//------------------------------// // The Battle of Ponyville: Remember the Fallen // Story: The Unlikley Sanctuary // by Tie RoamingHooves //------------------------------// I wrote the first half of this chapter to this song. Also consider this chapter as a season finale. Play this. The Battle of Ponyville Remember the Fallen Ponyville, Town Hall 2 days after The Battle of Ponyville The walk back into Ponyville was a depressing one. The once beautiful town had been reduced to this. To some miracle, very few Americans were killed during the battle... but at what cost? Many ponies were killed during the battle. I don't think things will ever be the same with the mane six again. Not after what they've seen. Neither will the citizens of Ponyville ever have ordinary live again. They experienced war for a day. They will definably change just as their city has. The once peaceful streets covered with bullet casings and blood. The homes with the blood of the fallen sprayed across the walls. It was earth... in Equestria. I was walking into Ponyville for one reason only. I was going to the mass funeral. Lyra would be attending and could use any support she could receive. I walked through the partially ruined city and arrived at Town Hall. Ponies hung there heads low as they walked in. I noticed there was a list of the dead on the wall and I looked over it. Three names caught my attention. Scootaloo. The CMC must be taking the death of there friend hard if they even know about her demise yet. Pumpkin and Mrs. Cake. Pinkie Pie... I may go see her after this. She might have returned to a Pinkamenaish state. I went in to see the building was filled with coffins lying on tables with ponies walking to in from between the rows of them, paying their respects to the dead. I saw the girls standing over in the near a coffin with the exception of Pinkie. I scanned the the place for Lyra and didn't see her meaning she hadn't arrived yet. "Hi girls." I say solemnly. Looking over the crowd I see the faces of the towns folk had lost its usual luster. I blamed myself and us humans as a whole for this. Ponyville had been tainted by the worst of humanity. "Tyrin you need to stop blaming yourself. Its not your fault." Fluttershy began. "Nopony could have stopped this from happening. If I've learned anything over the past couple of days it is that some things just happen and can't be prevented no matter how hard you try. If at all, you just have to except it." she said offering her newly acquired wisdom. I looked at her face. I could tell she's been through hell and back during her stay at the field hospital. I was told by Rarity she'd stayed there and wouldn't leave. She had continuously stayed to selflessly help the wounded. This poor mare. Fluttershy of all ponies had to go through that kind of hell. Why her? Why not somepony thats made of tougher stuff? "I can't help it. I just can't help but to think I could have been there, or I could have done more-" "I said you need to stop that. You were there Tyrin. You were there. You couldn't have possibly done anymore than already have. In fact you should be proud. You're a hero Tyrin. Without you we would've lost spike. Without Spike the Princess would have never came to put a stop to the battle." "But she didn't put a stop to the battle. Some of the Russians surrendered but the majority stood up and fought, Ponies continued to die long after that. I didn't think this place would ever experience war but it did. And you ponies were caught in the middle of a battle between us humans. For that, I feel responsible." Fluttershy looked down a for a bit but then looked at me in the face. "I can't say I can argue about that much but but it doesn't mean you need to carry yourself like you were the enemy. You were a hero and you need to act like one. You need to quit moping and be strong. Haven't you forgot about Lyra? If you can't be strong and hold your head high, then you are of no use to even try and comfort her." "..." I couldn't really say anything. Fluttershy has bested me in the battle of inquiry. Fluttershy arguing with me was hard enough to get used to but changing do to the the fact that she was right was a whole new thing. She was right and told me what I needed to hear. "Thank you Fluttershy... I needed that." "Your welcome. I just don't want to see my friends moping around like that." "Hey I have a question. Where is Pinkie Pie?" "Shes with Mr. Cake. He's been a wreck since... ya know." Applejack said. "That's too bad. I also noticed on the list of the dead, Scootaloo was among them. How i-" Rainbow Dash gasped. "WHAT!?" she exclaimed then putting a hoof over her eyes in an attempt to hide her tears. She flew off to the nearest list of the dead. Tears were streaming down her face but she wasn't crying yet. She had ripped the list from the wall and placed it on the floor. Her hooves were following the names as she read her way down the list. She stopped and stepped back when sure enough she found Scootaloo's and immediately broke down right then and there. I couldn't fathom the kind of heart-wrenching pain that must have been inflicted on the normally strong mare. In the wake of the news of Scootaloo's death, Rainbow Dash had reverted to a crying filly. My heart exploded looking at the sight of this. I went over knelt down and held her close. The available members of the mane six followed suit and joined the hug in a futile attempt to comfort the ailing pegasus. The rainbow maned mare suddenly made her way out of the hug tears still streaming down her face. "I-I-I need to go." she said then making a quick exit and flew off into the skies of Ponyville. Rainbow dash had just learned of Scootaloo's demise. She laid in her cloudhouse and wept thinking of the filly that had looked up to her. Rainbow Dash considered the orange filly a sister, and a close friend. She was remembering if she hadn't died, today would have marked the beginning of her flight training. "So you want to learn flight from the best huh squirt?" Rainbow Dash said hovering above Scootaloo who was standing atop her scooter. "You know I do!" she yelled enthusiastically. Rainbow Dash had seen the filly ride her scooter through town a couple of times and had to admit, next to herself and the Wonderbolts she was the most awesome thing she'd ever seen. This filly had a lot raw talent and would make an excellent student. Although she'd never really taught before, she wanted to do this. She could probably make this filly as awesome as herself, if that was even possible with her being the most awesome thing she knew. "Sure thing kid, you got the part. I'll tell you what, you meet me under my cloudhouse in a week, and we'll start your training. What do you say?" The filly gave a smile that just about left the sides of her face. "Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou." The filly to Rainbow Dash's surprise had her wings fluttering in excitement and managed to lift herself of of her scooter. "Hey squirt?" "Yeah?" she asked eagerly. "Your training is going to be a lot easier now that you're airborne." she said to the filly who gasped in amazement. Scootaloo had somehow managed to smile wider than she already was. She fluttered about but lost flight and fell onto her flank. She looked disheartened when she did. "Don't worry about that squirt, your still a rookie. Keep working at it and you'll be flying like a pro in no time." "You mean I'll be flying like you?" she asked hopefully. "I wouldn't say you'll be flying like me just yet, but in time... maybe." "Oh my gosh!" she her wings again were fluttering in excitement, lifted her off the ground. "But Scoots you got to remember to work them wings and get stronger. If you somehow manage to control your flight before the weeks out, I don't want to see you trying any trick's yet. We can't have you dying before me now. Your not ready for that kind of stuff yet." Scootaloo looked at her with a grin. "I'll try not to but I can't promise you anything." "Scootaloo?" "I know, I know. I won't. Sheesh." "Hey, by the sound of that you seem ungrateful." "No no no no, I'm really grateful. I am." Scootaloo yelled back genuinely worried dash won't teach her. Rainbow Dash noticed and decided to play along. "I don't know. I'm still not convinced. "I am, I really am." At this point the filly started to tear up and Rainbow was surprised. Scootaloo really wanted this. She went down and hugged Scootaloo. "Hey Its ok, I was just kidding around. I'm still going to teach you you don't have to worry." Rainbow smiled at the memory. She had to do something. It couldn't end like this. She flew down from her cloudhouse and flew into Ponyville. Ending theme for this chapter. (play it now) Looking at the depressed faces in this room made everything even sadder than it already was. The Princess was going to address the town and by extension, the nation. News of the attack on Ponyville had traveled fast. Aid was arriving from Cloudsdale, an extra garrison of Equestrian troops were sent to help with the plight Ponyville faced. Newsponies were sent to Ponyville from all over Equestria to record the Princess's address. She held her head low as she walked out in front of the crowd, hungry for whatever comforting words she had to offer. "Today I wish to address ponies of Equestria. I want to inform the populace that two days ago, Ponyville came under attack from a hostile group of humans known as Russians. These Russians arrived in Ponyville park after what can only be described as a freak accident. The Russians threatened the lives of a ponies and were killing anypony in sight." The crowd of newsponies gasped. "But fortunately due to the same kind of freak accident another group of humans calling themselves Americans came and helped us bring a swift end to the battle. Without them, we would have lost many more good ponies to the Russians and for that I am in debt to them. For this reason I would like to ask that the Americans are given respect and thanks for all they've done. They went out of their way to help us and it is the least we can do to thank them." With that the Princess walked out. She couldn't do any more. Celestia hadn't slept in the past three days and it was getting to her. She needed to sleep and clear her head so she could think properly but she new sleep was out of the question. She needed to make sure that the Russian prisoners were taken care of. After that she could get all the sleep she ever wanted but for now she needed to get this done. She new her nerves were starting to get to her but whether or not they did wasn't important right now. She'd handle the Russians and let the negotiations with the Griffons be handled by Luna. There was way to much going on and Celestia desperately needed a way to relieve her stress. While the whole town had been present at Town Hall, Rainbow dropped by Twilight's library to look for books on magic. She looked tirelessly for two hours ripping through books like that egghead usually would while studying for the Princess. But Rainbow Dash had a purpose. After the third hour she found what she was looking for. She ripped the pages out that she needed. "It'll be ok Scoots, just you wait. I can fix this." She put the pages in her saddle bags filled with supplies for a long trip and took off in the direction of the Western Everfree Forest. She looked towards the horizon with new found determination, and new found hope. She flew off knowing that she may very well not come back but she had to do this. If she didn't try she wouldn't be able to live with herself. She had a goal and nothing in tartarus was going to stop her. Not the Royal Guard, not the Princesses, and most of all... not even her friends.