This chapter is dedicated to anyone who has lost someone near to their hearts because of the stupid thing we call war.
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Morning, something I often yearn for, and something that welcomed me with a large embrace on this day. Mourning, however, is something that I hated, and yet I would most likely be pulled up to Canterlot to mourn the dead guards from last nights battle. I sat up, deciding that enough was enough, and looked over my things. I still had enough bits, but that would be a problem by the end of this week. My knife was still there, but I needed to get my overcoat cleaned. It was dirty from sleeping in the hay pile, and even had a rip in it. Yep, defiantly going to get that fixed.
I stood up, my hooves touching the floor of the barn, and a familiar sense of security coming over me. I take a deep breath and start out the door, walking slowly. When I get about five feet outside the barn I stare up at Canterlot. The tower where Luna's room is is now draped with huge black cloths over every window in the tower. I look down and stomp a hoof in the dirt, thinking of all the soldiers that I could save.
I look to Ponyville and I see that there is indeed a chariot flying towards the small town. I start walking towards the down, my eyes downcast and my hooves heavy with the lives of those I wasn't strong enough to save. Saving everypony wasn't a realistic goal, but it was a worthwhile one if you could handle it when you failed. I looked up once again at the voice of the Pink tornado identified as Pinkie Pie.
"Hey! You look like your sad, and you know what that calls for, a PARTY! We could have cake and cupcakes and streamers and balloons and-"
"SHUT UP!" I yelled. Tired of her nonsensical ranting. "The reason I'm sad is because good guards just died! Do you not see Luna's tower? Huh? DO YOU?!" I pointed a hoof at Canterlot. Pinkie's hair seemed to deflate a little bit. "Now if you would excuse me I have to go to Canterlot and give a speech at the funeral. A fine reason to be sad if I do say so myself." I once again started towards Ponyville, this time I ran as fast as my hooves would carry me to the chariot in the center of town.
Ponies were starting to gather around the golden chariot and I pushed through them, causing quite a few ponies to shout at me. As I reached the chariot and started to approach it a guard put a hoof out to stop me. As I met his eyes I knew instantly that this was his first time on the job. Heck even his hoof was shaking a little bit. I cleared my throat and he still didn't move, but another guard noticed the scene and his eyes widened. He ran over and practically murdered the new guard with his glare alone.The younger guard faltered and lowered his hoof. I took this opportunity to interject before this got to ugly, and being me I of course chose the worst possible question to accomplish this goal with.
"How many KIA and how many wounded?" I asked in a serious manner. The younger guard just froze and then burst into tears. The older guard froze also, but he kept it together.
"Hard to get an exact number without bodies, but we went through the records and found out. Three hundred and seventy two city wide, about a fifth of those in the castle alone. Another Two hundred and thirty one wounded, sixty five of those are in critical." I took a step back as he said that, that many guards that died because I wasn't fast enough, wasn't there to help them fight the whole time. A few tears slipped from my eyes, wetting the area around my hooves. An yell of 'why does that guy get to talk to the guards?' sounded from the back of the crowd. I turned on a dime and faced the audience.
"Who the hell said that!?" I yelled, the crowd parting until only the idiot Filth Rich stood in front of me. I slowed time and ran up until I was nose to nose with the bitch. I made time flow at a regular pace and he fell to his haunches the crowd gasping at my sudden speed. When I spoke I put on the RCV for extra effect. "THE REASON I GET TO TALK TO THE GUARD IS BECAUSE I AM THE BUCKING COMMANDER OF THE SOLAR GUARD, ONLY SECOND TO PRINCE SHINING ARMOR. IF YOU DESIRE TO KNOW WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT IT WAS ONLY THE THREE HUNDRED OR SO GUARDS THAT LOST THEIR LIVES LAST NIGHT! IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO GO TO CANTERLOT AND TAKE MY PLACE AT THE FUNERAL AND GIVE A SPEECH I WILL GLADLY LET YOU!
I let all my anger vent, bringing a hoof down on his face, only to be stopped by a wall of purple magic, Twilight Sparkle. I looked up, making the rage in my face as evident as I could. She just shook her head in what looked like disappointment. I simply walked onto the chariot and motioned for the guards to take off, which they gladly did.
The chariot landed and I stepped off. My hooves hitting the marble floor with a sharp *Crack!*. I started to head to the court room, and the guards all saluted me as I walked be them, but I was in no mood to salute back. My mind was still trying to comprehend what had happened. All the ways I could have saved them, or at least helped more. These thoughts still haunted me as I reached court, and what do you know, the voice of the idiot strikes again. From inside I could hear Blueblood practically begging the court for something. I made a special effort to slam the doors open as loudly as I possibly could.
All eyes turned to me as I slowly trotted in, making sure to accent every step. I stopped in the middle of the court room and faced the Princess, her eyes filled with a sorrow that she tried to mask with a fake smile. A smile that faltered as she saw me come in. I snapped the sharpest solute I've ever preformed and the rest of the ponies in the court that were once whispering to each other shut their muzzles.
"High Commander Aevus reporting!" I shouted, trying desperately to keep my voice from cracking. Which I barely managed. Celestia nodded at my solute and addressed the ponies of the court.
"My little ponies, I am going to have to ask you to leave. Come back later and I will gladly hear your problem, but right now is not the time for things such as these." The ponies filed out wordlessly, even Blueblood left without saying a word to me. I turned to Celestia and was surprised to see tears streaking down her alabaster face, slowly dripping to the ground. She shook her head and pulled herself back together.
"Commander, I am truly sorry for the loss of so many of the guard, and-" She let out a cough and more tears began to fall down her face. "and to show respect to the families a funeral shall be held at noon today." I nodded solemnly and gave a bow, at which point one question came to mind.
"Your majesty, do you know what happened to Lieutenant Colonel Nightflare?" I ask in an almost worried tone. This could be extremely bad if my other body died. Celestia's expression darkened at this question.
"We were able to save him, but he took a crossbow bolt that was meant for Luna, now I do believe it is about time for the funeral to start." I looked up and saw that it was indeed noon. I cast a spell and my traditional armor appeared at my feet. I began to put it on piece by piece. Once I was done we set out for the courtyard. When we arrived I almost began to cry. Hundreds of ponies were gathered around a single casket. The casket contained the ashes of all the guards that died last night. This was the tradition that was carried out every time a guard or group of guards died.
As soon as me and Celestia and I stepped out into the courtyard, all eyes snapped to us. Celestia nodded and I made my way to the casket, standing a few feet away. Guards were already lined up in a perfect square around it ready to move it when possible.
"All rise for the anthem of the Solar Guards!" I shouted. The ponies around us stood and I cast a spell. The music began to play.
From the snow-swept mountain tops
To the emerald green fields
Across the sea and sky, that wondrous light
Has touched us all
And as the night begins to fade
And the moon hangs low
We wake to see the rise of her
Celestial glow
Raise the sun
Raise the sun
Every pony and parasprite
Every dragon and bird
Knows that without her light, her loving warmth
We'd never live
Those cowards hide in shadows
Sheathed by the night
We fight the darkness, our swords
Raised for the light
Raise the sun
Raise the sun
Throughout all of Equestria
The Solar Empire endures
Every colt and mare, we stand at arms
Ten million strong
You best stray from evil
And stay in the light
Or be lost to darkness, like tears
Shed in the night.
Raise the sun
Raise the sun
I never thought that music quiet fit. This was just the funeral for the solar guards, the other funeral would be more solitary, but first I had to get through this one. I spoke.
"Ponies, I am truly sorry. I have lost ponies before, so I know your pain." I began the speech with a simple and true statement. "I have been through battles and wars, protected the Princesses for years on end, and I will tell you something. Every single pony that dies in battle has the right to be called a hero, no matter what happens that is what we should remember them as. When the changelings attacked Canterlot, I lost my best friend. Last night a pony took a crossbow bolt for Princess Luna. These are the true heroes in our world. Not the ponies that invent something that changes life, but rather those who fight to prevent us from having to. These ponies are what we remember in history, these ponies are the heroes. These ponies, are the Solar Guard." I turned to the Solar guards.
"Solar Guard, present, ARMS!" As I yelled this every guard in the courtyard snapped to a solute. The casket was surrounded by Celestia's magic and lowered into a whole. I filled the grave in with dirt and placed a single large stone on top of the grave. It read all of the names of the ponies lost in the battle. All the Solar guards at least. Celestia nodded to me and I faced the guard once again.
"Solar Guard, Order, ARMS!" I paused for a second, tears streaming down the faces of more than one guard. "Solar Guard, Dismissed." With that I stepped back inside the castle, and before anypony could stop me went to my old room. I stayed there for the rest of the day before simply falling asleep.
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Authors note: That song gets me every time, if you haven't already I would suggest you go here and donate. It's for a good cause, and you get awesome music!