The Girl I Left Behind Me

by Backslasherton

The Girl I Left Behind Me (Old)

I came to Equestria three years ago. Since then, I have fought many creatures and battles for the Princesses.The general populace doesn’t know about me, and I intend to keep it that way. I fight so they don’t have to. The only ponies who aren’t the princess who know about me are my squad members, and one or two of their best Generals. But a life of secrecy isn’t so bad. I mean, I got a private room in the castle and I’m fairly certain that the princess fancies me. Anywho, life was great until yesterday. That was when everything went to hell.

---

“Attention!” Jackson shouted. Eleven ponies straightened up in line and saluted. These were the elites, Jackson’s squad members. They were exceptionally trained soldiers in every category. Archery, swords, hand to hand, you name it.

“Alright troops, if we do well on this mission, we all get leave time. So let’s not delay any longer, debriefing time. There has been sightings of a terrorist band hiding in some diamond dog caves close to Ponyville. We get in, take as many willing prisoners as we can, and whoever aren’t willing, we take by force. Once we’re out, I contact the princess and she sends armored carriages and you all will load them on. I’ll meet up with you at Canterlot. Any questions?” No one raised a hand or spoke up. “Alright. Be at the airstrip by seven hundred hours.” Everyone saluted the Commander and walked off to their barracks. The Commander in question looked down at his watch and saw it was almost six forty-five. Just enough time for him to do one last thing.

I got a bad feeling about this mission. He thought. but I have to do it for Equestria.Well, and for her, but that was a given.

---

“Hello Jackson, what can I help you with?” Celestia asked the man from atop her throne. She has that smile. Jackson thought. That smile of a girl who has a crush. In truth, so did Jackson, but he was too scared to act on it. Funny ain’t it? I’ve fought dragons, griffins, diamond dogs, minotaurs, chimeras, manticores, you name it, I’ve fought it. Never felt true fear. A girl has a crush on me and I have a crush on her? I’m terrified.

“About to go on a mission. Thought I’d drop by and talk a bit before I leave.” He said with a shrug.

“What’s wrong?” She asked with a slightly more serious tone.

“I literally just said I’m about to go on a-”

“No that’s not it, you’re nervous. You’re never nervous about a mission.” She said, walking towards him.

He sighed. “I got a bad feeling about this mission. I just feel somethings going to happen. Which actually why I’m here.” He sighed and rubbed his forehead. “Celestia, if I don’t return-”

“Jackson…” She said sadly.

“If I don’t return, General Ironside will give you a package. There will be note in that package for you, my will, and a few other things.” He sighed and glanced down at his watch. “I must leave now. Goodbye, Celestia.” He said before giving her a quick kiss. The dumbfounded princess watched him walk away before realizing that he returned her feelings. She smiled and walked back to her throne to get ready for day court.

Good luck, Jackson.

---

“I’m sorry, Celestia. We all are. He was a good man and we couldn’t have asked for a better leader. But, when he died, he wanted me to give you this package.” The General handed Celestia a wooden box with “Douglas” engraved on top. “I shall give you your privacy now.”

“Thank you.” Celestia said calmly. The General bowed before walking out. She traced her hoof over the engravement of her late lover’s last name. She unlatched the box and slowly lifted the lid. Inside was two envelopes atop a wrapped parcel. One of the envelopes was mark “Will” and the other “Celestia”. She grabbed the one marked “Celestia” first. and opened it. Inside was a note and a silver pocket watch. The note read,

Dear Celestia,

If you are reading this, I am dead. Ironside should have given this to you one month after my death, meaning that the search should be over and you either found my body, or called off the search for other reasons. In any case, I wanted to tell you something. I may have already told you this, but I know you love me. To be honest? I always kind of knew. Yet I never acted on that because it scared me. The high and mighty human, scared of a little crush. Funny, isn’t it? I reckon about now you’ve pieced together what I’m going to say. I love you too, Celestia. Yet I was too much of a coward to tell you in life. Or maybe I did. If I did, then congrats to me. If not, well, now you know. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you months ago when I first found out.

You always asked me why I fought for a country in a world that wasn’t mine, and I always said “It’s not like I have anything else to do.” because I was a smart ass. The reason is, I do it because you work so hard to keep peace, and I wanted to help. Equestria is so much better than my home world, and I wanted to keep that statement true. So that’s why.

I just now realized, I won’t be able to meet your sister. I’m terribly sorry for that. Now, to explain something, I write one of these letters every time I go on a mission and give them to Ironside to replace the last one. I’m writing this before I go on a mission to dispel a terrorist band close to Ponyville, so I hope this is the right one.

It seems I’m running out of time to write this, so I’ll finish it off with some parting words.

Celestia, no matter what happens, raise the sun each and every day and raise the moon each and every night without sorrow. In two more years, Luna will be back and Twilight begin her destiny as an Element of Harmony. I will always be smiling in death, and let me tell you, I am terrified of death. So if I can smile while dead, you can sure as hell give a grin or two when you’re still alive. All jokes aside, I may be gone, but do not fall to grief. Twilight still needs a teacher, you know.

Goodbye Celestia.

-R. J. Douglas

Celestia placed the letter back in the envelope and looked at the pocket watch. It had elegant curves engraved all around the edges with R.D.J. engraved in the center. She open the watch to see stoppen hands. The hands of the watch were stuck on seven forty-two AM.

Why does that seem familiar? She thought.

She looked at the watch and saw a small crack on the glass and a bit of red stuck in the crack. Then she realized why that time was so familiar.

---

“Commander Richard Jackson Douglas, age thirty seven. Time of death, seven forty-two AM on May 14th 998 AN.” The soldier said solemnly to his princess. Before uncovering a body from underneath a white sheet in the back of the carriage. The Princess nodded before the soldier covered the body back up and closing the doors. “What do you want us to do, your majesty?”

“Bury him in the Royal Cemetery.” Celestia said solemnly. The soldier nodded before climbing into the front of the carriage and leaving. At her side stood her beloved student, who had been there for her as she grieved. The two turned and walked back to the castle as Celestia started to quietly cry again.

---

The Princess wiped her eyes and grabbed the one marked “Will.” and quickly read it. All it said was what to do with his belongings after he died. He gave all of his books to Twilight, all of his swords to Ironside, and the rest to Celestia. She put the note back in it envelope and placed it next to the letter.

Next up was the parcel underneath the envelopes. She pulled the string off and unwrapped it. Inside was his formal uniform to the military he belonged to back on his home world. She looked for a flag or a marking of it’s country of origin, but found none. Not that she’d recognize it, but she was just curious.

Looking back in the chest, she saw one last thing at the bottom of the chest. A flag of what was mostly likely the Earth country she had just been trying to identify, folded into a triangle. Unfolding it, she saw it had thirteen stripes, alternating between red and white with dozens of white stars on a blue square. But when she unrolled it, a stack of paper bound together by metal rings fell out. She grabbed it and read the title.

The Star Spangled Banner

National Anthem of The United States of America

Full Orchestra & Choir Score

She paged through the stack, looking at all the parts and the lyrics. She was no musician herself, but she could read basic Choir charts. As she was looking through the stack, she saw another piece of paper tucked into the book. She looked at the page with curiosity, as it resembled sheet music, but not entirely.

“The Girl I Left Behind Me Guitar Tab With Lyrics.” She read aloud. She recognized the words, as Jackson had played that song quite often. She closed her eyes and remembered his singing and strumming of that foreign instrument. Eventually she started singing it aloud to herself.

Halfway through, a male voice joined in.

She finished with a sigh and leaned back against her bed frame, eyes still closed. Suddenly, she shot upright, eyes wide open. There, standing in front of her, stood a man in a tattered suit and tie, stained red in a few places.

“My favorite song.”

Comments

[Backslasherton]

8646235
If you're still made about the cliffhanger, I have since rewritten chapter 1 of the sequal that you can find here if interested. You can also read the old ones, but understand that those are no longer considered canon by myself. Thanks for liking it!

[Starlight Nova]

Can I please at least get a link to KumKrum's DeviantArt profile?

[Backslasherton]

8651641
https://kumkrum.deviantart.com/

[SilverStar876]

Naniiiiiiii?