When we began our trek I couldn’t help but notice just how cold it was, there wasn’t any snow yet but if we weren’t fast soon this entire area will be covered in it and we would perish. Jay and Laius were in the front constantly looking at a map and looking at what Jay told me as we started our walk, was a compass. Cassandra, the foals, and Milo were in the back with all of them walking silently with only the occasional comment from the foals about how there legs hurt or wanting to go to the bathroom. Our surroundings were a mix of old overgrown ruins, or tribal herds looking at us from afar curious about the strange looking fluffies, but not getting close to us in fear we would do something or hurt them (we wouldn’t have). As the walks continued the morning slowly turned to evening, I had no idea how much progress we had made but with the sun nearly setting Laius had decided we should camp for the night and start walking in the morning. Finding a nice comfy spot in the grass me and Monica sat together, honoring my deal with Laius Cassandra and the foals were allowed to eat my rations but it wasn’t so bad Monica kindly shared half of hers so I wouldn’t be complete starved during the trip. Sitting with her we watched the stars in the night sky and right before we went to bed I looked at her and spoke.
“What shouwd we do wiff Mastah How- Souw mean Miwo.”
Monica looked at me than at the sky as she spoke.
“We couwd pwobabwy make a case fo’ Cassandwa an’ dah foaws to get them out of sewious twoubwe wiff them bein’ non-combatants. Buh wiff him many in Motow wan’ to see him executed.”
I was thinking of an response, I had no idea what Monica ultimately wanted done to him. For a father to do something like that to their own daughter I couldn’t even begin to imagine, than she spoke.
"he nu can be awwowed back into Motow, he must be exiwed in secwet… Come.
Suddenly Monica got up and after thinking for a few seconds joined her. It made sense to do this in secret, there was to way Laius was going to allow a prisoner to be set free and if we did this quietly we could have just said he escaped. Looking around everyone was asleep with really the only one still being awake was the guard watching the prisoners. As we approached the area where prisoners were being kept, I started to think of ways to deal with this guard mostly revolving around getting their attention but once we saw the guard luck was in our favor. Sitting down near the prisoners laid Merlin, with a empty bottle of liquor around his hooves, and in a deep sleep. Sneaking around him we started to head to Milo (I am never getting used to that name!) and approaching him quietly we woke him.
“What am goin’ on!”
Milo looked at us startled as we both tell him to keep quiet, after that Monica looks at him and speaks.
“Wook Monica has made a decision, aftah aww ‘ou hab done to me to wet Monica die by dah hoobes of them, to wet ‘ou be executed in Motow wouwd make me a hypocwite. Go weabe whiwe it am stiww dawk go find a new pwace to wibe an’ be happy. Maybe amongst dah hewds, ow in Chicago Monica doesn’t cawe buh I nebah wan’ to see 'ou again.”
Milo started to get tears in his eyes as he sat up and for a second it looked like he was about to hug her but stopped himself and spoke.
"Fank ‘ou fo’ am mewcy, Miwo wiww fowwow am wishes… Goodbye daughtew.
And with that Milo turned around and gathered what little he had left, and without hesitation began walking into the night, only turning back to look at us once, than looking straight walked into the darkness. We never saw him again.
In the morning I heard some of the worst yelling in my life, as Laius screamed at Merlin for sleeping and allowing a high ranking prisoner to escape. For a few moments we looked around the area searching but we didn’t find him. If it hadn’t been for Merlin being my uncle he probably would have been made a prisoner, sent back to Motor, than jailed and executed. But since he was my uncle the only things Laius ultimately did was cut his rations in half, and forced him to be dry for the rest of the trip. (For Merlin that’s a fate worse than death) As we restarted our walk there was a slight increase in hope as we saw more and more ruins indicating we were near a high population area. The next day of our walk was uneventful with there not much going on, with the only one suffering being Merlin who dearly missed his sweet liquor. The day after that I could feel a quiet sense of desperation coming from everyone, supplies were starting to run thin and nobody had any idea how far we had walked. As the day continued Jay remarked to everyone that if they saw anything edible to grab it or add it to their pack. With the sun nearly setting I could feel myself starting to get nervous like how long could this go on, what if we walked a little to far to the right and completely missed Motor! Now with the sun starting to set it looked like it was going to be another night of sleeping on the grass but just than Driscoll (who was infront of us) spoke with an ecstatic sense of vigor.
“EBEWYONE DWISCOWW SEES SMOKE, AN’ WOTS OF WIGHTS!”
Running over to see what was happening Driscoll was right there was a fluffy settlement, it was only a few hundred feet away and I saw dozens of small wooden shakes, several large farming fields, and one giant long building in it’s center. We all started running towards it and as we approached, a small curious crowd emerged and in it’s center I guessed was the town’s mayor with him being a yellow unicorn with a green mane wearing fine clothing and jewelry. Once we got close enough for conversation, and just before the Mayor started speaking Laius interrupted him speaking first.
“Whewe am we!”
The Mayor had an annoyed face and just before he gave a response, a fluffy from the crowd spoke interrupting him again!
“Dis am HappyFawm, a city apawt of dah Kingdom of Motow.”
We were home
After around 30 minutes of Laius explaining our situation to the Mayor (I was correct!) we were now local celebrities, with more and more fluffies coming to see us and hear the story. The Mayor was king enough to lend us a few guest houses to stay in for the night, and ordered one of his men to go on racoonback and head to Stablelot to give them the good news. As we walked to our guest houses it had just clicked to me that this is where Velvet is from, I had to tell her when we got back! The guest house I was assigned to had me, Willy and Monica all together. Putting our things down I looked to see Willy feeling his tummy and looking at us spoke.
“Wiwwy hab tummy owwies goin’ to num, bye!”
And just like that he left I’m guessing to the nearest tavern to get a bite.
With him now gone I lay down on one of the bed’s and just as I started to close my eyes Monica begins to hug me and speaks.
“Wiwwy when he goes out to num am gone fo’ awmost an houw, we pwobabwy awen’t goin’ to hab that much awone time fo’ awhiwe.”
Opening my eyes Monica is looking right at me, Smiling with a wink.
In the morning we all leave the guest house with the others in the next one doing the same, one of those people with Laius who looks at me and Monica, and speaks.
“That sounded su nasty! Wet’s just get out of hewe…”
Heading into the town center several wagons had been prepared stocked with food and supplies, it wasn’t just for us though several HappyFarm officials and the Mayor would be joining us as we would all be traveling to Stablelot. As in only a few days, Velvet would be officially coronated as Queen of Motor. The wagon I was assigned to was the with Cassandra her own foals, and a half of the other Order foals as well. Once we were all settled the wagons began moving and we were off, the first for 2 hours things were pretty uneventful with me looking out of the wagon most of the time. As I looked I started to see more and more villages starting to pop up until finally over the horizon I saw the skyline of Motor proper (Motor proper being the main city of Detroit) When we entered passing a small border outpost, despite the cold weather we were greet by over a hundred fluffies waiting for us. There were fluffies handing us gifts of cooked food and trinkets, others playing games and celebrating together, a few Anuian monks praying and preaching, and even a live band! This is what I was able to hear as they played.
♫ Oh gweat Motow cewebwate dis day! ♫
♫ Come out an’ sing’ an’ pway! ♫
♫ Dah Queen’s gweat champions wetuwned today! ♫
♫ Dah debiwish Owdah am dead hooway! ♫
As the celebrations continued and the wagons kept moving I looked over and saw Cassandra looking down her face full of bitterness and resentment, soon I knew right before heading into Stablelot she and the foals would be dropped off. As the hours ticked by the wagons were constantly being stopped by fluffies welcoming us, it got to the point where there had to be a few guards walking beside us just to stop it. Once the sun started to set Cassandra and the foal’s journey with us came to an end, as we stopped beside a fortress near Breadbasket there were a few jail wagons designated for them. Looking at the wagons they looked like cages and were dingy as Cassandra and the foals were escorted off, and all entered the jail wagons they gave no protest and were all sent off to either the Stablelot or Seaside Jails. After they were gone we took a quick stop at Breadbasket for some sleep, before finally we had made it to Stablelot. As we entered and passed it’s gate, the crowds seemed almost endless. A lot of the fluffies here aren’t from Stablelot but have come for the coronation while others came just to see us, the guards were barley holding them back and on almost every building flew the banner of Motor.
As we came to the Imperial Palace we got off and went inside. The chambers we full of governors and generals all in happy spirit. As we continued walking I was even able to get a glimpse of the Crown of Motor! After awhile we came to a seating area and told to stay as the ceremony was being prepared. Sitting I went over to look in my pack looking to see if I had anything left to eat than I noticed something… The papers, the papers that identified every member of the Order of the Mask! Over this journey I completely forgot I had them, there could be Order members here right now! (Not all Order members were at the Compound when it exploded) Just as I started to take them out I saw a shadow starting to cast over me and looking up… I saw 2 royal guards and Velvet looking right at me beginning to speak.
“Souw it’s su gud to see 'ou!”
Velvet was wearing a long dress with the colors of red, gold, and purple somehow looking even more royal than how I remember her looking the last time we met, I speak.
“it’s gud to see ‘ou to am Majesty! hewe am goin’ to wan’ to see dis.”
Giving Velvet the papers she looks at them for a few seconds turning each page her face was now stern, looking at one of the royal guards she gives him the list and speaks.
“Gib dis to dah head of dah Woyaw Guawd, he needs to see dis wite nao!”
The royal guards nods as he leaves and Velvet looks back at me sighing and giving a faint smile as she speaks again.
“I heawd about dah Seew, eben though we hadn’t known him wong I’ww make suwe aww who went on dis jouwney an’ him am honowed. An’ Souw dewe’s somethin’ Bewbet wan’'s to te-”
Just as Velvet was about to finish, one of her servants came up and spoke.
“Am Majesty dah finaw pwepawations am neawin’ compwetion buh ‘ou am wequiwed fo’ it.”
Velvet looks at her annoyed but leaves, giving me a small goodbye as she enters the coronation chamber.
After a few more minutes of sitting I could see an increased presence of royal guards as some of them pointed to a few of the guests nodding to themselves and leaving, than finally we had the servant who annoyed Velvet from earlier come up and speak.
“attention aww! 'Ou may nao aww entah dah cowonation chambew, dah cewemony nao begins!”
As we began making it inside the coronation chamber the decorations were a beauty to the eyes, with fine artwork and ornaments, currently this palace had to be the greatest palace in the world! Sitting in our assigned seats, me and my family had ours up front with us being right next to Velvet’s family. Velvet was nowhere to be seen, with there only being the Crown of Motor up front and the Servant assigned to put it on her head. Than finally after a few minutes when everyone got seated I could hear the sound of music as Velvet started to walk down the hall heading to the crown.
Everyone was completely silent as this happened, as Velvet processed down the corridor she had a stern but anxious face and once she finally got their she kneeled down and the servant began to speak.
“Do ‘ou Bewbet of House Doe accept dah continuation of dah mantwe hewd by maximus. An’ sweaw to wibe by dah code’s of honow he wibed by?”
Velvet speaks.
“Bewbet do.”
The servant grabs the crown and a scepter(It was made for her and was hidden behind the Crown) and slowly begins to put it on her head as he speaks holding the scepter.
“Den 'ou am nao hewby cwowned, Duchess of Stabwewot, Duchess of Seaside, Countess of Happyfawm, an’ finawwy dah gweatest titwe of them aww, Queen of Motow!”
I had no idea what a countess or duchess were but as the Servant finishes the last part he finally puts the crown on her and gives her the Scepter, and once that is done Velvet turns around and is greeted by claps and cheers all around!
After around 10 seconds and as the claps and cheers quieting down Velvet speaks.
“As my fiwst act as queen, Bewbet am officiawwy dissowbin’ dah system of gobewnows an’ genewaws!”
I was shocked what! but that’s the way things have always worked! I could gasps and talking as Velvet speaks again.
“Do not be awawmed fwooh, ‘ou hab awweady heawd it buh as a wepwacement many of ‘ou may nao go by Count ow Duke dependin’ on dah size of am howdin’. Bewbet does dis to pwomote unity amongst dah weawm, makin’ it su not one fwuffie has to much powah incwudin’ me, an’ fo’ centwawization. We wiww aww fowwow some new wuwes”
There was now a moment of relief amongst the crowd, mostly that they would still keep their power than Velvet spoke again.
“buh doin’ dis bewbet know dewe am stiww twaitows amongst us. Membews of that fouw Owdah stiww wuwking, guawds 'ou may nao seize them!”
Out of nowhere dozens of guards appeared and started going around gathering the hidden Order members, a few tried to escape but there was no hope in it as in less than a minute there were around a dozen arrest by the time they were done with most of them being Mayors, Governors and military leaders. Velvet speaks again as they were being escorted out.
“an’ nao fo’ dah next pawt of dah cowonation, I wan’ aww woyaw gobewnows fwom a to z to stawt comin’ up as Bewbet cwown’s them.”
One at a time the Governors and their spouses started coming up and if the Governor were the leader of a smaller settlement they became a count and received and iron crown and those who ruled larger or more important settlements (like breadbasket or Leakytown) were made into Dukes and received an iron crown with gold fittings and some more privileges and power, sometimes even being the liege of a nearby smaller count!. As the last Governorship ended Velvet looked at all of us and spoke smiling.
“Nao that cuwwent titwes hab been distwibuted, it’s time fo’ dah cweation of new titwes, Waius step fowwawd!”
Laius who was in shock started coming up and kneeled, than Velvet grabbing a counts crown began to place it on his head as she spoke.
“Waius Hippaw, bewbet makes 'ou dah count of new junction, I wiww be am wiege sewbe me weww.”
Laius nods as the crown is put on his head and starts to head back. The next to approach Velvet were the guards who were with us through the journey and even though they did not receive royal titles they were given high ranking military positions as an reward. Next were Driscoll and Xerxes who… Kinda received a title? Both were given high ranking positions but also the option to found new settlements and if they got big enough become counts. Finally after almost everyone received a title or a fancy new crown Velvet finally spoke looking at us.
“Nao fo’ House StwongWing Bewbet wequest Souw come up.”
Me and Monica both got up, I felt so axious what was Velvet going to give me! And as we approached Velvet kneeling I could hear Velvet speak under her breath.
“Bewbet asked fo’ Souw buh otay’…”
As I was kneeling I couldn’t see what was happening but soon Velvet spoke.
“Souw wiff my authowity Bewbet officiawwy makes 'ou duke of Gween Woof!” As I felt the crown on my head, me and Monica got up and looked at each other as we kissed and as we looked back at Velvet She looked strange like she had a happy face face but her eyes looked like they were filled with sadness than she spoke.
"Souw StwongWing I wiww be am wiege… 'ou may weabe nao.
Velvet said the last part with a hint of sadness, as the entire crowd began entering the dinner hall.
Once inside we all ate and drank having a great time and with me now being a Duke I was sat closer to Velvet and had the chance to speak to her about Cassandra and the foals. She seemed like she was in a better mood and even said she was going to see about having them released since they were non-combatants. Once the feast started quieting down the Dukes and Counts all began to leave heading to their cartridge’s to head back home, and so did we being the one of the last to go. Saying goodbye to Velvet and all we were with during our journey we left the Imperial Palace, and saw that It was now almost midnight! We had a carriage waiting for us (by Velvets request) and entering it we were now off back to Green Roof and I thought to myself now unshackled by the thoughts of DarkWing and the Order. This whole Duke thing is going to be one hell of a rude awakening isn’t it… Fin
Epilogue 1 Cassandra
When I first met you, I found a broken man who had everything taken away from him. At first you were confrontational and broken and saw yourself as beyond repair all of this caused by him but as we started to know each other better I began to see the real you, the stallion that loved creating works of art that would last forever (The Colossus of Seaside) and who loved discussing complex topics and ideas. And soon you gave me the greatest gift of all… Two wonderful children and we were all a family Than he came and destroyed everything… HE TOOK YOU FROM ME! My fallen Husband even though we only known each other for a few months I will never forget you. We will take you’re name and honor it for all of our lives, may you rest in peace- My thinking was interrupted as a Seaside jail guard approached my cell and spoke.
“Fo’ some weason Queen Bewbet has pawdoned 'ou, ‘ou am fwee to go buh fwuffy wiww wequiwe a name fo’ dah wogbook.”
As the gate opens me and my children start heading out with me looking at the guard I speak.
"My name am Cassandwa… Casandwa DawkWing.
Epilogue 2 Chrysalis
The Legions were all lined up ready for there next Orders, the hive had been constructed and we were ready and as I began to approach the podium, I saw my heir the young Princess Viltra cowering in the corner I speak to her quickly in a rage.
“You better quit it with that attitude if you ever want to be a worthy successor!”
Viltra nods quickly as I make to the top of the podium where all my Changelings look at me ready for orders, I speak.
"For decades now I and you have been caged and oppressed by the dwellers of the surface! For decades they had tortured us! Humiliated us! And treated us like we were nothing more than a tool! Today that all changes, today we reclaim our destiny, today the victim becomes the victimizer! Go my Changelings, go my legions! Kill every fluffy and puffy that occupies our home! Reclaim our homeland, RECLAIM CHICAGO!!!
Without hesitation they all start heading to the surface, and as I start to walk down from the podium I look at Viltra who was still cowering and grin speaking.
“How I’d do.”
Epilogue 3 Talon Knight
I had just finished my assignment and began heading to the outpost. To be honest I still couldn’t believe how well this assignment has been going. First the beast’s were cleared out and now a large portion of the rubble that covered Chicago was cleared. Even though we will be stopping for the winter morale was high that during spring and summer we will be able to fully clear the city and begin settling inwards! I entered the outpost it being a little quieter than usual but it had starting getting last so I didn’t blame anybody. Inside I saw my dear comrade BlackBeak he was looking at a piece of paper and seeing him not doing that much I speak.
“Now that we wont be doing any more clearing for the year I was thinking of heading over to the tavern the night is still pretty young!”
He turned over and looked at me… Something was off he looked at me with a weird looking smile and his eyes they looked so Unnatural they were blue and as he started walking to me I spoke.
“Hey BlackBeak what’s up with you’re eyes, you’re starting to freak me out!”
Finally BlackBeak spoke.
“I wanted to show you something follow me.”
BlackBeak’s voice sounded so off from how is sounds normally. What was wrong with him was he sick? As I started to walk with him curious about what he was talking about he stopped at a door and began to open it speaking as he did.
“look”
BlackBeak no… Inside the door I was only able to recognize his corpse from his black beak alone. As I turned to the monster beside me he had changed to a black insect his original form striking at me with fury… As I now laid dying my last thoughts were of a prayer… The One, please protect them…
Wow that has to be the longest part I have ever written almost 20 paragraphs! Once I finish the ending for TTOGR I am going to be taking a short break than continue with Last Hope Chapter 6 which will be the final full 9 part chapter, as after that I’m going to start wrapping up this series. I thank you for reading and of course constructive criticism is always appreciated, may you have a good day.