Author's Note: Because of the number of characters, some of this may be a bit confusing... It has been fun writing. I'm sorry but I don't have the time to put an epilogue for everyone...
And just like that. It was over. More then three hundred years of misery and anguish caused by three insane witches was over. Not that it ever had a real chance of being ever lasting. If it wasn't through the hard work of people like Madame Serenity to find pious men like Father Mike and Father Paul it would have been someone else. No one likes being cursed. Someone would have eventually found Merlin's cure and figured out how to use it.
This did not mean that the lives of the people in Glendale ended. The Pack and the world's Lupman population survived and even thrived. The Leoman cascade couldn't be stopped by anyone. Attempts to stop it, either by the occasional small magic user or by those who seemed to recognize it, and tried to avoid it, usually met with failure.
Though not everyone became Leomen, and not everything could be changed by it. Madame Serenity, Father's Michael, and Father Paul never became Leomen. Serenity couldn't be changed by anything, that was her curse. And while Father Michael and Father Paul's vows to the church, Saint Mary's Cathedral in Glendale, built by the Witch Pride and former Witches' servants for Father Draco, the "love" that they had for their Leoman and My Little Pony parishioners, while just as strong as any other, appeared not to be the type of love that Brian Hardy's original "transform" recognized.
Groups that remained fairly isolationist remained untouched by the Leoman cascade. Not that they did not respect the Leoman, but groups like the Amish had made their first Love, God, and no one else before him. And some of this came from almost insane re-alterations of reality. Adolf Hitler had blood family that survived him and the Third Reich, though none of them were descendants. By the time the Leomen cascade reached them, the descendants of who had, in the first reality, been the brothers and sisters of Adolf Hitler became Leomen.
These new Leomen, however, had no love for the twentieth century dictator, and in Hell, Adolf Hitler did not love them back. As a result, reality shifted heavily. Hitler in the new reality was a lone child, whose origins and family line are now even more shrouded in mystery... furthering the theory that the man who essentially ordered the Holocaust was, himself, Jewish. But nothing could really be proved as he still burned every single copy of the records that could possibly identify him as someone other then what he created himself as. The former family members who had become Leomen were now descended from an entirely different family line that just so happened to have a surname that was spelled exactly like the name of one of the most evil Human men in recorded history.
Many other similar cases to this would occur, but that would take time. And as the Leoman cascade progressed, Humanity more and more became regarded as a declining race. This decline would become a factor in many of the wars of the twentieth century as it became "apparent" in the new reality. In 2100, the Human race was listed as critically endangered by Leoman and Lupman scientists who began pressuring for ways to try and save the species, including the proposition to group humans together solely for breeding purposes. This the Leomen rejected this for it being uncivilized, leaving the desperate Lupmen looking for other possible solutions to saving the Human race. Most of the other attempts resulted in the Leomen inadvertantly transforming the Human into their local pride. In 3020, the Human race would officially declared extinct... not knowing that the the Humans had merely been transformed into Leomen.
And the global population of Leomen and Lupmen would find ways to feed themselves. Deer populations in the wild, including the Gold Deer, were protected to the point where their numbers skyrocketed beyond what Humans would have allowed... and the stocks of domestic animals that humanity raised for either food or milk continued to be raised for meat. Some were even released in some areas into the wild, resulting in hybrids of cattle and bison in North America and Europe. Hybrids of cattle and Cape Buffalo in Africa. Hybrids of cattle and Gaur and Water Buffalo in Asia. In addition to the normal versions of those animals.
And in some cases, they changed their hunting tactics. For a period in Florida, Lupman and Leoman preyed not deer, but the Burmese Python and other exotic species that Humans had either accidentally or deliberately allowed to invade the area. And considering what prolific breeders the snakes turned out to be, they would last them awhile.
But that was still a long way off, yet, and for the citizens of Glendale, moving on was the key.
+++++++++++++
In heaven, the principal characters in the laying down of the curse watched as it ended.
"We can not tell you how sorry we are for what he had done, all those years ago," Goldwyn said to Marie, her face, like Marie's perfectly healed.
"And we thank you for adopting and raising Joella Cruz into the saint she became," Gita added.
"I am merely glad to see that the consequences for all our mistakes are at last over," Marie answered, and then looked over to see Katherine and her family approaching. Even though they hadn't experienced the curse with Katherine, they were glad to see it end to, "and may EVERYONE have a happy ending."
The souls of the witches nodded.
"Where is Joella Cruz?" Griselle asked for a moment.
"She went down to visit a friend," Joella Heyn told them as she approached.
+++++++++++++++
Nearly everyone had come to see the end of the curse. To many it was surprising. The Lupmen and their sea of blacks, browns, grays, silvers, some whites, and a good many of "felmen-like" colors all together. It would surprise many to learn that those colors were not the result of breeding with Felmen. The Leomen and their sea of golds, browns, whites and the odd spattering of colorations not common in lions, like Trevor, Sabrina, and Marie Tyson's tabby like coat. The collection of Felmen with their mostly brightly colored fur, and the Dragons with their collection of greens, but many different colors existed with them too.
Those who wished to continue the game when they heard about the cure over the radio found out that their doors were locked... even when they did the bolts. Marie and Judas both made sure of that.
For those wounded in the battle with Kurse, they had all healed enough that they could come. Many had to be on crutches or in wheelchairs, but they were glad to gain some semblance of movement and being able to truly eat again, but it would be enough that wouldn't be bedridden. In her wheelchair, Mal'akh watched as the Latin incantation was made and then listened to the cheers as they rose up from everyone, Human, Lupman, Leoman, Felman, Dragon... she could have sworn that there were gargoyles cheering the end of the curse.
"It's over," Mal'akh smiled.
After that, Mal'akh began to roll her wheelchair along the streets, taking in what had happened while she was in the Gallery. Ingrid pushed her along to be a good nurse.
"I'm not sure how I'll fit in this new world," Mal'akh commented, "everything is so different."
"You'll do fine," Ingrid told her, "it's a new world, but you'll do fine. Steve Rogers did okay in the comics..."
"Pardon?"
"One of Kevin's favorite super heroes is Captain America, who was originally a volunteer to fight for the American Army during World War Two, he was however rather frail and was rejected for that frailty. He then volunteered for a top secret experiment that turned him into a super soldier. He fought against a variety of Nazi themed super villains before being encased in ice at the end of WW2. He was reawakened in the late 20th Century by a team of superheros called "the Avengers" and soon became a staple of their team."
"You seem to know an awful lot about this character," Mal'akh commented.
"I'm an Omega," Ingrid answered, "It is our duty to look after the Pack's pups whenever their parents are busy. So we learn a lot about their likes and dislikes."
Mal'akh could only nod as they ended up at City Hall by chance. Looking up, Mal'akh saw clearly that somethings hadn't changed. On the exterior, it looked just as Benjamin and his family, Draco, Marie, Katherine, and the Witch Pride had rebuilt it after the battle. She could see Free and Equality together at the top of the building on a specialized platform, though from their worn edges, she didn't know if they were still alive or not. And in front of her was the statue of Joella... her friend from all those years ago. It looked exactly like Joella did in her twenties... though it seemed empty without Lark beside her.
"We'll always be together, Mal'akh," a voice spoke out of nowhere.
Mal'akh looked to Ingrid, but she hadn't said anything. She then looked around until she saw it. Standing beside the statue was Joella... somehow.
"You know, I'm a bit shorter then what they made the statue of me look," Joella commented off hand.
"JOELLA!" Mal'akh gasped.
"Hello, old friend," Joella smiled and hugged her. Ingrid looked on in shock.
"You're alive?"
"No, I died of old age in 1789, warm and in bed," Joella told her, "I can only visit for a short while."
"And you came to me?"
"You are the closest friend I have that is still alive," Joella told her, "Lark died a year after I did... Marie and Katherine died of old age in 1735."
"I see," Mal'akh answered.
"It is good to see you free," Joella told her, "Marie, before she died promised me that you would be happy and free. So, now that you are free, I wish you all the best of happiness."
Joella's spirit hugged her again, and then vanished, returning to heaven. Mal'akh wondered what this happiness would be.
++++++++++
"Aimileona! Joella! Marie!" Mal'akh hollered out from her home eight years later, "come inside for dinner!"
"Oh, mom, do we have to?" Aimileona asked.
"You do if you don't want your father to eat it all," Mal'akh teased, but knowing full well that they would leave them enough meat. Stealing food would be uncivilized.
And she smiled as her litter of cubs with her Prime Mate, a male named Carl Williams. She had met him while looking for a home to take with Mother Glen escorting her and Gillian pushing her along. He had introduced himself politely and soon made it a point to help her. It lead to love and marriage, and after eight years, she was now the mother of three five year old cubs. She was incredibly happy.
++++++++++++
"Thank you," Joseph Hune said to Father Michael and Father Paul as they finished the incantation.
Paul signed "you're welcome." Michael said his thanks vocally.
"What will you do now?" Joseph asked, "now that the curse is gone?"
"What any good shepherd would do," Michael answered, "tend to his flock."
They slowly made their way back to Saint Mary's with Valentines and Never-Star following. Paul was soon gathering up his personal items to take with him. Michael sat quietly with Valentines and Never-Star.
"You'll be free to visit your brother whenever you wish to," Valentines told him, "he will only become a My Little Pony if he wishes to."
"I thank you," Michael answered, "please feel free to come to Mass when your farm is no longer hidden. Paul can not do everything."
"We will," Never-Star commented, "though we may have to wait for Glendale to become entirely Leomen. They wouldn't exploit us."
Michael knew from Serenity that the Lupmen wouldn't be affected, but decided be silent. He didn't want to argue with them.
"Um, excuse me, are you Father Michael?" a voice asked.
Michael looked up to see two beings made entirely of glass. One was a glass human woman, totally naked as if she were a piece of art, though that was disproved when she blinked. The other was a glass wolf-pup, with Judas rubbing along the pups leg.
"Yes...," Michael answered, "is there something I can do for you?"
"Yes," Marie nodded, "My name is Marie-Eliza. And this is my mother Eliza. I am not part of the Big Bad Wolf Pack, but some of the people on a yacht that Kurse mutated during her attack about a week ago."
"And you haven't reverted?"
"We were like this before Kurse attacked us," Eliza answered, "My daughter is a white witch... she uses White Magic, which I am told the Church doesn't oppose... our present forms are the result of some small accidents, and that is all I will say on that."
"I see," Michael answered, "I'm afraid I can not give your daughter any training."
"Training is not needed," Micheal watched Marie shudder (if glass could), "thanks to Kurse... my powers go FAR beyond what they were. In a sense, I am the "curse" now thanks to her, but I have no intention of becoming a new Kurse... no desire to abuse what I have... and if I could escape it I would..."
Michael seemed to get the sense that this glass Lupman didn't like what Kurse had done to her, and was even horrified by it.
"I'm afraid I do not know of any way I can help," Michael spoke, "I could call Madame Serenity... she might be able to help..."
"You can provide the help, just not in the way you think," Marie said slowly.
"How?"
"Through me, Father," Judas spoke.
Michael, Valentines, and Never-Star gasped in surprise.
"My ancestor was the familiar to Golgotha, left broken by Golgotha's death in 1689 and then became the familiar of one Rosalie who apparently tried to redeem her in someway, though I do not think she ever really recovered from the death of her first master," Judas explained, "her descendants, however, have tried to repair what she had done with Golgotha... not that we have had much success. It is partially why I converted to Catholicism after you took me in..."
"You're Catholic?" Never-Star asked in surprise.
"Why does everyone ask me that?" Judas sighed.
"I'm sorry," Never-Star blushed in embarrassment, "it's just that before I became a My Little Pony, I had never thought that animals followed any "god" or "goddess". It was survival for them."
"Most cats worship Bast, whom humans call Bastet, thought I've heard rumors that some Felmen, and even a Leoman or two (Bastet's original form in Egyptian mythology was that of a humanoid lioness before eventually becoming a humanoid domestic cat) also still worship that goddess. Most Domestic Dogs, Wolves, and even a few Lupman worship the Norse god Fenrir, or Fenris, depending on your translation, as a warrior God. Foxes worship their ancestors in the belief that those who live long enough become Kitsune in the afterlife. Coyotes worship the Native American Kachina Coyote. And Jackals and African Wild Dogs worship Anubis, the Egyptian Jackal god," Judas answered, "but for them, it is about survival. Knowing my ancestor's past, I've sought some form of penance to atone for what my ancestor did."
Michael was truly set back, "all who believe have the chance of salvation, Judas..."
Judas knew the Father was trying to avoid debating with himself over whether or not animals (besides Lupmen, Leomen, Felmen, Dragons, and Gargoyles) had souls.
"I am sure, Father," Judas nodded, "but to do this, I have to take on a role that neither of us could foresee. Marie has taken me as her familiar and asked that I try to keep her sane. She truly fears the possibility of becoming a second Kurse... I must help her. For my line's sake... for Marie's sake... for everyone's sake."
"We also live across the globe," Eliza spoke up, but because Judas is your cat, Marie and I feel it would be improper to steal him from you."
Micheal watched as Eliza reached inside a reflective portion of her body and pulled out a purse, "but we would ask if we could buy him... and apologize if you love him."
"No money is necessary," Michael spoke, "if you are seeking to prevent evil, I can not refuse that... I will miss you, Judas."
Judas rubbed against Michael's leg, "I will miss you too, Father."
"We will try to visit periodically through the mirrorverse so Judas can attend mass and you can visit with him," Marie answered, "and we have made friends with the Pack here... their Alpha gave my mother the honorary rank of Upsilon and said we would always be welcome..."
"And you wouldn't stay with them?" Michael wondered.
"We have our own lives to live in our own home," Eliza told him, "we can't just abandon that right now... we might be able to do that when they have passed on, as Marie and I do not age outside the mirrorverse, but we can't abandon our lives."
"I see," Michael nodded, "have a safe journey."
He then watched as Marie picked Judas up and followed her mother out. As they left, he could have sworn he saw Judas wave "goodbye". Paul returned a little while later carrying a couple of sacks. And with that, Paul said his goodbyes for awhile and followed Valentines and Never-Star to Ponyland.
++++++++++++++
"We're finally done," Gillie said to Serenity as the cure for the curse was given, "no more curse."
"No more misery and suffering," Serenity spoke.
The two then began to walk along the the platform where they had been standing beside the Mayor, his Prime Mate and loves, their children with them as well and went along their way watching the crowed began to disperse. Every human that had come to see the cure be read became Leoman before their eyes and roared out their cheers with their pride mates.
"You're really going to go through with this?" Serenity asked.
"Serenity... I've joined a super family that seems to be hyper-friendly to each other and despite having there being hundreds... probably thousands of them in Glendale... they all know and like each other like its a small town of twenty people," Gillie answered, "I can't keep going on like I have. With the game gone, I can not possibly go back to being Gill, even if it weren't for the lock that Brian put in the Pride's transform... I... I NEED to be Gillie... a Leoman lioness."
Serenity looked into Gillie's eyes and saw the defeat and frustration that she had put up with as "Gill" for years. They then approached a tawny gold Leoman male and his family. They were talking with a Felman family... well one female Felman adult, one female Felman teen, one adult Dragon male, and two half-Dragon half-Felman boys. The little black and gray cub, however noticed Madame Serenity and moved over to them.
"Hello Trevor," Madame Serenity said to him as he approached.
"Hello, Madame Serenity," Trevor spoke, "are you happy that the game is gone?"
"Yes, Trevor, yes I am," Serenity smiled and lifted him up into a hug. He hugged her back.
"What will you do now?" Marie Tyson asked her.
"I don't really now," Serenity answered, "I've spent my life investigating the curse... now that it's gone, once I finish up a few small side things... I'm not sure what else there will be to do. Crime, divorces, and a lot of other things that he police and private investigators follow have dropped dramatically in the past couple days according to the newspapers (a result of the Leoman cascade, or the Lupman's polygamy)."
"You could be part of the Pride," Trevor hugged her, "even if you're not a Leoman... you could stay with us."
"I don't want to impose on your family Trevor," Serenity told him.
"You're like an Aunt to me, Madame Serenity," Trevor insisted, "you wouldn't be a problem... right, Mom?"
"That is her choice to make, Trevor," Marie Tyson told him, "to force her would be uncivilized... but, Madame, it wouldn't be a problem for us. If you do not wish to be with us, at least visit. Trevor spends the time he doesn't spend wrestling with his sister and friends telling us about the adventures the two of you had. I believe he does see you as a member of the Pride."
"We'll see, I have a few other things to take care of before I can get that far," Serenity told them, "but, for today, perhaps we could go see a movie. My treat."
"Lion King," Sabrina volunteered.
"Sabrina," Marie chuckled, "that isn't in theaters anymore."
"We have it on tape," Sabrina answered.
"Something in theaters," Trevor countered, "You can pretend to be Nala at home."
"I AM Nala!"
"So, Jacob, who are your friends here?" Gillie asked as she approached the Leoman male, and then repeated a line Mother Glen had said to her when meeting Serenity, "are they nice?"
"Very," Jacob answered, "This is Drake Fire and his family, including one Katherine, she prefers Kathy, Fire... who apparently my son rescued from some rapist before meeting Madame Serenity."
"A pleasure to meet you," Drake said to her.
"An interesting name," Gillie commented, "a name that essentially means "dragon"... a couple of the Pride even have names that mean "lion" so don't think you're alone."
"Oh, I do not mind," Drake chuckled, "Other then my grandfather, Toby, many members of my family have had a similar name. My father's name was Draco, and supposedly my grandfather's father's name was Draco."
Drake didn't know that the original Draco Fire was an adoptive father. Much like Marie Cruz saw Father Gabriel and Joella saw the witches, he saw Draco as an ancestor, regardless of the details.
"It's been a sort of tradition in my family," Drake continued, "though my sons do not have that sort of naming..."
"I see," Gillie answered and then turned to Jacob, "with the game gone, I'll stop by tomorrow concerning the hypnosis..." she then heard Trevor and Serenity's conversation about movies, "...you can tell Serenity, if she asks. She knows."
"I understand, and I'll make the appointment."
++++++++++++++
The next morning, Gillie called into the station and took the day off. She then made her way to the Tyson home. She arrived to find the Tyson family waving good by to the Fire family as they drove off toward Frostville.
"Good morning, chief Gillie," Marie greeted her.
"Good morning, Aunt Gillie," Sabrina and Trevor smiled.
"Good morning," Gillie gave them a polite smile, "I'm as ready as I'll ever be."
"Go on, dear," Marie said to Jacob, "I hope you two have a good time, but remember, Jacob is my Prime Mate."
"Understood," Gillie spoke, "though I have no intention of stealing mates..."
++++++++++++
The hypnotist turned out to be a Naga, similar to what Linus Sure had become in the past, though with only two arms and based off the Indian Cobra rather then a rattlesnake.
"The game?" Gillie asked.
"Yessssss," the hypnotist hissed back, "though thankfully, my children are one hundred percccccccccent human. You are here for hypnossssssssssissssssssss."
"Yes," Gillie nodded.
"Look into my eyessssssssss," the hypnotist spoke.
+++++++++++++++
Fifteen minutes later, the copper lioness walked out with Jacob on her arm. He wasn't her Prime Mate, but he was of the Pride, and that was all that mattered. Gillie had the strange feeling that they should both be human and that she should be male, but that was a dream... She'd ALWAYS been Gillie.
"Thank you, Jacob," Gillie told him.
"It was no problem, Gillie," Jacob told her.
+++++++++++++++++
That evening, Gillie heard the doorbell ring as she set her table. She guessed it was probably Serenity. Her old friend had called her sometime after lunch, and seemed a little depressed about something, but Gillie did her best to try and help, but Serenity seemed to hint at things that Gillie only saw in dreams.
She found that it was not Serenity, but a human male, Glendale's fire chief, who had been called to an emergency when the game was ended, though he was still in the city limits. He held a bouquet of flowers in one hand. In what seemed like a dream to Gillie, they had a good professional friendship as the police and fire department chiefs, but it didn't go too far beyond that. But he was a friend, a friend, who had been trying to win Gillie's heart for years, despite Gillie's attempts to remain devoted to duty.
"Hello, Herman," Gillie greeted him with a polite smile, "do what do I owe the pleasure?"
"The hope for dinner, and a movie?" Herman Shultz answered as his clothing vanished and his body began to grow yellow-orange.
"I'm already making dinner, Herman," Gillie answered... "I take it you'd wish to join me?"
His body began to grow in size, putting on pounds of muscle and rather large "equipment". Gillie only saw what his past was as a dream. His ears moved to the top of his head before his hair turned to a red-orange shade and began to circle around his head into a very sexy looking mane.
"Of course," Herman answered as his muzzle pushed out and his tail swished behind him, "anything to be with you..."
"That's lovely, Herman, but we both have our duties to perform," Gillie told him.
"We can make it work," Herman answered, "please, Gillie. I've loved you for ages... and I know that despite your attempts to hide it, you love me too. We can make it work..."
++++++++++++++
Three years later, Gillie lay on her back at Wolf Manor in Beta Julie's medical ward. She roared with pain, despite the attempts by the Beta female to try and dull it.
"Come on, Gillie," Julie commanded from the end of the medical bed, "PUSH!"
Gillie's marriage to Herman had stunned nearly everyone. No one had figured that the career and duty minded Gillie Daleson would ever take a Prime Mate... but Herman had always loved her and never backed down from the challenge. And now, Glendale's police chief was preparing to deliver her litter of four cubs. Part of her saw that she shouldn't be able to give birth, but that was a dream... and Gillie was happy to have Herman by her side, and hoped to make it work.