Forgotten Memories
Chapter 6
In Nomine Memorandum
The statue, the statue that held six mares, two each of earth, sky, and magic, every one of them beautiful, regal in appearance and yet, they were not without sadness. Each of the six had been immortalized in magic hewn stone right here in the courtyard of Canterlot Castle.
"Breaker?"
"Give me a moment Applebloom."
"Alright...."
Breaker looked upon them and sighed before going to the first, Twilight Sparkle, the element of Magic and looked at her.
"Twilight...with all your knowledge and skill in your mind...even you could not foresee that danger that fell on us...even I could not see what would happen over there."
Next was Rainbow Dash.
"Loyal Rainbow...you followed your friends into whatever happened with a brash personality and unflinching courage...You could do what none could and I was the one that could not portect you..."
Rarity
"I'm so sorry that your new line was canceled before it took off...I looked forward to trying on a few of your regal ensembles....with the way you spoke of them....it's my fault all this happened..."
Pinkie Pie was next
"Pinkamena Diane Pie....you always found a way to cheer us up whenever we were down...whenever things seemed hopeless you were always the one who smiled and did the craziest things...and now the world is without you...without your smiles and laughter..."
AppleJack
"Damn...just...Damn it AJ....You told me things that were true about myself that I would never have believed from anypony else but you...I was blind...I was stubborn...I was emotionless...it was all true..from the first word to the last one..."
And finally...Fluttershy. He looked at her statue with more sadness than the others, she had been so kind and patient with him and all he had done was push her into things she would have run from.
"Flutters....it was my fault...it was my fault for making you witness those atrocities...Your kind heart...your forgiving nature...damn it Shy...I'm so sorry...I...I made you lose something precious to you while doing nothing....I did nothing to save you...and now...now I have to go back....I have to go back on another ridiculous mission....I don't know how long I'll be gone this time....Big Mac misses you....we all miss you Fluttershy...."
"Breaker?"
"What Applebloom?"
"Yer...crying again...."
"Let me...let me cry...let me....remember...."
///
It had been a few days since they arrived in the fire tribe, this was the first place they needed to be, so they could meet with the chief.
"Star Breaker?"
"I'll be alright long as nopony attacks us Twilight."
"We're safe here. This is Pyro's tribe. He won't let anypony do anything to hurt us."
"I know...but I can't be certain of that."
"Quit bein so stubborn Breaker...It aint good for the morality of the group."
"Let me run my team how I need to AJ. Twilight...since you were partnered with him once he's all yours."
"Alright. I'll be right back."
"Listen Sugarcube...you can't be going around looking like yer about to kill somepony...it scares ponies. Look there...that foal would normally come runnin ta see us...now he just looks."
Breaker looked and shook his head before looking at the sky and scanning it for anything that could be hostile.
"Come on Breaker...quit being so lame. You heard AJ! Relax you uptight snark."
"I'm not uptight..I just have a duty to carry out."
"You're just as uptight as those Canterlot ponies."
"Dash...stop..."
"Why Fluttershy? He's been nothing but an uptight asswad the whole trip..he wouldn't even let me fly ahead and stretch my wings!"
"It was for safety. You six are the Elements of Harmony. Everything is meant to keep you as safe as possible."
Dash snickered and rolled her eyes while Fluttershy shook her head and approached Star Breaker, Plasma and Angel were doing patrols through the village making sure everything was safe while the meeting went on.
"You...you have to be kinder Star...It's not very nice to scare ponies."
"It's my job to be scary Fluttershy."
"Not when yer scarin foals away it's not. Listen to us Breaker. We've been at this fer a long time."
"Ten years three days and fourteen hours since the elements chose you six and Nightmare Moon was defeated....We've kept count."
"We who Sugarcube?"
"We being the Elite Security Force or ESF for short. Hand-picked by both Princesses for our talents and services to the country. We are the best of the best and have never failed a single mission as of yet. And I don't plan on failing now."
Fluttershy sighed as Twilight approached once more saying that the meeting was over and everything was going right. Nopony had noticed that Fluttershy had a stomach that was bigger than usual....nopony except Breaker, and he intended to get her alone to talk about it soon.
///
"So...was Fluttershy?"
"Not here Applebloom...We'll talk when we get there."
"Alright....Is there anything else?"
"Yeah...there is."
He sighed and sat down in front of the statues, tears stinging his eyes as he looked upon them, his friends, his family...they were gone as surely as he still breathed. It wasn't until he felt the hooves of Applebloom around him that he completely broke down and the tears that had fallen fell even more. Wracking sobs left him as he clenched to her like she was a stone in a typhoon of doubt and pain. This was only the second time this had happened in front of the mare, the first had been when she had cheered him up, and now this. He must look the foal right now, clinging to a mare whose sister was dead and gone, and yet...she didn't blame him, she didn't judge him for failing or getting her sister killed, she....she didn't care.
"Shhh....shhh...it's alright Breaker....it's alright...just let it all out now...we're alone...."
She was even being supportive, there wasn't a single thing she was doing to stop this mental and emotional breakdown, and the sword was silent as well, simply letting him have this moment of weakness.
"Why.....why don't you judge me? I got her killed...I got them all killed...."
"Now now Breaker...there isn't a doubt in mah mind that it wasn't yer fault. Yeah...they died...and it hurts...but there ain't a thing we can do ta change that....All we can do is move forward."
"I...I'm sorry...."
She shook her head and smiled as she wiped away a final tear that fell as she looked into his eyes with a soft smile of understanding and forgiveness.
"It's alright Breaker....Ah don't blame ya. Ya didn't know what was gonna happen....there wasn't any way fer ya ta know."
"But I could have done something...."
"Naw Breaker...ya couldn't. Now stop beaten yerself up...I don't like seeing you like this....It....Hurts..."
Breaker nodded and sniffed a little before closing his eyes and nodding turning away from the statues and Applebloom, a more determined look on his face, with them gone it rested on him and whoever he found...and Bloomy, to protect their home, this wasn't going to be for anypony other than themselves, their families, and their homes. Piss on what Celestia wanted, Breaker wasn't concerned about the 'mission' that had been given, all he cared about was the fact that his home was suddenly in danger from something that nopony knew about except for him, Applebloom, and the Princesses...and his old unit but they were negligible in this. It took them a couple of hours to get from the memorial in the courtyard to the public teleportation annex and paid to go, the service unicorn told them everything would be ready tommorow, to go and get some rest, relax, spend time with his marefriend before they left. The whole thing had caused Applebloom to laugh and Star to blush near crimson from the insinuation as they left for a hotel, how in Tartarus could they have been confused with being a couple...oh wait...it was how they acted around each other, completely relaxed and teasingly joking with one another, like they had actually been together, it was a strange thought to be sure, one that had led him to another memory of a conversation with AppleJack, but he would revisit that at a later time, right now they needed to prepare to leave, much MUCH sooner than anticipated.