Chapter 7.5
July 4th, 997 AN
Eight Months After Jackson Came to Equestria
“Good morning, your majesty.”
“Captain Richardson, I’ve told you, you don’t have to call me that. Celestia is just fine.”
“Right, of course. Sorry.” Jackson looked down at the ground. “You know… it’s one of those things. Back home, my country had no royalty. I’m just not quite used to that concept.”
“I understand, Captain. If it makes you feel better, you can call me by my title.” Celestia smiled. “I’ve noticed you’re dressed in your uniform again.”
“Well the fourth of July is a rather special day for my country.” Jackson smiled sadly. “It’s the anniversary of my country’s declaration of independence from the country that settled us. Independence Day. America’s birthday.”
“I see.” Celestia grinned. “How old is your country this year?”
“Well, assuming the year here is still the same as it was back on earth, it would be 235.”
“A rather young country, by Equestrian standards.” Celestia said. Jackson laughed.
“We were the runt of the global superpower family.” He shook his head proudly. “And we were the strongest.”
“I’m very happy for you. But I have a feeling you aren’t just here for celebrations.”
“You’re right, yeah. Um. I was going to ask if… well…” Jackson fiddled with the gold button on his uniform. “If it would be possible for a little bit of fireworks in a remote area of Equestria.”
Celestia furrowed her brow.
“I suppose so… why?”
“It’s how we celebrate the Fourth of July back home. Big fireworks display. Now, I’m not trying to do anything like how we do it at home. I just wanted to know if I could pop off one rocket.”
“I think I know someone you could talk to.” Celestia smiled. “I know a gentlecolt that makes fireworks. He’s done a few shows for New Years and special occasions. I can arrange you a trip to meet him later today.”
“I would appreciate it very much.” Jackson nodded.
“Come back in an hour and I’ll have everything ready for you.”
“Oh, uh… an hour? That’s rather quick turn around.”
“I have my ways, Captain. Now go on, then. I believe the chefs are still cooking something for Twilight. You should still be able to get something.”
Jackson nodded.
“Uh… right. See you, then.”
“Heya Twilight.” Jackson greeted as he sat down. “What’re you readin’?”
Twilight glanced up at Jackson. He grinned at her, and she immediately dropped her head back down into her book. He shook his head. A waiter unicorn slid plates in front of the two. Jackson nodded.
“Thank you.” He smiled.
“...Thanks.” Twilight muttered through her book.
The waiter bowed and trotted out of the room. Jackson poked at his pancakes.
“So. Twilight. You know what today is?”
Twilight looked up from her book again, holding her gaze with Jackson. She shook her head, confusion written all over her face. Jackson grinned.
“It’s July Fourth.”
Twilight rolled her eyes.
“Okay, that much was obvious.” Jackson laughed. “But in all seriousness, today is an important day in my culture. Do you want to hear about it?”
Twilight nodded excitedly and set down her book. Jackson raised an eyebrow.
“Oh so that peaks your attention enough for you to put down your book?”
“Well… I can’t pass up the opportunity to learn about a new world, can I?”
Jackson nodded.
“I suppose not.”
“What is today?” Twilight asked, levitating a quill and paper from her book bag. Jackson laughed.
“Always prepared. Alright, then. July fourth. Independence Day. The day my country declared independence from the country that settled us.”
“You’re country was… the United States of America, right?”
“Correct.”
“And which country was the one that settled you?”
“I believe they still went by Great Britain at that time, but nowadays they’re called the United Kingdom.” Jackson sat quietly as Twilight jotted down her notes.
“Okay, go on.”
Jackson shook his head, grinning to himself.
“When did this become an interrogation?”
Twilight blushed sheepishly.
“S-Sorry. I guess I got a little carried away. Um, can you keep going?”
Jackson nodded.
“Alright. Well. On July 4th, 1776, our founding fathers signed the Declaration of Independence…”
“Your majesty?”
“Oh hello, captain. Did you enjoy your morning?”
“I did, though I have to admit that I don’t imagine I’ll ever be used to your Twilight’s questioning. It quickly went from me just trying to get her to talk, to her interrogating me about the American Revolution.”
“I apologize. She gets like that at times. She means well, but sometimes her endless pursuit of learning overtakes her common sense.”
“Don’t worry about it.” Jackson waved his hand. “She is a good listener when you ignore all of that other stuff. So, is there any news with the thing I asked you about?”
“Oh yes. I got in contact with a firework maker in Ponyville. His name is Rocket Star. His shop is on the edge of Ponyville. I’ve talked with him, and he’s agreed to help you for today. Don’t worry, I’ve made sure to tell him that you’re a little more… exotic than his usual customers. He’s also agreed to keep your visit strictly confidential. I’ll have guards on his property to make sure it stays that way.”
Jackson smiled wide.
“Thank you so much.”
“You’re very welcome, Captain.” Celestia smiled. “My guards will escort you to Rocket’s workshop.”
Two guards stepped towards Jackson, saluting the princess. Celestia waved for them to relax, and turned to Jackson.
“I’ll see you when you get back, captain. Have fun.”
“Thank you. I will.”
The knock on the wood door echoed off the building and into the empty fields around Rocket’s shop. Jackson glanced around, worried he’d be spotted by someone. He took a deep breath and glanced up, where one of Celestia’s guards circled the sky. He shook his head. He was being paranoid for nothing.
“Oh. You must be Captain Richardson.”
Jackson looked down to see a light grey pony with a faded red and white mane. He smiled kindly and extended his hoof in greeting.
“I’m Rocket Star. The princess told me you’d be coming here today.” Jackson shook his hoof. Rocket Star waved him in. “Come in, come in.”
Jackson stepped in, glancing around Rocket’s shop as the pony spoke.
“Her majesty told me to keep your visit here a secret, so I figured you wouldn’t want to wait around outside in broad daylight. So,” Rocket clapped his hooves together. “I hear you want to launch some rockets.”
“At least one, yeah.” Jackson nodded. “It’s my home country’s birthday, and back home we usually launch fireworks to celebrate.”
“Sounds like your people know how to celebrate.” Rocket grinned. “Sounds simple enough. We can make a couple of rockets for that, no problem. Any preference on the color?”
“The colors of our flag is red, white and blue, so that sort of thing.”
“Alright. Any preference on shape or effects?”
Jackson shook his head, grinning.
“Just make it go boom reeeaaaally big.”
Rocket smiled wide.
“Well let’s get going then.”
Jackson and Rocket stood at the edge of the fireworks testing field. Darkness had fallen, and the two were flanked by the ever vigilant royal guards. They’d turned their gaze from the treeline to the rocket sitting in the middle of the field. Jackson grinned at the two.
“Ready?” Rocket turned to Jackson. Jackson smiled and nodded.
“Let’s fuckin’ go.”
Rocket nodded, and his horn started to glow. A small flame appeared at the end of the long fuse running to the rocket. The fuse caught flame, sparks flying off as it ran down the length of the string. Jackson followed the flame as it ran across the ground, the light shining brightly in the darkness. The sparks disappeared into the rockets, and the fuel lit, launching the rocket high into the air.
BOOM
“Fuck yeah!” Jackson screamed.
BOOM BOOM BOOM
“...What?” Jackson muttered.
“I made a few more rockets.” Rocket shouted. “Consider it a gift.”
Jackson smiled wide as the sky was filled with red, white, and blue stars. Some crackled after the initial burst, some had smaller rockets shoot of in every direction. Jackson shook his head. “A few” was nothing. Rocket must have thrown in some of his premade ones, as the rockets started to deviate from the original trio of colors.
“This is amazing!” The guard on Jackson’s side said. He grinned down at her.
“What’s your name?” He asked.
“Private Evening Shroud, sir.” She shouted over the explosions.
“Happy fourth of July, Evening Shroud!” He yelled, turning back to the display.
Evening Shroud watched him. She could barely see the reflection of tears on his face. Before she could say anything, a completely white star went off, lighting up the countryside as bright as day. She could see the captain smiling through the tears in his eyes, holding a proud salute. Evening smiled, and turned back to the show.
“Happy fourth of July, captain.”
“Hello, captain. Did you enjoy your day?”
“Very much.” Jackson smiled. “Thank you, Celestia.”
“You’re very welcome, captain.”
“Jackson.” He corrected. Celestia smiled.
“Right. Sorry, Jackson.” Celestia gestured toward the door to the balcony. “I saw your little display.” She laughed. “A bit more than one rocket.”
Jackson scratched the back of his head uncomfortably.
“Yeah… Rocket threw in a bit more than I had originally planned. Sorry about that.”
“There’s no need to apologize. It was a wonderful sight for all of us. My subjects in Canterlot definitely enjoyed it, although they didn’t know what it was for.”
“It was for America.”
Celestia laughed.
“Yes, it was. I hope we did your country’s birthday justice.”
“More than enough. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, Jackson.” Celestia stood from her throne. “I was just about to close court for the day and have dinner before retiring for the night. Would you care to join me?”
Jackson smiled.
“I’d like that, princess.”
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This chapter spoke to me.....it said
"GodBlessAmerica"
9151285
USA! USA! USA!
Actually, no.
upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/28/British_Isles_Euler_diagram_15.svg/300px-British_Isles_Euler_diagram_15.svg.png
9151285
There's a movie with that title, you know... ;]