnation, she'd be running out of those neutral responses soon enough.

He's so different from the person I used to know. It's almost like he's got more of me in him than…

Kate paused and felt her eyes begin to dilate.

Than his old self…

The bell began to ring from the tower, and Colt glanced up at the time as Kate continued to stand and stare at him in what he'd begun to feel was an incredibly awkward silence.

"Would you look at the time? I really should get going," He extended his wings, preparing to leap into the sky again, "It was really nice meeting you though, Katline, I hope to see you around."

The thoughts of what the consequences of her actions could be raced across her mind again. The thoughts of what regrets she'd have if she didn't say something now, simultaneously, crossed her mind as well. The thoughts of how stupid she must've seemed, standing there, silent and wide-eyed, also floated by.

"Wait," Kate started, holding up a hoof, "Do you have an extra moment?"

Looking relieved that she apparently hadn't gone into a catatonic state, Colt folded his wings back up to his sides and nodded.

Should I tell him?

What would he say?

Would it affect how he lives?

What would he do?

Should I do it?

She paused for only a brief moment, swallowing her feelings and instead putting her hoof on his shoulder. She bit back her tears and instead just smiled at him.

"I'm very glad to have met you, Colt Thunder. I see a lot of myself in you, and that makes me happier than you could possibly know."

He appeared confused by her choice of words, but he smiled nonetheless.

"I'm pleased to have met you too, Katline Storm. I've got to admit, part of me feels like I already know you so well, and I hope I run into you again."

Whether on pure selfishness or something else, she never knew, but she pulled him close in a brief hug. To her surprise, he returned it and gave her a few pats on the back.

"Feel free to drop by Rarity's Carousel Boutique, I'm there almost every day," He said when they parted, "We're not too busy for the next couple months, any surprise clientele notwithstanding," He followed up, giving her a wink.

"I'll do my best to make it, my work keeps me pretty busy."

"Really, what do you do?"

She could only shake her head with a smile, "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

As he began to hover upwards, he nodded, "That's fair. Have a good day, Katline."

With that, he dashed up and away into the clear blue skies.

When she was sure he was gone, she wiped a tear from her eye.

"It can't get any better than it already has." Kate said to herself.

Standing there, amongst an ever-growing crowd of ponies flocking to and from the market, Kate felt in her heart a truth she'd already come to suspect.

Katline Storm was no longer the last echo of a dead universe, because she still lived on in this one. She lived on in the better part of a person she'd once known, who now carried on her legacy without even knowing it. Through the death of the old, came the life of the new.

Katline Storm was no longer the last echo.

Katline Storm was now the joy, sadness, mind, and soul of a luminous being.

After dealing in death for so long, she was more than happy for this.