While the festivities of Matthew Nabal's knighting ceremony continued, a small group had left to visit Canterlot's graveyard.
Matt himself, along with Twilight Sparkle, had been ordered to attend this secret meeting deep on the edge of the cemetery, looking out over the lands below.
"The princess told me right after the battle, apparently Gabriel had told her everything." Twilight said.
Matt would rather Twilight had never found out about the truth about him and Gabriel, but it was too late. "... I'm sorry." was all he could say.
"What are you apologizing for? You're not him, and he's not you. This doesn't change the way I think about you." Twilight replied.
"... Thank you." he responded, softly.
Gathered around a large coffin were what Matt suspected to be the only people who knew the truth. The Princesses Celestia and Luna, the Doctor, Lyra, and Bon-bon. He and Twilight greeted them silently and took their place within the circle.
"I have gathered you all here today to swear an oath." Celestia said. "As the ones who know the truth behind Gabriel and his plan, we all must take a vow of silence from ever speaking about that truth, lest the future he gave us be jeopardized."
They all nodded their heads silently as a mechanism, presumably powered by one of the princess' magic, began to lower the coffin into the ground.
Matt stared at that large box as it was lowered, feeling conflicted inside. He then noticed the headstone that marked the grave.
Here lies one who gave up everything to give us tomorrow.
Matt decided his uncomfortable feeling inside was too much and that he needed to take a walk. His golden armor glimmered in the light of the setting sun as he turned and walked away. His blue cape flowing behind him in the cold winter wind.
"He still needs time to process everything, I guess." Celestia said.
"I'm afraid all the time in the world might not be enough." the Doctor replied.
Twilight quickly followed after him, catching up before long. She stood on her hind legs and wrapped him in a hug before letting go just as quick.
"I know you need your space. I just wanted to remind you that I'm here for you." Twilight said.
Matt gently ran a hand through her mane. "I know. I'll be alright." he said.
Twilight trotted back over to rejoin the group as Matt hopped up and sat on the edge of the stone cemetery wall. He looked out over the horizon. He could see Ponyville from where he was. He reflected on what he'd been through since he arrived there. Being ripped from his reality, finally bonding with other people, finally recovering from the death of his parents.
The amazing memories he had made in his short time there had changed who he was. He had once mused that Equestria was like an afterlife, some type of heaven or hell he'd been sent to when he died.
After everything he had seen, everything he had been through, he decided that if that was the case, he didn't deserve it. This afterlife was too good for him.
He sat there, thinking about what he's made of his time there. He reached into his golden chest-plate and pulled out Gabriel's tattered, burned journal.
He flipped through pages until he found where the differences started in their lives, and he began to read.