~~~~~
18:00 Hours
February 11, 1987
Ponyville Dance Hall
~~~~~
I looked at Fluttershy and Big Mac and smiled before taking a sip of champaign. Lowering the glass I looked down at it and began to swirl the golden drink around the glass. A weight on my arm made me glance at the olive colored mare in the seat next to me. Smiling to myself I slid my arm out from between us and around her shoulder. She began to nuzzle her head into my side but stopped and placed a hoof on her stomach. Looking down at her I raised an eyebrow at her in worry.
“You okay?” I asked her as I removed my arm from around her.
“Yeah, just hurry up and feel my stomach.” She replied as she grabbed my wrist with her hoof and brought it down to her stomach. As I gently placed my hand on her stomach I felt a small thump against my palm.
“They’re kicking!” I said with a small laugh. There was another thump against my palm but this time it was nearly twice as hard as the first. “My, they’re gonna be soccer stars if they keep kicking like that.” Looking at Thunderstreak’s face I saw her smiling at me. “What?”
“Today’s the first time I’ve seen you genuinely smile in a long time. I’ve missed it. You have such a nice smile.” I glanced down at our table but then looked over at Thunderstreak. She slowly reached a hoof up and placed it against my scared right cheek. “You miss him. I see it every day in your eyes. And we both know you blame yourself for it. But you shouldn’t you know. Another second later and that flak shell would’ve got another bomber. It was just a bad place at a bad time.”
“If it wasn’t for me he wouldn’t have been in that place.” I told her as I grabbed a scotch off a passing waiter‘s tray. Taking a sip I set the glass on the table and looked down at her again. On stage Glenn had struck up the band again and a familiar song seemed to float through the air.
“They’re playing our song.” Thunderstreak said as the band continued to play Moonlight Serenade. She began to gently rock back and forth with the music and looked over at Fluttershy and Mac who were out on the dance floor. “They’re so sweet together.” She said as she continued to look at them. “I’m sure they’re gonna be that couple that loves each other just as much thirty years from now.”
~~~~~
Meanwhile in Applewood
~~~~~
Sabre led Brush Stroke into the recording studio where a group of technicians all sat next to recording equipment.
“Just imagine you’re by yourself. The only other pony here is me. Okay?” He asked the trembling purple mare. “You’ve already filmed five different scenes and those were one take wonders. I’m certain you’ll do just as good singing.” He told her. She looked at him with anxious eyes.
“Those weren’t singing scenes.” She argued as he stopped her next to the recording room door. Inside an orchestra was set up and waiting for her so that they could begin. “I’m a good actress but I’m far from a good singer.”
“Not true. I’ve heard you sing before. You’re incredible. I know you don’t believe me half the time but you’re a very talented mare. You’re smart, an amazing singer, and definitely the most beautiful mare around. Even more so than that blonde mare the studio’s been talking to.” He told her. “Just record one song and I’ll show you how good you really are.”
“Fine. One song and if I don’t like it then find me a new voice.” She told him before going inside the recording room. Sabre stepped back and went over to the control panel next to the window in the studio. Inside, Brush Stroke carefully stepped up to the microphone.
“Don’t worry. You’ll do fine. Everyone is nervous in their first recording.” A young earth pony stallion said to her from his spot. She seemed to relax a bit at his words and outside, Sabre nodded to the technicians.
“Alright Brushy, We’re good to go.” He said to her through a microphone connected to the recording room. She took a deep breath and the band began to play an upbeat song that seemed to relax the mare even more. After a few seconds she began to sing the song on the stand in front of her.
“I’m singin’ in the rain.
Just singin’ in the rain
What a glorious feeling
I’m happy again!
I’m laughing at clouds,
So dark up above
The sun’s in my heart and I’m ready for love!”
And so it went for the next two minutes that the purple mare, the love of a certain green unicorn, was singing in the rain. Seemingly without a care until the end of the music she then cast her eyes down when silence filled the room. Stepping out of the room she slowly went up to the stallions sitting by the control panel. “So how bad was I?” She asked, seeming on the verge of tears.
“You tell me.” Sabre said as he put a freshly cut record on a nearby player for her to hear. As she stood and listened to the music she looked up at the beautiful voice that came from the speakers.
“That’s-that’s my voice?” She asked as she pointed a hoof at the record player.
“Told you that everything about you was beautiful.” Sabre told her as he hugged her.
“Just shut up and let me enjoy my moment.” Brush Stroke told him with a new found confidence in her singing voice.
~~~~~
20:00 Hours Canterlot Time
February 11, 1987
Gryphus, Griffin Empire
~~~~~
A griffin sat atop a building in downtown Gryphus. In his talons he gripped a high powered rifle that he was setting up on the edge of the roof. Laying down he took ahold of the rifle again and looked through the scope. In the crosshairs of the scope sat the main steps of the palace. As he watched the steps a Mercedes 770 slowed to a stop next to them. The front right door of the car flew open and an SS private hurried around to the back driver side door. He opened the door and stood at attention as the old man in a green/grey overcoat stepped out into the cold night.
“Gotcha.” The griffin said as he got the man in his crosshairs. His talon gently lowered onto the trigger. But just as he was about to pull of the best shot of the war, a problem arose. A tall blonde man in an SS general’s uniform walked in front of the older man. “Come on you bastard, move!” The griffin swore to himself. As if he had heard the demand of the far off griffin, the SS general moved. The man was once again in the griffin’s crosshairs. “Say goodnight you son of a bitch.” He squeezed the trigger and the bullet began its flight towards Adolf Hitler.
~~~~~
00:15 Hours
February 12, 1987
Equestrian War Department
~~~~~
I wiped the sleep from my eyes as I walked down the corridor leading to the department briefing room. Walking inside I buttoned up my uniform jacket and took my spot in the back of the room. The room was packed full of personnel from every branch of every rank. On the small platform in the front of the room Celestia and Luna looked over the message again and again. As I leaned against the wall I heard someone stop to my right. Looking over I saw Colonel Stauffenberg standing next to me in a white shirt with grey suspenders. His hair was a disheveled mess and a grey garrison cap with pink piping sat cockeyed on top of his head. In the front of the room Celestia and Luna finally stopped their discussion and Celestia stepped up to the podium on the platform.
“Fillies and gentlecolts, we have just received word from an agent in Gryphus that enemy leader Adolf Hitler has been taken to the hospital as a result of an attempted assassination.”
The room erupted into cheers but I stood quiet in the back. But my lack of excitement was soon noticed by personnel who fell silent. As they all eventually stopped their excited chattering.
"What?" I asked all the ponies stating at me.
"Why aren't you excited?" A MAC lieutenant asked.
"Why should I be? Didn't you hear her? She said 'an attempted assassination'. He's still alive and is likely going to recover. Not to mention his little black shirted goons will find the shooter when he tries to flee the county." I replied. These words sent everyone back to their depressed and tired looking states. "All the supporters of the Nazis will use this to rally against us. Their Ministry of Propaganda will say that we sent the griffin who pulled the trigger and the level of support for Hitler will be higher than ever."
"What if we finish him off?" A voice asked and the crowd parted to reveal a marine corps gunnery sergeant.
"And How do you propose we do that gunny? It's not like we have half the city of Gryphus under our control." I said as I looked at the old marine.
"Who says we need to have the city. We know what hospital he's in. There'll be civilian casualties but I say we bomb the hospital. Without their leader they'll be useless."
"And what if they move him before the raid? What if all my aircrews end up doing is bombing a hospital full of civilians? Then who's the barbarians in this war? Not to mention that they have protocols in case Hitler is incapacitated or killed. If he's unable to run the country then the commanding general of the SS is to take control. Then we've got an empire run by another nut-job who'll just order his men to kill all those they encounter." I replied. As we stood there contemplating what to do there was an ear-piercing wail from outside.
"Another raid?! Don't they fucking sleep?!" Someone shouted as we all began to head for the palace air raid shelter. As we all began to make our way down to the shelter I noticed a light on down one of the corridors. Running over to the open door I saw John standing on his platform shouting orders to all the personnel running around the room.
"John!" I shouted and he turned to look at me. "We've got to get to the shelter!"
"Bullshit we do! Right now this is the only way to get information out of Canterlot! You seek shelter sir but I'm staying here!"
"If you live I'll see that you get the Legion of Merit for this!" I shouted back to him before running down the steps to the shelter. Even underground we could still hear the familiar sound of the anti-aircraft guns and the explosions of bombs hitting the city. But forty minutes into the raid there was an explosion almost directly over the shelter.
"What section was that?" Someone asked as we all sat around the dust covered room.
"Sounded like intelligence." Another replied. Standing up I went over to the steel door and opened it up. "What the hell is he doing?" The voice asked and I turned to face those in the room.
"There were still personnel at their posts in the intelligence department. If there're any survivors they're going to need medical help as soon as possible. Now you lot can either help me or stay down here and let your comrades upstairs die. The choice is yours." Walking out the door I hurried upstairs where I was met by carnage and destruction. Looking around in the smoke filled air I finally found the intelligence department and saw a large hole where half of the wall of the corridor used to be. As I ran over towards what was left of the intelligence department I tripped over something and fell to the floor. As I got up I looked behind me and saw the body of a young royal guard laying on the floor, his eyes staring at me. Even after death he looked terrified. Turning away from him I began tossing aside broken furniture and pieces of wooden beams. Behind me there was the sound of hoofsteps and soon there was over a dozen ponies around me. When we had finally cleared enough of the rubble to get in we all hurried inside the room. Inside we were greeted by burning equipment and the smell of burnt flesh.
"Everyone spread out and look for survivors!" I ordered and we all began to sift through the rubble of the room. As I looked through what was left of the stand I heard coughing to my right. Looking over I saw John on the floor with blood running out of a wound above his left eye. Kneeling next to him I placed my hand on the wound and called for someone to help me with him. As I looked at him I saw him give me a weak smile.
"How's about a cluster to that Legion of Merit?" He asked with the same pained, half smile on his face. A moment later a young army private was helping me load John onto a makeshift stretcher. Though the stretcher was nothing more than curtains hastily attached to metal poles, it worked as well as a standard army stretcher. As we carried John out into the damaged corridor the sirens began to wail again.
"Is it another raid?" The private asked as we carried John down the stairs towards the medical wing of the palace. I listened for the drop in tone but it didn't come.
"It's the all clear." I replied as we continued down another flight of stairs.
"Well that's good right? Means that everything is good from here on." He answered with slight optimism in his voice.
"I wish it did." I told him as we began our journey down the corridor that lead to the palace operating room. "God, what I'd give for a M*A*S*H* unit right now." I mumbled to myself as we entered a small white room. Inside there was no one to be seen. "Hello?!" I shouted. "Is anyone here?!" From around a corner a unicorn stallion in a white lab coat appeared.
"I'm Doctor Bone Saw. Is there someone in need of medical treatment?" He asked as he began to approach us.
"This man has injuries to his head." I answered as he looked over John.
"We need to get him into the O.R. now. I'll have the private help me. You're free to go sir."
"Not without knowing what'll happen to him I'm not." I told the doctor as he took the stretcher from me.
"Alright. He's likely already lost vision in his left eye and he's missing two finger on his right hand. The rest is scrapes and bruises. Now you can leave." The doctor replied as he and the private began to carry him to the O.R. They disappeared into another room and I stood in the same spot for what felt like hours. Eventually I left the room and went back upstairs where there were now military doctors treating the wounded on site. Deciding that they didn't need my help I made my way to the palace garage where my car was waiting for me.
~~~~~
10:00 Hours
February 12, 1987
Ponyville, Equestria
~~~~~
"And how exactly did you get suspended?" I asked Lancaster as we drove towards Sweet Apple Acres.
"Some colts were making fun of me so I punched them in the nose." He replied as he looked out the window. Looking in the rear view mirror I noticed he had a bit of a black eye.
"You've got a bit of a shiner there buddy. You alright?"
"Yeah. I'm fine." Lancaster answered as he looked towards me.
"So why were those other colts making fun of you?" I asked with come concern in my voice.
"Because I like someone at school." He stated while returning his attention back out the window.
"Oh. Is it a filly? I know Applebloom has had her eye on you." I said as I grinned in the mirror at him.
"It's not a filly." Lancaster said just loud enough for me to hear.
"Oh. So it's a colt. What's his name?" I asked him with the grin still on my face.
"Rumble." He said, again barely loud enough for me to hear.
"He's the grey one with the dark mane right?" Lancaster nodded his head and I smiled to myself. "His brother works at the airfield. I've talked to him before. He's mentioned Rumble a few times. Said Rumble had his eye on a colt too." This drew Lancaster's full attention towards me. "He said Rumble talks about a blue colt with a coat and scarf. If I didn't know better, I'd say Rumble's got his eye on you." This made Lancaster smile as he looked out the window. Ahead of us the charred remnants of the orchard loomed like an army of the dead. Pulling to a stop in front of the farm house I climbed out of the car and looked around. Scattered throughout the orchard were members of the town’s home guard. They were going about their work of removing the charred trees and replacing them with new ones. As I watched them work I saw a familiar orange mare approaching me, but there was something different about her appearance. She was wearing a Santiago blue uniform jacket with a matching skirt and beret. Applejack gave me a somewhat lazy salute which I returned with a smile.
“Good morning lieutenant. I see you managed to pass your flying exam. Fly anything good yet?” I asked Applejack who stopped in front of me.
“Nah. They ain’t given us anything nice yet. Just some Warhawks and a few trainers.” She replied as I hopped up to sit on the hood of the car. She joined me on the hood and we watched the crews working with their tractors to remove the trees. Overhead there was the drone of an airplane and I glanced up at it in the morning sky. It’s blue fuselage blended in with the sky but its yellow wings made the airplane easy to spot against the blue. As I looked back toward the orchard I could hear bird singing their songs as a gentle breeze blew through the charred trees. Applejack sighed and laid down on her back. “Weird to think that in a few months’ time it I could be in the Crystal Empire delivering a new plane instead of bucking apples. That’ll be a bit of a change to get used to.”
“Well hopefully things are going better a few months from now.”
~~~~~
11:30 Hours
May 1, 1987
Equestrian War Department
~~~~~
“For fuck’s sake Luna! I’m trying to explain that what you’re wanting can’t be done!” I told the night blue alicorn as I paced behind my desk. “For the last nine days the crews with the Eighth, Fifteenth, and Ninth have been bombing the griffins ‘round the clock. The Eighth Air Force alone has lost a quarter of its bombers because of their campaign against Gryphus. Not to mention you wanting the Fifteenth to try and hit the enemy’s oil fields. Every time they send a raid against the oil fields they get slaughtered. Then there’s the Ninth which is a sad excuse of an air force now. They’ve lost over half of their bombers because they’re doing the low altitude raids. If I order them to keep this up we’re not going to have any bombers left to hit the griffins with.” Sitting down at my desk I sighed and put my face in my hands. Ever since the griffin air raids on Equestria stopped in late March, we had begun to step up the number of raids against griffin targets like factories and railway stations. Now the royal sisters had requested that the raids be stepped up and be against more heavily defended targets.
“James,” I looked up as Luna started towards the doorway “I’d like to discuss this later. Right now though I have another meeting.” She walked out and I sat looking out the open door into the hallway. The hustle and bustle of ponies going between offices was merely background noise as I had long since gotten used to the sound. Standing up, I walked out into the hallway and towards the intelligence department. Looking at the names on the office doors I found the one I was looking for. Walking in I was met by the smell of coffee and noticed a tan mug sitting next to a full coffee pot. Grabbing the mug off the desk I poured some of the black liquid into the mug. Just as I was about to take a drink there was a familiar voice behind me.
“Hey, crotch rot.” I lowered the cup and turned to look at the man who wore a mask over the left side of his face. “Gonna slurp my lifer’s juice out of my own cup?” I looked down at the mug in my hand then back to the man.
“Yeah, guess I should’ve gotten shots beforehand.”
“If your brain was half as quick as your mouth asshole, the princesses would’ve made you a twenty star general by now.”
“And if I was half as ugly as you colonel, I’d be a poster boy for a prophylactic.” We stood looking at each other for a moment until we both grinned. “Damn, good to see you John.”
“Likewise. So,” He started as he walked over and sat down in the chair behind his desk “how was your trip up to the front? Enlightening I suppose?”
“That ain’t no shit.” I said as I sat down on the corner of his desk. “We need to start funneling more supplies and planes to medium air forces like the Ninth. I met a corporal up there who used his heated flight suit in bed because they don’t have enough blankets. We’re here in Canterlot eating caviar at fancy parties while they’re lucky to have potatoes and grits for dinner. I’ll tell you this right now, I’m not very happy with how the big boys are using their equipment either. B-17 crews playing chicken with jeeps, fighter pilots flying hungover; they’re all oversexed, overdrunk, and underworked. Sure, they may be flying against dangerous targets, but they’re still a bunch of kids who think this is a game.” I told him as I took a sip of the coffee.
“Sounds like you’ve got work to do.” John replied as he rolled his chair over to the coffee pot and poured some coffee into another mug that was sitting next to it. As soon as the cup was filled to his content he rolled back over and set the mug down. He began shuffling through paperwork. As he did so I looked at his chest. On his uniform were three rows of colored ribbons, but one stood out from the rest. The only ribbon not in a row was a lone light blue ribbon centered above the rest. Looking down at my own chest I saw my rack of ribbons which had grown rather impressive over the last few months. Though there may have been an oak leaf cluster added here and there to my older ribbons, I didn’t really care much for my medals. And while I myself had been awarded the Medal of Valor in March at the request of Admiral Harvard for my part in Operation Doolittle, I tended to play down the significance of the medal when asked about it at dinner parties. Looking down at my watch I took another sip of coffee before looking back at John.
“You going to that Spring Ball here at the palace tonight?”
“Nah. Not much chance of getting a last second date for a guy like me.” He said as he signed off on paperwork without even glancing up.
“Oh, come on. There’s bound to be at least one mare you know who’d dance with you.” I said with a smile before drinking the last of the coffee in the mug. “What about Applejack? She seems like the type of mare to give anyone a fair shot. Besides,” Walking over to the coffee maker I poured more coffee into the mug “she’s very pretty for a farm hand. Believe me, some of the female farm hands we had in Illinois weren’t exactly lookers.”
“Oh, I know.” John replied as he took a sip of his coffee. “I grew up in Staunton. My father helped build the strip of Interstate 55 that’s to the east of town. I spent every summer from when I was seven to eighteen detasseling corn.”
“No shit?! I used to go to Staunton to pick up corn for our livestock!”
“You buy it from Bill Purdy?”
“Yeah!” I replied with a smile as I sat down on the edge of his desk again.
“He’s the guy I detasseled for. About the only good looking girl around there was his daughter Kendra.”
“Ah, Kendra. I remember her. Of course she’s ten years my junior but she’s the right age for you. I remember seeing her again when I was home on leave a few years ago. She grew into quite the looker.” I said before taking a drink of my coffee.
“Yeah. But she’s not here so like I said, not much chance of getting a date.”
“I’m telling you John, ask Applejack. I’m sure she’d be happy to go with you.”
“Please,” He said waving a hand to the mask covering the left side of his face “what woman or mare would want me? I look like the Phantom of the Opera.”
“It’s not that bad to tell you the truth. Kinda makes you look a bit mysterious. Girls like a bit of mystery. Anyways, I’ve got to be going. Told the wife I’d be home by one.” Finishing off the coffee in the mug I set it by the coffee maker and made my way over to the door. Turning back around I looked at John with a small smile. “I still say you should ask Applejack when you get back to Ponyville this afternoon. I’m more than willing to bet that she’ll go with you.” Walking out I made my way down to the garage and over to the newly installed shack where a young unicorn specialist fourth class sat with a book held in his magic. I knocked gently against the wooden wall of the shack, causing the soldier to jump and nearly fall off his stool. “Sorry, kid. Can you call for my jeep?” He nodded and picked up a black phone that sat on a board which was barely hanging onto the wall of the shack.
“Will General Jones’ driver please pull forward to the pickup area?” He said over the garage PA system. A minute later the rumble of an engine sounded the approach of my jeep and another moment later it pulled around the corner. It slowed to a stop and I climbed in next to the mint colored unicorn mare who was my driver.
“Good morning, Lyra. How’re you?” I asked her as we started to pull away towards the exit.
“I’m well. Thank you for asking.”
“You drive me around half the time. It only seems fair to ask you how you are since you’ve got to deal with me.” She smiled at that and I removed my peaked cap. Setting it on the floor behind my seat I swept my hair back with my left hand. Looking in the small mirror that’d been mounted to the passenger side I noticed my hair was now almost completely grey. “Lyra, when the hell did I start getting so old? When I first got to Equestria I only had a few grey streaks. Now I’m grey with a few black streaks.” I said as I grabbed one of the few black streaks left in my hair.
"Well, my mother always said that what we put our parents through we get back ten fold when we have our own kids." She replied as we turned down the highway to Ponyville. "Were you a hoof full when you were young?"
"Not really. I was somewhat behaved. And though my kids are better behaved than I was at their ages; I don't think it's them. I think it's this damn war." I replied as I leaned back into the canvas covered cushion on the back of my seat. "I should've stuck to my two stars and been done with it. instead I grabbed three stars in the name of revenge."
"Well, think, once the war is over you can retire and live out the rest of your days with your wife as a national hero."
"Or as a murderer." I mumbled to myself as I thought about the atomic weapons being built at Area 13.
~~~~~
20:00 Hours
May 1, 1987
Canterlot Castle
~~~~~
"Are you sure you want to be down here?" I asked Thunderstreak as we walked down the damp corridor that was part of the palace dungeon. Around us the sound of some of the captured enemy troops, most of them members of the SS or with connections to the high command, echoed off the stone walls.
"Of course. I always wanted to see what it was like down here."
"There's not much to see. Stone walls, steel doors, and steel bars. That's about it." I told her as I noticed two guards on either side of a door ahead. "Sergeant, what's going on?" the guards turned to look at me and snapped to attention when they saw who I was.
"Sir, this prisoner has been deemed a possible danger to himself as well as mentally unstable." One of the guards explained as I approached the small window in the door. Inside was the SS major whom I had convinced I was going to neuter with my six-shooter. he was laughing maniacally while staring out the window which overlooked Canterlot.
"The hell is wrong with him?"
"He's simply gone mad, sir. Guess he wasn't built to be in prison. He keeps shouting 'they're coming'. Who he's talking about though we have no idea."
"Well, just keep an eye on him. Make sure he doesn't off himself or anything. Have a good evening boys." I told them as I began walking the other way. Thunderstreak followed and we made our way up to the palace gardens. Strolling through the garden I could smell the blooming flowers and around us the gentle breeze sent cherry blossoms fluttering through the air. Finding a bench next to a cherry tree I took a seat and was joined by Thundertreak a moment later. She leaned her head against my shoulder and let out a content sigh. Another breeze cause more pink petals to dance their way down and we were immediately covered in dozens of them. Thunderstreak leaned back and gave a small giggle when she looked over at me. "What?"
"You should see yourself. You look like you belong in one of those cartoons from Neighpon." She replied as she covered her mouth with her hoof to suppress another giggle.
"Good lord, my wife's a cartoon nerd. And I couldn't love her more." I said as I smiled at her. Another breeze came by and caused her purple dress to flap as though it were trying to fly away. Looking up at the sky I saw it was the most dazzling shades of orange, purple, and red. Looking up at the palace I saw John standing on a balcony. As he stood there I noticed an orange pony walk up next to him and I smiled to myself. "Go get him AJ."
~~~~~
Five Minutes Earlier
~~~~~
John looked around the room at all the high class and military ponies who strolled about the room or stood chatting in their own small groups. With a sigh he looked down at his glass of brandy before looking over at the archway that lead to a balcony. Walking out to the balcony he finished off his drink and looked down at the now empty glass sitting on the railing. Anger building up in him he grabbed the glass and threw it as far as he could. He watched the glass fly through the air until it disappeared into some trees in the gardens. Looking out over the city he felt a lump in his throat and placed his face in his hands. How long he stood there he didn't know, but the sound of hoofsteps caught his attention. He continued to keep his face hidden in hopes that whoever the pony was they would go away.
"John?" A mare's voice asked and John felt himself tense up at her country accent.
"Yeah, Applejack?" He asked, trying to swallow the sob that was caught in his throat.
"John, what's wrong?" She asked as she trotted closer.
"What isn't? I'm stuck on a different planet than my family, I'm helping in a war that I no longer wish to be a part of, and to top it off I have this!" He said as he lifted his head and pointed to the mask. She didn't even flinch as he somewhat shouted and looked into his eyes.
"John, I know you probably don't think of us as such, but we're your family too. Everyone. All of Equestria is your family. Foals look up to you. I heard one of Applebloom's school friends say he wanted to be like you when he grew up. You my not think you have much, but you are one of the wealthiest men in the world. Worth and value aren't measured in material items. It's whether or not you can smile even when life gets you down. It's not how high you you climb, but how high you bounce when you fall. If you think you have nothing on this planet, let me remind you that you still have ways of getting a family. Look at James."
"What mare would want someone who looks like me?" He asked as he looked back out over the city. He sighed but a hoof soon gently turned his head. He looked into Applejack's green eyes and felt himself relax as soon as he saw her eyes didn't hold the same judgmental manner that others at the ball did. Slowly her hoof reached up towards his mask but stopped. He gently nodded his head and her hoof slowly removed the mask. As she pulled it away he looked for the look of disgust in her eyes, but it never appeared. She set the mask on the railing and looked at his scarred face. Though he was somewhat against inter-species relationships, John found himself slowly falling for the mare with the green eyes and soft orange fur and slowly they began to inch closer to each other.
~~~~~
I smiled as I watched the two on the balcony kiss but turned when I heard hoofsteps behind us. Thunderstreak turned as well and we both stood and snapped to attention at the sight of Princess Celestia.
"At ease, you two. I don't care much for saluting." We both relaxed and I saw a certain look in her eyes; a look I still have trouble describing. She gave a gentle smile before looking at me. "James, I have a very special guest who wishes to speak with you."
"Alright. If I may ask, who is it?"
"Their identity is something I've elected to keep hidden until you two meet." She replied before turning and slowly making her way through the gardens. We followed and I looked around at the beauty that surrounded us. From the cherry blossoms to the birds that sang in the trees, the gardens were what I imagined Eden would look like. We followed Celestia into the palace and up two flights of stairs until we came to a corridor that lead to the ballroom. Stopping in front of a door, she turned and looked at me again. "James, this is someone you haven't seen in a little while so certain it'll be a shock for you." She said as she opened the door. Raising my eyebrow at her I paused before slowly walking towards the open door. Stepping inside I stopped and looked at the individual before me. In front of me was a man in a blue air force uniform with brown hair and brown eyes. He stood silent, staring at me in return. Slowly I walked up to him and reached out a hand. Placing it on his shoulder I confirmed he was in fact real before grabbing him and pulling him into a hug.
"I thought I lost you." I said with tears in my eyes. Pulling back, Austin smiled before returning the hug.
"For a while you did. But alicorn magic is a powerful thing. And Celestia made the greatest sacrifice of all to ensure I came back."
"How?" I asked as we broke the hug.
"You ever wonder Jim, why Celestia keeps a phoenix as her pet? It's because when an alicorn begins to die, their body does something pretty much identical to that of a phoenix. When the alicorn finally dies their body bursts into flames and they are reborn from the ashes. Celestia gave me that gift. But to do so she gave it up. This is her final life. And I'm afraid that once she passes, it will be for good this time. " Looking over at Celestia I saw her nod that it was in fact the truth.
"So this means you're immortal?" I asked him as we stood looking at Austin.
"Yes. Yes it does. Which, once my friends and loved ones begin to pass, I hope to return the gift to Celestia."
"Hooves crossed I live that long." Celestia said with a small laugh. We all gave a chuckle at that before resuming standing in silence. As we stood there a thought occurred to me. Grabbing Austin by his sleeve I dragged him out of the room and down the corridor.
"Jim, where are we going?" He asked as I basically dragged him behind me.
"To surprise your coltfriend. God knows he's going to love you more than he did before." I replied. We stopped in the doorway to the ballroom and looked around for the light blue pegasus. Finally I spotted him at a table near the dance floor with a glass of bourbon. "There he is. Now go over there and ask him to dance." I said as I gave him a gentle push. He took a couple steps before he turned back to look at me. Waving my hands for him to go he rolled his eyes and continued on his way. Leaning against the doorway I looked down to see Thunderstreak next to me. Looking back up I was just in time to see Soarin leap from his seat and wrap his forelegs around Austin. But as I watched the touching moment it was shattered by the cry of an air raid siren. Rushing over to the balcony I could see dozens of aircraft soaring over the city with white parachutes descending from the sky. As I watched I could see ME-321 gliders descending towards the fields around Canterlot. Turning back around I saw all military personnel present looking at me. "Everypony get to the War Department and destroy anything stamped top secret!" I shouted and they all galloped away to carry out the order. Walking over to Celestia I looked her in the eyes. "Get Luna and get the hell out of here. Understand?" She nodded and hurried off to find her sister. Turning around to face the crowd of civilians I frowned. "Everyone get out of Canterlot in anyway you can!" Some obeyed but a white unicorn stallion stepped forward.
"Why should we listen to you, a human?" Blueblood asked.
"Because," I started "the Nazis just landed in Canterlot."