"All of the former queens and princesses were relieved of their duty, now to serve the Ponies as helpers and to make sure that everything is all right. Starhopper and Planethopper no longer live in Star Castle, which is now in a new resting place by help of the Unicorns near Echo Glen. And I have lots of friends now, including Baby Gusty," Gwendamere finished explaining to Megan, Danny and Molly.

He sat around a "campfire" that Megan and Danny had built with his mother, Baby Ponies, and the Ambassadors. Even Angelina was present at the night's little chitchat.

Firefly had brought them all there, which was planned. The human children were supposedly "camping out" in the forest. Well, they were in a forest, but Gwendamere wasn't sure that they meant a forest in a whole different land.

Behind the orange flickering flames, Megan stared intently at him. "I can't believe you guys didn't come for me," she said in disbelief.

"Yeah! It wouldda been cool, and you had to spoil it al!" Danny shouted.

"We had to do it alone. Sort of like Lickity-Split thought when she ran away. She thought to herself 'I'll go it alone.' We had to go it alone. All of us. We had to do it ourselves, or we would never really had done something," Powder spoke up.

Molly shrugged. "I guess you're right. You better get used to that too. Megan's going away to college in September, which is only a month away. Actually, I think she has to go earlier than that, the college she's going to is all the way in Washington. Isn't it the University of Washington, Megan?"

Megan looked up. "Yeah, that's it It's in Seattle, which is about half way across the country. I'm going to be studying drama so I can be an actress, maybe even do a little singing. I have a really good voice, I've gotten two Student of the Years for choir. That's as rare as four Student of the Quarters, which my friend Lee pulled off. Smart girl she is, and it was her first year of junior high, or seventh grade, that she did it. I've heard that agents and talent directors from as far as New York come to the UW looking for people."

Danny frowned. "And with my job and going to MIT in two years, I won't be around much either. MIT stands for Massachusetts Institute of Technology."

"And in four years, I'll probably end up in some community college outside of the largest city in the state, which is quite a ways from our house in the country. So if you need me, I will be home doing homework, at school doing sports, or at the mall, which is twenty miles away," Molly said sullenly.

North Star stood up. "Hey, be happy you saw all of Ponyland today then. And don't worry, we won't have any more trouble for a long time. Which reminds me," she trotted over to Squeaks, grabbed something in her mouth, and brought it over to the humans, resting the object in Megan's hands. "This crystal will summon us to bring you here whenever you want."

Molly bent her head to look at the blue crystal. "Cool! This is the neatest present I think you could give us!"

"Glad you like it," North Star said with a toss of her mane.

"One last question," Danny said. "Now that Gusty is back, Starhopper, what will be done about you and Confetti?"

The only noise that could be heard was the campfire, and everyone looked at Starhopper.

She stood, and so did Gusty and Confetti. "We all have decided that. . . well, that, um. . ."

Confetti shook his head. "Man, isn't it me who usually doesn't understand something? And now I have to explain something? What Starhopper is trying to spit out is that we all decided it would be best if Starhopper moved to Unicornia, Dreamer with her, and that Gusty and I could spend some time alone to sort things out."

Starhopper still had that quizzical look on her face. "Well put, thank you."

Dreamer stood up beside Gwendamere. "Do I have to go? I'd like to, but I'd like to stay with my friends."

Confetti gave her a look. "We'll discuss this later."

Gwendamere turned back to the human visitors.

"Well, I guess we'd better be going. But before I go, I want to give you guys something to remember me by, a song from a really good movie called Hook. Remember that story I told you kids? 'Peter Pan?' This movie is the second part to it, many years later, but here goes. Just so you know, it isn't exactly how it goes, I don't know what the exact words are," Megan said, standing up.

She took a deep breath.
 

"When you're on your own,
And you feel alone
You'll know that you're not alone
When you're here, on your own.
Isn't it strange
That you're not alone
You're not alone.

"You don't have to frown.
Look up, instead of down.
And know that I'm always there
And will always care.
You are not alone
When you're on your own.
You're not alone.
You'll never be alone."

Gwendamere looked around the group of friends and family, and saw that there were no dry eyes.

Molly had a far-off look on her face. "I've always liked that song."

Danny sniffed, then scowled. "It's not the same words all right. Not in the same person either. But I agree, it's a nice song."

Molly looked up. "Hey, I've got the perfect one. It's from a movie called The Never Ending Story. I only know one verse kinda."

"And among the shiny clouds
And there upon the rainbow
Is the answer to a never ending story
Ah ah ah, ah ah ah, ah ah ah
Never ending story."

Megan frowned. "That's not how it goes. And besides, you're off key."

"So I'm better with a violin than singing!" she said with a stomp as they all left to go back to Village.

Gwendamere shrugged. "I liked it how it was."

Angelina was deep in thought. "You know, I think I've heard that before."

Planethopper looked at her mother as if she were insane. "What do you mean? I've never heard either of them."

She shook her head. "No, the melody to that first song. I knew another verse, I only know the melody now."

Danny looked around. "Can you say 'twilight zone?'"

Everyone laughed.
~*~