HOOFINGTON
FOUR MONTHS AGO
“Equestrian Girls, and Equestrian Guys...” Hawthorne was sitting on top of a hay cart his friend Maple was pulling, strumming on his old guitar. Granite, another friend of theirs, was riding lower in the cart while his sister Cloudbreak flew overhead. Cloudbreak’s coltfriend River, the fifth member of their group, ran alongside. “...There’s a lot of folks dead…” It was a familiar song for the five, a familiar one for most everypony they knew honestly. It had been since the changeling attack on Canterlot during the royal wedding. But somehow every time they sang it, it summoned the magic of a Heartsong.
“My Daddy served in the Guard Corp….” All of them had the image of Acre Rich, Hawthorne’s father, flash through their mind, “…flag out on our farm…” Said farm was just vanishing over the rise behind them. They were coming into town now, which meant other ponies. It was honestly a familiar scene, and most of the town rushed to join in on the parade.
“Now this nation that I love keeps falling under attack,
With mighty sucker punches flyin’ in from all over the map.
But soon as we can see clearly
Through our big black eyes,
Man we light up your world,
Like Celestia’s sky!”
The parade was well underway by this point, following a familiar route. Everypony in town knew the destination, and all had been waiting for this day.
“Hey Auntie Faust put your name
At the top of her list,
And the Statue of Harmony,
Well let me tell you she’s pissed.
And the phoenix will fly,
‘mid the lightning and hail.
Then you’ll hear Mother Freedom
Start ringing her bell,
And that really is the whole wide world that’s raining down on you!
Brought to you Courtesy of the Equestrian True!”
It was a small town, West of Ponyville, East of Appleoosa, South of Transylmania. Everypony loved their small town heroes, and now one of them was going off to be an even greater hero.
“The magic will fly
And the storm clouds will rage.
This dragon will fight
When you put siege to her cave.
And you’ll be sorry that you messed with
The ponies of day…
Well buck you right in the plot,
It’s the Equestrian way.”
In a display rarely seen outside of Ponyville, literally everypony within hearing of the town joined in on the final chorus.
“Hey Auntie Faust put your name
At the top of her list,
And the Statue of Harmony,
Well let me tell you she’s pissed.
And the phoenix will fly,
‘mid the lightning and hail.
Then you’ll hear Mother Freedom
Start ringing her bell,
And that really is the whole wide world that’s raining down on you!
Brought to you Courtesy of the Equestrian True!”
Old Stallion Binoculars smiled as he led Hawthorne into the county enlistment office. “Been waiting on this day fer a long time.”
Hawthorne nodded. “Now that the last of this year’s planting is done and Mom has enough to hire the farmhoofs she’ll need, I’m ready.”
“I know ya are son, I know. I’ve taken the liberty of already fillin’ out most of the paperwork for ya, just have a few questions I hafta actually ask.”
“Go ahead.”
“Name?”
“Hawthorne.”
“Legal name?”
“Hawthorne.” At the older stallion’s raised eyebrow, the younger one smiled. “I had it legally changed a while back. I don’t really need a connection to that part of the family anyway.”
Binoculars shook his head. “I have to go with your birth name son.”
Hawthorne sighed and gave it.
“Age?”
“Eighteen.”
Date of birth, parents, medical history, address, and emergency contacts soon followed.
“Coat color?”
“Rosewood.”
“Mane?”
“Two-tone blue.”
“Tail?”
“Same.”
“Eyes?”
“Dark Green.”
“Cutie Mark?”
“A Swiss army knife and a roll of duct tape.”
“Special Talent?”
“Problem Solving.”