Rememberance
***1st Day***
It's been one year since, what has now been called, the "War of Darkness." In Canterlot, near the palace, a memorial was erected. A marble wall that listed the many names of the brave ponies who gave their lives in service to the protection of Equestria, stretching over a hundred and fifty feet wide and eight feet tall.
On this particular day the Ponyville school foals were taking a fieldtrip to the memorial, led by Cheerilee of course. Once the class had disembarked from the train Miss Cheerilee began her lecture on the history of Canterlot. There were days when Cheerilee found herself depressed, thinking about her sister Berry Punch, and the loss of her niece Berry Pinch, a fact that was made all the more apparent when she stepped into the classroom every day. It wasn't too long ago that her classroom was nearly empty, not because of ponies still fearing that the Daemoni weren't gone, but mostly due to the loss of the many foals during the Second Siege of Ponyville. Luckily though, many new foals had joined the class, and many of her old students returned, so all in all Miss Cheerilee was able to keep her spirits up.
Among the students were Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo, who were now, if you can believe it, friends with their childhood nemesis Diamond Tiara. Ever since the death of Silver Spoon, Diamond Tiara wasn't the same mean filly she used to be, losing her friend had made her sad. Although the three fillies hated Diamond Tiara they understood why she was so sad. Silver Spoon had been her only close friend, so with a little effort, Diamond Tiara finally opened up to them and became another friend of theirs, no longer the rich filly who made fun of them or was quick to spot the faults in others.
However, even though they had obtained their cutie marks, none of the three fillies could remember exactly how they got them. Not that they were complaining or anything, but it just annoyed them that they would forget something that important.
After a long walk to the palace they were finally able to make it to the memorial wall. Which was right around the time Miss Cheerilee was wrapping up her talk about the war. "…And now class I'd like to present to you the United Equestrian Army Memorial Wall." The students oooed and awed at the sleek polished marble, and at the wall which had gold metal letters to which Cheerilee spoke aloud, "This memorial was constructed three months after the War of Darkness, on it are chiseled the names of all the brave mares and stallions who fought against the evil alicorn known as Tikara Balak."
At this the students cringed, hearing the name of the most infamous alicorn in Equestria filled them with fear. To the former Crusaders it just left them with a mixture of sadness, anger, and pity. Snips raised his hoof high apparently wanting to say something.
"Yes Snips, did you have a question?" Cheerilee asked.
"Um Miss Cheerilee what's with that pedestal behind you?"
Cheerilee turned around and saw what the young unicorn was talking about. It was a white column standing at about five feet tall, with a kind of round glass like sphere floating on top of it. "Oh yes, I almost forgot!" Cheerilee tapped the orb with her hoof, almost immediately the names on the wall began to shine. The names projected themselves from the marble wall and floated all around the group of foals. "Inside the orb are the names, ranks, and the battle that each soldier fought at. All you have to do is touch one of the names." Cheerilee demonstrated by touching the name that read "Flash Mark," almost instantly a holographic projection of the pony in question became visible for all to see. "And you can see the pony the name belonged to, it's just one of many ways we honor those who have fallen. Now class, you're assignment is to do a report on either a fallen hero or a living one, so feel free to read the other names and see who they are if you wish to choose one of them," instructed Cheerilee.
All the foals scattered about, clicking on the names of the different ponies that died in battle, reading up on their exploits and ventures, all except for three twelve-year-old fillies that were gazing up at a statue a few feet from the UEA Memorial Wall. The platform was about twelve feet in length, width, and height, with columns positioned at all four corners. The statue was of an alicorn stallion, with his wings flared for effect. His chiseled face didn't have much detail, from what they could infer. The statue had a solemn expression, happy and sad at the same time. His tail and mane were carved in such a way as to evoke the idea that a breeze was blowing through it. To the right of the statue was a sword lodged in the platform. Nothing ornate, a simple guard, hilt, pommel, and blade. The entire thing seemed to have been made of the same polished marble that was used for the wall.
Diamond Tiara noticed that Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo were missing from the group. When she finally saw where they were she stared at them quizzically, "Hey, what are you looking at," asked Diamond Tiara.
"Don't know why, but this statue, it feels like…" Apple Bloom stopped for moment to think of the right words to say.
"Familiar?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"Exactly!"
"But I don't remember ever seeing this, is there a name or something," asked Scootaloo.
The four fillies looked around the statue for a name, the only thing that was there were letters carved in gold on the front of the platform block that read "In honor of the Unknown Alicorn."
Cheerilee had been watching the four fillies for a while as they scoured the statue from top to bottom, apparently searching for something. She decided to go and see what they were up to, which was fine with her, since the statue was a part of the fieldtrip anyway. "My little ponies, what in Equestria are you up to?"
"We've been looking all over this thing, but we can't find a name other than that!" Diamond Tiara pointed to the gold carved words. "Who is this pony anyway?"
"I'm glad you asked. Class!" The other foal students turned their heads in the direction of Cheerilee's voice. "Could you gather around here for a moment, there's another memorial I didn't mention."
The statue was soon surrounded with little foals, each one looking up at the statue, and just like the four fillies, wondered who this alicorn was. Cheerilee cleared her throat before she spoke.
"Class do you see the words written on the marble," they all gave a collective nod. "Well, according to some ponies, there was a mysterious alicorn who fought during the war. No one knows who he was, where he came from, or why he fought for us. Nevertheless, ponies say he was there, fighting on the frontlines of the 'Calamity's Fall' final battle."
"Miss Cheerilee, why is there a sword next to him," asked one of the fillies with purple glasses.
"Very observant, Twist. Well, according to some, he wielded a magic sword that helped him defeat many Daemoni during the war. It was said that the sword appeared as a bolt of lightning whenever he called its name."
"Wait, his sword had a name too, why is that," asked a gray pegasus colt.
"Actually it's not uncommon for a warrior to give their weapon a name Rumble; it makes it more personal to them. Which is why some ancient weapons from kingdoms long ago had them; they were either named by their wielder, or given a name by ponies who spread their tales."
"So what happened to him, where is he now," asked Scootaloo.
"No one knows I'm afraid. There are those who say he fell during the final battle, and still others say he was called back to whatever place he came from, waiting for the day when Equestria needs his help once again."
The class's eyes were wide with awe; they hadn't known that such a pony fought during the war. Although there was a mixture of skepticism amongst them, which none could blame, the story did sound more like a work of fiction than reality. Pipsqueak, or Pip as he liked to be called, was raising his hoof in the air. Cheerilee pointed towards him, prompting the little earth pony to speak.
"Miss Cheerilee, my uncle, he was in the war, he told me that he saw the Unknown Alicorn!" Pip said.
"Liar, you made that up," said a pegasus colt.
"Did not Blue Blaze," retorted Pip.
"Settle down children, settle down," warned Cheerilee. "Go ahead Pip, what else were you going to say?"
"My uncle said that whenever the alicorn used his sword he always chanted something."
Cheerilee allowed herself a moment to ponder this, trying to remember if there were any such stories. "Well I did hear something about that, but I'm sure he probably did have a special chant. The sword was magical and it did appear before him as a bolt of lightning after all."
Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom stared more intensely at the statue, their focus shifting between the Unknown Alicorn's face and his sword, trying to make a connection, trying to understand this nagging feeling within them that said "I know this pony!"
"With strength unmatched…" said Scootaloo.
"I sing this song…"said Sweetie Belle.
"That might and magic be as one…" said Apple Bloom.
"Girls?"
The three former Crusaders then spoke as one, "Shine your light upon the land. Let evils wrath be undone, mystic sword…" They stopped, there was something missing, they couldn't remember the last line. It was as if the memory was out of reach, on the fringes of their minds but every time they tried to reach out for it the memory would slip from their imagined grasp.
Cheerilee stared, concerned for her three students. "Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, are you three alright, do you need to lie down?"
They shook their heads vigorously, trying to come out of their hazy trance. "Oh no, we're fine Miss Cheerilee," said Apple Bloom. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle nodded in agreement, putting on smiles to deter suspicion.
Although not totally convinced, Cheerilee decided to let it go for now and keep a close eye on them should they slip into that odd trance like state once again. "Okay class, now we'll move on to the Royal Gardens where Tikara Balak freed the Spirit of Chaos, Discord. Please follow me."
As the group walked away Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo couldn't help but glance back at the statue. And, for some odd reason, felt a sense of loss. It was a feeling that would continue to confound them for the rest of the day, and maybe longer.
Unbeknownst to the three fillies, two royal alicorns were watching them from their palace balcony. Luna sighed heavily and stamped her hoof a little in frustration. "Zounds! They almost remembered," she growled.
"Give it time Luna, they will remember," assured Celestia.
"But Tia the anniversary of the war will be coming up soon, in the next –!" Luna started doing a mental calculation. "Eight days!"
"I'm well aware of the time that is left…"
"Can we not give them a hint, a clue; please Tia they were almost there! All any of them need is a push in the right direction!"
"You know as well as I do that we cannot interfere, this is their trial, and we must put our faith in them," said Celestia.
"Ugh!" Luna began to trot away from the balcony. Celestia followed her little sister inside. "This is frustrating big sister, knowing, but not able to tell. I hate seeing their faces, every time a fragment of their memory flashes into their minds and they ask me if it happened we have to act as if we don't know. And then –!"
"And then we see the look of disappointment and confusion in their eyes. It's not something I like either, but we took a risk when we commissioned that statue, anything more than that…" Celestia started to trail off as she looked down at her hooves.
Luna cantered to her older sister and nuzzled her caringly; the only comfort in this was knowing that she wasn't the only one struggling with this situation.
"Thank you Lulu," said Celestia, nuzzling her little sister back. "Come, we have preparations for the anniversary."
"Yes Tia…"
8 days to go…