//------------------------------//
// Legacy 
// Story: The Poncho Chronicles IV: Through the Portal 
// by BRyeMC 
//------------------------------//

	A few days after Poncho’s death, in the dawn of March, Clyde joined Rarity and her parents on a camping trip to a lake near Canterlot as it was the beginning of the fishing season. Sweetie Belle was absent from the trip as she was with her friends on another Cutie Mark Crusader task. Rarity usually never bothered with camping trips, but due to the recent events, she thought it would be good for Clyde and her to relax a little. Clyde’s shoulder was also back to normal so he was able to fish with her father.
Early one morning on the trip, Rarity’s father, Magnum, took Clyde to a small cliff overlooking the lake and casted a line. Clyde sat down beside him and casted his line too. 
“So,” began Magnum, “how’s the basketball thing going? Is the season officially called off?”
Clyde sighed. “Pretty much. The next season has already been confirmed so I don’t have to worry about not playing. My two year contract is up in July too, so I can sign with any team who wants me.”
“You finally going to leave this city for more fame or money?” asked Magnum as he began reeling in his rod after feeling a tug.
Clyde shook his head. “I don’t play for fame or money. Besides, seeing how Rarity lives in Ponyville, I can’t be far away and the only closest team is Canterlot. I wouldn’t be against the idea of playing in the Garden if she does move to Manehatten either.”
Magnum looked over at him and laughed. “So I guess it’s about that time, huh? I don’t know why you wanted so long seeing how she’s crazy about you.”
Clyde blinked and nodded. “Yeah, I guess it is.”
They continued fishing for a few hours as the sun slowly ascended into the clear sky. Once the sun had reached the apex of it’s climb, Clyde and Magnum took their fish and walked back to the camp. Rarity and her mother, Pearl, were sitting around the site and talking waiting for them to return. Upon their return, the four of them began talking and laughing about an assortment of topics to lighten up the mood. They spent the rest of the day hiking up some trail that Clyde had to carry Rarity most of the way due to it being more muddy than usual. After returning to the campsite, Clyde then ran into the lake to get clean with her still on his back to scare her some for some laughs. 
Later at the camp when the sun was about to set, Rarity watched her father start a fire. She glanced over at a log which had Clyde’s jacket laying atop of it. Rarity felt a breeze hit her and looked over at her mother. “Where is Clyde at? It’s getting cold.”
“He said he wanted to think about something that’s been bothering him lately,” said Pearl. She lifted up the jacket with magic and handed it to her daughter. “Why don’t you go find him?” she said with a smile.
Rarity nodded and placed the jacket on her back. She trotted off following the trail hoping to find her love. After a few minutes, she saw him sitting on the same small cliff her father and him were on a few hours earlier. She quietly walked up behind him and placed his jacket over his shoulders. She walked in front of him and sat down, facing the lake. Clyde quickly put his hooves through the jacket and wrapped them around Rarity, pulling her closer to him. He leaned forward and put his head on her right shoulder. They sat there together watching the sunset hit the horizon of the lake. 
“You know darling,” purred Rarity, “have I ever told you how much I love your hugs?”
Clyde smiled. “Well, I would sure hope so by now.” 
She smiled at his comment and watched the sunset shine over the lake water. “You always seem to find the most beautiful sceneries”
“That’s not true. One of them found me this time.” Rarity turned her head to kiss his cheek. They sat there for another moment when Rarity asked him a question.
“Why are you up here anyway?” she asked him. “My mother says you had to think about something. Is it about Poncho or your friends?”
Clyde shook his head and looked out across the water’s surface. “No, it’s about you.”
Rarity quickly turned around to look straight at him, breaking through his hug. “Me? Did I do something wrong?”
Clyde smiled and shook his head. “You didn’t do anything wrong. I did.”
“What ever do you mean?”
“I was scared that you would say no, so I waited.” He unzipped his jacket pocket and pulled out a small box. 
“Clyde, I don’t understand what you’re saying-” She stopped talking and put her hoof over her mouth, tears forming in her eyes, as she looked at what Clyde was holding. The box was opened and all that was in it was a silver ring with a cut diamond in the center of it. 
Clyde looked into her eyes. “Rarity, you know how much you mean to me and to be honest, I don’t know where I would be right now without you. You fixed my heart and soul of the gap that appeared whenever my mom died. You showed me how to love again, something I thought I would never remember. I love you Rarity. So my beautiful lady, will you marry me?”
Rarity, still in shock, looked at the ring and Clyde over and over again. Without speaking, she leaned forward and kissed him slowly. After a few seconds, she leaned away from him and smiled with her lowered eyes. “Does that answer your question? Yes, of course I will.” 
Clyde smiled and felt the weight of the world off his shoulders. He watched her pick up the ring with her magic. Before it got near her horn, he stopped her. “Did you see the message on it?”
She floated it in front of her face and looked on the inner side of the band. She smiled as she saw the small message written in cursive. Je t'aimerai toujours...I will love you forever.
“I know how much you love the language so I learned that phrase just for you,” said Clyde, “also that may be a hint to a certain place I can take you someday.” Rarity placed the ring around her horn and gave Clyde a hug, kissed her diamond necklace, and pushed him to the ground, falling on top of him. For the next few minutes, they kissed passionately. 
After they were done, which was when the sun had been set for minutes now, Rarity sat up. She squealed in glee and began jumping up and down. “I’m getting married! I can’t wait to show my friends on the wonderful gift my fiancé gave me! Ooh! I just adore saying that!” She kept jumping around as Clyde sat up to try and contain her. 
“At least your parents are going to like it. After all, they knew about this for months now.” Rarity stopped jumping and looked at him.
“They knew?”
“Yeah, do you remember how you told me they both kept bringing my name up during your vacation with them while I was in Amsterdam?”
“Yes.”
“Well, before you guys left, while you were busy with a dress one day, I went over to Canterlot for a team “practice session”. I actually went to visit your parents and told them if I could marry you.”
Rarity gasped. “You did?!”
Clyde nodded. “To much of my surprise, they both agreed that I could because they said you always talk about me and they could tell how much you love me. I then told them I was going to buy your ring while in Amsterdam, but I didn’t know when to propose.”
Rarity smiled and looked at the lake. “I’m content on where you did it, even if I’m not totally into camping. The stars and sunsets seem to be our thing.”
“Good, because I didn’t know where else I could have went.” Clyde helped Rarity up and together, walked back to the campsite down the trail. Once Rarity’s parents saw her with the ring on her horn, they ran over to hug and congratulate them. Rarity yelled at them for planning behind her back, but they smiled it away. 

The next day, Clyde and Rarity returned to Ponyville to get ready for Poncho’s funeral service. Before returning home, however, Rarity went to each one of her friends to show off her ring. They all gave Clyde a hug and told him he was an official part of their clique now, which Clyde didn’t mind. After getting dressed for the occasion, Clyde and Rarity walked to Verona with Twilight and the others. 
Upon arrival of the funeral home, Clyde saw Patel in the back of the room. While Rarity stayed near her friends to talk and wait for the service to begin, he quietly walked over to him and began talking to him. Not even a few minutes later, Tyrone and the boys walked into the service. Instead of the normal “swerve” Tyrone had when he made an entrance, he was clearly disheartened. 
Behind him, Wahlburn and Cannon strolled in and came up to the group followed by Rivs and Sticky. Patel called them out on not helping them the past few weeks with the portal and the extraction task. They both shrugged and apologized. 
The last of the main group to enter the building was Fluffy and Apollo. Most of the guests stared in awe at Apollo’s presence, but they soon calmed down as he wasn’t important right now. 
After everyone filled the room, the service began and everyone had a chance to say one last remark. Clyde watched his friends, Rarity and her friends, Yarlin, Clark, Skarlin, some other ponies that lived in the area, and lastly himself, walk up to the podium near Poncho’s casket and give a brief closing remark in Poncho’s honor. Once everyone had said what they wanted to say, the pallbearers came in and took the casket, and Poncho, away forever, leaving the room silent and full of sadness and sorrow.
When the service officially ended, the crew and the girls met up with each other one last time at Wahlburn’s apartment. After talking for a few minutes, Wahlburn noticied Rarity’s ring and all of the boys started hitting Clyde, calling him a sucker, and congratulated him. Rarity smiled as Clyde tried to fight off the guys. 
Wahlburn appeared soon with a bottle of champagne and gave each pony a glass. He poured them each a sample, even if they declined, and told them to have a toast for Clyde and Rarity’s engagement and to the future, because of those two, they were all bonded now. After everyone clanged glasses together and gulped down the champagne, Clyde ordered Wahlburn to fetch another bottle. Wahlburn didn’t decline and ran to find one. The others looked at Clyde confused.
Five minutes later, after everyone had another glass, Clyde gathered everyone around and held up his glass of champagne.
“To one last tribute for Poncho. May he live on in our hearts and our minds.” The group clanged the glasses together one last time and threw them on the floor.

Thus, the Chronicles of Poncho were finally brought to an end...


*	*	*	*	*


I leaned back in my chair and sighed. My final “farewell” was finally done and it felt surreal. I threw the pencil down on the desk and looked at the final page of the Poncho Chronicles that I just finished. 

I quickly looked out the window and watched June’s sunshine hit me. It’s been three months since Poncho’s death. Most of the crew left the area a week after Poncho’s funeral service. They all told me to keep in touch and tell them whenever the wedding was. I said I would and told them about the stories I was about to write. They all said they would help and love a copy. 

Before I go further about them, I should explain my desire for writing some stories that only a few ponies would read. Like Poncho once said; “It’s just something I had to do.” I never felt like I had a true closure with him and even though we barely got along, he still was one of my first friends. Also, we all would have a way to remember him whenever we wanted to.

Like I earlier said, the crew split up a few days after Poncho’s funeral service. The first group to leave Verona was Patel, Cannon, and Apollo. After much debate one day, the three of them decided to return to Germaney and rule it in a triumvirate. Apollo was head of the citizens and listened to their needs, Cannon was in charge of all military operations, and Patel was in charge of all political diplomacy, treaties, and world affairs. 

For Wahlburn, he decided to join the Guard here in Equestria after falling in love with his SAW. Even though Equestria wasn’t particularly gung ho in war, he wanted to join anyways. 

Fluffy Johnson stayed in Canterlot for another month, then returned to South Beach until next year. Down there, he told me in letter he met back up with Bastiaan, who threw another crazy party. Fluffy had a hard time remembering what time the party even started because it was that intense.

Sticky and Rivs loved North Marolina so much, they told me they were going to sign with their professional team come July. I was a little disheartened at the news, but I knew just how much Marolina meant to them. Before they left, I wished them the best for when they faced me on the court again, as I wouldn’t go easy on them.

Lastly, Tyrone, my closest friend, told me great news one day. He said the Canterlot Crusaders took interest in him and wanted to sign him to the team during the off season. I was excited by the news as I finally was able to play with the pony who helped me get my mark once again. Like the same reason for me, he wanted to stay in the Canterlot area for Junior’s sake.

For Rarity’s friends, nothing really changed much from before. Rarity mostly hung out with them while I stayed behind to work on the stories or practice for the season in October. When I did actually hang out with them, they acted like I was part of their group for years.

Out of all of Rarity’s friends, the one I bonded with the most was Twilight. Not only did she help me with my writing by editing it, she became my publisher, and she even helped me find out I had a decent talent at writing because she made me write a biography. 

I looked back at the final page and took it. I walked out of the room and down the steps. Upon reaching the bottom floor, I told Rarity, who was working on multiple dresses, where I was headed and she gave me a smile. 

I walked over to Twilight’s house and gave her the page. I told her I wanted to make a copy for everyone, including her friends, as they were in there, and an extra copy. She asked about the extra copy purpose, but I shook my head, refusing to talk. She nodded and told me she would have them all finished by morning, as she spent the last few months figuring out how to publish books. 

The next morning I woke early and found one of Rarity’s extra glass boxes. I strapped it to my side and went over to Twilight’s. Like she promised, she had all of the copies of the books I asked for. I wanted to pay her for the time, but she declined all monetary gifts, saying being friends and being Rarity’s fiancé was fine enough. I thanked her of her help and handed her one of the books. I quickly left to begin delivering the others.

For the next few minutes, I ran around Ponyville, trying to find Pinkie, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack. Luckily, there were all their homes. I told them about the books and they happily accepted them. 

For all of my friends’ copies, I ran to the post-office and began, one by one, mailing a copy of the book to one of the addresses my friends were at. After all of the books were sent, I looked at the glass box I had and the two copies left. One was obviously for myself and Rarity, but I had an idea for the extra copy.

I went back to Rarity’s house to give her one of the books. I guess now, it would be my house too, but since she already owned it prior, I decided to stick with her being the main owner. Anyways, I told her I was going to need the box and the extra copy. After I told her what I was going to do, she gave me a kiss for being so thoughtful. I gave her a hug and I raced off for Verona.

After reaching Verona, I looked around and watched the townsfolk wave at me. I haven’t been in the town since I finally moved out of my apartment to officially move in with Rarity. The townsfolk still remembered me since they all were fans of the Crusaders, except some rebel bandwagons. 

I walked into the cemetery and walked around trying to find a certain gravestone. After a few minutes, I stopped at a familiar name; Poncho.

I read his epitaph on his gravestone that said, “Well...” I smiled as I read it. That was Poncho alright. I sat down in front of it and sighed. I placed the glass box beside me and took out the extra copy of the Poncho Chronicles. 

I looked at the cover of it and looked at the illustrated portrait of Poncho, the others, and myself. Poncho was in the middle of the picture with Rarity and her friends on the left side and the boys and myself on the right. I was standing in the front row, below Poncho, beside Rarity. I smiled as looked at the picture and noticed all of our expressions. I looked back at the gravestone and placed the book back in the box. 

I got up and began digging a small hole beside the gravestone, after I dug a hole that the box would fit in it, I jammed the glass box in. Since it was glass, you could see the book clear as day, and because the box was not fully in the hole, any pony was able to open it and look at the book. Content of my placement of the box, I stood up and looked at it.

I gave the box containing the Poncho Chronicles copy and the gravestone one last look before a tear formed in my eye. I turned away and began walking away. Before I took two steps forward, I turned back around and smiled at the gravestone. 

“Happy Birthday Poncho,” I said sadly. “I hope you enjoy your present. Now you don’t have to worry about not being remembered. Don’t worry, I’ll see you again in this spot next year.”

I left the cemetery and began my journey back to Ponyville. I felt my closure to Poncho was finally completed and I felt sadness at the same time. I quickly shook it away and smiled. 

The song is ended, but the melody lingers on...